A Canadian tourist who traveled to Dubai in February has revealed she does not mind being stuck in the UAE. According to her, she actually prefers staying in Dubai to anywhere else in the world.
Rosy Abi Nader, a Lebanese-born Canadian arrived Dubai for a short vacation on February 21. She had visited Dubai before her short vacation but this has been the longest stay she has had in the UAE.
While talking to Gulf News, Rosy said: “I came to Dubai for a short vacation as a treat to myself after receiving my Bachelor in Law degree from Université de Montréal.
“Coronavirus had still not reached the level of a pandemic and I knew it was safe to travel. I even sought the opinion of a doctor in Montreal and he said it was safe to travel. So, I packed my bags and flew to Dubai.
“Everything was normal when I arrived — there was no need for face masks, gloves or PPEs [personal protective equipment] at the airport. There was nothing alarming and I passed on as a regular tourist.”
Rosy was captivated by the cool weather and the ambience of the UAE over the next few days and she was moving from one emirate to another. A month however elapsed and it was time for her to go back to Canada when situation of things changed. Airports were closed in a bid to halt the spread of COVID-19 and her return flight was cancelled.
She started waiting for the resumption of regular flights. Days became weeks and weeks became months but she had the opportunity return to Canada via chartered or repatriation flights. She said she opted not to return to Canada via chartered or repatriation flights due to the cost involved.
She said: “Tickets were very expensive to return home and I felt safer to remain in Dubai.”
While talking about her accommodation experience in Dubai, she said: “I’ve stayed in at least 18 hotels across Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman in the past five months. Mostly, they were beachside hotels so I always got a fine view.”
She revealed she has never regretted her decision to stay on. She said: “Although there was no socialising because of the pandemic, I had more time for myself. I followed a routine. I caught up with reading books, enjoyed watching a lot of movies and also had a chance to improve my culinary skills.
“I tried various cuisine and learned to cook Lebanese meals — I took photos and sent them to my mum. More importantly, I brushed up on my Arabic reading and writing.”
While talking about times she missed Canada, she said: “I cried a lot during the first couple of months when I got stuck here. There was only virtual communication with my family. But I became used to it and the people at the hotel became like family to me.
“My decision to stay was voluntary. I really enjoyed. Although on the downside, I accumulated a lot of credit card debt.
“However, it turned out staying here was cheaper than going home. Buying food here was cheaper and I’m enjoying my time.”
After spending five months in Dubai, Rosy disclosed she was considering staying on for a longer period of time.
She said: “I have a good university degree and I will now be looking for a job.
“I think I would stay here. To put it simply, when a place you visited became your second home, it would be hard to leave and say goodbye.”
