The Emirates celebrated its 37th National Day today. Like most Dubaians taking advantage of the midweek holiday, a couple of friends and I took to the beach. The sun was out, the winds were cool enough, it was a beautiful day to lay a towel on the sand and expose one's self to UV rays. I'm darker than ever and I probably gained a kilo or two from eating all that yummy Lebanese food, but it was a great day.
Hmm...look at that, I actually called myself a Dubaian. A year ago, I would have declared bloody murder if anyone called me that. I loathed this city. And I never wanted to consider myself a part of it. The pretentious culture, the exploitative capitalism, the ridiculous cost of living, the emptiness- I hated it all. I would have given anything for a ticket to leave. But now, strangely, I'm warming up to the place. Yes, I still hate the aforementioned sad facts of Dubai life and I fervently hope that soon, things will change...but I find myself liking more things now. Like, how the beaches are just 15-30 minutes away, depending on which one you want to go to. How the sunset reflects so beautifully on the glass panes of the buildings along Sheikh Zayed. How the skyline glitters at night. How the sight of the flamingoes, all pretty and pink, always manages to brighten up a workday morning when we drive by their sanctuary. How we're only a few hours away from dream travel destinations. How amazing it is to see a city grow so rapidly, albeit its implications on our everyday life, not to mention our pockets (all kinds of fees popping up in lieu of the non-existence of taxes, awful traffic, increasing pollution, et cetera, et cetera). And how hard it is not to get influenced by Dubai's "can do" attitude. Anything is possible here, like the billboards constantly remind us. And while most of the time, for this city, that philosophy translates into another Mother-Earth-raping scheme (manmade islands, manmade bodies of water, outrageous feats that involve leaving tons of carbon footprint), one has to admit, if used in a good way, it can serve one well.
Living here has its pros and cons, but then again, I realize that it would be the same in any city. There are always going to be things to hate and rant about, but there are always going to be good things as well. And it's always better to look on the bright side.
Happy National Day, Emarat. Thanks for having me here. :)
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