- In May 2023, Jennifer Kusch relocated to Dubai for a job opportunity.
- Her teen sons were initially against the move and said she was "ruining" their lives.
- But she says the experience of living abroad has brought them closer together.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Kusch, 47, who works in talent acquisition. Kusch moved from Idaho to Dubai with her kids in 2023. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Early last year, my company approached me about a job opportunity in Dubai.
At first, I said no. I had just bought a house in Idaho, where I was raising three kids. As a single mom, moving to the Middle East sounded hard, so I declined. But my boss at the time encouraged me to apply, and I thought, "Fine, why not?"
I got the job and was set to start in 30 days. My daughter was 18 then, and my sons were 15 and 13. When they came home from school, I read them the book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss and then said, "Guys, we're moving to Dubai."
My daughter was about to graduate from high school but was excited about an adventure. My 15-year-old, on the other hand, said, "You're ruining my life. My people are here. This is where I belong." And my 13-year-old echoed his brother.
The job commitment was for two years. I said, "We're going to go for two years. We're going to see what happens."
I remember crying in my bedroom after thinking, "Oh my gosh, I'm doing this selfishly. I want to do this for my career. Am I ruining my kids' lives?"
But then I thought about how many other teenagers must have said the same thing to their parents.
And so I had another discussion with my children a week later and said, "I hope that you can look at this as an adventure."
It was a big move for all of us
I had traveled outside the US but never lived abroad or been to Dubai. I traveled to the city alone last April while my kids were finishing the academic year.
When I arrived in Dubai, I tested out the public transportation so I could teach my kids how to ride the bus, hop on the metro, or take a taxi.
I found a townhouse-style villa away from downtown Dubai and spent six weeks furnishing the place so that all the kids would have to do was unpack their suitcases. My company provided an allowance to "settle in." While it didn't cover rent, it helped me set up a home for my family. They also covered the flights and most of my kids' school fees.
When I was done, I flew back for my daughter's graduation. I decided to sell everything I owned — apart from my house — as I didn't want to have to pay loads of money for storage.
Although my initial commitment was for two years, I was on a local contract and could stay in Dubai as long as I had a job. It was a calculated risk, selling everything and anticipating my love for living abroad.
In May 2023, I flew with my kids to Dubai. We arrived at the beginning of summer when many expats tend to leave the city because of the heat. The high temperatures in Dubai between May and August range from around 100 to 105 °F.
That summer, my kids didn't have any friends. However, they had one another. I was grateful for that.
Before I went to work, I said, "While I'm gone, I want you guys to make your bucket list of things you would like to do in Dubai."
When I got home, our wall was full of sticky notes with things to do. We planned fun outings, like visiting Warner Bros. World in Abu Dhabi and having an Emirati dinner. When we were done, we would move the sticky notes on the wall from "to do" to "done."
So, instead of sulking and being sad inside, we were excited about what we could discover.
My kids have benefited from living in Dubai
My sons now attend a school with an American curriculum, but they are the only American students. It has allowed them to meet people from all over the world.
They also have independence here that they never had in the US. My 14-year-old son will get in a taxi and go wherever he wants. There's freedom and safety that they have not experienced before.
This has all contributed to why they now love Dubai. On Thanksgiving last year, my older son said, "I'm so grateful that you moved us here." That was music to my ears because I've watched them grow up a lot.
Nothing is the same here. But they've navigated it with resilience, agility, and grace.
The experience brought us closer together
It can be lonely to be an expat in a new place.
But having to rely on each other and experiencing new things together have made us closer. My kids enjoy my company, and I am so grateful for that.
I miss my family and friends, and I know they would like us to come home. At this point, however, I love Dubai and our quality of life here.
My daughter has since returned to the US for work, and my sons will soon leave the nest as well.
I don't know what the future holds, but for now, Dubai is home.