Her Dubai move went viral: How one expat rebuilt her life in the UAE

What does it feel like to hit rock bottom? British national Chloe Bennett knows the feeling well.

She said: “I had a family relationship breakdown, I left my partner of three years, I was in a job I had been working at for five years – and I just felt, all of a sudden, lots of areas of my life were coming to a close.”

Upset and unsure what to do, she sought advice from her father. His suggestion? Go on a holiday to Dubai.

Bennett said: “He told me he had seen that it was the best holiday destination of that year. My friend had just moved there too. So, I made my decision and went on a two-week holiday. I stayed with [my friend] and just fell in love with Dubai.”

For Bennett, something clicked when she explored the city, soaked in the sunshine, and met people from diverse backgrounds. She said: “I just felt that [Dubai] is where I’m meant to be.”

Things moved quickly after that. She returned to the UK, quit her job, gave notice to her landlord for her flat, and moved to Dubai, “with nothing but the hope of making it work somehow”.

Now, two and a half years later, the 28-year-old social media manager and content creator says she has never felt “more aligned” in her life.

Bennett shared her entire experience of moving to the UAE on her social media channels. She said: “I documented my journey on my socials and the video of me moving here hit a million views – so that was my first experience in seeing how amazing the community is in Dubai, because everyone wanted to help me.”

The community’s support was vital in her finding her first job, in administrative work, as well. Bennett looked into opportunities when she first visited Dubai, on holiday. She said: “I spoke with a recruiter from a real estate company, but decided real estate wasn't for me as I didn’t have the savings and didn’t want to risk going home. The same recruiter reached out to me later, when I moved, as she had a salary-paying job come available, and I ended up getting that job! So that was really my opportunity to stay here.”

With a firmer foothold, and a growing confidence to pursue her dream, Bennett launched Socials with Chloe in May 2024 – her own social media management company.

Becoming an entrepreneur comes with its own challenges, but Bennett said she has found a lot of support in Dubai: “I love that there are so many entrepreneurs here, trying to make it work, and I love seeing people recommend their friends or people they've worked with before. I really get a sense of community here, where everyone wants to see everyone do well, which is amazing. It’s just another reason I’m so proud to call the UAE home.”

Now, Bennett is looking forward to working and living long-term in the country. The roommate she met and shared an apartment with, when she first moved to Dubai, is now her best friend “and someone who I feel like I’ve known all my life”. She also met her partner here. Bennett said: “I met Yahya at the real estate company that I worked at when I first moved here. We met organically, and I couldn’t be happier.”

And Dubai? It’s the place that pulled her out of rock bottom – it’s home.

Bennett said: “‘Aligned’ is just the perfect way to explain how I feel – that I am where I’m supposed to be.”