The first night

Kindness galore on the first eve in Dubai

3 min read·Apr 10

When I first arrived in Dubai, I felt like a total newbie. The bus ride to downtown Deira was surreal — sandy dunes on either side of the road, while Datsuns, Toyotas and huge Cadillacs zoomed by, and barely any greenery apart from the occasional palm tree. Then, when I got to the employee cafeteria for supper, I was taken aback by the menu — meatballs, white rice, and a whole orange for dessert.

Outside the hotel’s left wing was a taxi stand, and it was scorching hot and humid — I was sweating buckets and feeling flustered. Everything was so different from what I was used to back home, and I had no idea what to do or how to act.

Eventually, I figured out some tricks to avoid awkward or uncomfortable situations. However, there were still times when I felt totally out of my depth, like when I couldn’t find my friend Brian, who was busy working in the kitchen. Approaching strangers was terrifying.

It was like back in college when I would freeze up during speeches or be too afraid to ask someone out. But then I looked around and smiled at everyone, feeling more confident. Then, suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder and introduced themselves — it was Sheriff, asking if I was Brian’s friend.

Relieved and surprised, I replied with a grin. “Yes, that’s me! Nice to meet you, machan.”

Before I knew it, a group of curious guys had surrounded me, eager to share their stories about Dubai and offer advice on what to do and not do. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and I was eager to explore more of the city and its people, even if I struggled to remember all their names — Jerome, Maurice, Tony, Lal, Ajit, Quintus and not one but two Nihals.

As I waited for the hotel’s bus at the bus yard, a guy in a denim jacket struck up a conversation. This guy, Kumar, figured it was my first day in Dubai. He was generous and offered to take me to a Hindi movie, which I happily accepted — I had no Dirhams in my pocket, after all.

We walked past rows of taxis parked in the sand, among their drivers beckoning passengers with calls of “Karama, Satwa, Ghusais, Rashidiya and Sharjah.” Finally, after a ten-minute stroll, we arrived at the massive Deira cinema. Kumar pulled out his wallet and paid for my movie ticket.

I was blown away by the size and the sound system’s quality inside the cinema hall. The movie “Amar, Akbar, Anthony” was an epic adventure with amazing performances by Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, and Parveen Babi. I was swept up in the music, fighting, and the story in the masala movie. I forgot my worries and anxieties.

By the night’s end, I felt like I had made new friends and experienced something incredible. Dubai was still a bit daunting, but I knew I could handle it — I had less to fear now that I had some good memories to cling to.