What it's really like growing up in Dubai

Dubai: When Indian national Azeema Ameer arrived in Dubai in 1997, she was just three months old. Her family came to the city on visit visas, and loved it so much, they soon decided to move to the UAE. After initially spending her early years in Satwa, Ameer’s family moved to Al Quoz, and that’s where they decided to put down roots. She said: “I lived in the same apartment from the age of five until I was 25.” And so began the 29-year-old e-commerce executive’s life in the city. She grew up as a typical Dubai kid, in a safe and nurturing environment, surrounded by people from diverse backgrounds, as the metropolitan city evolved around her. Ameer said: “Growing up in Dubai has been a unique experience, because I witnessed the city’s transformation firsthand. I watched areas that were once covered in sand slowly develop into roads, buildings, and thriving communities. What truly made my childhood special was growing up alongside people from different nationalities, cultures, and religions.” Ameer said the uniqueness of Dubai lies in its multicultural population – each nationality brings with it, its own culture, traditions, food and quirks. She explained: “Some of my best memories are of learning about different traditions, trying foods from around the world, and building friendships with people whose backgrounds were very different from my own. Those experiences taught me respect, understanding, and appreciation for diversity from a very young age.” Expectations vs reality She arrived in Dubai in 1997, when she was just three months old, and grew up in the city. Picture credit: Supplied However, the skills Ameer was learning as she grew up – tolerance, empathy, curiosity, ambition, hard work, and the initiative to learn and explore new things – were underappreciated by relatives or acquaintances she met when she returned to her home country for visits. Ameer said: “Many people assumed that I was rich or sheltered, simply because I was from Dubai. There was a common perception that anyone growing up in Dubai must have had an easy life and unlimited opportunities.” She said she began noticing these assumptions during her teenage years: “At the time, it was upsetting because people often judged us without really understanding our experiences. People believed that because children in Dubai generally spend more time indoors, in schools, or with family, rather than running errands independently, we were unfamiliar with real-world challenges.” As an adult, Ameer knows how wildly different the reality actually is. Her lifestyle may have been different from people her age in her home country, but this didn’t mean she lacked resilience or life skills. “In fact, I believe many of us developed different strengths. We grew up in an environment that encouraged ambition, hard work, and respect for people from all walks of life. We were less focused on what divides us and more focused on personal growth and building a future together with tolerance. As an adult, I have realised that growing up in Dubai gave me a broader perspective than many people expected. The city exposed us to different cultures, languages, and ways of thinking, which helped us become adaptable and open-minded.” Now, seeing her peers from Dubai rise in their careers, and thrive in different social settings all around the world, Ameer said she’s confident that most assumptions people had about Dubai kids have turned out to be inaccurate. What the city taught her In fact, growing up in Dubai gave her, and many others, a leg up. She said: “We work hard, face challenges, support our families, and build careers just like anyone else. The difference is that we learned to do so in a highly multicultural environment that encouraged understanding and cooperation. Whether at work or in daily life, I find it easy to communicate with people from different cultures because that was a normal part of my upbringing.” Another hard-won skill for people who have grown up in Dubai, is adaptability. Ameer said it comes from watching the city change right in front of your eyes: “Dubai is constantly evolving, and growing up here meant learning how to embrace change rather than fear it. This mindset has helped me both professionally and personally, especially when dealing with new situations, diverse teams, and unfamiliar challenges.” At the core of it all, is mutual respect – something the city teaches you to give and expect in return. Ameer explained: “Dubai taught me to respect people regardless of their nationality, profession, or social status. I learned to appreciate everyone, from corporate professionals to blue-collar workers, and to treat people with dignity and kindness.” These life skills are what she hopes to teach her own children, who she’s now raising in the city that raised her. She already knows they will Dubai-it when the time comes, because that’s the philosophy that comes naturally to residents of the city: “I grew up surrounded by new ideas, technology,