It all started in 2005 when I joined Stantec’s Vancouver office as a graphic designer. It was a great role which allowed me to expand my horizons in terms of marketing, creative services, business development, and to develop a broad sense of the whole organization and our services. I enjoyed it greatly but wanted to move back to the European/Asian continent, to be closer to home and to the culture I knew growing up.
With a global presence of 170 offices worldwide, Stantec opened a door for me to move to another office. What happened next? Two firms joined Stantec—Burt Hill and Anshen + Allen—both with an international presence on this “side of the pond.” Along with this growth came the need for a marketing staff member in the former Burt Hill Dubai office—a need which made my relocation not just a possibility but a reality.
I have been in the Dubai office for the last six months and really enjoy the city as well as my new role as marketing lead for the region. There are countless differences between working life in Canada and this region where organized chaos, unimaginable wealth, and change creates uncertainty but opportunity. As I was struggling to adjust to this lifestyle, a coworker said, “You have to go with the rhythm of this place, don’t fight it.”
As such, one of the most interesting things I observe here is how the expatriate community co-exists seamlessly along with the locals. You can see a woman totally covered up in black from head to toe pass by a “Westerner” in short clothing and it doesn't cause any issues. Same is the case on the beach.
Also, during the month of Ramadan, life in Dubai changes a bit as the locals fast all day and you're not allowed to smoke, drink, or eat outside until sundown. That’s when you feel the Muslim traditions at their strongest, and all people here have to respect it. I’d also be remiss not to mention the heat. To avoid the dry, hot sun, many businesses are open here really late. I love it! You can grocery shop at midnight on a weekday and it will be busy. This is mostly due to the heat, but locals are definitely night owls so everything is open until midnight or 24 hours.
On the whole, the world of endless luxury, flat deserts, 48-degree Celsius summers (that’s 118.4 degrees Fahrenheit), and a mix of Western with Arabic culture is completely different from the rainy days of Vancouver, half a world away and surrounded by spectacular mountains, forests, and ocean. The transition from one extremely diverse culture to another also demonstrates the different ways Stantec operates. The company’s UAE region has over 140 staff members who have gone through many changes and adapted to the effects of the 2008 UAE economic recession. As new members of the Stantec family, they bring a vast understanding of the region and a way into local business operations which are run completely differently from those in North America. For a region that doesn’t have a “one size fits all” model, I am happy to be a part of a team that works in an exciting part of the world and grateful to a company that can adapt to all of its diverse operations.
