I left Dubai with a lot of conflicting thoughts. I can’t wait to explore them in an upcoming blog post. •• Many people call Dubai the “Vegas of the Middle East”, which I think is a gross oversimplification of what Dubai is. I see the similarities, but they only seem to make up 5-10% of the city. •• Dubai seems to me, most of all, to be a city trying to find its place in the world and decide on its identity. There is a very obvious divide between the Emiratis and the expats that make up over 80% of the city’s population. Each side seems to interact with the other only when necessary. However, the politeness and kindness almost everyone shows visitors is undeniable. •• The city can be flashy and glamorous and over the top, and traditional and conservative and historic all at once. It is often unclear what you are and are not allowed to do; often the warnings are overblown, and people are allowed much freedom, but then there are the occasional cases when the conservative law of the land wins out. •• I will go into much more detail soon. . . . . .