Dubai-it: Dreaming big in the city of the future – why this 25-year-old sees her future in Dubai

Dubai: Looking at the Museum of the Future, watching her dreams grow just by being in a place that makes things happen. Even though 25-year-old Anshum Singh has been in Dubai for just a few months and is on a job hunt, she can already see her future in the city. It’s a place that is safe, allows her to dream big and fills her with hope. “There are days when I feel incredibly motivated just by looking around. Dubai has this strange way of reminding you that there is always more to learn, more to explore and more that you can become,” she said. This is her second trip to the city. Her first was back in June, when she came here with her sister, 28-year-old Varsha Singh. After months of applications and interviews, the two went back to their hometown in New Delhi, India, before returning to Dubai earlier this month. “I’ve worked in an administrative role for a few years in India, and I’m just looking for the right position here, which will give me a decent salary and a residence visa,” she said. The commerce graduate is the youngest of four sisters, and the support she has received from her parents has helped her stick to the initial struggle that comes with a job hunt. Even as she prepared to make the big move to a new city, Singh said videos started popping up on her social media feed – girls, not too different from her, sharing their experiences of living in Dubai, calmly walking around late at night, talking about how safe the city was. "That is so important for me as a woman. Also, I’ve noticed how there is a lot of value placed on human beings, in general,” she said. Simple acts of civility , like motorists immediately stopping their cars to let pedestrians cross, or walking around the city without worrying about safety, have validated her decision to return once again to Dubai and continue her job hunt. “I think it was the best decision I made. You have people from all over the world, living peacefully and happily together. You don’t see that anywhere else,” she said. Even though her daily routine involves going on job boards online, checking for suitable roles, submitting online applications and giving countless interviews, she can clearly see her future in Dubai. “Ultimately, I just want to have a job that’s stable enough so that I can bring my parents here – perhaps on a visit first and then apply for their residence visa. My dad still has six years left before retirement and by then, I’m really hoping I am able to establish myself here, so that I can bring them to live in Dubai with me,” she said. The journey, she feels, is part of the process – she sees the city around her and aims to ‘Dubai-it’ in life - think boldly, act decisively and deliver exceptionally. “The city is just so beautiful. The most attractive thing for me is the Museum of the Future. Every time I look at it, it just amazes me,” she said. “Even if you just look at the structure of the place – it leaves me wondering how they have been able to design it,” she added. Her sister has been able to recently find a job in banking sales, which has given the two more hope. As for her own job search, Singh sounds confident in her chances of finding the right employment, as she begins her second job hunt in Dubai. “I don’t know exactly where this chapter will take me yet but maybe that’s the exciting part. And honestly, I’m excited to see where it takes me,” she said.