The demographics of Dubai are really spectacular. Walk into a grocery store and you can find citizens from 10-15 different countries. Emirati natives only make up about 12% of the total population, everyone else is from somewhere else. This is one place where no one is the odd man out, its refreshing. Often in America I feel that I don't necessarily fit in because I am Muslim and Libyan. In Libya I don't feel like I fit in because I am too American, too western. In Dubai, I feel at ease. I'm Muslim like most, and like everyone else I come from a different country. Dubai is a place where the Arab, Muslim, and Western world all collide. While I may find myself disenchanted by somethings in Dubai, such as their leniency on alcohol/gambling and their lavish lifestyles, I appreciate the middle ground they have created. Who can't love a place with Halal McDonalds?
I love America; I never thought I would ever want to live anywhere else. Yet, the longer I stay in Dubai I find myself willing to reconsider. But this is only day 5, its very possible I'm simply dazzled by its splendor. We'll see how I feel in mid-October.
That sounds like the best salad bowl!
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