life in Dubai Archives - Undefined Declarations

UD Style Shoot: Vintage Vibes

Nada from Undefined Declarations in a Warehouse dress

If you’re not following my blog’s Facebook Page, then you might have missed our first fashion photo shoot. You can still browse the photos of my collaboration with Le Monde Des Petites from the album posted on my Facebook Page. While you are there, you might want to hit the “like” button to stay updated with the latest posts from this spontaneous and crazy lifestyle blog 🙂

Let’s have a look at the photos from our second style photo shoot, with details of the fashion brands worn by the model – the writer of this blog 🙂

My dad was in town, and for a belated birthday gift, I asked him to get me some charms for my brand new Pandora bracelet – which I recently got as a birthday gift too! Since I love a bit of a vintage style in almost everything, I chose a retro theme for my charms and made my selection from their uber cool oxidized charms collection.

The angel-wings ring is from O’ De Rose and it matches almost anything that I wear. It’s a very playful and everyday accessory that you can wear with almost any outfit – even with a casual T-shirt and jeans.

Earrings are from O' De Rose — Earrings are from O’ De Rose

Pendant Necklace is from O' De Rose — Pendant Necklace is from O’ De Rose

The metallic-studded sandals I am wearing are from a recent collection at River Island…

This exotic and multi-print day dress is from Warehouse. It’s a great summer essentials timeless piece to wear for a day at the beach club or a day out with the girls for lunch or coffee. So simple, elegant, and extremely comfy and light for the hot summer months.

This fabulous and original sequined clutch bag is a piece that I got a while back from the renowned Zara. It’s so versatile that you can wear it to a night out with friends, a day out on the beach, or even to accessorize a basic outfit at a media networking event! Now how’s that for multiple ways to wear a pastel-sequined Zara clutch bag? 🙂

Sadly, my friend Julie from the blog Le Monde Des Petites is leaving Dubai for good soon. So this photo shoot was only our second style shoot together, and also the farewell meeting for us. That’s the thing with this city, it’s so transient that you constantly find yourself meeting new interesting and genuine people, connecting with them on various levels, and then saying your good-byes when it’s time for them to move to another expat destination or back to their home towns! But, because we must always look at the bright side of every situation, the good thing about this is that I get to have friends at different cities across the globe, who I can visit when I travel 🙂

Thank you Julie for the lovely times we shared, despite them not being too many…I wish you all the best in everything and I look forward to seeing you again – hopefully soon! XXX

The lady on the left is Araceli from What I just Love, the one in the middle is Julie from Le Monde Des Petites. And I’m on the right 🙂

For more cool photos, random posts and updates from this blog, follow my blog’s fan page XXX

A bonus “behind the scenes” look into our vintage-themed photo shoot 😉

Random Post: Where is He?!

In Dubai, I can say that I mostly live the expat life. This means that although I’m Saudi and from this region, my lifestyle is not exactly similar to that of most local or Arab people. Since I’m single and living alone, I get the opportunity to explore the places and do the activities that I choose to do. I spend my free time doing things that I usually plan in advance with my expat friends. Yes, most of my friends are expats from different nationalities and backgrounds. And most importantly, I get to meet new people on a regular basis. I think that one of the great aspects of living in cosmopolitan Dubai is the possibility to meet and network with people from all around the world, to exchange cultural knowledge and to build an ever-expanding network of friends and business contacts.

Now I can’t complain much, because I’ve always enjoyed being independent and free from my parents’ obsessive controlling ways, but these days, I can’t help but feel exhausted, tired and in a way…hopeless!

Maybe it’s the accumulated stress of taking an undergraduate course at a University located at the other end of town from where I live, trying to update the blog whenever I get the chance, and making sure that my Facebook Page stays alive and my followers engaged and entertained.

But lately, I have been feeling an increased sense of loneliness and solitude creeping up on me, I am no longer enjoying my personal space and freedom as much as I used to, the idea of being single and free doesn’t appeal to me that much, and most of all, I’m fed up and tired of all the responsibilities that come with being single in the city!

Actually, it’s not my first time to talk about this subject, you might remember my post on my visit to a legendary spiritual temple in Hong Kong. While there, I even prayed for a husband and specifically made the prayers on the male statue which is believed to save single women! you can read all about that post here.

They say that you’ll meet that special someone when you stop looking and start doing the things that you love most. Well, that’s precisely what I’ve been doing all of my life! I was never actively looking or putting effort into that area of my life. I was always focused on career and education, and am proud to say that I still am. I constantly had other priorities in life, and still do!

So could it be that that’s the main reason that the Universe still didn’t bring that person my way? that maybe I need to start putting more effort into attracting him into my life? do I need to implement or follow some strategies that will bring us closer together? 😀

Here’s a short video from Sex and the City that summarizes what I’m trying to say in this post (note: the early dating part doesn’t exactly apply to my story):

Sex and the city – Charlotte

Of all the elements that being single brings, the one that I mostly despise is having to act as both a lady and a man in one person’s body. By saying this I am talking about the endless responsibilities that come with living alone and having to do everything by yourself. Therefore, if you are ‘the one’ and you happen to be reading this, I would highly suggest that you are prepared for the following responsibilities:

All technical and computer related issues.
Handling the payment of utility and services bills.
All legal matters (anything that requires preparing important documents and submitting them to official entities. Example: Visa application process).
All rent related issues. These could range from looking for an apartment, to viewing it, to negotiating a contract, to signing the agreement and everything in between.
Setting up stuff, assembling furniture, connecting electronic devices. (and of course maintenance and fixing when anything goes wrong).
All travel bookings, hotel reservations and other travel related arrangements.
Help in grocery shopping and general stuff around the house.

Now that I’ve got that sorted out, I would like to ask you ladies (single, engaged, married): What are your views on being single and emotional stability and security? Do you think that it’s possible to be single and living alone and still feel emotionally stable? how do you cope with loneliness in the city? who do you turn to for moral support? how significant is sharing your life with a partner is to you? at what stage of your life did you feel at your most happy and secure?

And finally, in searching for or finding that special someone, what did you find has worked most for you?

I conclude this post with the ever popular Rihanna and “Where Have You Been”:

Where Have You Been- Rihanna

A huge thank you to the highly talented photographer at Pink Pepper Photography for the images used in this post 🙂

Stay tuned to my Facebook Page for more images from that fun photo shoot at Pink Pepper Photography studios!

Random Post: Life in JLT, Dubai

Introduction

Followers of my blog might assume that I live a hassle-free lifestyle and that I’m constantly doing luxurious activities and getting pampered at high end spas or beach clubs. But the truth of the matter is, that there are always two sides to any story. And that’s what this post is all about: The other side of my lavish Dubai lifestyle.

So allow me to use this blog and writing this post as a form of therapy. Since well I need to let it out, and no, telling every person I meet about my noisy neighbors is still not enough relief!

When I first viewed my current studio apartment, I thought it was perfect; it was compact (which meant easy maintenance), it had a balcony with a relaxed view of a lake, it was on a high floor (just like I wanted), it’s within walking distance to the metro station (I don’t drive, so that’s very important for me), and another great selling point to me was this: the building was brand new so no one has stayed in the apartment before me.

There’s one highly significant point that I didn’t notice though, and it makes a great impact especially when you live in a small studio apartment in a building that doesn’t have sound proof walls nor is built using good quality materials. And that point is: the neighbors.

Short History and Facts

When I first moved to the apartment in 2011, there was a Lebanese couple with their toddler staying in the apartment opposite my apartment.
Occasionally, you would hear the kid crying and the mother screaming at the top of her lungs at him. Which lead to more crying by the child.
A year or so ago, the mother had a second baby (girl). So now the crying comes from two kids, and the screaming from one or two parents (depending on who’s around).
Recently, she hired a nanny. But sometimes, she kicks out the kids with the nanny out of the apartment. That’s when they sit in the corridor and the noise or nanny’s singing voice become even more clear.
A previous neighbor of theirs went to their apartment once and asked the lady if she could help her with the little kid. As she felt that “something unusual” was going on in their home.

The amount of negative energy in that house is immense. The only time it’s peaceful and quiet is when they are out or if it’s very late and the kids have gone to sleep! most of the time, I have my radio switched on, but as soon as I turn it off, I would hear the noises of the mother shouting at her kids or the kids crying and screaming.

I do tend to work from cafes on most days of the week, but it’s nice to stay in and relax at your home every once in a while. Well, guess what? I can’t do that now! so I have to keep myself and my schedule fully occupied in order to spend more time outdoors than at my own home!

OK honestly I do that mostly because I also need to be out there all the time since I’m still building my career and my blog and everything. But if I had a proper desk at my place and a quiet atmosphere, then I wouldn’t have to keep looking for new wired cafes to go work at!

I’m not an expert in parenting or motherhood, but isn’t it common sense that when you scream at a child from the top of your lungs in a hysterical tone of voice (and possibly use other forms of abuse), they will only cry harder and continue crying for a longer period of time?

I mean hasn’t she figured that out by now? I think for her own health and sanity, she should try other ways of disciplining her children and making them behave the way she wishes.

So while I am getting ready for my next stress-relieving massage treatment, glamorous dinner, or lazy day at a posh beach club, I would hear the ongoing disturbing noises from my disrespectful and shabby neighbors. Or more recently, the maid’s enchanting melodies of ABC or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!

What does the future hold?

My rent ends next year in April, and when I told a friend about my noisy neighbors and that I plan to just renew my tenancy for this year, she was shocked and said: “and you will tolerate it all this time?”

Well, let me just say that I have a high tolerance for agitating and irritating situations and people. Since I have dealt with a good number of them my entire life.

I know that I’m looking forward to moving to another building next year. Hopefully to a one-bedroom that will save me any new drama or noisy neighbor surprises. What I’m not looking forward to though is the hassle of moving to another place, with all of my furniture, kitchen appliances and of course, personal belongings. And the cherry on top of it all is this:

I have to do it all by myself.

Final Thoughts

Are some of us destined to a lifetime of suffering? sometimes, it seems that we can’t escape from bad situations or people no matter how hard we try to avoid them or cut them out of our lives. Maybe we tend to attract challenging situations on a regular basis. Which means that we are constantly growing and learning and developing into more mature, wise and compassionate human beings. After all, suffering does make you more humane and tolerant of others.

The next time you see me in a negative or down mood, don’t ask the reason behind it. It will most probably be my mental neighbors 😀