My friend alerted me on a Friday afternoon after he curiously saw one post in a ‘Buy and Sell’ Facebook Group by someone with my profile photo, but not my name. The post is indirectly trying to lure people to get into whatever investing he may be offering. A quick look at his profile suggests that he is into bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The name is “Patrick Songcuan.”
On his wall, there were 4 more posts using my photos with captions about bitcoin and ForEx investments. It was alarming.
The fake profile was created in April 2020. Based on his timeline, he started using my photos only on February 10 this year.
This guy is foolishly smart to handpick photos to use in an attempt to add “credibility” to his posts. He used my photos in which I am with people who are influential in the community and in the field of financial literacy. He also used our family pictures for his cover photo.
Reporting to Facebook
I immediately reported his profile to Facebook under “someone pretending to be me.” I also reported the photos individually.
I shared the incident on my wall and called on my friends to help me in reporting the account.
After about a hundred reports, the profile was still up. Some of my friends stepped up in helping me trace the fraudster. Some of them were able to chat with ‘friends’ of Patrick through comments on his old posts. They were able to find some connections that lead to eventually finding the “real” Patrick Songcuan.
Sad to say, one of my friends who tried to contact Patrick became the next victim of this identity theft. The next day, he found his photos being used by another similar profile.
My wife was able to reach Patrick. Apparently, his account was “hacked” and he has no access to it anymore. Apparently…
After 2 days, the number of reports reaches about 200, still no actions from Facebook. Instead, a few of my friends who reported it shared to me the response they got from Facebook.
“We reviewed the profile you reported and found that it doesn’t go agains any of our Community Standards.”
I didn’t get this. What were their criteria to say it doesn’t go against ANY of their community standards? And yet we’re always being told that they’re trying their best to go after scammers.
Six days now after we first reported it, the fake profile is still active, and in fact he just changed his profile photo to – you guess right – my photo.
What’s next?
It can happen to anyone really.
I don’t think I would stop using Facebook as a platform to share stories of encouragement. But probably I would think twice before sharing any photos or videos anymore. Because even if you have the highest privacy settings, fraudsters will always find ways.
I would also not accept random friend requests from now on. In fact, I have started cleaning up my list since January. From having 5,000 to 2,600 now, and I’m still going to remove more.
Stressed?
Though I was alarmed in the beginning, I’m not quite stressed anymore. I’ve seen many other people used my photos or my content without my knowledge in the past and it barely bothered me.
It’s one thing to imitate. It’s another to use it to take advantage of people – and that’s what I’m more concerned about.
And it’s a mystery why Facebook deemed this as not against any of their community standard where it is clearly a case of identity theft.
They say, your life as an ‘OFW’ in the UAE isn’t complete if you have not seen Kish – a small island in Iran 196 kilometers from Dubai. Well, at least during the time when Kish was still an option.
While it may be true for many, this is not really logical.
You actually have an option to fly back to your home country or go elsewhere, but Kish (and Oman) were the popular destinations back then primarily because of the lesser travel cost and the short distance from Dubai. These past few years, exits have taken different routes to Georgia or Armenia.
What is a visa run?
A visa run is an exit trip you have to take upon expiry of your visit visa, so you could re-enter the country and stay longer with a new visa – usually another visit visa. It is a short trip to a neighboring country.
I had 10 visa run experiences during my first 4 years in the UAE. Visa runs happen only to employees of small companies that could not give their employees legal work permits as soon as they join. Among the many reasons (or excuses) include the lack of financial capacity of new and small companies, or simply because the employer prefers not to invest in long-term engagement hence ‘abusing’ the visit visa cycle.
It’s also common to those who went to Dubai with tourist visas but could not find a job within the visa validity period (usually between 30-90 days), hence they have to exit or face overstaying penalty.
Although working on a visit visa is against the law, it was rampant during those times and many employers were taking advantage of it. They’d rather spend less on re-issuance of visit visas.
My first trip to Kish
It was a 30-minute flight on the ‘cute’ Fokker 50 Kish Air aircraft. I remember having mixed emotions that time: a bit of excitement because it is still a trip to an “island,” and loads of worries if I will stay there longer than usual until I receive my visa back to Dubai, or if the shaky aircraft could even make a good landing.
Upon arrival at the airport, ladies have to cover their hair with a veil. They cannot go out without a headcover, and they cannot wear short sleeve blouses or skirts. Men must not wear shorts. Those strict rules make me curious what it’s like to stay in Kish.
It was a 40-minute minibus ride to Farabi “Hotel.” On the way, Kish looked like a desert island. There aren’t too many commercial and even residential areas. No McDonald’s. Not even a single familiar brand can be found. (The closest would be KFC – Kish Fried Chicken). There was a mall and a roadside shopping complex though.
Farabi Hotel
The Hotel
It surely wasn’t the kind of hotel I’m expecting though Farabi is one of the most popular destinations for Filipinos and Indians on visa runs. A night’s stay costs AED35. Men and women have separate quarters. It feels like barracks.
Every room has 6 – 8 single beds. I shared one room with 7 strangers. All but one of them, Filipinos, young and old. Each has a different story to tell. Some are feeling just fine, but most are worried and are just masking their fears through jokes and laughter.
“Taga-saan ka sa Pinas?” “Ano trabaho mo?” “Ba’t ka nag-Dubai?” were the common conversation starters. “May asawa ka ba?”
When no one’s talking, everyone’s glued to this old TV screen hoping to see their names appear in the list of available visas (so they arrange a flight back to Dubai).
This first trip happened in January of 2007. Facebook was only accessible on the desktop. No WhatsApp. No one has mobile data at that time (or mobile data wasn’t a thing yet). I was still single. So checking for visa status was done via international calls to Dubai over the payphone, or renting a computer to check and send emails, or use Yahoo Messenger.
When not monitoring visas, people are at the beach which is just a stone’s throw away from Farabi; or at the tiangge next to the hotel. I go with other “hopefuls” strolling at the shore, meeting more people, trying to meet ladies (again, I was still single), making friends.
All those strolls were accompanied by worries of when the visas will arrive.
It was at Kish where I first tried shisha. It felt like I was on an isolated island in the Philippines, but instead of having a beer, we’re inhaling shisha. Loud 90s OPM in the background, fried ‘pulutan’, and everyone on that rooftop were Filipinos and “Filipinos by heart”.
Persian nights. Shisha, the ONLY entertaining activity you can do in Kish at nights.
The Food
Every single day, we would eat this one piece of 9-inch flat Iranian bread for breakfast. People who have stayed quite longer in the hotel already call it tsinelas (slippers) for its oval shape and rubbery texture.
We had to walk to the side street eateries to buy our lunch and dinner. Pinoy meals are always available. Chicken adobo, fried fish, and monggo are common items. It comes with a plate of salty steamed rice (allegedly cooked using seawater).
“Tsinelas“The fresh catch for dinner
Some days, folks would go fishing to have something free for dinner – to save their money in case they need to pay additional AED35 per day at the hotel waiting for the visa.
At times it felt like we’re a big group of castaways.
After almost 3 days, I got my new visit visa. It was THE MOMENT. You’ll get cheers and congratulations from your roommates and new-found friends. You’ll exchange phone numbers hoping you could reconnect when everyone’s back in UAE.
I booked a flight right away for the next day.
I re-entered Dubai and started the countdown to the next visa run trip.
The next visa runs to Kish
The next trips to Kish didn’t really have much difference except that the visa waiting time is longer or shorter. There was one time I got the visa at the airport so I took the flight back to Dubai right away. It’s called A-to-A, or airport-to-airport.
The longest I waited was 6 days.
That’s nothing compared to many others who were waiting for weeks, or even months. A number of Filipinos and South Asians alike had to stay in Kish permanently because they never got a visa back from their devious employers.
I spotted donation boxes in a number of small restaurants with words written in Tagalog saying, “Tulong sa walang visa” in an attempt to help the stranded hopefuls to buy their own visas to re-enter Dubai.
“Pare, please give help.”
Some took the consolation to work in eateries and shops and forget about going back to Dubai completely. Some had fallen sick and depressed. And a number of horror stories have been told about those who couldn’t take the circumstances they took their lives in hotel rooms or at the beach.
The worst experience I had at Kish is probably not really that bad at all. It was one summer when the heat is scourging high up to 55 degrees celsius on midday. All hotels were fully booked. Many visa runners decided to stay by the beach overnight. I bounced from one hotel to another until I reach Venus. I was told they can book me but I had to sleep on a mattress on the floor. The carpet stinks and it creates a really bad stench given that it was too humid as well. But I thought I have no choice but to make do of it. NOT until I felt cockroaches crawling in my body. I forgot what sleep is.
Not everything’s gloomy (or are we just really fun-loving people?). There are quite a few recreations available on the island. I did cycling by the beach road, I played pool, went fishing with new friends, uncountable walks in the nearby plaza, and “window shopping.”
Itch from Kish
One time, on my way back to Dubai, I brought bed bugs with me. Don’t know if I got it from the island or from the aircraft – maybe from both. So on my next return trips from Kish, my wife asks me to change clothes before entering the apartment and leave all my bags outside until she ensures that not one surot escapes and shares our bedroom.
One of those nights by the beach when I was alone and missing my girlfriend.
As the trips keep repeating, there was a point I felt tired and asked, “when will this ever end?” “Could I ever find a job that will keep me.“ And right after my 10th exit, I got a good offer from Emirates. The Kish episodes in my history has ended. (That was 2011.)
What Kish taught me
Kish is not your typical stopover or transit. It’s definitely not part of the plan. What it reminds me is that every journey may go through unfavorable circumstances and it can even ripple. And while at it, you only have two choices – think of what could go wrong or imagine what could go right.
Staying calm allows you to think how a bad situation can turn out good. Eventually, like in the visa runs, there is a time to get back on track. Everything, good and bad, works together for good especially for those who look up to God and believing that He has a purpose on why things are happening. You don’t need to be hard on yourself. You just have to be patient in waiting.
I had a chaotic mind yesterday morning. I was on leave but there were some urgent demands at work I needed to attend to; couldn’t help much as I was on the road the whole time.
So I resorted to giving directions to my team in between my drives.
I was driving fast on the highway (E611) and I ran through one small stone. I thought it was just like any ordinary stones. But after about 5 kilometers, within the Silicon Oasis area, I heard a loud noise. There was a huge construction on the roadside so I thought it was just those machines.
But then the unusual noise grew louder even past the construction site. It bothered me. I knew there was something wrong, but I don’t know what.
I prayed to God for a shoulder on the road so I could stop and check the car. There was none. 1km, 2km, none. I tried to stay calm but the tension was increasing. Before things get even worse, I saw a petrol station sign towards E311. Thank God! Answered prayer I thought.
I quickly got out to check all sides of the car and saw that one rear tyre was flat out. All throughout the drive, I didn’t feel an imbalance in the car. To my surprise, that gas station has a Tyre repair shop!
I was so amazed at how God answered my short prayer at the moment of anxiety. I prayed only for a shoulder, He gave me a gas station; and not just a gas station, but one with a tyre repair. I didn’t know what the problem was but God already prepared the solution.
Isn’t God amazing? That was just a stone. God is the Rock who we can always count on and trust.
Amidst the chaos, there’s ALWAYS something to be thankful for. AND, God always got the best answers to our needs – beyond what we could ask for or imagine.
The Covid-19 pandemic caused millions of people to lose their jobs as the economy crumbled. Not everyone was lucky enough to have their job reinstated when business picked up again. Companies are closely watching their budgets and looking to outsourcing and automation to keep themselves afloat. Very few jobs or companies were safe from the economic downturn. Even top tech companies like Airbnb and Uber cut significant portions of their workforce.
The pandemic caused companies to change their approach to an economy that was dramatically different than the beginning of 2020. While the new approach to the economy is causing people to lose their jobs, it’s also creating new opportunities. Agile companies will quickly build new roles and teams to meet their customers’ demands and release new products.
Virtual Event Planners are now in demand
Many companies weren’t expecting such a dramatic change to work culture from the pandemic. Many were hoping employees would be returning to the office after a few weeks. Since a great number of companies are still working from home, virtual events need to take place to keep up company morale, celebrate successes, and build connections between coworkers.
Companies are still finding ways to celebrate success during Covid-19 and want to celebrate the work employees are putting despite the hardships of working remotely. Online events can be hard to put together and involve lots of planning for the technical aspects to keep presentations flowing.
Companies are investing in keeping their data safe
All companies want to keep their online communications safe from the prying eyes of cybercriminals. Criminals who want to hack into company servers for credit card numbers or other sensitive data only need to be right once to illegally access secure data. Companies need to thwart every threat that comes their way to keep the trust of their consumers. One data breach could spell disaster.
To keep cybercriminals at bay, companies hire cybersecurity engineers. Cybersecurity roles are different from company to company as each business has unique needs. In general, cybersecurity specialists improve systems and infrastructure to make programs, servers, and apps safe.
Companies often employ moral hackers as part of the cybersecurity team to test for vulnerabilities. When moral hackers find weaknesses in a company’s cyber defense, the team will work to fix the weakness.
Every industry uses Data Analysis
The companies in the Dow Jones and S&P 500 represent the top companies across all industries. All of these companies made it to the top because they focus their efforts on winning strategies. These strategies don’t come from people with psychic abilities; they come from decisions based on data. The collection, analysis, and understanding of a company’s data will lead to success more often than not.
This new interest in data makes becoming a data scientist a career that will be safe during Covid-19 or any event that slows down the economy. Data science is a growing career field because companies have more data than they know what to do with. A data scientist spends their day creating algorithms and organizing data for business leaders to make informed decisions.
All Internet activity creates data—how a user ended up on a certain page, what page they visited afterward, and how long they spent on it. These forms of data help companies turn visitors into customers by changing sites so that users are engaged.
People are learning tech skills to take advantage of new opportunities
Across all industries, technology plays a central role in the execution of business. Whether it’s improving processes, creating apps to increase accessibility, or communication via video chat, it’s hard to imagine a successful company that doesn’t have employees monitoring and altering a technology plan. For this reason, learning computer science skills is a safe way to ensure a lifelong career that will always be in demand.
As remote work becomes more prevalent and teams spread out globally, tech roles will become more important to keep a business moving forward. Tech was important before the pandemic, but now it is absolutely critical for daily functions. Those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic are learning how to get their start in tech and become computer science hero.
It’s not too late to start a tech career
Tech jobs will continue to be in demand by employers for a long while. Luckily, it doesn’t take a college degree and it doesn’t’ take years either. Coding boot camps are helping single moms, career changers, and everyone in between find their way into a tech career that suits them.
Never wait for opportunities, create them. When your long wait for an opportunity does not find a result, never give up. There are so many of them waiting around to get explored by you. While coming to being an entrepreneur, one of the ideal locations to prefer would be the UAE. To set up a business in UAE Freezone is not a complicated one if you have the proper guidance. There are some reasons why the UAE occupies the top rank in the lists of ideal locations for business setup. When it comes to the UAE, Dubai is the favourite location for most people. Company formation in Dubai is the motive of all entrepreneurs looking for investor-friendly government and international exposure.
Perfect Client Bases
UAE is rich in client bases irrespective of the field you are planning to invest in. Be it fields like real estate, technology, retail, manufacturing, or fashion, UAE has ready access to client investments. This indicates the initial pull any startup could receive in the UAE market.
The Market Diversity
Choices of business in UAE would in fact create confusion among someone planning for a startup. The excellent and impressive client base available in UAE is the prime reason for this. Each of the Emirates in UAE specializes in diverse business cultures. According to the Ministry of Economy for UAE, Abudhabi is well known for the rich client base in industries including aerospace, defense, photochemical, and information technology. At the same time, Dubai is known for its investment in tourism, exporting, and financial sectors. Manufacturing facilities in sectors like minerals, metals, chemical, and food processing, transport, and electronic equipment have well-maintained foundations in Ras Al-Khaimah. To set up a business in the UAE Freezone becomes easier with these diverse market availability.
Learn from Expert Entrepreneurs
Being a hub of business, UAE has entrepreneurs from all around the world. This would be a chance for the budding entrepreneur to strengthen contact with many of the experienced business experts. This would help you to learn from their experiences and would let your business grow. Along with learning from experts, you can also get well with like-minded business people.
Entrepreneurial Culture
The major part of entrepreneurs in the UAE belongs to the startup or SME category. This is a clear indication of the fact that the UAE accepts startup missions to a great extent. Evidence of this is that The World Economic Forum has pointed out a few startups to shape the fourth industrial revolution. Out of the 100 startups pointed out, 27 are from the UAE.
High Networth Individuals
For every entrepreneur, the primary aim is to create a profit margin for their business. For that, they have to create a proper target group. For startup businesses that target wealthy clients, UAE stands on top. UAE has approximately 410,000 HNWIs living in the Middle East, with combined wealth holdings of USD 2.1tr. UAE is the largest wealth management centre, according to the Middle East Wealth Report 2017.
Funding Support for Startups
A recent law passed in UAE announced 5% of government capital projects will be allocated to small and medium enterprises. This is an initiative to boost small and budding businesses in UAE. In addition, this is a mission to encourage them to enter into major project contracts with government agencies and form alliances to compete for government projects.
Creating a Favourable Work and Reside Ambience
UAE occupies the top position in the world for quality of life and is known for its safe and secure work environment. This makes it more beneficial for entrepreneurs to run their businesses and stay with their families. Looking from a commercial perspective, UAE is ranked 11th in the world for overall ease in doing business. In addition to them, there is no personal tax, corporation tax required in Freezone businesses, or any requirement to submit returns for the vast majority of businesses. This obviously reduces the operational burden of running a company here.
Extended Visas for Entrepreneurs
From 2018, the Government of UAE started issuing five-year visas for people looking forward to starting a business in the country. Eligible candidates for the five-year entrepreneur visa must have a business with a minimum capital of AED 500,000 or the approval of an accredited business incubator in the country This is a clear fact proving the range of support given to budding entrepreneurs who wish to set up business in UAE Freezone.
Freezone benefits
The business setup in UAE is divided into three zones. Among these, the business set up in Dubai Freezone has some of the additional advantages. To set up a business in UAE Freezone, there is no corporate and personal tax for 50 years and complete foreign ownership. And depending on the nature of the business, one should obtain the right business license in Dubai.
These are some of the main reasons why the UAE is considered to be an attraction for entrepreneurs.
“Anak, sa Pilipinas ka na muna mag-college ha. Maiwan lang kami ng tatay mo dito para patuloy magtrabaho.”
One of the family concerns I’ve heard one too many among Filipino parents in the UAE is where to send their kids for college. More often than not, we hear conversations about sending them to top universities in the Philippines. In addition to better education, this option also presents economical value as tuition fees are more affordable in the Philippines than in the universities here in Dubai or elsewhere. But obviously, it leads to a situation where families have to live apart – far away and far apart.
Parents stress and worry even more when they’re away from their children. The kids, on the other hand, may experience culture shock because the environment is different from what they grew up into. There’s an emotional price to pay just to see our kids get a good education from those reputable institutions back home.
Just like UP, Ateneo, or La Salle, Southville is a popular option among parents who plan to send their kids to the Philippines when they reach university level.
All roads lead to South(ville) RAK
That dilemma may soon be a thing of the past with the opening of Southville International School and Colleges in Ras Al Khaimah. The school, known amongst the top Philippine academic institution opens the first Filipino higher education institution in the UAE, in time for the beginning of the school year Fall 2021.
Parents need not worry anymore, and children need not be uprooted, enjoying what the institution categorically affirms, “the most affordable fees with the highest educational quality.” This is easily achieved given the inherent discipline, intelligence, and talent of the globally competitive Filipinos.
One of the founders, Dr. Rommel Pilapil Sergio formally opens Southville – RAK on 20th December 2020 at Dusit Thani Hotel Dubai.
Probably you’re asking a lot of questions right now. So, here’s everything you need to know about Southville-RAK
Q: What are the courses available in Southville-RAK
Initially, there are 6 bachelor’s degree courses
BS Psychology
BS Accountancy
BS Marketing Management
BS Financial Management
BSBA Entrepreneurship
BSBA Human Resources
Q: Are there master’s degree offering as well?
Yes, currently Master’s in Business Administration is open
Q: How many semesters are there in one school year?
There are 2 semesters. The student has the option to enroll for Summer.
Q: Assuming that the pandemic is not completely over in the coming school year, will the classes be in the campus, online or blended?
Southville-RAK will comply to the directives from the Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs. Whatever it will be, the school has the facility for all platforms.
Q: How much is the tuition fee per semester?
Southville offers an accessible schedule of fees. The cost per semester is AED550 per unit, excluding the miscellaneous fees. Each subject has 3 units in general.
The number of courses/units lessen as the student approaches year 4.
Q: Is there a payment installment?
There are payment installations. The first one is 40% and is paid during enrollment. Succeeding fees are scheduled a week before the major exams.
Q: What are the payments modes available?
Payment can be done either in cash or credit card. Cheque is not accepted.
Q: What are the requirements for admission?
Freshmen must submit the following documents:
Original report card
Photocopy of birth certificate
Certificate of good moral character
Medical certificate
Recommendation letters from 2 sources
For transferees:
Transcript of records
Photocopy of birth certificate
Certificate of good moral character
Transfer credentials
Course description
Medical certificate
Q: Are there scholarships or discounts available?
For the opening, 2 types of discounts and scholarships will be offered:
Early bird – First 10 registered students will get 10% discount
Academic scholarship – Top 2 students from high school will receive 20% and 10% discounts respectively
Q: Can I avail of more than one scholarship?
No, but the highest type of scholarship is given to qualified students.
Q: Can I transfer from another university to Southville-RAK?
Yes. Crediting the subject would depend on the syllabus assessment between the previous university and Southville.
Q: Is there a transportation service going to and from the campus in Ras Al Khaimah?
Yes. Transport is provided by a third-party service.
Q: Is there a particular hostel arranged by the school?
Yes. Hostel is arranged with a third-party provider.
Why Southville
In addition to offering the best option for families to stay together, Southville-RAK ensures to offer the same excellence in education it is known for over the years:
Philippine Quality Awardee
Only 5 schools out of 15,000 awarded by Malacanang, with RA 9493 awarded exclusively to Southville – an act recognizing Southville as a school with international character
2 schools recognized as international by Philippine Law
4x higher than National Passing rate on average in Accountancy
Highest percentage of passing in Psychology – South of Manila with topnotchers
International accreditation and certification
Microsoft (USA)
TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language)
TOEIC (Test Of English for International Communication)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (USA)
ISO 9001:2015 Certified Quality Management System (USA)
Investors in People Gold (UK)
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program
The brains behind Southville-RAK
with the men behind Southville-RAK
Four years ago, a group of academicians and finance people gathered with an idea: establish a higher education institution in the UAE to address the problem of separation for families living together overseas.
Individually distinguished in their respective fields, they put their talents and resources, pouring every effort to make the noble idea a reality. These gentlemen are all Dakilang Bayani (noble hero) Awardees, and one is a Presidential Awardee.
Rommel Pilapil Sergio, Ph. D.
Post-doctoral in Management and Marketing certificate – Tulane University, Louisiana, USA
Ph. D. in Management (with concentration in Human Resouce Management with Distinction) – Liverpool University, UK
Ph. D. in Counselling Psychology (with concentration in Community Counselling, with High Distinction, Gold Medalist) – De La Salle University, Philippines
Recipient of Presidential Award and Dakilang Bayani Award among others
Rex Bacarra, Ph. D.
Ph.D. in Management Research (with concentration in Organizational Development and Human Resources Management) – King’s College London, UK
Ph.D. in Philosophy (with Distinction) – De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
Recipient of Dakilang Bayani Award among others
Ben Lebig, Jr., Ph. D.
Ph.D. in Strategy and International Business – King’s College, London, UK
Recipient of Dakilang Bayani Award among others
Francis Errol Medina, MBA
Master’s in Business Administration – University of Strathclyde-Glasgow, UK, UAE Campus
Recipient of Dakilang Bayani Award among others
About Southville
Southville International School and Colleges (SISC) was founded in 1990 as Southville International School located in a simple single-storey building (Elizalde campus) meeting the basic requirements of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). With 2 students and 5 teachers, SISC was initially recognized as a “special school for intellectually gifted.”
Today it is the academic institution of choice by diverse learners including celebrities, actors and actresses, and scholars. Current celebrity students and alumni include Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Jodi Sta. Maria, Gabbi Garcia, Nash Aguas, Khalil Ramos, and Heaven Peralejo among others.
Contact Southville RAK
For more information and updates, visit southville.ae or follow @SouthVilleUAE on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
You can send your inquiries to info@southville.ae or you can call them at 050-5302931.
There are indoor rainforest, indoor scuba diving and indoor ski – because it’s hot out there for most of the year.
Rain can be scheduled because of cloudseeding. You literally can wish for rain.
Rain (I mean, drizzle) always becomes a trending topic on social media. Average rainfall each year is only between 5-10 times.
You can get discounts on traffic fines on special occasions like Eid or UAE National Day.
We celebrate Christmas, Diwali and Ramadan freely. Respect and tolerance is encouraged by the leadership.
You visit the doctor and you walk out with a bag of meds. Because you have a good health insurance.
The royalties are active on Instagram and Twitter – talk about real influence.
All places are airconditioned – even the bus stops.
Multicultural workplace – There’s always a cultural walkthrough on every lunch break.
Public transport is run by the government. Making it seamless and orderly.
Original shawarma doesn’t have onions, contrary to what other countries do.
No income tax – You still receive your whole salary. In 2018, VAT is introduced though for commodities.
Flowers blossom instantly on the roadside. Due to the weather, these beautiful road-side ornaments are already blooming when planted – and their colors change every season.
The speed of construction is like no other. Don’t ever dare compare to how it is in your home countries.
You can get discounts from pharmacies. You just have to ask for it.
Pork is available for non-Muslims. There are groceries with “sections for non-Muslims.” There are restaurants ‘licensed’ to sell pork dishes as well.
You cannot just do charity or fundraising activities on your own. It must be regulated by authorities to avoid the bogus ones.
You cannot wash your car on the streets; Or pay AED 500 – 100 fine for ‘dirtying’ the streets.
No stray dogs, only stray cats.
No carnapping – you can leave your cars unlocked. No one dares to take it, else get imprisoned or deported.
Crimes get solved fast and they’re documented in a cinematic video. There’s a near-zero crime rate in the country as well.
You don’t need to learn to speak or read Arabic, though it’s always great to learn the basics.
You don’t need to speak straight English. People won’t mock you for not being able to speak 100% fluent English – as long as you can communicate your message even in contexts.
Fitness challenges are taken seriously. The crown prince spearheads a very active Dubai Fitness Challenge which really encourages the residents to get up on their feet and be active.
Streetfoods are indoors
Some small shops and businesses work 12 hours a day with a 4-hour afternoon break to take a nap – A tradition that’s still practiced by many.
Man-made islands and lakes are aplenty.
Pets have microchips. They also need to have passports.
The fruits and vegetable section in the supermarket is a United Nations department I mean, banana from the Philippines, mango from Pakistan, oranges from Jordan, eggplant from Oman, and so on.
Camel milk (and ice cream) and camel burger is a thing.
Using that f-word on WhatsApp, Twitter and other social media can land you in jail Up to a year in prison + AED10,000 for swearing.
People honk on the roads for chai (tea). They will get out of their way for that 1-dirham cup of tea even if they cause a traffic jam.
People with disabilities are called, “People of Determination,” and almost all events and activities are inclusive for them.
National Day is a big day. It is celebrated full of national pride.
For sure there are more interesting facts about this country we love. I’ll just keep it to 49 for now to honor the UAE in its National Day!
When I set foot for the first time in Dubai, I thought to give myself only 2 years and I’ll go back home. That 2 years became 5, then 10, and then forever. Today marks exactly my 14th year in the UAE. Call it either indecision or lack of planning, but I think it also has a lot to do with the love for this country.
I feel blessed to call UAE my family’s second home. It’s not hard to fall in love with this country. There are so many reasons that influence an expat’s decision to stay longer here than go home or go somewhere else. Here are just 49 of them:
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
People of all cultures and religions can happily co-exist in the community and at work.
We can celebrate Christmas, Diwali, and Ramadan in the country; and people from differrent religion cheerfuly greet the other religion. There are no conflicts.
We get shortened hours at work during Ramadan
We can wear comfortable clothing as long as it is decent, modest, and respectful to whoever you are with.
Family-first policy is observed on parks, beaches, and many other public places; even in public transport.
UAE is a haven for creatives – art exhibits and festivals are aplenty every year.
People with disabilities are called “people of determination” and they are highly regarded and included in almost all activities and events.
Malls have started to designate parking spaces for pregnant women and those with infants.
Desert camping is one of the best bonding activity for family and friends.
Food is diverse. How can you not love a place where you can find hundreds of cuisines in every corner.
We get to see our favorite musical acts live as UAE is a frequent artist destination.
Women are highly regarded. There are pink taxis for women, and there are areas exclusive for ladies in buses and trains.
Family is also highly honored. There are priority lanes for families with young kids in many offices and public places.
SAFETY
We have peace of mind wherever we go – even in the wee hours of the night.
We can leave our cars unlocked on the sideroad, no one will carnap.
We can leave our laptops, phones, or other belongings on the restaurant table unattended, and no one will take it.
GOVERNANCE
The leaders are visionary. And the vision is properly communicated across media platforms.
Crimes get solved fast, and they are documented really well in cinematic videos.
The leadership is like no other. When they say something, people follow – oftentimes is all for the residents safety and protection.
Emirates ID has all the whereabouts of a person – so it’s much easier to register to absolutely anything.
COVID-19 preventive measures are in place.
Futuristic. The long-term plan in the country represents hope.
Free food is offered or donated to the poor during special occasions like Ramadan.
Charity events and fundraising activities are regulated to avoid frauds.
Generosity. UAE is always ready to send financial and relief aids to other countries in times of calamity.
No personal tax – though there is already VAT, we receive our salary without cuts.
THE CITY AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
Dubai is always on top of the list of best places to live in terms of comfort and safety.
The ever-changing cityscape is amazing. All world-breaking shapes and sizes are here.
It’s clean and orderly – there’s proper garbage disposal everywhere.
Roads are constructed to high standards and are well-spaced and well-lit at night.
Sometimes, mall restrooms look better than your bedroom.
Beaches here have white sand (not dolomite).
Green parks offer a free (or cheap) alternative to kids play destination.
The use of biometrics and facial recognition in public offices are testaments to the country being an advanced digital technology hub
Mall sale is a real sale. There are even 2 big shopping festivals happening every year to “celebrate” the drop in prices.
Sports is alive and it varies in every community. Football for Arabs and Westerners, cricket for Indian and Pakistanis, and basketball for Filipinos among others.
ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE
The country is building the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant. During daylight, solar power will provide cheap electricity, and at night the UAE will use stored solar heat to generate electricity.
Abu Dhabi has a plan to make the emirate free of single-use plastic bags by 2021. Other emirates followed.
You won’t experience the extreme of heat “that much” because most of the time you’re indoors – and everywhere is airconditioned (even the bus stop).
REAL CAMPAIGNS GET PEOPLE MOVING
Dubai Fitness Challenge is a real fitness challenge. It doesn’t end in the hashtag.
People can lose weight in exchange for golds.
Construction of bike lanes are visible and quick to inspire people to bike to and from work.
They tax sodas, energy drinks, and cigarettes the highest to ‘somehow’ reduce people consuming them.
HEALTHCARE
Most often than not, companies provide health insurance to their employees. And if you have one, you are entitled to good medical care and facilities with the top UAE Hospitals.
Abu Dhabi proactively created and tested a COVID-19 vaccine, and currently leads in its global distribution.
LOCAL TOURISM
There’s always something new to try every now and then.
Hotel staycations are amazing, albeit can be costly at times.
There’s a lot of fun and adventures in land (desert, parks), water (watersports, fishing) and even air (skydiving, balloon rides).
Camping in the desert or the beach is a sure fun moment.
Disclaimer – these are just my personal reasons. I’m sure you’ve got a set of different reasons too. Staying longer in the UAE than what you originally planned could be a blessing or a curse. In my case, it’s a blessing.
