What It Feels Like To Grow Up Poor In The City of Gold?

In 1994, my family and I relocated to Dubai. I was 2 years old, and my parents recognized it as the prime opportunity in the Middle East.

We found ourselves in a desert country, where I attended school among the city's wealthiest due to its small population and limited schooling options.

At the age of 11, I vividly remember visiting a friend's compound, where he owned all three mansions within it—one for himself and each of his siblings. Additionally, there was an extra villa designated as the "game house."

This game house was a child's dream come true, equipped with play stations, computers, a treadmill, and a garage housing 4 Yamaha quad bikes and 2 exotic cars.

At 7pm, I had to leave the “game house” and return to my one bedroom apartment with my family on the outside borders of Dubai where it was affordable.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I was confused and I thought to myself “how?”.
“How can someone have so much and someone else have so little?”
“How?!”

Fortunately, my parents instilled in me a sense of gratitude, but this experience ignited a profound curiosity about attaining wealth.

I made it my life’s mission to figure out exactly how to attain wealth & freedom.

I am very blessed because my upbringing in Dubai was not only a testament to resilience but also an awakening to the mindset of wealth.

If I had lived in a place where being poor was “normal”, I may have never wanted to understand what it takes to be wealthy.

This is why Dubai remains my chosen home, despite the allure of cities like London, New York, and Toronto where many of my childhood friends sought their fortunes after completing their education in the US like i did.

Regardless of the challenges, Dubai holds a special place in my heart.

I share this story in the hopes of inspiring others who, like me, have felt the weight of expectation in this city striving for success..

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