Our adventure has come to a close and the cloud of mystery covering this foreign land has been lifted. If someone came up to me and said, "Oh, hey Pete - How was Dubai?" Here's my answer.
Dubai is safe. Safer than Philly. Not once did I feel threatened - at all. The people here are warm and welcoming. No doubt, there are places in the Middle East that are unsafe. It is not in the UAE. The Middle East is slightly smaller than the entire United States - it's huge. A high murder rate in Philadelphia doesn't characterize Pennsylvania, much less the whole USA. The same principle holds in this part of the world.
Dubai takes a long view. Anyone can readily give their organization's 2030 vision. At times, this creates a disconnect from foreign comprehension of today's decisions - for right or wrong.
Dubai is new. The Rolling Stones have been around longer than Dubai. To be exact, 1971 is regarded as the dawn of Dubai as we know it.
Dubai is developing. Progress here is real, but development takes time and Dubai is still maturing. The benefit of later development is learning from and replicating tried and true processes from the West and other regions. The downside is that tried and true processes are often times true in the context of the tried. That is, what works for one state or culture sometimes must be understood from its evolution.
Dubai is not oil. Trade, manufacturing and the experience economy fuels the majority of the GDP. Oil is less than 5%.
Dubai is not a flash in the pan. Trends will come and go, bubbles will build and burst. However, an unequivocal geographic fact remains: Dubai is 4 hrs from 2 billion people and counting. It bridges Europe, the Far East, Africa and Russia with one another. This is what will feed the trade and tourism industry here for years to come.
When traveling abroad, remember this golden rule: you are your greatest ambassador. Take pride in that and you'll be fine. Said another way, conduct yourself like you're meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time and you'll be received well anywhere. I've had the fortune of traveling to the Far East, the Middle East, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Africa - and that has been my take away everywhere despite pre-trip anxieties to each new area.
I'll close taking a page out of LeVar Burton's book: "don't take my word for it." See Dubai for yourself.
Kareha from Dubai - SIGNING OFF.
Dubai is safe. Safer than Philly. Not once did I feel threatened - at all. The people here are warm and welcoming. No doubt, there are places in the Middle East that are unsafe. It is not in the UAE. The Middle East is slightly smaller than the entire United States - it's huge. A high murder rate in Philadelphia doesn't characterize Pennsylvania, much less the whole USA. The same principle holds in this part of the world.
Dubai takes a long view. Anyone can readily give their organization's 2030 vision. At times, this creates a disconnect from foreign comprehension of today's decisions - for right or wrong.
Dubai is new. The Rolling Stones have been around longer than Dubai. To be exact, 1971 is regarded as the dawn of Dubai as we know it.
Dubai is developing. Progress here is real, but development takes time and Dubai is still maturing. The benefit of later development is learning from and replicating tried and true processes from the West and other regions. The downside is that tried and true processes are often times true in the context of the tried. That is, what works for one state or culture sometimes must be understood from its evolution.
Dubai is not oil. Trade, manufacturing and the experience economy fuels the majority of the GDP. Oil is less than 5%.
Dubai is not a flash in the pan. Trends will come and go, bubbles will build and burst. However, an unequivocal geographic fact remains: Dubai is 4 hrs from 2 billion people and counting. It bridges Europe, the Far East, Africa and Russia with one another. This is what will feed the trade and tourism industry here for years to come.
When traveling abroad, remember this golden rule: you are your greatest ambassador. Take pride in that and you'll be fine. Said another way, conduct yourself like you're meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time and you'll be received well anywhere. I've had the fortune of traveling to the Far East, the Middle East, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Africa - and that has been my take away everywhere despite pre-trip anxieties to each new area.
I'll close taking a page out of LeVar Burton's book: "don't take my word for it." See Dubai for yourself.
Kareha from Dubai - SIGNING OFF.
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