Hello, there!
Believe me when I say that on the back of my mind, writing a blog post always pops out as 'things-I-would-do-in-my-leisure-y-time-to-feel-productive'. However, I also know that I still have a draft post for 2022 (my Labuan Bajo trip) and 2023 (a year with too much TWICE). I even planned on writing my first Europe mainland trip in 2024, but duh, I procrastinate too much!
So as to not let this one be too outdated, let me just put it out in the air: I am now residing in Dubai!
Well, at least for the next remaining 8 months to go! :)
It's been something out of my imagination, honestly. I grow up being not very used to flying or visiting places far away from where I live. I cherish every flying experience so much, I still remember my very first experience of flying on a place (that one was also my very first experience of missing a flight, though hahaha).
I feel lucky to be an avid reader. I read a lot of books growing up. Despite having read lots of English books now, actually those that really touch young Nana are Indonesian books. I wonder do we still have strong Indonesian writers out there publishing new works?
My two most favorite books of all time are: Laskar Pelangi (Andrea Hirata) and Negeri 5 Menara (A. Fuadi). Both I read from the humble library of LIA Kalimalang, my sanctuary as a very quiet LIA student back then haha. Laskar Pelangi was a very big hit movie back then, but reading the 'heavy' novel brought a different level of richness in terms of story and value. Negeri 5 Menara was also a book that I didn't know I would enjoy reading. I remember picking up the book because I knew of a movie titled the same.
Both books inspired me so much. They basically told a story of someone from a very humble background, who through education are able to actually experience living abroad. Obviously the stories were wayyyy more meaningful than that, but that was the thing that stuck out to me the most.
I read through all the series of Laskar Pelangi, following Ikal's stories in his humble Muhammadiyah school in Belitung, to him going to IPB, and then going to Sorbonne in Paris. I swear when I visited Paris last week, I was ecstatic to find that I was staying near Sorbonne area! After all these years the story is still stuck to me.
I didn't read the other series of Negeri 5 Menara (but I bought all 3 and gifted them to Clement hoping that he feels as inspired as I do), yet I am really fascinated with how Gontor shaped its students and emphasized the importance of learning foreign languages. I know after that Alif managed to be a journalist in the US.
Wow that was a long intro. But to cut to the chase.. now I am doing it. Thirteen years later I found myself experiencing what I read in those amazing novels. I don't know if this is the power of manifesting, longing, or whatever.. but I am very grateful at where life has taken me.
I started living in Dubai per March 2025. It was such a big move to me. I, who never once lived faraway from my family, am now living alone! In Dubai nonetheless! Honestly what made the move easier was that moving to the regional office meant there were a lot of Indonesians here who I know I can rely on. As someone who actually likes to talk and mingle when I feel like it, being able to destress by not speaking English all the time is so precious to me!
Dubai, who before I moved here sounded fancy and money money money, now sounds like home to me. Before the move, I didn't even know that Dubai hosts the Emirates airline for example, or knew that it was part of the United Arab Emirates. My knowledge about the middle east countries was practically zero I know haha.
I moved here during the chilly and okay-ish weather of spring. But not long after, the weather started to get hot. It wasn't until these recent weeks though that it has became quite hot and humid. Thankfully the very heavy AC environment is very reliable. Not thankfully, I understand that there were very few months of the year in Dubai in which the city would be a nice walkable city.
Now my empty kitchen feels like my kitchen, with the IKEA kitchen racks that I assembled myself and the sauces and spices that I bought from the asian supermarkets. Cooking is not as simple though, somehow the utensils are not easy to wash and I hateee having soapy feel leftover in the utensils. But I make do, now I know the soap dishes brand that I like and also the sponge that is good to use. And also, because washing takes half the effort in cooking, I don't cook as often as I imagined I would be haha.
Work life is also okay. There were lots of things that I haven't done and I should, I will get to it I promise.. (talking to self). But the work is interesting, I get to see things from a helicopter view. I could get more clarity, but I think this is a good start. I have a good team and a supportive boss, so all is well to me.
On weekends, thankfully I am also able to keep myself busy and productive! We are now able to rent cars and drive here (I also can drive!). We were taking trips to the other emirates of the UAE, to the beaches (never knew Dubai was such a beach city before), even during long weekends we've taken trips to Kazakhstan! Now we are also planning trips to more countries nearby, such as Georgia and Oman. More countries are coming definitely to the to-go list!
I have so much to feel and experience here. Hopefully my future self would reember that I only need 30 friggin minutes to write this piece, and this post would break my cycle of procrastination. I hope to release new posts soon! Til next time!
