Russian expats in Dubai

Dubai is hugely popular with Russian tourists. But there is a growing community that calls the emirate home. We talk to the expats about their life in Dubai Discuss this article

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Maya Imamutdinova, 24

‘When I first arrived in Dubai, I worked as a sales consultant at Harvey Nichols, then as a marketing executive in real estate, but that company went bankrupt, so basically, I’m looking for a job!

I’m from a small town in Russia. Growing up, I’d be watching TV and there would be shows about Dubai, and it was something unbelievable. I came here to set up my career and grow up. It was the only option. Now, I’ve been here five years. It’s really an amazing country. You just have to work hard and you can get what you want. In my village, life is quite slow. Now that I’m here, I do everything I can. I like going to Wild Wadi and to all the malls. I love the Madinat. I think it’s a really beautiful place. It’s perfect for relaxing.

I’m not sure how long I’ll stay out here. I hope I’ll be out here for another five years. Actually, I would like to stay here for as long as I can. Perhaps after here I’ll travel somewhere else. Because it’s a competitive market here, after living in Dubai, you can go all over the world, and they’ll accept you.’