In these 2 years that I have lived abroad I came accross different people who all came to this city with hope for something more than they can find at their original place. Most of the times they are searching for a source of income that can grant them and their families a stable lifestyle.
Yes, Dubai is a place where you work hard but can make good money. But then again, the expenses are high so it might turn out that you are really just operating with higher numbers and not saving much. Finding the balance is a struggle for many, especially when all the luxuries are right there, ready for you.
I've met people who were living a life of their dreams. The YOLO motto swiped them off their feet and while their free time evolved around weekend brunches and pool parties, some slowly began to realize that after three or four years of hard work they have nothing to use as a foundation to build their future on. Sooner or later when the novelty of the change wore off they started thinking about returning to their homeplace, not realizing that they are leaving for the same reason that brought them here.
I've met even more of those that save every last cent (or fill, if you will) and at the same time hate their life here. They are usually underpaid in the first place so they don't have much choice but to hold on to the hard-earned buck. They feel like they don't have a lot to do outside of work except to use the time for household chores and some Netflix or internet browsing. Same boring routine day after day. Different story but same effect. They find themselves wanting to flip to the other side of the fence again when they figure that there are other things that they don't have - family, old friends, familiar environment ...
The truth is, the shiny grass is an illusion. It is our job to keep the grass as green as possible, which might take some external help. I started just recently. Hiring a cleaner once a week so I can stop arguing every week about who will do the ironing. Explaining the boss that 13 working hours a day is not going to work if they want me to stay productive. Dedicating a few hours a week to exercise and cook real food. Painting, although I'm not any good at it. Dancing swing.
I took this photo of a dry stem with the river sparkling behind a week before moving from my homeland to where I am now. At that time I was still searching for the green grass. Now I'm watering it myself.