Yesterday it was 40 years since the UAE became the UAE.

There will are a lot of posts on the celebrations and peoples views on this historic day.

We all have different memories and thoughts on this country. I have been here for 6 years and it has gone by incredibly quickly. I have seen the good, bad, ugly
and downright frightening. But I have been lucky and fortunate having this opportunity to experience life outside of England.

This country has the middle eastern underbelly with the mixture of many cultures living amongst each other making this a stronger concentrated broth of culture than even in London.

I have learnt things like never go to beach road on national day, how to wear an abaya, how to order Lebanese, how to undress a kundoora (personal favourite) and many other things.

Outsiders may look gawp and make stupid comments about this beautiful country but unless you are here for a while and experience all sides of it you will never know the UAE or understand why nearly all of us, emiratis and expats, are proud of this landmark moment.

To my second home, UAE, I salute you.

Xxx