"Similar to China": SA Woman Shares What Living in Dubai Is Like After 2 Years, Mzansi Reacts
- A South African Indian woman living in Dubai shared an honest account of what daily life in the city is really like
- She contrasted the extreme summer heat with round-the-clock convenience, including 24-hour supermarkets and endless delivery options
- After two bad experiences in South Africa, she said the level of safety in Dubai was something she still had not fully adjusted to
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Source: Instagram
A South African Indian woman based in Dubai took to Instagram to give her followers an unfiltered look at what it actually means to live in the city, not just visit it.
Aishwarya Rajkumar, who has called Dubai home for over two years, filmed a candid video sharing some of the biggest adjustments she has had to make since relocating. Her message was simple: holidaying in Dubai and living there are two completely different experiences.
Dubai's heat and round-the-clock convenience
One of the first things that caught her off guard was the heat. She described the summer temperatures as intense enough to feel like her skin was burning, something that made South African summers feel mild by comparison. The upside, she noted, was that air conditioning is everywhere, so much so that she now carries a jacket whenever she heads to a shopping centre.
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Convenience was another adjustment. Everything in Dubai operates around the clock, meaning a solo midnight supermarket run is entirely normal. She highlighted the city's wide range of delivery apps, including Noon, Talabat and Deliveroo, through which almost anything can be ordered, from groceries and medication to a single cup of coffee.
Safety that still feels unfamiliar after 2 years
The biggest shift has been learning to feel safe. She described herself as an anxious person shaped by two difficult experiences back in South Africa, where staying alert has become second nature. In Dubai, that hypervigilance felt out of place.
She recalled deliberately leaving her handbag, wallet and phone on a table while she went to the bathroom, just to test whether they would still be there when she returned. They were. Even after two years, she admitted she had still not fully adjusted to feeling that secure.
View the Instagram video below:
Mzansi reacts to her Dubai experience
South Africans and expats in the comments on her page were quick to respond:
@varsha_bangalee wrote:
"Love the honesty ❤"
@michaela_nadasen said:
"This is so insightful ❤❤"
@themomwithoutthevillage shared:
"This is very similar to China!! Love the convenience of it all ❤"
@melissaeileenhb commented:
"I'm an Indian South African and I have been a resident for 20 years: I am so happy with my safety surroundings."
@naaz14_khan reacted:
"The fact that you actually left your things to test the safety is crazy. 😂 I love stories like this 🥺🤭 Dubai is one of many places on my bucket list."
More Briefly News stories on Dubai
- Natalia Chavez closed more than $500 million in Dubai property deals in two years and won four awards, including Top Performer, earning a blue Lamborghini Urus.
- Bonge Gumede moved to Dubai with three suitcases and no plan B. Discover how months of hardship led the South African creator to a 10-year Golden Visa story.
- A South African teacher’s Dubai salary of R59,000 tax-free, with housing, transport and medical insurance covered, has divided opinion on teaching abroad.
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Source: Briefly News
