It’s very important, especially for Emirati women, to feel as if nothing is impossible. Your life is your own adventure. I have a passion for exploring the unknown and experiencing different challenges – to widen my horizons, to grow and feel the blessings that we have in life.
I’m 33 and I have type 1 diabetes, an auto-immune disease that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin. It’s different from type 2 diabetes, which is generally brought on by poor lifestyle choices and being overweight.
I struggled when I started using insulin eight years ago. I didn’t know what to eat or how to control my sugar levels. Even though they tell you what you shouldn’t eat when you go to the hospital, daily life is different.
I’ve found that living an active lifestyle helps me combat diabetes and to stay positive. I want to discover new places and meet new people, and I can only do those things if I have good health.
My adventure holidays started six years ago, when I began going on regular hiking trips with friends to Norderney in northern Germany. We’d walk up and down this 14-kilometre-long island each day, choosing different paths – sometimes on the coast and sometimes inland. I loved the island’s sands, its open fields and its wilderness. After that I decided to take on physical challenges on a larger scale.
Last April, I was the only Emirati in a group of two men and eight women on an eight-day trip to the Arctic, organised by the Abu Dhabi adventure company Mountain High.
These kinds of challenges, in which you are going to a completely different environment and learning new skills, really help me maintain an active lifestyle and push my limits.
The environment in the Arctic is so different: the snow, the ice and, at that time of year, the 24-hour sunlight.
We also tried ice caving, and, of course, there was lots of walking. If it was a long distance we went dog-sledding, which requires a lot of skills that I didn’t expect, such as balancing your weight on the sled. The huskies were lovely, but you need to help the dogs move – it’s not like you are in a car. You have to step off, push the sled and climb the hill with them. All these activities require a good level of fitness.
We were given meals of dry food with water, which some people didn’t want to eat every day. But we managed. I usually have my own diet because of the diabetes, which includes lots of salads, fruits and raw food in general. Controlling the diabetes was not a problem while I was away because I was so active, which helped reduce my blood sugar level and meant I didn’t have to take more insulin.
My next big adventure was to Antarctica in November. This time there was one man and seven women, and again I was the only Emirati – and the only Arab. I always carry my Emirati flag with me as I consider myself an ambassador for my beloved country. The diversity of people and their different ages, backgrounds and purposes for making the trip were interesting.
Both of these trips gave me time to discover my strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to overcome them.
My personal trainer, Tarek Chatti, helped me achieve the fitness required for these challenges. Since I like to be close to nature, horse riding, swimming, cycling and walking were included on my activities list, too.
To me, health is a relationship between you and your body. If you treat it well, by eating healthy and exercising, your body will support you.
On May 28, Aisha Al Ameer will speak about pushing boundaries to maximise one's potential at the Women's Peak Performance Summit in Abu Dhabi at Eastern Mangroves Hotel; www.womenspeakperformance.com
* As told to Jessica Hill
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
KYLIAN MBAPPE 2016/17 STATS
Ligue 1: Appearances - 29, Goals - 15, Assists - 8
UCL: Appearances - 9, Goals - 6
French Cup: Appearances - 3, Goals - 3
France U19: Appearances - 5, Goals - 5, Assists - 1
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
The%20specs
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
