Two Dubai residents spill the beans on what makes Dubai different

By PUSHKAR SINHA

Big cities are usually associated with a fast-paced lifestyle, and Dubai is no different. Expatriates who move to Dubai often experience a different kind of city. The difference is even more pronounced for someone who is in their later stage of life or even retired.

Gulshan Kakkar, a chemical engineer, and his wife, Nira Kakkar, who are in their late 50s, own a business in Dubai and have been living here since May 2014. He reveals some aspects of his life which make Dubai more suitable for living than his hometown, New Delhi.

“I see a difference in terms of after-effects of business,” says Kakkar. “In my country, when you finish one financial year, you are responsible for another five years of government taxation. The excise department asks us to keep our records open for another 7 years. On the other hand, nobody here will ask us on January 31 about what happened on December 14. There are no taxes of any kind, so it’s a lot less hassle, leaving you to live your life comfortably.”

He also talks about some mundane daily-life details of their life. The couple mentions that they like the moderate winter weather, which is more suitable for walking outdoors.

“It is unbearably cold in Delhi in December and January, unlike here; temperature drops to 5°C in the peak months. On top of that, Delhi gets a lot of fog as well. So that means we cannot go out for walks; as a result, we end up spending immense amount of time indoor,” says Kakkar. “Here in Dubai, it’s not like that. Especially in the months of December to February, the minimum temperature in Dubai is a pleasant 20°C, which makes it pleasant to walk everywhere, especially near the waterside areas like the beach and the creek.”

“We have a beautiful 2-year old granddaughter,” says Nira Kakkar. “We live near the Dubai Creek, and when we come to walk near the Creek with the little girl, she keeps on running without looking back.”

She goes on to mention some of her concerns about her granddaughter, “Something which worries me is the environment in which children grow up in Dubai. Because majority of the year gets such hot weather, children do not pursue outdoor activities and sport as much as they do in India. I have noticed some other families’ children here in Dubai - they spend all their free time on PlayStations and iPads. I hope we can raise our granddaughter to learn to balance outdoor and indoor activities.”

Kakkar describes the benefits of living in Dubai in a nutshell. He calls it a “law-abiding, organized, and rich in infrastructure” city.

“The food is also unadulterated here. Back home, you can expect all kinds of adulteration, it is like a refined India,” adds Kakkar.

Lastly, Mr. & Mrs. Kakkar talk about their future plans. “We would like to stay here in UAE but it is not a good long-term option because of visa issues, etc. As long as you have a job or a business, you are good to go, but in case you lose that, it is tricky to stay in the country.”

Since the UAE does not have a naturalization policy, it is extremely rare for an expatriate to obtain citizenship, no matter how long he/she has lived in the country. As a result, many prefer to move back to their home country after a while.

“We are here only for a few years,” says Kakkar. "Now that I have entered the later part of my life, I feel we should settle back home soon. There is always some sense of insecurity here, even though we can get our visas renewed every 2 years.”