As we all join in celebrating the 40th National Day of UAE. Let me list down my 40 random reasons, big and small, to love the country:
- UAE bridges the gap between nations by being a venue for us, expats, to understand different cultures, traditions and beliefs
- UAE is still generally safe. I have a peace of mind whenever I roam in the country. There may be few cases of petty crimes but we hardly see them ourselves.
- UAE has balance of tourist attractions. Amazing futuristic cities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and unexpectedly great escapes in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and the rest of the Emirates
- UAE welcomes Christians, other religions and their church in the country. There are at least 10 Christian / Catholic church in the country. Unlike other Islamic countries, Christmas is allowed to be celebrated here.
- There are no political circus in the UAE. No one talks about it (at least in my circles)
- It is generally clean and orderly here
- The country holds at least 10 world-records and still aiming for some. Just shows us how dedicated the nation is in providing top-of-the-world-class attractions, architecture and amenities.
- We can wear our casual attires outdoors – although I hate it when some go over-board
- There are a lot of green parks within the city – a good place for picnic, sports and kids playground.
- UAE have clean, white sand beaches – great water sports as well.
- All households are air-conditioned.
- It’s multicultural in the workplace. We discover a lot of things from our co-workers. We try to learn each other’s languages too.
- People’s level of passion about sports is ultimately high – especially football. There are world tournaments here as well like the Dubai Tennis Championship, Dubai World Cup, etc.
- Food is easier to buy – not that cheap, but more affordable against the monetary value.
- Apartment spaces are huge
- Public transportation are run by the government /semi-government alone; and now it is more orderly
- Shawarma stands are in every corner
- Desert safari and desert camping on pre-winter
- Amazing skydiving view on top of The Palm Jumeirah
- It has the only two 7-star hotels in the world – Burj Al Arab (Dubai) and Emirates Palace (Abu Dhabi)
- From time to time you can still encounter camels crossing on the road in front of you (near the deserts)
- There are loads of concerts of our favorite performers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
- Iftar everywhere during Ramadan
- Dragonmart, Bur Dubai Creek, Karama and Satwa – places to find good bargains
- Big malls with great indoor parks and amusements like, Ski Dubai, Sega Republic, Kidzania, etc
- Stunning hotel exterior and interior designs
- Taking the Dubai Metro Ride
- Taking the water taxi (abra)
- Dhow Cruise at Dubai Creek and Dubai Marina
- Deep-see fishing on a yacht, while seeing the Dubai skyscrapers on the backdrop
- It’s TAX FREE here
- Gasoline / Petrol are really affordable
- Gold Souk for bargains and deals on gold and jewelries
- There are various volunteer organizations and charities that give us opportunities to lend a hand within and outside the country
- Very patriotic and passionate celebration of the National Day
- There are sporting events/festivals for air (Al Ain/Dubai/Abu Dhabi Air Show), water (Sharjah Water Festival), and land (F1 Grand Prix, and more)
- Bars and Clubs are aplenty
- For non-muslims, there are pork products in select supermarkets and hotel restaurants
- There are more than 450,000 Filipinos in the country – and our favorite Filipino foods are available in many groceries and restaurants
- The social media online and offline communities and events are visibly active (Facebook Events, TwitUp, MeetUp, etc)
I’m happy to be living in this country I call my second home. I’m sure there are more than 40 reasons. What’s yours?