UAE expats reveal the 10 things they love most about the country

Nearly eight million expats call the UAE home. Some of them came for a chance at a better future. Some came to study, others to build a career or simply to enjoy world class living standards. 

Some expats were born in this country and call it home. Others have been living in it for the past 20 years, with no plans to leave. As the country celebrates its 45th National Day, we asked a group of expats from India, UK, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Germany, France and Italy about the things they love the most in the UAE.

Here are their top 10 answers:

With expats representing some 200 nations and cultures – the UAE is as diverse as you can get. This makes for a cosmopolitan community that is dependent on the blend of cultures, people and languages.

“Living in the UAE has changed me in a better way, because now I’m more open to other cultures, beliefs and traditions that I never knew existed!” says Shaza, an IT manager who’s been living in Dubai for the past nine years.

Whether its food, malls, stores or cinemas, there’s never a dull day here. You never run out of choices. But you might run out of days to fit everything in!

“I do like the old and classic buildings in [other countries], but it’s great to witness the birth of modern and iconic buildings on a regular basis when you live in the UAE," says Yasmin, an Iraqi-British marketing manager who has lived in the UAE since she was two years old.

You will never get bored of looking at the world’s most famous hotel, the Burj Al Arab. And you will spend forever trying to take that perfect picture of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.

“I never get tired of telling my friends back in France that my office is on Palm Jumeirah! I mean how cool is that?!” says Miriam, a French PR manager who moved from Paris to Dubai 12 years ago.

The uninterrupted sun is one of the many reasons many expats move to the UAE. While the peak summer months get incredibly hot, the rest of the year is warm enough to lie in the sun, and breezy enough to get cozy at night. Perfection!

“It sounds silly. But the real reason I left the UK to come and live in Dubai is the sun! I hate being cold and I love to live by the beach,” says Nicole, a school teacher who moved to Dubai in 2006.

The UAE was ranked No. 1 for the low levels of violent crime and has the lowest homicide rate, according to the Global Social Progress Index in 2014.

“The most thing I appreciate about living in UAE is the safety … it is a necessity of life that you don’t really appreciate until you lose it," says Ahmad, an Iraqi architect who’s been living with his family in Sharjah for the past 18 years.

Nowhere else in the world will you witness such an excellent combination of tradition, culture and technology.

“I love the fact that one day I can go to Batakiyah and get on an 'abra' ride for one dirham, then visit Masdar City on another day,” says Bilal, a Lebanese entrepreneur who was born in Dubai.

The UAE is one of the most tolerant countries in the world. Plenty of different cultures and religions happily co-exist here.

“I was born in Dubai and I remember ever since I was a child that my family celebrated Diwali every single year. Now at work, I celebrate Diwali with people from different nationalities, not just Indian expats,” says Lakshmi, a PR executive.

This should have probably been on top of the list, but it’s a pretty good reason to love the UAE!

“When I graduated from university the only place I wanted to live and work at was UAE. The construction business here is always developing and the salaries are un-taxed. Perfect!” says Gianluca, an architect from Italy.

From water canals to new highways, to fancy hotels and beautiful new cafés, or even cool startups! A new day in the UAE always promises to offer us something new and exciting.

“My office overlooks the water canal … it still amazes me that a few months ago it didn’t exist and now it just looks wonderful," says Varun, an Indian insurance specialist who was born in Abu Dhabi.

It’s not too bad to finish work and head straight to the beach, or to spend the weekend in a nice hotel, or to not worry about where to park your car, and the list goes on … Everything just seems so much easier in the UAE.

“Back in the UK I would never dream of ordering my groceries. But I unashamedly do so in Dubai!” says Angela, a British marketing director who has lived in Dubai since 2005.