5 Facts About Customer Service in Dubai

It's been 5 working days since I've come to Dubai. That's 5 days worth of taxis, hotel stays, restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It may not seem like much but I've already learned a lot about the customer service culture here in Dubai as compared to Los Angeles:

1. Dubai's version of 7-11 has customer service comparable to LA's fine dining restaurants

I have never seen someone more genuinely pleased to greet and serve me. Big smiles, full attention and the knowledge that they will do their absolute best to satisfy my whimsical wants are conferred upon me at the entrance.  

2. The division between Dubai's ultra-elite, generally affluent, and working poor accounts for this level of service

Oil money. America has the Walton family (Walmart), celebrities, and politicians constituting the wealthy and the rich. The United Arab Emirates has Sheiks. Architecture, real estate and tourism are huge in Dubai, so the Sheiks hire people from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka to perform jobs in construction, transportation, food service/FMCG, and hospitality. Sheiks take advantage of the conditions in those countries to offer the workers low wages in exchange for this physically exhausting, emotionally tiresome, or downright boring work. America is guilty of similar practices, but at least in America the idea of mobility is more alive. 

3. Tipping is Optional

Arguably, tipping is optional in the US as well, but there is usually more pressure placed on people to tip (~15%), especially as some employees literally survive off their tips. In Dubai, some cafés don't even provide a jar for you to tip while convenience stores comparable to famima!! do. My opinion, as someone who has worked in food service: tip when appropriate and possible. Don't take advantage of the relaxed tipping culture to jip your servers out of a well-earned tip. 5 dirhams (UAE money) is less than what you would spend on a bottle of Coke in Los Angeles.

4. Some People Will Try to Take Advantage of You

Some people will try to take advantage of you by not giving back the right amount of change or taking a long time to produce your change in the hopes you will just let it go out of embarrassment. Count your change. Ask them in advance if they can break a 50. 

5. Customer Service = Sales

At first I didn't even realize I was being sold to; everyone just seems so pleasant, friendly, and eager to help! Earlier this week I stopped by a pharmacy to pick up some cold medicine when the pharmacist  asked me about the symptoms I'd been experiencing. I mentioned 3 symptoms and he brought out 3 meds instead of an all-in-one treatment. I was suckered into buying 2 of the 3 when I otherwise would have purchased just an all-in-one med. Every person is a salesperson.

In short, take time to enjoy the wonderful service while being cautious of aggressive sales tactics. Most staff are friendly but the occasional taxi driver might try to cheat you. Recognize why service is the way it is and tip well. Most importantly, remember to thank those who thank you.

LAX --> DXB

We've arrived! A 15 hour plane ride later, my boyfriend and I made it to Dubai from Los Angeles in one piece. Well, technically two pieces. 

There were plenty of services offered to keep me entertained (+2 to Modern Family and +1 to Two Broke Girls) but I didn't get much sleep; I always have trouble sleeping on airplanes. At least our Indian flight mate (BA in civil engineering & MA in mechanical engineering... Of course) kept us company. It got awkward though when I realized I had preselected a kosher meal for an airline (Emirates) that primarily services Muslims. 

First impressions: it's hot. And quiet. And beautiful. I was wracked with nerves when our plane first took off but upon landing, I fell in love with the elegant layout of the city and the glittering lights. The architecture is unlike anything I've ever seen and to think everything that stands before me was only developed in the last 10-30 years? Astounding. 

I used to think Los Angeles was a melting pot with all its Americans, Middle Easterners, African Americans, Latinos, etc. Dubai's population consists of Emiratis, Americans, Brits, Sri Lankans, Indians, Persians, Bangladeshis, and African-Americans (-Emiratis?). My bf works for a larger company than me: within a 120 person team, 70 countries are represented. That's diversity. 

While it has only been three days so far, I am happy with my new job. The work environment is great, my coworkers are lovely, and my boss approaches me for ideas. I feel like a valued contributor already and as such, I feel invested in and committed to the company. Apparently open communication, feedback, and respect make for a happy employee. Go figure. 

There is much more to say but it's past midnight here and I have to be out of the hotel by 8:30am to get to work on time. Sorry for the picture formatting as I'm using my iPad. Thanks for accompanying me on my journey thus far! I hope you decide to keep going :)

The Night Before the Flight

I couldn't sleep last night and I likely won't be able to sleep tonight either. When I stop to think about it, I feel sad leaving behind my friends and family to immigrate to another country. I keep reminding myself that we're making the right decision, we have the opportunity of a lifetime. Just gotta push through. 

We underestimated the amount of luggage my boyfriend and I would need so now his parents will be giving us one of theirs. I want to say I'm thankful and express my gratitude for their help and hospitality, but there's no real way for me to convey the magnitude of my appreciation. 

So, this post is for everyone. For my family, my friends, my teachers, everyone who helped me get to this point. I'm a little freaked out, wondering if we'll make it and stick it through the employment contract, if everything will be OK, if we'll be happy there. Whatever happens, even if we come back earlier than expected, it'll be alright. The support of my loved ones is the initial fuel to get me going. Thank you all for bringing me here. 

It won't be easy. But we'll enjoy ourselves, learn a lot, and hopefully return bettered by the experience. Plus now I'll know what it feels like to be, in my mother's words, "a fucking immigrant" ;)

Moving out

My boyfriend's an asshole. A couple nights ago, he had the bright idea of dumping our bed out while the movers were still here so we wouldn't have to do it later (good idea) but forgot that we still needed it to sleep on that night (bad idea). Cue us lifting, shoving & carrying a mattress 2 blocks away and up 2 flights of stairs at 9:30pm after a full day of cleaning, donating, trashing, and packing our belongings. I love him. 

We officially cleared out last night around 1am. It felt strange walking into a dark, empty apartment which had been full of life only hours before. I stopped at the kitchen counter for the last time and deposited the house keys atop it. Hearing the click of the locked door when I walked out was when it clicked: this is really happening. 

Now all that's left is a number of loose ends to tie up (medical records, former employment, re-packing, etc). We're staying with my boyfriend's parents for the next couple days until we fly out of Los Angeles International airport (LAX) on Friday afternoon. 

Moving out is stressful but I'm trying to shift my attention to what I've learned from the experience: create a strategy, plan accordingly, pack early, and give yourself enough time to do all of the above. Focus on the positives, smile, and give yourself a break. Moving isn't always easy but hopefully our travels will make it worth it. 

Last week in Los Angeles

This is Shabbaaaat!!

Emma 09/14/2011

Mom & aunt

We celebrated our last sabbath tonight. I spent some quality time playing with Emma, my almost 2 year-old cousin (my Wet n Wild lipstick suffered a casualty), my brother Ash and my aunts. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. It was surprisingly difficult to part from my aunts. We aren't necessarily close but something about hugging them farewell made me awkwardly realize how much of an influence they've been in my upbringing up to this point.



My boyfriend drove us to Pomona Valley Hospital early this morning for me to get a stat echocardiogram (sonogram for the heart). Fortunately I've gone from needing them every 6 months to every 12 months since my aorta has stayed the same size since my last couple checkups. I was due to go in November but as we won't be here, I got it done now. Here's hoping for consistent results.

You should see the size of HIS heart! Aww.

I've downloaded a few travel apps to help prepare for our arrival. The 16 hour flight doesn't have internet so hopefully these and other apps will keep me entertained. If you have any app suggestions, please comment! I may write a review in upcoming posts.


We're officially moving out of our Burton Square apartments on Tuesday. Packing, selling, giving away, etc is not going to be the business. I sense a migraine already.

The iPhone generation

There's so much going through my head at the moment it feels like a whirlwind came and swept me off my feet, swallowed me inside it, and is propelling me forward at breakneck speed. At least it's not a sandstorm like the ones we'll experience in Dubai, right? Guys? Hello?

Party hardy

The countdown continues. Getting through school, two jobs, selling and packing, oh my! Shit is getting real.

I'm a little terrified right now about the move but I know I'll feel better once we arrive and I start working and set a routine. While I can't appropriately anticipate how difficult the first few months will be, I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for it. Will report back with results upon our arrival.

No, we're not alcoholics. 

We had a small get-together/going-away celebration on Saturday. Plenty of food, drinks, and games (Cards Against Humanity, anyone?). I've also been running into a few people - high school friends, extended relatives - while taking care of smaller errands. It's strange bumping into one another now, of all times, when I haven't seen these people in years and won't be again for a couple more years to come. Sometimes life makes its own plans.

With two papers written, three exams remaining and two more days of school to take them, it's starting to dawn on me that these are the last classes required for me to earn my degree. I've learned more about life, planning, organization, and how to think than cold hard facts during this time. I never expected all this. I wonder what grad school might teach me.

I know what I know and have an idea of what I don't know that I don't know. I remember reading about the 4 stages of competence when I was 18 and first starting my job at Coffee Bean. In terms of education, I feel I've successfully risen to stage 2. Maybe I'll decide to pursue stage 3 at some later point.

It feels like I'm 18 again with all these possibilities and questions. We'll see where my decisions take me.

Myspace reminiscent but aptly portrays how I feel right about now.

20 days

Time is winding down. We have 20 days left before we leave. That means:
- 19 days to get my work visa & residence permit
- 13 days until my current contract ends
- 9 days off school to complete my bucket list (I left out a few items on the first post... oops.)
- 5 class sessions remaining
- 3 exams

K24.

- 2 weekends & 2 papers
- 1 Behavioral Analysis extra credit opportunity & 1 Shabbat
remaining.

And here I am blogging ;) I've managed to cross off most of my foodies from my bucket list (Chipotle, Cheesecake Factory, Kitchen24) as well as a couple non-foodies (Shabbat, seeing my bf's family, hanging out with friends).

+3 for adulthood! (-.5 for duckface)

I've started my position as a PT Social Media Marketer for a medical consulting firm in Dubai (Balsam For Health Promotions JLT) and will be moving into a FT role upon my arrival. Along the way, I learned some much-needed skills on how to write an offer letter, proposal, and contract.




I'm looking forward to the move. Nervous as hell, but excited nonetheless. My bf made a great point about how people generally spend their whole lives inside of a happy 10-mile-wide bubble with occasional vacations, road trips with friends, or visiting relatives; and here we are with the opportunity to burst outside that bubble and travel the world while developing our professional profiles. I'm still not 100% sure what I want to do with my life, or what constitutes a life-well-lived, but I am certain that capitalizing on this opportunity will bring me one step closer.

Bonus shot of my bf capitalizing on eating as much bacon as he can before moving to a halal country