Expat Experiences in Abu Dhabi

When considering a move to a new city, there is nothing more useful than hearing real-life stories and experiences from other expats who have lived there. We’d love to hear about your expat experiences. Please contact us if you live or have lived in Abu Dhabi and would like to share your story.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from the UK – Read interviews with Scottish and British expats living in Abu Dhabi

Marina, also known as The Desert Diva, is an offroading expert and desert aficionado with a wealth of experience across the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. As a former Offroad Expert for OutdoorUAE magazine, a seasoned blogger, and a skilled desert driver for TV productions, she’s been sharing her passion for desert life since 2012. Read more in our interview with Marina.
Lindsey spent a considerable amount of time in the UAE before moving to Abu Dhabi permanently in 2013. She shares her insightful tips on making friends, overcoming challenges, and what life is really like in Abu Dhabi. Read about her experiences here.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from South Africa – Read interviews with South African expats living in Abu Dhabi

Marike is an expat originally from South Africa. After living in Switzerland and China, she moved to the UAE. She now lives in Abu Dhabi and works as a kindergarten teacher. Read more about her life as an expat in Abu Dhabi.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from Serbia – Read interviews with Serbian expats living in Abu Dhabi

Marina holds a Serbian passport, was born in Malaysia, grew up in Nigeria and has lived in the USA and Switzerland. She’s now settled in Abu Dhabi, where she has lived for the past seven years. Read about her experiences as an expat in Abu Dhabi.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from the USA – Read interviews with American expats living in Abu Dhabi

Eddie is an American expat who moved to the United Arab Emirates when his wife was offered a job there. In August 2016, they packed up their life in Texas, and along with their three children, headed to Abu Dhabi to start their new expat life. Read more about Eddie’s expat experiences in Abu Dhabi.
Mark is an American expat who moved to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates at the end of 2014. He shares his thoughts on his first experiences in a new country as he waits for his family to join him. Read about his experiences of living in Abu Dhabi.
Cristy hails from Virginia and has recently quit her job and packed her bags in support of her husband’s move to Abu Dhabi. She has adjusted well to life in the United Arab Emirates, and her teenage kids are loving their new location. Read about her take on expat life in Abu Dhabi.
This anonymous American expat living in Abu Dhabi found the city easy enough to settle into and foreign friends even easier to come by. She’s now an active member of the American Women’s Network, an organisation that aids new expats in dealing with the challenges that come with adaptation. Read about her expat experience in Abu Dhabi.
Randy, also known as Ace, has always loved adventure and fresh horizons. Originally from the Southeastern US, he moved to Abu Dhabi after a short career as a military officer, a series of boring technical jobs, and marriage which didn’t work out. Here he relates his experiences so far of expat life in Abu Dhabi.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from Romania – Read interviews with Romanian expats living in Abu Dhabi

Monica is a Romanian who was looking for a travelling career and ended up finding it as a flight attendant in Abu Dhabi. She met her husband there after just three months of living in the emirate, and six years later, they are still enjoying what Abu Dhabi has to offer. Read about her expat life in Abu Dhabi.

Moving to Abu Dhabi from Canada – Read interviews with Canadian expats living in Abu Dhabi

Ann Marie is a Canadian journalist working in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She moved there two years ago to help set up a new English newspaper. Before that, she worked in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, as a columnist and blogger for Sun Media. Read about her expat experience in Abu Dhabi.