From speaking the local dialect, to eating their way through mountains of mysterious mezze and getting to explore Abu Dhabi’s great outdoors, expats tell us how living here has changed their lives.
Developing Middle Eastern style
by Kelly Lundberg, personal stylist
First and foremost, working in Abu Dhabi as a personal shopper has certainly made me realise there is nothing wrong with a little sparkle before the sun sets. Abu Dhabi’s fashion sense tends to be dressy and often dazzling, so I dress up here much more than I would for example in Scotland, my home country. Living here certainly makes you far more aware of revealing clothes, and I think that the more time you spend here the more aware you become of what you are wearing and its suitability. In places such as malls I always coordinate my outfit with a blazer or chic cardigan (also because the air conditioning can be so cold!) and dress more modestly. Before I moved to the UAE I had heard that all the local ladies dress up in extravagant clothing underneath their abayas, whereas from my personal experience this is not necessarily the case.
Instead, I’ve found that many women just wear comfortable leggings, t-shirts and jeans – not always the most stylish clothes! In fact, one of the key areas that I work on with a lot of clients, is helping them find good, comfortable, stylish clothes to wear under their abayas. In general though, it appears to me that many of my female clients will leave the UAE with an attitude of making more of an effort to dress up, rather than down, and certainly have developed a little more of an adventurous streak than perhaps before arriving. Many women start embracing dresses in particular (some for the very first time) because they are cool for the climate, easy to wear and still look chic. I have certainly seen many clients over the years come out of their style comfort zone which has had a profound effect on their confidence and life. If there’s one style lesson I’ll take away with me when I leave the city, it’s that a good quality handbag is imperative. In this environment it’s quite the status symbol!
Acquiring a taste for local cusine
by Orlando Crowcroft, writer
Living in Abu Dhabi, on a road which has an Iranian restaurant, an Egyptian restaurant and about fifteen Lebanese places too, has made it extra easy for me to get stuck into Middle Eastern cuisine. Before I moved here, I hadn’t really tried much of it – a tub of hummus from Tesco supermarket in the UK is about as close as I’d got to mezze. But since I eat out at a handful of local restaurants most evenings during the week as they’re so fast and cheap. I’ve come to know my way around the typical Arabic menu pretty well – I know my moutable from my mouhalabieh.
But actually, my biggest weakness is for shish tawouk. The ones from Automatic on Hamdan Street are my favourite – the meat is always good quality and the garlicky sauce they serve it with is the best. As well as the flavours of Middle Eastern food, I’ve also come to really enjoy the communal style of eating – the way the table gets filled up with loads of different dishes to share, and everyone reaches over each other to scoop up whatever they want with big pieces of bread. It’s very informal and sociable, and makes a difference from the way Brits generally serve food, which tends to be one individual plateful each. I like to think that when I eventually move back to the UK, I’ll be able to replicate lots of the dishes I’ve enjoyed eating here, but I’m sure it won’t ever taste quite the same…
Experiencing the great outdoors
by Vanessa O’Malley, teacher
I moved to Abu Dhabi in August 2009 with my husband Lee. In my first few months in the capital, my friends and I would joke around about how “relaxed” our lifestyle had become since moving here. Eventually, the joking turned into restlessness and we began to search out ways to have fun and keep fit – fun being the priority. My fist step was to join a gym. This got me moving again but I still craved the feeling of the sun on my face, so a friend and I began running on the Corniche. Finally, I had found the fresh air I had been craving! Encouraged by the runs and frequent beach visits, I started to seek out more outdoor fun. I attended yoga classes on the beach. The evening sessions offer quality instruction as well as a moonlit sky, a cool breeze and the soothing sound of waves crashing gently on the shore.
My next move was an outdoor adventure trip to Ras Al Khaimah, and it was here that I discovered stand up paddle boarding. This is a water sport similar to surfing but performed on calm water, with the paddler standing on a board and moving through the water with the help of a single large oar. I was hooked! Next on my list is rock climbing – I was an avid climber back in Canada and have recently discovered a group of climbers here in the UAE. We also brought our camping gear back from Canada on our latest trip home – we can’t wait to get out and camp in the desert as soon as the sand cools down.
At first, I wasn’t sure the UAE would be able to offer the level of outdoor adventure I was accustomed to in Canada. Two years later, it’s clear that my skepticism was unwarranted. This country has it all: sand dunes, mountains and sea all within a short drive. I couldn’t ask for a more accessible, varied and enticing environment!
Learning Arabic
by Murtuza Kaizer, office manager
I was born in Abu Dhabi and schooled in Dubai. I took up an intensive course in ‘Spoken Arabic’ from the Berlitz language institute here in Jan 2010, where I received one to one tutoring so I picked up the grammar very well. I would personally recommend private tutoring if you can afford it, because it’s more beneficial if you have no basic language skills.
Arabic in the UAE is important at least for all those who are born in the UAE, who consider UAE as their home, have businesses in UAE and especially those who want to deal with government departments. It also helps to understand the local culture and in turn make good citizens or likewise good expatriates. I would feel like a guest all my life by not learning the local language.
I was always inspired to learn Arabic. I would often imitate the Emiratis by wearing their national dress when I was young. Listening to an Emirati in conversation would literally give me goose bumps and honestly it still gives me that feeling! I love the language but hate the fact that I could not master it from an early age. Hopefully, I will make this path easy for my son now.
The most difficult part of my learning experience, even now, is to apply the Arabic I have learnt so far. The second difficult part is to understand the difference between the different dialects spoken world-wide. I’m quite sure that the Emirati culture is very inviting to new learners like us. I remember a small encounter with a young Emirati mother in an elevator of a mall. It was an exciting experience to hold that brief conversation with this lady due to an exchange of balloon that took place between my son and her daughter. While she wished me and my son success, she was really impressed to know that I actually understood her daughters’ kind gesture when she offered her extra balloon to my son. I will always cherish such first encounters and hopefully this will take me even further to appreciate the local culture.
Murtuza founded the Arabic Language Lovers UAE group through meetup.com, last year, which already has 135 members. To join, visit www.meetup.com/Arabic-Language-Lovers-UAE
Socialising in the capital
by Harriet Sinclair, actress
When I moved to Abu Dhabi from London in 2009, I’d expected my social life would be a little different. If I’m honest, I prepared myself for a quieter life – more nights in front of the TV, less bleary-eyed mornings at my desk. And while Abu Dhabi after dark is indeed very different from the UK, I’ve found there’s just as many opportunities for post-work fun. The main thing I’ve noticed is that I’m drinking less. Not just because the city’s bars are so wildly expensive, but because I’ve discovered that there’s just as much fun to be had in a chilled out Khalidiyah coffee shop or a Corniche shisha bar as in some smoky pub. It’s mostly down to the people.
In London, approaching a stranger for a chat would earn you a confused expression (at best), but in Abu Dhabi, striking up conversation with the folks on the next table seems so much more natural – I’ve met half of my new friends simply by just taking that step and breaking the ice. Of course, we all like to let out hair down in slightly more extravagant style sometimes, and over the last couple of years particularly, the capital has seen the arrival of some world-class party spots. Chameleon at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr is probably my favourite – their blended drinks are incredible!
