I came across this post called “The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai on the Net and felt that it did a pretty-good job of Dubai-bashing without necessarily substantiating everything objectively and looking at the pros. It’s a given that Dubai also has its weaknesses and flaws, but doesn’t every other place on earth? It’s important to look at the big picture and see how much this great city has also achieved in such a short span of time!

I, like most other expatriates have come to Dubai looking for good job opportunities, a decent standard of living and security. I think the city does a pretty good job of offering that to most people who’ve moved here for the right reasons and in the right frame of mind…! It would be naive to expect everything would be perfect and that everyone who comes to Dubai, like any other expat destination would be entirely happy. Hey - I have some issues that I’m particularly pleased about, but then again it all depends on your alternatives! If I have similar or other problems back home I have no right to gripe…and if conditions are better back home, why move in the first place?

Firstly, let’s take a look at the top 20 reasons not to move to Dubai taken from the article mentioned above and see if they hold any water

No standard address system making mail-to-the door delivery impossible. True, but this applies to a lot of other developing and emerging countries - definitely was not on my checklist when choosing to move to Dubai for a good job and life outside work.

The government blocks websites & telephony. Again, true - but working online in Dubai for over a year, haven’t experienced any significant problems with what I need to get done, despite being a very active user. Granted, it would be nice if some social networks and sites weren’t blocked, but totally get the cultural reasons. Telephony blockage - agree, would be nice to save a little when making calls back home.

It is really hot outside. In Summer - yes! But how long do people actually spend outside? It can be quite pleasant throughout the year…and winter isn’t too cold. Dubai actually gets a lot of tourism just because of the weather and beaches!

There are too few trees, plants, and grass – or living things aside from us crazy humans, for that matter. Considering that this was barren desert a decade or two ago, what has been achieved in terms of landscaping and beautification is amazing! The amount of money spent in Dubai on irrigation and making real estate where expats live is just mind-blowing. And yes, there are other living things to be found…including birds!

This country prides itself so much on its glitz and glamour that it put a picture of its 7-star hotel on the license plate. Yet, the public toilets in the king-of-bling Gold Souk district are holes in the ground with no toilet paper or soap Cultures differ. Not every nook and cranny in a city can be spotless… not even in the developed world! Get used to it. This part of the world uses water hoses in the rest rooms - its not crazy - its more hygienic and just different. You cant change the world and it’s people to suit your comfort zone!

This country encourages businesses to hire people from other poor countries to come here and work.  So does every other country on the planet. This is an economic and societal trend that is as old as humanity. People will always go where they can enjoy better earnings so they can improve their personal standards of living or in warmer cultures, the standards of their families first. All the wonders of the world were built on slave labour - it should not be condoned and it just isn’t right that half the world lives in poverty - but what are we actually doing about it besides the rhetoric and the exclamations of disgust? Why pinpoint just one city or one country when the world still hasn’t come to grips with this issue and the biggest offenders are often the most developed?

Things are not cheaper here. No one claims they are - it just depends on where you come from and what your lifestyle is like.

There are traffic cameras everywhere. Yep. It’s a nuisance but it’s probably saved a lot of lives, given the great roads, cheap fuel, big & sporty cars and the tendency to enjoy the thrills of speed when given the chance.

The clothing some of these women wear makes no sense to me. Culture evolves too. And not everyone feels oppressed when following tradition. People drive change when they make up their mind to.
People stare at you. ??? Is the generalization necessary? Over 80% of Dubai’s population is comprised of expats - it’s hard to believe that every good looking woman in the city gets stared at?

Prostitutes? Don’t support it either. But it is the ‘oldest profession in the world’ for a reason. There’s no way to curb it - it’ll always be present, only the visibility and access varies wherever you go. Can be avoided and certainly not on the checklist when deciding whether to move to a new country or city.  

Alcohol can only be sold in hotels and a handful of private clubs/liquor licenses.  Dubai happens to be one of the more liberal Islamic countries in the region and most expats enjoy the freedoms afforded compared to say, living in Saudi Arabia or Qatar, where the controls are even more rigid.

Approval to obtain a liquor license, rent property, have a telephone, etc. Agree on this one - it IS limiting to expats, at least mentally, even though most employers wouldn’t have any problems with their workers getting any of these as long as they can afford it. Perhaps a way to control on defaulting, given the high percentage of expat labour in the country.

Back to the craziness on the roads: Seatbelts A personal choice of everyone who steps into a car. Level of law enforcement varies on this issue, of course.

When is the weekend again? Get out of your comfort zone and deal with the fact that you’re actually in a different part of the world!
There are few satellite television operators And growing… for those who live for the Idiot Box. Enough said.

The roads are horribly designed. Layout and access is improving - construction standards and quality of roads cannot be faulted however. A recent report said that the RTA in Dubai is planning to spend approximately 44 Billion UAE Dirham's building roads to meet the infrastructure demands in Dubai over the next decade. The city has grown tremendously over the last 5 - 10 years and the growth pains are natural.

Taxi drivers are dangerous and smell. Not only is this ‘reason’ racist but also extremely biased and ignorant.

Speeding is an Emirati sport and Emirates Road is just an extension of the Dubai Autodrome. Hence the radars.

Dubai is far from environmentally friendly. True. Another growth pain from the rapid development and focus on economy. Possibly also stemming from the richness of natural resources and fuel in the region - less of a reason to conserve, but sure it will come.

The idea of the points above is not to get back at the author of the original post - everyone is entitled to their own opinion, of course, and making choices based on the same. However, I do cringe when I see lists like this and the objectivity of it all. It’s important to understand the true nature and background of why things are the way they are before drawing judgement and misleading others in the process.