A villa under construction in Hatta

A villa under construction in Hatta, Dubai By Pawan Singh

I am from a small city, called Chandigarh in India, and coming to Dubai was a welcome challenge to me. I had to settle down in a new world, build a life here and make new friends and once again. It was difficult in the beginning to start a new job and adjust to a different environment. However, over the years, Dubai became an inexplicable part of me and my daily life. There was a very strong sense of community, and it was clear that I wasn’t the only one who had come from an environment at odds with this one, with vast cultures, religions, and identities. I started as a photographer in a local newspaper, Khaleej Times, and later joined The National newspaper. Working at The National was remarkable, as each day would bring unexpected discoveries about people’s colorful lives, the city’s undersold quaint neighborhoods, where this city is really made and built. These images were, metaphorically, 14 years in the making, compounding all my experiences as a resident here in a single second through the lens, in each of these places. While the city might change drastically, its longtime residents keep a record in memory of its humble beginnings.