Hailing from a family that has deep Roots in india, cross cultural immigration is a part of my identity. For my winter break last year, I visited my grandparents in Abu Dhabi. I took advantage of this trip to perform primary research on the  immigration patterns that occur in the United Arab Emirates.

During my trip abroad, I conducted interviews with a cross section of immigrants from India residing in Abu Dhabi and performing a variety of occupations. These included household help as well as entrepreneurs and laborers. To my surprise, the overwhelming majority of individuals felt that they had achieved personal economic gains without experiencing any sense of exploitation. Indeed, they felt that they enjoyed a quality of life that they would not be able to replicate elsewhere, including the United States or Europe. While political expression and dissent are not prevalent, these immigrants felt that this was a small price to pay for the opportunity to advance their careers and benefit their families back home. Uniformly, they felt that the local government strives to ensure that there are adequate worker protections and that all basic needs are taken care of. The interviews were conducted anonymously and their privacy was assured. The experience has made me realize the importance of approaching a situation with an open mind, with no preconceived biases, to best appreciate others’ viewpoints.