Syrian Dubai

We chat to Syrians living in Dubai in our latest snapshot of life as an expat in our lovely emirates Discuss this article

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Sima Barazi Haroun, 34

‘My family left Damascus in 1982. My dad wanted me and my sisters to go to American universities, so we went to the US for a better education. My parents are still back in Damascus, and I visit them every year. My husband and I used to live in Beirut, but he got a job offer in Dubai eight years ago, so we moved again. Once I got here, I set up my own shop, Boom & Mellow, in the Mall of the Emirates. It’s an accessory shop. I buy things from all over the world: handbags, jewellery and all sorts.

I can’t say Dubai doesn’t have a culture; it has its own, but it doesn’t have the history and that old city charm that Damascus and Beirut both do. There is also such a mix of people here. You don’t get that in Syria or Lebanon. I think it’s a valid place in the Middle East for people like me to live, who aren’t specifically Middle Eastern, but aren’t 100 per cent Western either. It’s a really good balance.

While I’m Syrian, I consider myself international, if that makes any sense. I’m from all over the world: the Arab world and other foreign countries as well. While I have a lot of Syrian friends, I also have friends from a lot of other backgrounds. When we go out, we don’t really seek out Syrian food. My favourite hangouts have good atmosphere: Zuma and Sho Cho are my favourites.’