The Unexpected Skill You Develop After Living in the UAE for a While
Ask long-time expats what skill they have acquired during their stay in the UAE and the answers will be somewhat identical.
There is a process to it of course. At first, the whole thing feels like being in a different planetnew procedures, new ways of doing things, new circle of people.
Even trivial matters like dealing with municipal paperwork or figuring out the way some commercial sectors work may be a challenge.
But, over time, the strange turns into the familiar.
You find out how to deal with multicultural working environments, where the staff might be from 5 different countries. You get accustomed to the vibe of the seasonsthe hectic winters, and the laid back summers when the scorching heat drives people indoors. You learn the pulse of the city: which streets get heavily jammed at certain hours, and which coffee shops turn into informal gathering spots for freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Simply living in the UAE helps people to develop the skills of working in an international environment.
Topics of conversations change through cultures. Methods of doing business get influenced by different regions. Friendships cross the national boundaries that probably hardly people ever intersect stand apart.
The constant exposure to differences, already on a subconscious level, leads to a development of a certain agility.
You get skilled at changing your behavior and thinking quickly to different situations around you. One way is to start catching your ears when the habits of a culture dont quite fit with your expectations. Also, get into the practice of noticing before you make a move.
This is not a skill that is visible on a rsum.
However, it is a characteristic that many of the residents hold onto even after they have left.
