In cosmopolitan Dubai, the varied mix of cultures in the region is a source of pride—but with the threat of Covid-19, also of anxiety Of all the cities I have lived in, Dubai is by far the most cosmopolitan.
Never before has my daily life included brushes with so many other cultures. My fitness instructor is Filipino; our household help is Kenyan.
From the former, I learnt that King Choc Nut, a beloved Filipino brand of chocolate, tastes a lot like besan laddoo. From the latter, I discovered that chai, sambusa and chapati are as Kenyan as they are Indian, knitted into the cultural tapestry of the country by generations of Indians living in East Africa.