Real Mums of UAE: Introducing Asiya Nasir

Meet Asiya Nasir, a British expat mum from Dunstable in Bedfordshire who moved to Dubai three years ago with her husband and newborn. Now a full-time mummy to two toddlers, Asiya is involved in the mummy blogging community and regularly hosts our EWmums meetups. We sat down with Asiya to learn more about her journey as an expat mum and find out what are some of the ups and downs of raising little ones in the UAE...

EW: How long have you been living in the UAE and what brought you here?
AN: Nearly three years now and we moved for my husband's work.

EW: Tell us a little bit about your family...
AN: There is me and my husband, we have a 3 year old son and a 1.5 year daughter. We also have a dog, a cat, fishes and water turtles!

EW: What’s at typical day like for you?
AN: Nursery pick ups and drop offs as my son goes to nursery. Then planning activities to do for the rest of the day such as heading to a soft play area. After the kids bedtime, I get to relax with Netflix and snacks or head out to meet friends because the social scene doesn't stop on a weekday!

EW: What do you love the most about living here?
AN: The low crime rate makes me feel safe and happy!

EW: What are some challenges you find as a mum in Dubai?
AN: Raising my children away from family back in the UK makes me fear they will not bond with them. It's difficult when they miss out on family celebrations too.

EW: What do you think are some great things about raising a family in Dubai?
AN: It is very multi-cultural and we are meeting people from all over the world. There are so many family-friendly activities you can do, even skiing inside a mall on a sizzling hot day!

EW: What do you like about being an EWmums host?
AN: When I first moved to Dubai, I really disliked it because I was lonely and didn't know anyone, so I go that extra mile as a host to make sure every mum feels welcome and accepted. I love that being an EWmums host can help me use my own experience to help other mums.

EW: What are somethings you like to do with the children during summer months?
AN: Soft play areas, indoor water parks, kids' gyms, and strolling through a cold mall - there's always something to see like an aquarium or real dinosaur bones!

EW: Any holiday plans this summer?
AN: Most of it will be in Dubai. We do want to head home to England for two weeks and stop off at Paris on the way there.

EW: What’s one take-away word of advice you’d share with any new expat mum moving to or living in Dubai?
AN: Socialise! It can be a scary first step but I promise, attending the EWmums mummy mornings will land you some great friends. It has for me and I am much happier! We are all on the same boat so to speak.

You can catch-up with Asiya at one of our upcoming EWmums Meetups or follow her on Instagram at @mamabasic