Just Deserts

I moved here because I wanted to gain experience as a consultant in the oil-and-gas sector and to gain experience outside of Canada.

The first thing I did was go for a run. I lasted possibly 10 minutes at best and quickly discovered why air conditioning is necessary in this part of the world.

The biggest shock was how modern everything was. I found almost anything that I could have found in Canada, even ice hockey.

The best thing about being here is never being cold, although in summer it can hit 50-degrees Celsius outside and, in a suit, things can get pretty sticky.

The biggest challenge has been finding a flat and getting settled. Because of the boom in Dubai, there is a lot of competition for places to stay.

The biggest misconception I had was that Dubai was unsafe. I’ve lived in Paris, London, Canada and other places, and have found Dubai to be one of the safest of them all.

What I miss most is the four seasons in Canada. As much as I enjoy Ski Dubai (which is indoors and attached to one of the world’s biggest malls) and driving in the desert, there is nothing quite like Whistler or the Rockies in the spring, summer, autumn and winter.

The people are very diverse. The local population in Dubai is dwarfed by expats; Emirians account for around 10 per cent of the population.

Their biggest concerns are whether the market is sustainable, especially the property market. Property prices have skyrocketed. There would be utter turmoil if it were to crash.

The food is healthy and addictive. I love Arabic food. Hummus with meat is the official favourite office lunch.

What B.C. could learn from Dubai is because it’s effectively a kingdom, there is a lot less bureaucracy than in Canada. There are obviously some negatives to living in a sheikhdom, but some decisions that would take five years in most Western countries can happen overnight here. And that’s a huge part of the reason why this area has grown so fast.