This week’s Into-yous features Swedish expat Anne Boberg.

Tell us a little about yourself
At the moment I´m in such a great phase of my life, because I have realized a dream of designing a program for expats in Dubai together with two consultants in Dubai. We have worked so hard the last couple of months and a few weeks ago we had a trial with some ladies from the South African Community and the outcome was great. This feeling of accomplishing something you’ve aspired for is simply great yet the feeling does not last forever as there are challenges waiting just around the corner. The only way to succeed is to believe in what you are doing and trust your instincts and hoping that a little bit of luck will come your way.

When did you move to Dubai and what brought you here?
I came from Sweden to Dubai in August 2008 with my husband and two of our three children. It was our first expatriate assignment and it was more or less a coincidence that brought us here. We were simply looking for an adventure and an opportunity to expand our experiences.

Have you been an expat elsewhere and if so, where?
No

The best advice you were given to prepare you for life in Dubai
The thing was that I didn’t know anyone who had an expatriate experience and in fact I wasn’t in the state of looking for advise as I was busy with focusing on finalizing all the practical details before our move. If I ever get the chance to relocate again, I would be a lot more prepared. This lesson learned was actually the origin of why I created the website: expatpathdesign.com

What surprised you most about Dubai?
When we arrived to Dubai, everything was just crazy; the traffic was horrible, it was crowded everywhere and the condition of our rented villa was very bad. On the other hand, the friendliness, the openness and the heartiness among the people I met was astonishing.

What area do you live in?
We have chosen to stay in the same villa in Meadows 1. The area is lovely and it is an amazing mixture of nationalities, with the different customs and traditions. For instance, this week it will be a fabulous blend of the Halloween ghosts and the Diwali festival of lights.

If money were no object, where would you most like to live in Dubai?
My absolute favorite area to live in would be in a villa on the Palm Jumeirah with Atlantis in the horizon.

Your favorite Arabic word or phrase you have learned so far
Because I have been so focused to improve my English and I don’t really have a good “language ear” I must admit that I haven’t really tried to get into the Arabic language, but I would love to learn.

Your least favorite word or phrase you have adopted since moving to Dubai
Please be in time!

What has been your best experience in Dubai to date?
The opportunity to meet so many different people from all over the world with different religions, values and interests, I just love it!

Where do you hope to spend your next holiday?
There are many places on my wish list. In the Middle East I would love to explore Lebanon and Jordan.

Who is the person you most miss when you are in Dubai?
I most miss our bellowed son, now 21 years old, who took the decision to stay in Sweden to finalize his Upper Secondary studies. Two years ago he had a gap year and then he stayed with us in Dubai. Last year he went back to Sweden and he is studying Business at a University Campus in the south of Sweden.

What is your favorite restaurant in Dubai?
When the weather is getting cooler I always love to go to Madinat and I am specifically found of the skewers at Meat Cow.

What grocery item do you most miss from your home country?
The first two years I missed so many item, the Falu sausage, the cheese, special bread, mustard, shrimp etc. But now there are less and less. The only item I make sure that we always have in the our second so called ‘Swedish fridge’ is Béarnaise sauce and also when we get guests from Sweden they still have to bring us some ‘small candies’.

When friends and family visit you in Dubai where will you absolutely take them?
There is a list of place I take my visitors to, so they get the full picture of this amazing city of contrasts; the endless luxury shopping malls, a lunch in Bastakiya, the mosque in Jumeirah, the bars and restaurants, the beaches, a desert safari and on the top of the list – Burj Khalifa.

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The team at Expat Echo Dubai would like to feature you in our Into-yous section

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