By Sabrina Almeida
From the Burj Khalifa to the Atlantis on the Palm Jumeira, the humongous malls and even the supermarkets Dubai dishes out 
more than the usual. If you have any preconceived notions of this sizzling hot emirate be prepared for it to exceed your wildest expectations. It literally takes the ceiling off “opulence” which often caused me one to wonder if life here could get any more extravagant.
As a tourist destination it offers limitless amounts of culture and luxury spoiling you in ways you probably never imagined. The attempt to out-do is strikingly obvious. Whether it is a commercial building, a tourist spot or shopping, if it is in Dubai it must be bigger and better than the rest. The Dubai Mall, for instance, is one of the largest in the world yet the emirate has plans to build an even bigger one. (If you remember, the plan for the Burj was to make it taller than the CN Tower.)
Every mall that I went to (and I visited three viz. The Mall of the Emirates, the Dubai Mall and Ibn Battuta) was a fascinating 
experience, more for the elaborate décor rather than the shopping. If I thought that the new Mumbai international airport had pulled out all the stops, Dubai’s finery held me captive for a while… The well-manicured cityscape showcases variety and style, a pleasant contrast to the mostly staid constructions that one might come across in any other world-class city. Every structure caught my attention both for its architecture as well as the interiors. Even the metro stations set out to impress with their themed designs.
But there’s two ways you can look at this, appreciate the luxurious detail or dismiss it as being flashy and over-the-top.
It’s quite easy to get caught up in the grandeur and pristiness of the place. Every little nook and cranny is showcased to perfection. Even the public washrooms are grand in comparison to what we have here in Canada. Food is cheap, restaurants are plentiful and cater to all types of budgets, gas is virtually free (but they pay a steep price for water) and there is nothing that you cannot get in Dubai.
After the initial grand impressions however an ugly reality begins to surface—all the inhabitants are not privy to the cushy lifestyle. In fact the hundreds who work to keep up Dubai’s museum-like façade lead less than comfortable lives. What grabbed my attention therefore was not the gleaming marble in the public washrooms but the lady who was working tirelessly to keep it that way. Everywhere you can see people scrubbing and cleaning as if to create a flawless appearance. If you venture out in the evening scores of uniformed workers can be seen lining up by the side of the road. They wait in the sweltering heat for the company bus that will take them back to the “labour camps” where they live in sub-human conditions, often 10 to a small room with nothing in it except for their meagre possessions. Many of them exploited on account of their need.
Typically those who find themselves in the service industry are treated poorly, according to North American standards which insists on dignity of labour. Mainly expats, they are usually submissive and apologetic for anything and everything, including your mistakes. Whether in retail and hospitality or as maids and janitors they “know their place”, humbly accept the abuse and continue to serve politely with bowed heads. Sadly enough the shabby treatment is often meted out by other expats who might at times be only slightly better off than them. It rattled to hear customers yell and demand their way in the mall.
The close connection with India (on account of the large number of expats) manifests itself in many ways including the Indian shopping district and restaurants in Al Karama and the neighbouring areas of Bur Dubai. A large billboard with Sunil Gavaskar on one of Dubai’s main highways beckons expats to invest in Indian real estate while Life Insurance International (a subsidiary of the Life Insurance Corporation of India) encourages them to invest in the future.
Over the decades Dubai has provided thousands of Indians with jobs at all levels and walks of life, offering them opportunities to improve their lives in their home country… but for a price. While even labourers can now boast of decent homes in their villages it has come at the expense of their families who are forced to live without a spouse or a parent for long periods of time. For those in better positions who are able to sponsor their families it offers a life of uncertainty, never knowing when they might have to leave. Further well-placed expats who have gotten used to the luxuries often find it difficult to return to India and immigrate to countries like Canada where it takes them years to adjust to doing their own chores or paying taxes leaving them in a limbo of sorts.
The emiratisation (move to employ more citizens) and slowing down of the global economy however has adversely affected the expats who now find themselves with lower salaries, fewer benefits and tough competition. Companies too are streamlining operations in a bid to improve the bottom line.
Contrasting images of opulence and exploitation can make Dubai a tough pill to swallow but that is only if you look beyond the grand displays of a seemingly vertical lifestyle (both literally and figuratively). Unfortunately for me, I did. As an expat friend who immigrated to Canada but went back to work there after getting his citizenship remarked, “Dubai promises money but Canada offers quality of life”.
