Arrival in Dubai

A Meticulously Designed Skyline

After all the trouble with my stolen mobile, I had traveled by plane down from Georgia to the United Arab Emirates. I spend one night in Abu Dhabi. The next day I took a cab through the desert. By the time I reached the outskirts of Dubai, it was around 1 pm in the middle of the day. The sun was scorching above the Burj Khalifa, amidst a shiny and glittering skyline of meticulously designed skyscrapers that had seemingly emerged out of nowhere in the past 20 years.

The air outside was unbearably hot, and the wind felt like the blast from a hairdryer on my cheeks. “What brings you to Dubai?” the taxi driver asked me. “I am embarking on a new chapter of my life,” I replied. This miraculous city acts like a magnet for extraordinary people from all over the world: businessmen, YouTubers, adventurers, mercenaries, gold traders, visionaries, optimists, spiritual leaders, followers, influencers, bon vivants, millionaires, and billionaires.

Is Money Good or Bad?

Until today, I was convinced that having too much money would be detrimental to one’s character. But since I altered some of my beliefs about money, courage and life, I have encountered new people who could prove me wrong. And I embrace being wrong. That’s why I accepted the invitation from Markus Mensch with joy. Markus and Sabine Emmerich will show me the heart of this dream-filled tomorrow.

What an opportunity! The next days teach me a lot about money, mindset and my own perception. Money is not good or bad. Money is an energy. It is what you make out of it.

As my taxi passed the towering skyscrapers in the city center, it made its way towards Deira, a district teeming with Indian and Pakistani communities, offering a wide array of delicious food, lively nightclubs, and friendly people who bob their heads when they don‘t know to answer yes or no. After an hour and a half, my cab driver stopped in front of my hotel. I expressed my gratitude and set out to explore the district after checking in.

You Can‘t Control Everything

When the residents of Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, or Downtown Dubai talk about Deira, some of them turn up their noses for some reason. I believe they fear the unpredictability that comes along with cultural differences. They are unsure how to behave and how to handle circumstances they can’t control in the first place.

But I love it. Go with the flow! Let’s see what you are made of, Dubai, City of Dreams.

Music

‘Where Stars Fall’ by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. – www.scottbuckley.com.au