When I decided to make the move to Abu Dhabi from Boston, US, in 2014, I had no idea where the journey would take me, metaphorically at least.
At the time, I had never visited the Middle East and had a difficult time imagining what the capital really looked like, despite the images I saw on Google.
I was worried about mundane things such as the weather and what to wear, but I also wondered if I’d regret making this decision, especially considering I didn’t know a single person in the UAE. At worst, I told myself, I could always go home if I felt too homesick or wasn’t happy.
Fast-forward a decade and I’m still in Abu Dhabi after spending nearly a third of my life in the Emirates. Although I was once unsure of my decision to move abroad, it turned out to be the right one for me.
Almost every year I have conversations with my family and friends in the US, and eventually the topic comes up about whether it is time to return home. But I always come to the same conclusion. Not yet.
Sometimes it feels difficult to explain why, but it boils down to how accustomed I have become to the life I have chosen. Here are some of the reasons why I’ve continued to uphold my life and location choices.
Safety and security
Abu Dhabi was recently named the safest city in the world for the eighth year in a row. While this doesn't imply an absence of crime, the designation holds true in my personal experience.
I've forgotten my phone in taxis and once even left my wallet at the mall, yet each time I was able to retrieve my belongings without any complications (and nothing was missing from my wallet, either). I can leave my purse in my shopping trolley and go to another aisle or even arrive home late at night by myself without any issues.
The city has always made me feel safe because of its visible security measures, such as well-lit areas and security cameras, as well as the country’s commitment to respecting different cultures and fostering an atmosphere of peace.
While people still need to be smart about their surroundings no matter where they are in the world, I've found that living in the UAE provides a certain ease in navigating day-to-day life.
Melting pot
I cannot count the number of people I've met from different nationalities in the past 10 years, something I don’t think would have been the case had I stayed in the US.
I’ve learnt a lot about other cultures, as well as my own, through these experiences with people from various places. I've participated in all manner of cultural celebrations, joining in Diwali festivities with my Indian friends, observing Chuseok (South Korean Thanksgiving) with my South Korean friends and marking Ramadan with my Muslim peers. I also have plenty of opportunity to celebrate my own Chinese New Year.
The UAE’s cultural diversity is also apparent in its eclectic selection of restaurants and speciality shops catering to its varied residents. I can get everything from Thai street food and authentic Ethiopian dishes to French fine dining and local seafood sourced fresh from Mina Fish Market.
Culture and sport
Over the years, the emirate has upped its ante when it comes to hosting events.
Just this year, there was a month-long showing of the award-winning musical Hamilton and the launch of Saadiyat Nights, an open-air concert series with performing acts such as Mariah Carey, John Legend, Alicia Keys and Sting.
A few years ago, partnerships were announced with the UFC and NBA. This means there are annual UFC events as well as the NBA Games Abu Dhabi, which are two pre-season games held at Etihad Arena. There is also the annual Formula One Grand Prix on Yas Island.
The creation of Yas Bay and Mamsha have helped to elevate the dining scene in the emirate, with more options than ever to go out and have an enjoyable evening with friends and family.
This has become one of my favourite things about Abu Dhabi – having enough things to do to keep entertained, but not feeling any pressure to have to attend everything.
Travel options
One advantage of living in the Middle East is that it is an ideal place for travel, given the UAE is a great departure point because of its location.
I’ve been lucky enough to go on great trips, such as a safari in Tanzania and a holiday in Japan. Besides trips abroad, the Gulf itself has plenty of exciting places to explore – be it taking a road trip to Salalah in Oman during khareef season or visiting one of Saudi Arabia's mega projects. These are destinations I perhaps wouldn’t have considered if I didn't live in the UAE.
With time and, by extension, money not as much of an issue, I feel grateful for living in a country that affords me the chance to experience travel in such a convenient way.
My own community
This might be the biggest reason why it’s hard for me to leave. Even though I came to this country not knowing anyone, I’ve created my own family of sorts here now.
I’ve been with my partner for almost five years and I’m also a proud cat mum to five little personalities rescued over the past decade. I’ve also cultivated strong friendships with people, those with whom I joyously celebrate significant milestones and those who inspire me to strive to be my best self.
Whether it’s the simple joys of birthdays to profound moments such as weddings and childbirth, I’m happy to be a part of these occasions. This is not to say that I don’t miss my own family or childhood friends back in the US – because I do – but I also realise that for all the things I may have missed out on there, I’ve also gained much over here.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
More coverage from the Future Forum
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If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
More from UAE Human Development Report:
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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