I moved from Los Angeles to Dubai. It turned out to be the best thing for my career.

What started as a “we’ll try this for a year or two” turned into a nearly two-decade journey of transformation. My career, once confined to the US, has now expanded beyond borders, thanks to the opportunities Dubai and other cities offered.

When I left Los Angeles for Dubai in 2007, it wasn’t just about work. It was about embarking on a new adventure, discovering possibilities, and being cautiously optimistic about what the future might hold for my husband, myself, and our two beloved cats.

Our initial plan was to live abroad for a couple of years, then return, hopefully with a few more dollars in our pockets and additional stamps in our passports. In the US, I worked in the film industry, but my type of work wasn’t transferable to Dubai since I didn’t speak Arabic. Furthermore, without the studio structure I was used to, I would have to change careers.

I saw this opportunity as a chance to reinvent myself.

Dubai offered something different

For the first time since graduation, I could consider what job I might be proud to do. After some trial and error, I discovered my passion for food writing in 2016. I soon found myself covering world-class dining outlets and meeting award-winning chefs. The pace was exhilarating: instead of waiting years for a seat at the (proverbial) table, I simply pulled up a chair.

Living in Dubai also meant I was closer to the rest of the world, with direct flights (thank you, Emirates) to Europe, Asia, and Africa. This gave me access to press trips and coverage of restaurants that would be a day’s flight from the US.

I’ve attended global events and built relationships with senior hoteliers, globally recognized chefs, and group-level founders, something that would likely require far more time and budget if I were still in the US.

When the Michelin Guide launched in Dubai in 2022, for instance, I had a front row seat. For the annual massive Gulfood trade event, I transitioned from being a mere attendee to hosting incredible chefs on the Top Table.

From attending World’s 50 Best events to the prominent festival San Sebastian Gastronomika, there’s never a shortage of places to go or things to cover. In 2024, for example, I visited eight countries for work.

I was constantly on the move

The environment in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) has defined my career, even if the situation comes with instability and the constant reinvention expat life demands. This includes our original move in 2007, followed by moving countries in 2011 and 2014; switching cities in 2016; and navigating several house moves in between.

I could have built a career in the US, but not with this freedom, range, or pace. These moves kept me agile, expanded my network, and transformed my entire professional trajectory. Weirdly, the constant shifting gave me the confidence to take risks and apply for roles I might otherwise have skipped in the States.

Rather than working for a single, locally based publication or newspaper, I have maintained ongoing article placements around the world, including Fast Company, Condé Nast Middle East, Financial Times, and The World’s 50 Best. I’ve also worked with international partners like Euronews, Unilever, and Louis XIII and even appeared on BBC5.

These experiences have not only made me more versatile but also more resilient than I might have been if I’d stayed stateside. Looking back, when I was younger, I had a more limited view of what was available and what opportunities I thought were present simply because of my location.

Of course, there are trade-offs. Expat life can be transient, competitive, and unpredictable. Your ability to legally stay in a country is tied to a work visa, which adds to the pressure. Luckily, my husband has maintained a legal resident permit for both of us throughout our time abroad.

The global advantage

In a relatively “new” city like Dubai, there is less stagnation and tradition. If a job doesn’t exist, you have the power to create it. In most of my recent roles, I have been the first person in the position, as the job didn’t exist before.

Additionally, perhaps more than other cities, I genuinely feel like I have a tangible impact on the industry here. Through my networks, I am part of telling the Dubai culinary story — something I couldn’t do in a more established market.

My advice to others considering the leap

If you’re debating whether to take a job abroad, my advice is simple: go.

Even if it’s just for a year or two, you’ll gain perspective, experience, and contacts you can’t replicate by staying put. The move might be temporary — or, like me, you might find that your “short-term” plan becomes the defining move of your career.

When I first boarded the flight to Dubai, I was looking for work. What I found was momentum. And once you’re in motion, the world feels a lot bigger than the limits you once thought you had to work within.

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