This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Katie Miller, a stay-at-home mother of three who recently moved to Dubai. It has been edited for length and clarity.
My husband and I raised our three young kids in what we thought was our forever home in Dallas.
But in February, my husband, who works in the oil industry, got an opportunity to work in Dubai. Being unfamiliar with the region, I was hesitant at first, but eventually got excited about a new adventure.
So, when the school year ended in May, we packed our bags and moved to Dubai.
It’s only been a few months, but I love it here. It’s convenient to quickly get services like food delivery, and I don’t think I’ve ever lived anywhere where I felt so safe.
This is not our first time relocating. In 2015, my husband and I moved to London for 15 months for his work. While it was an amazing experience, our move to the UK was much harder than it was in Dubai. I found it difficult to find the things that I was used to in America when living in London.
We were surprised to see so many American fast-food chains
The Cheesecake Factory is my favorite because, being a true Texas girl, I can get a big glass of iced tea, along with free refills. It teleports me back to the US.
We also go to Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Caines, Papa Johns, and KFC. We can eat out and feel at home.
But Dubai also has amazing local restaurants. That’s one thing I love about the city: If you want to feel at home, you can; and if you want to explore new things, you can.
The malls are similar to those in Texas
Dubai’s malls carry familiar brands like H&M, American Eagle, and Gap. As an American mom, the only thing I miss is a hearty Target shopping trip, where I can get everything in one place.
Still, Dubai has big grocery stores where I can find many items that my family is used to. One of them — Park n Shop — is gold if you are from the US or Europe. My kids’ favorite discovery was Chick-fil-A sauce. This was a win coming from the US with kids who love chicken nuggets.
I drive around, like in the US
The roads here are big, and the parking system is great. Unlike in the US, a lot of parking is covered or underground. I rarely get into a hot car here, which is helpful, especially in Dubai’s hot summers.
The downside is that the GPS does not work well here and often takes me in circles. But it has also created funny memories for the kids — we’ve discovered and explored places we chanced upon because we drove the wrong way.
Before our move, my husband and I considered that living in Dubai could be a great learning opportunity for our children, aged 5, 7, and 8.
The city is more culturally diverse than Dallas. According to the Dubai Statistics Center, 92% of its 3,655,000-person population is non-Emirati. The number of foreigners grew by almost 100,000 between 2022 and 2023.
As such, you can experience every other culture and learn about different parts of the world.
It seems you can have two experiences in Dubai: You can come here and stay in your own culture, or you can step out of your comfort zone and learn about other cultures. We’ve been able to do both, and that has been really exciting for us.
We’re still unsure when we will return to the US, as it depends on my husband’s job.
But so far, I love it more than I thought I would. If I could relocate all the people I love from the US to here, I would stay here for decades.
Do you have a story about moving abroad that you want to share? Get in touch with the reporter, Erin: eliam@businessinsider.com.
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