They say nothing is perfect. Some people will always find a reason to complain about something or look at the negative side of it rather than the positive.
We see this pattern of behavior with many expats who live in the United Arab Emirates. They take advantage of all the benefits the country has to offer, but still are not happy and take it upon themselves to criticize, disapprove and disparage at every opportunity. Simply said: maybe the UAE is not the best place to live for such people.
Here are 5 signs the UAE is not a good home for you and maybe you should consider not living here anymore:
1. If you still call it a bubble
If the UAE is a bubble then why hasn’t it burst yet? The way I see it (and the whole world for that matter) is that this bubble keeps getting bigger, stronger, better, more developed and more advanced. This bubble is employing hundreds of thousands of people, offering learning opportunities for knowledge seekers and providing a safe place for people who lost their homes. If a bubble can do all that then it must be one hell of a solid and resilient one!
2. If you constantly bash it for being too hot
It is a DESERT! So guess what? It is HOT! But you don’t have to be a baby and complain about it every single summer and criticize it on social media or in front of your buddies back home. If you feel hot here, just get on with it. Nobody moves to Siberia and complains constantly about the snow and cold!
3. If you think there is no freedom of expression
Christmas trees in malls? Check. Mosque in front of the beach? Check. Bikinis and abayas? Check. Ramadan and happy hour? Check… the list goes on and on… if that’s not freedom of expression then what is? The UAE, and Dubai in particular, are astonishing and inspiring examples of co-existence, tolerance and freedom of expression and if you think otherwise, maybe you should go be free somewhere else.
4. If you complain about media being too controlled
Let’s just be clear on one thing: having a free and transparent media doesn’t automatically make a country greater or better to live in. We’ve seen countries which have free media but are incapable or electing a president or have an imbecile as a presidential candidate. Every country has its own reasons for controlling the media or letting it be free. But what good does it do for a citizen when he can criticize leaders and governments but doesn’t have decent living standards or a safe shelter?
5. If the hidden taxes are bugging you
Residents in the UAE do pay a lot of hidden taxes, but can still make a lot of money if they plan their income right. Moreover, these hidden taxes are still very low compared to what some expats would pay in their own countries. If people know that they will always drive on safe and clean roads, have state of the art facilities in airports, enjoy cold air inside an air conditioned bust stops and have lunch breaks in five-star hotels, then they must know that all this costs money anywhere else in the world, not just in the UAE.