I am yet to narrate the “how I met your father” story to my young kids, but I look forward to it. Ours was an unusual meeting and, in a world dominated by talk of AI, a nice reminder of human connection.
In 2008, yellow minivans, operated by a company called Fancy Bus – although not fancy in any way – would ferry office-goers across different parts of Dubai. I met Karthik on one such cramped, slightly smelly vehicle that did the run between Bur Dubai and Dubai Media City.
A Tamilian like me, he was living on his own in Dubai. What started as requests to hold the bus if I was running a few minutes late, developed into longer conversations during bumpy rides.
We discovered shared interests such as music and photography, our friendship progressed, and after we both relocated to India, we got married in 2011.
But my tryst with Dubai’s transport system did not end there. After our wedding, Karthik was offered a job in Dubai and we returned to the UAE. Not long afterwards, I was back on the job market. But, despite job hunting extensively and reaching out to old contacts, I got nowhere.
About a month in, I was travelling on the Dubai Metro, when I overheard the person next to me, who was on the phone, give out her email address, which ended with the name of a big publishing company in Dubai. After she hung up, I first apologised for eavesdropping, then told her I was looking for a job as a business journalist.
She was super-kind and, despite having joined the company only a week prior, she passed on the details of the relevant editor. I thanked her, reached out to them and got a job with the publication – where I spent 10 years.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but serendipity is real, and conversations can lead to unexpected endings.
And sometimes, they serve as life’s little nudges.
Habituated to chatting with taxi drivers in Dubai, I find that most invariably grumble about the difficulty they face living far away from family, especially during challenging economic times. The one conversation I most vividly remember, though, was with a taxi driver with a bright smile, exuding optimism. His secret? He was extremely content, telling me he was grateful for whatever he made and the simple fact he had a job. It is a lesson I frequently go back to, when dealing with adversity.
In August, during a visit home to Bengaluru, I was urged by my father to meet a driver who occasionally chauffeured my parents around town. At first, my sister and I wondered why we were being pulled away to meet a stranger. But once he began speaking, his stories stayed with us. He told us how his family had defied tradition for love, how he served in the military and was even imprisoned, and how his later work in private security and chauffeuring has taken him around the world.
It was a striking reminder that every person has a story, which we often miss unless we take the time to ask. And we only heard his because my father had struck up a conversation during a car ride.
In recent years, whenever I travel by public trains – whether in the UAE or outside the country – I often look around to find most people buried in their phones. Don’t get me wrong, I’m often guilty of the same. But imagine the stories we would hear if we started speaking to the people next to us.
And, who knows, one of them might also turn out to be a life partner?
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Andor
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