Life Inside a Bubble




The best analogy I can come up with when I think of my life in the UAE is life inside a bubble.
A bubble that I have strategically filled with just the things I need to keep me sane and happy.
I've called it my "expat bubble" and I quite like it. 
Some people may say  it is unrealistic to live this way but so far it has worked for me. 

I suppose many people have also created their own expat bubble. That is part of the reason so many people are expats, I think. 
You are part of a community but in a sense apart from it. 
You don't have to deal with the issues and the politics and all the mess. 

Am I over simplifying things? Maybe just a tad but why else would so many people move away from all things familiar to some place new and unknown. 
I know about the adventure bit, sure and the money but there has to be something more.

I've talked to people who live here or have lived in other countries and I always get a certain allusion to detachment. 
A sort of escapism that you really don't have to feel guilty about. I mean there is no way you could get involved in the country because you aren't from here and you certainly can't do anything for your home country cause you don't live there anymore. 
Hehehe especially pay taxes. That must be the best form of escape. It is pretty awesome.  

It is super easy to create a bubble in the UAE. 
Life here is so surreal sometimes. On the surface things just looks so shiny and sparkly and clean. 
Many of the issues that other countries face don't seem to touch the UAE. 
One of my friends says it reminds her of  being at Disney World. 
I quite agree. Heck, you don't even see homeless people here. After living in NY for so many years, trust me homeless people are a constant reality check. 
It appears as if there are no problems here, everyone is happy and living it up.

Maybe I am just speaking for myself and hoping everyone else feels the same. 
Anyway even if it just for a short time it's nice to live in a temperature controlled, moderately drama free bubble. 

I know one day I'll have to return to the "real" world wherever that may be.