In this edition of “a day in the life”, we revisit Dubai’s most requested beautician. Last time we heard her story we learned of her day-to-day life in Dubai. This time, she tells us about future plans and experiences in her native India.
Last time we caught up, you told me about how you came to Dubai and your family. How was your summer and what are you looking forward to now?
It was fantastic to go home and see all our family. Usually we go for around a month, but this time we only went for two weeks.
Do you have less vacation time this year?
No, it’s the same as usual but this time we’ve split it into two blocks. We’re going back in January as well as my sister got engaged, so they’re having the wedding at home in our village which we’re all really looking forward to.
Awesome! Is he also from India or will his family have to travel to yours for the wedding?
My sister and I are from a tiny area in the North of India. There aren’t many people from there living in Dubai. Amazingly her fiancé is from the next village, and they didn’t know each other at all before meeting here in the UAE.
What an amazing chance. So are you now spending a lot of time planning and looking at things she needs for the wedding?
Yes, there’s more choice in Dubai so she’s getting things like shoes here and we’ll be dragging them all back!
That’s good of you! Is it easy for you to get home? Is there a direct flight?
Unfortunately not – it’s a four hour flight from Dubai to Delhi, then another four hour domestic flight from Delhi to near where we live, and then someone has to pick us up and drive another hour.
Ouch. Sounds a bit like the journey I have to make to visit my parents! Could you take a train from Delhi instead?
Don’t get me started on the train! When we first decided to move to Dubai, we didn’t have enough money for the domestic flight, so we took the train to Delhi. It took SIX FULL DAYS to get there. You don’t have anywhere decent to sleep, just a seat. And you and your friends can’t all sleep at the same time, because people will rob your bags, or worse. The train is really dangerous in India, and because it’s always moving, it’s hard for the police to catch the criminals. Honestly, I would rather not visit at all than have to take the train again. I tell everyone who is planning to visit not to take it.
OK, so you definitely don’t recommend the train! Will anything else change when your sister gets married – will she leave?
No, they’re planning on staying here in Dubai. They haven’t decided what to do about living arrangements yet. If she moves out of our current place it’s fine, I have a lot of other friends where I live– mostly from Thailand as we like to cook the same sort of things. I think life will stay pretty much the same.
What does the future look like in terms of work for you?
Work is good, I’m always very busy! The salon is launching a microblading service very soon, so I’ve been training for that. I’m really looking forward to doing something different and expanding my skills. Even back in Northern India people are starting to be very interested in this service so it’s great that I will be able to do it. If I ever want to go home I think I’ll have lots of clients!
