dubai

June 19, 2013

7 things I love about Dubai

January 19, 2012 by Said Hamideh 17 Comments

After two years of getting to know Dubai from the inside out, I have finally moved on with mixed emotions and a perspective that I feel most people may never get to truly appreciate. I offer you 7 lesser-known reasons why Dubai is truly a great place, whether you believe it or not.

Blood-Orange Saturated Sunsets

Come to Dubai if you want to see a giant blood-orange sun dipping into the Arabian gulf. For that miraculous moment, witness an interplay of rich magentas and oranges bring time to a standstill in the thick and quiet air which only defers to a polyphony of adhans, the Islamic call to prayer that will impregnate the heavy air. To some it is a religious experience. For anyone else, it is a matter of reflecting on how the sultry aura of the gulf will make your spirit feel. It can be. incredibly. relaxing. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, feature Tagged With: courtesy, credit, deira, dubai, expat, police, relocation, UAE

To Veil Or Not To Veil? Customs across the Middle East

January 10, 2012 by Saad Khan 1 Comment

in collaboration with Said Hamideh

That is the question for women visiting the Middle East. In Sex and the City 2 we witness Sarah Jessica Parker and the entourage donning burkas to escape the wrath of locals. And yet they also parade around in some pretty revealing clothes such as in that scene where they visit a Dubai souk. A reality which is almost passable, but not quite. Like many other aspects of that movie, it is difficult to take away some kind of reliable lesson. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Asia, feature Tagged With: abaya, attire, beirut, burka, culture, dubai, expat, fashion, islam, middle east, muslim, respect, tolerance, veil

Insights

The eleventh of the month (dispatch from Thailand)

January 30, 2012 By Courtney Ziegler Leave a Comment

I’m sitting in an auditorium in a school in Thailand. My cousin is next to me planning courses. I spent the morning stretching on top of a brick staircase in the sky. The steps were falling apart and as I walked up it hoping the structure wouldn’t crumble beneath me. The staircase didn’t seem [...]

Stress in a Latvian Student’s Life

January 23, 2012 By Deniss Zelenkov 6 Comments

Stress blows problems out of all proportion, especially when you are nineteen and you’re currently attending University.

The Indian Food Puzzle

January 20, 2012 By Saad Khan 1 Comment

What’s your experience with Indian – or on a broader scale – South Asian food? Are you in love with it? Do you feel heartburn after a hearty meal of spicy lentils? If your experience is not good, chances are that you made a bad choice. South Asian food is as diverse as the languages [...]

Top 5 expat destinations. Why are they attractive?

January 19, 2012 By Cristiana Dumitru 2 Comments

They offer the best living standards in the world. They have the best career opportunities and the biggest salaries. In addition to this, they are the most heavily visited destinations in the world. I am talking about the top five countries with the biggest number of expats.

Life is a carnival in Montevideo

January 17, 2012 By Lisa Mercer Leave a Comment

On a sunny summer’s morning in late January, you awaken in Montevideo to the sound of pulsating drum rhythms. The sound emanates from the waterfront. It intensifies, and draws closer. Look out your window. Women dress in scanty, elaborate costumes, parade down the street as they dance to the rhythm of the drums. It’s carnival [...]

The Secrets of Romanian Cuisine

January 16, 2012 By Sophia Goublias 5 Comments

I must admit it. I like food! One might say it is my preferred heuristic device for exploring new places. When I first visited Romania, I was really curious about what this small country had to offer in the field of gastronomy. Back in Greece, I was accustomed to various dishes, and you may know [...]

Hot and strong – meet the American diner!

January 12, 2012 By Grace A. Leave a Comment

I thought I knew everything there was to know about the America and – New York for sure. I knew all the facts: I knew that I needed to spend an entire afternoon at Times Square and several afternoons in Central Park. I prided myself on my knowledge of all things a brand new expatriate [...]

Guide to Location Independence Pt. 1: Respecting the Way of Life

January 11, 2012 By T.W. Anderson 2 Comments

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman

A little ways from Angkor

January 9, 2012 By Grace A. Leave a Comment

Somehow, whenever people speak of Cambodia, all they seem to remember is the great citadel of Angkor Wat. While Angkor is certainly the showpiece of ‘The Magnificent Kingdom’, I wasn’t buying the argument that if you had seen Angkor, you had seen Cambodia. Most of the people you meet on the streets will still proudly [...]

Being an expat in Romania versus Greece

January 4, 2012 By Sophia Goublias 9 Comments

As I found myself on a plane headed towards Romania, I must admit that I felt terrified. I was moving away from my home, sunny Greece, into a new, unexplored place, a strange country, with vampire myths, and bizarre traditions.