Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Ma'Sallama Abu Dhabi

After five and a half years in Abu Dhabi and 5 years writing this blog, it is time to say goodbye. I have decided it is time to move back to the UK and get back to some normality and my family (they are not normal :-) ). I quit my job in the early part of December, so I have had a nice few weeks de-stressing. Next week I fly back to the UK and start a new job for the company I worked for here in the UAE for 5 years, with the same boss who moved back home last year.

As I reflect on my time here in the UAE I will leave with some very happy memories, with some great new friends and some experiences I will never forget. Working in the UAE is no cake walk. The stress and exhaustion I have experienced has been unparallelled and was the main reason for going home. I have reached a burn-out point and feel I need to regain some balance and normalcy again. Abu Dhabi is a great place to live (well, except for the summer!), but for westerners it is in many ways alien, strange and frustrating. I have tried to embrace the culture and always accept that I am a guest in their country, so I respect their way of doing things, their laws, their norms. But the feeling that you are only one finger gesture away, or one wrong word to the wrong person away from jail, when you think about it, is a stress you don't need.

So I return to the UK looking forward to seeing family (especially my grandson Alfie) and my friends again. If only for a short while, I will enjoy the cold, wind and rain and snow - and also the greeness, trees and wildlife.

Whilst I will not be writing any more entries on the blog, I will leave it up for viewing. Although my up to date knowledge will soon diminish, I am happy to field enquiries about anything you have seen on the blog or anything in general about living or working in the UAE. Many things will change in Abu Dhabi in the coming years, but some things I'm sure will never change.


To those of you that have regularly read the blog, I thank you for your interest. I have been pleased that so many people have been able to enjoy the entries. Below is a screenshot I just took of the stats from when I started the blog...




Above all else though, this blog will be a lasting account of an amazing time of my life here in Abu Dhabi, for me to look back at. The first 3 years or so, has already been printed into a hardback book for keeping, so now I need to print volume two!

So it just remains for me to say farewell, Ma'Sallama ...

Neil
neilroberts01@yahoo.co.uk







12 comments:

  1. Well done on keeping this blog. It's been a great insight into life in UAE while you've been out there but of course we're happy that you're returning home and that we'll see more of you :)

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  2. Well done on leaving UAE on your own terms - we all have to go sometime so good for you that it was when and how you wished.

    Thanks for writing one of the more consistently interesting and entertaining UAE expat blogs. I'll miss it as there are few others worth regularly reading.

    Good luck with the move and your new life!

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  3. Thanks for your kind comments, much appreciated :-)

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  4. Sad to hear you are leaving. I have enjoyed your blog immensely and had hoped to reach out to you and Caz when we finally arrive in Dubai. Good luck with your move home!

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    1. Thank you for your comment :-) Best of luck with Dubai! Let me know if I can help with anything...

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  5. Thanks, Buddy. I have also enjoyed your blog and will continue to check in to read your posts.

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    1. I'm really glad you enjoyed it! Maybe I will do some special entries from time to time? :-)

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  6. You both lasted much longer than my husband and I. We moved to Abu Dhabi in August of 2008, but left in January of 2010. I applaud your longevity in such an interesting (and sometimes difficult) country to live in. Good luck in the future!

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  7. Thank you for your kind words :-) It kind of got better as we went along, but in the end we wanted some 'normality' (and you know what I am talking about!) for a while, and loving it at home at the moment. All the best!

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  8. Good luck with the move - you never know, you might end up missing the little things like I have!


    http://lovelanguageloveliterature.com/2014/09/15/the-little-things-i-miss-about-dubai-part-1/

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