I moved to Dubai about 2 years ago. I wasn’t sure how my experience in the UAE would turn out but I was quite positive for I had heard the locals are very loving and welcoming. Before moving here, it’s a great place to make new friends said best friends, old friends and even sworn enemies. But it’s not just about putting a bunch of people in a city and leaving them to it – Its a range of possessions that bring people together. Speaking in the local Arabic language was one of them.
You see in this beautiful urban jungle where my company had just been transferred me, I was simply looking for a different life experience. A happy one to be honest. But that did not quite work out for the locals and I were both comfortable speaking our own native languages which sadly wasn’t the same. My surrounding at work or even in the place I was residing, majority of them were Emirati Locals.
Work life started to get difficult. Emirati local clients were not comfortable speaking with me. After a tiring day at work I had zero friends I could turn to for a refreshing evening. After a lonely rough time I decided that learning the local language
would really help me feel better because nothing seemed to be going in the
right direction. My work life and social life were having major crisis which
needed immediate changes.
Well now learning arabic were some serious difficult lessons, math seemed easier. But in less than 2 months I got a pretty good hang of the language all thanks to Al Ramsa Institute. Attending regular classes not only made me feel better but it also gave me a very positive outlook of the coming future.
I started to implement my learnings with my Emirati clients and they were so very pleased to see a Russian speak in Emirati Arabic. My colleagues were more comfortable with me around than ever. We would go grab quick lunch or plan weekend movies. Things seemed so much more easier than they ever were. If I only knew before how learning Emirati Arabic would transform my life in the UAE.
It’s been a few months now and to be honest my arabic is quite bearable. I have a good number of local friends who really enjoy my company and so do I. You see you cant force people into being comfortable around you. Knowing the local language really helped me push myself to gain what I was looking for. To feel like a part of something, may it be anything when you are far away from home is really priceless. Learning arabic is one of my finest possessions and I take much pride in that.