DUBAI LIFE

Our First and Second Time in Dubai: Then and Now

cherylsu • November 8, 2024
A green van is parked on the side of the road

We first came to Dubai for work in 2002. That’s when we met, and later got married. By 2007, when our daughter was a year and a half old, we left and moved to Singapore.


Now in 2024, we’re back in Dubai for the second time. What’s the difference?


The difference is—it feels like a brand-new place. To me, it’s 90% unfamiliar.


Back then, Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR), the city’s first and longest highway, had only one major interchange. Now? I’ve lost count. (I’ll update you once I do! 🤣) But here’s the thing—behind that one interchange back then was just desert. Today, when I stand at that same spot, the desert is nowhere to be seen.


90% of this city, I have to get to know all over again. I’ll share more about that little by little. And the 10% that still feels familiar? The sky is the same (obviously), the Arabian Sea hasn’t changed (though the coastline has), and the streets are still filled with luxury cars—actually, now even more so.

With my car-loving son yelling in excitement every day, I’ve learned that the roads are full of the world’s most expensive Mercedes, top-tier Maseratis, Rolls-Royces… all kinds of unbelievable cars. Like the one parked in front of me during school pickup—the exact dream car I’ve always wanted. They’re everywhere. (Except mine—still dreaming. 😜)


Gas is still cheap—that hasn’t changed. It’s at least half the price of diesel in Germany.


People still drive a little recklessly, though it’s better now. Why? Because there are speed cameras everywhere.


If you ever move to Dubai, and your budget allows it, get a taller SUV or a pickup. You’ll feel safer on the roads, and others will be more likely to give way.


That’s rule number one for surviving in Dubai.

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An aerial view of a city with a sailboat in the middle of the ocean.

Winter in Dubai is simply the best.

By cherylsu • January 5, 2025
The weather is most pleasant from around November to March. It hardly ever rains—maybe 360 days of sunshine a year—and when it does rain, it’s just a gentle sprinkle. That wild storm in 2024? It might take another hundred years before something like that happens again. On a crisp night, when the temperature hovers around 16 to 20°C… We hang a couple of fairy lights among the trees in the garden, light some candles, and play Lisa Ono’s soothing Bossa Nova on the speakers. We sit around in the yard, grilling, chatting, enjoying the breeze—it’s pure bliss. For those who enjoy shisha, the sweet aroma drifts gently through the air as they exhale, adding another layer of calm to the evening. One of the best things about Dubai is that you never have to worry about the weather ruining an outdoor gathering. Unlike Hamburg, where you always need a Plan B for rain—and you will end up using it! Just yesterday, a friend who visited my home said how peaceful it is around here. “It’s such a cozy, tucked-away little haven,” she said. I told her, this is my favorite part of Dubai—not only is it close to the sea, but the location was chosen carefully. Whether it’s getting to work or school, we rarely get caught in traffic.
A potted plant is sitting on a table in front of a window.

Too good to be true

By cherylsu • December 5, 2024
Just a few days ago, I was ranting to a friend—yep, I got scammed buying a plant online. I’d heard scams are everywhere in Dubai, and even the police can’t keep up. Guess who got hit the moment they arrived? Yours truly. My friend immediately replied: “Two of my friends were scammed out of 200,000 USD—money they borrowed from family and friends to invest. In the end, they had to sell their brand new house to pay it all back. Total loss.” Suddenly my sad little plant felt… not so tragic. My sister had a similar experience years ago—introduced by a friend. At first, she invested a little, and every week she got her money back with interest. Classic bait. So when they asked her to go big, she put in her savings. Then… radio silence for 3 weeks. Panic mode: ON. She called nonstop, freaked out, and miraculously, she got her money back. Lucky. Probably one of the rare cases. Her “friend” must’ve had a guilty conscience… or thin skin. Either way, she got out, but not without losing sleep, appetite, and probably a bunch of brain cells. When I was in Panama, a diplomat friend had to rush to the airport in the middle of the night to deal with a group of Taiwanese folks trying to transit to Peru with fake work visas—none of them spoke English or Spanish. Scam mules.