British expat Pete Jacob, his wife, and child, moved to Dubai in April 2016, with the intention of staying for just “a couple of years”.
He said: “Fast forward 10 years, two more children and two dogs later – we’re still here. It’s the best choice we’ve ever made.”
Jacob’s young family, especially, loves Dubai. His wife Emilie, who is originally from Marseille, France, successfully established her own interiors styling blog and service in the city, called Stella + The Stars. He said she believes “the UAE’s sunshine, clear skies and brightness, no matter the temperature, is infectious for the mind, body and soul”.
The family loves exploring new events around Dubai, and enjoying the simple routines of daily life.
For Jacob, the biggest appeal of the UAE, when he first moved here, was in all the personal and professional opportunities it had to offer. Jacob explained: “The UAE’s pull was opportunity, professional ambition, personal adventure, and, especially as a Brit, the chance to experience a new culture and living environment.”
A vibrant community of over 195 nationalities calls UAE home. Recently, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, acknowledged the value of UAE residents by posting a message on his official X account, saying: "The soul of Dubai is found in its people."
Jacob agreed, and said he had the realisation that Dubai is special, when watching his three children – Stella (12), Theodore (7), and Celeste (6) – appreciate and celebrate different cultures with their friends.
He explained: “A big ‘aha’ moment for me has been watching my children grow up here and see the world, in a way I don’t think I did at their age. For them, having friends from different countries, hearing different languages, celebrating different cultures and understanding that people come from everywhere is completely normal. They are growing up with a level of international awareness that I think is one of the UAE’s greatest gifts to families.”
Pete Jacob said living in the UAE has made him much more culturally aware. Picture: Supplied
The mix of diversity and community is something that’s rare, and unique to the UAE. Jacob, who is the managing director of Current Global PR in Dubai, said he sees it in action daily, at work: “You can sit in a meeting with six nationalities around the table, discussing a campaign that needs to work in Arabic and English, across Emirati, Indian, British, Filipino, Saudi, Egyptian and Lebanese audiences, and somehow everyone understands the assignment.”
Interacting with people from different cultures, building mutual respect, and understanding each other’s backgrounds and struggles, is a gift. For long-term residents like Jacob, it’s something that isn’t taken for granted.
Jacob said: “Living here has made me much more globally minded, more culturally aware and probably more comfortable with ambiguity. You learn quickly that there is rarely one version of the UAE experience. It is different for everyone, but for many long-term residents, there is a shared feeling that this is a place that has given us opportunities we may not have found elsewhere.”