UAE-born expatriate women recall emotional connection with ‘home’ country

On the eve of the UAE’s 46th National Day, Arab News spoke to expatriate women born and raised in the Emirates about why they believe it is the best place to live and raise their children.
Faeza Dawood, a 30-year-old Pakistani broadcast journalist and mother of three, said the efficiency of law enforcement in the UAE makes it a safe place to raise families.
“The beauty of my childhood was that we grew up with children belonging to diverse cultures around us,” she said. “And as Pakistani children born and raised in Dubai, we grew up having a unique perspective on life — one that combined the learning of local UAE culture, affirmation of our traditional Pakistani roots, and acceptance of the diversity of other nationalities living around us.”
Kulsoom Zakir, a 30-year-old Pakistani national who works in Abu Dhabi as a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas sector, said, “I love how the UAE is the land of opportunity for anyone willing to work hard enough. People come here from all walks of life and find a purpose. I am always amused at how expats observe the rules here more strictly in comparison to their own homelands. The lifestyle in the UAE forces you to understand that no one is above the law and that our differences should unite us to work towards a common goal.”
For Sanober Sabah, a 35-year-old-Indian, no country can provide safety for women the way the UAE does. “The UAE is the best place when it comes to safety of women,” she told Arab News. “I couldn't think of moving around back home late at night on my own. But in the UAE, it's quite completely normal for women to socialize and mingle after dark.”
Religious tolerance is another reason Dawood feels the UAE is such a good place to live. “There is a beautiful atmosphere of tolerance and peace in the society,” she said. “In a beautiful way there has always been this feeling of being at home here. One can always hear the azaan (call for prayer). Ramadan is always a festive occasion with iftar meals in all the mosques.”
She adds that Eid is celebrated in a big way too, stressing how — as a Muslim —the celebration of Islamic festivals is important to her and her children’s upbringing. But she enjoys the fact that the UAE allows other religious festivals to be celebrated. “Apart from Islamic festivities, we see religious tolerance too. Other occasions like Christmas are also made festive for those who celebrate. So, we grew up respecting other faiths as well,” she explained.
Zakir believes her father made the right decision by choosing to settle down in the UAE. “I was born in Abu Dhabi and that has made a huge difference in my upbringing. We were sheltered from many of the negatives and grew up surrounded by diversity, respect and love for all of God's creations. Everything I cherish most in this life — a happy family, good friends, a sound education and a fulfilling livelihood,” she said.
For both Sabah and her two children, the UAE is their home country. “Whenever they asked where they are from, they always say they are from the UAE. This is the only identity they believe in,” she said.
Zakire does have one thing she would like to change, however. “I would love to call the UAE my forever home, but visa rules don't really allow for that. Buying property is also not the answer. Unfortunately, one thing most of us learn early on is that regardless of how much you would like to call the UAE home, it remains a place where you’re only staying temporarily, even if that can mean as long as 30 years,” she said. “Not everyone makes enough cash to invest in a business or property. Still, home is where the heart is and by that measure, my home is UAE at the moment.”
Zakir added that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, regarded as the UAE’s founder, has always had a special place in the hearts of her family: “Whenever we moved into a new home dad always insisted on carrying two things into the new space before everything else. First was the Holy Qur’an, for obvious reasons, and second was a picture of Baba Zayed. Dad would not let us move in furniture till he found a proper place to hang up his portrait. No other picture was allowed on the same wall. Plus the portrait had to be the first thing people saw when they stepped into the space. He said expatriates owe a lot to this man. He said leaders with a great vision for their nations can truly change the destiny of their people. Baba Zayed was such a leader.”
Dawood believes that expatriates have to show commitment to enjoy this country of love and peace. “The only thing I would like to see more here is (greater) commitment from expatriates who come here for brief periods,” she said. “The UAE has a beating heart and a rich soul. Anybody who comes here for a job opportunity should try to win that heart through respect and touch the soul through commitment.”