I worked in Dubai for 6 years but burnout brought me back to Phoenix
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jessika Ros Malic, a former Emirates stewardess from Phoenix, about living in Dubai. It's been edited for length and clarity.
Moving to Dubai was a whirlwind. In 2010, I heard that Emirates was hiring. After going through the interview process, they notified me of acceptance in April, and I moved to Dubai in August with my life packed up in two and a half suitcases.
It was my first time over the Atlantic.
There were so many international businesses and restaurants that it was almost as if the entire globe was in one city. That's what I loved most about Dubai — the many different cultures in one place.
Living there was a crash course in global interactions. But I moved back home to Phoenix permanently in 2017.
I had a glamorous life in Dubai and loved travelingUpon arriving, Emirates housed me in an apartment. I had two and a half months of intense training before starting a hectic work schedule. My monthly schedule was only released at the end of each previous month. This meant I could only plan my life for a month at a time, and I was rarely in town.
When I was home, I spent much of my time socializing. Working 11-hour shifts was difficult, and back then, all there was to do in Dubai was party, go to bars, and shop.
You could go anywhere and meet people from, say, 10 countries speaking 15 languages. It's a fascinating city because only about 20% are local nationals, and 80% are a complete mix of expats of other nationalities. Temperature-wise, Dubai is comparable to Phoenix, but Dubai is much more humid because of the ocean.
Once in a while, we'd go out to the desert.
Some things were better in PhoenixI missed that there was much more to do in Phoenix besides nightlife, such as hiking, visiting nature preserves, camping, museums, festivals, and more.
In Dubai, I found it impossible to get anything done over the phone. There was also no address system back then. I had no idea how their local mail system worked and never learned how to mail something to anyone living there.
We took taxis everywhere as they were affordable, and the lack of addresses meant you had to know exactly where you were going. If it wasn't a well-known location or destination, I often had to tell the driver to head to landmarks or direct them exactly where to go.
We're so spoiled in Phoenix. We live on a grid, so you can easily get from one place to another. In Dubai, it's like someone took some crayons, swirled them on a page, and said, "This is the highway system."
My job gave me perks, but the physical toll was too muchLuckily for me, housing was provided for Emirates crew members. Another perk is the live-out allowance — a stipend for living away from home. Because of Emirates, Dubai was affordable for me.
At the same time, I was sick every month and got food poisoning at least three times a year. The physical toll made me tired of flying, and I just wanted to go home. I met my husband in Dubai and married in 2013. He was also ready to move, so we explored purchasing property in Phoenix.
Moving back to Phoenix made me happyWe bought our first house during a visit back home to Phoenix in 2015, although we didn't move back permanently until early 2017. It was located in South Phoenix in a new development and was a dream find.
Our home was 2,500 square feet, close to the freeways, had a three-car garage, and had four bedrooms. We paid $187,000 cash with my husband's parents' help. I loved that house, but we eventually sold it after we divorced this year.
I miss my glamorous days of traveling and living in Dubai, but I'm happy to be settled and close to friends and family in Phoenix. These days, I'm working as a communications and events manager at a nonprofit, and the work is satisfying.
If you moved out of the US for a dream job and want to tell your story, please email Manseen Logan at [email protected].
