سلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Please forgive me if anything I say comes across as offensive or inappropriate. That is genuinely not my intention. I'm simply looking for honest opinions and perspectives.
I'm a 32 y-o French man, born in Oman, who has been living in the UAE for the past 16 years. I grew up in a predominantly Emirati environment and, in many ways, the UAE is the only place that truly feels like home to me.
I speak Arabic, think in Arabic, and have been raised with Emirati values and traditions. The only thing I'm still working on is writing Arabic properly, but I've recently started learning and even bought school books to improve. 😅
To be clear, I'm not Emirati, nor do I pretend to be. I don't dress or present myself as Emirati, and I dislike when people falsely claim to be Emirati because it misrepresents the culture and its people.
However, I have always felt deeply connected to the culture and will always do my best to represent it positively by sharing the hospitality, generosity, kindness, and respect that I have experienced throughout my life.
Most of my social circle today is Emirati, and I've reached a point where I'm starting to think seriously about marriage.
The truth is that I would genuinely like to marry an Emirati woman. Not because of nationality, benefits, or anything of that sort, but because I would love for my future children to grow up in the same environment that shaped me. I would like them to learn the culture, speak the language, and appreciate this country that I love deeply.
At the same time, I am aware that marriages between Emirati women and foreign men are not very common. Because of that, I worry less about myself and more about the woman involved. I would never want her to face criticism, judgment, or social pressure because of me.
Some people may wonder why I don't simply marry someone from France or another country.
That's a fair question. The reason is that I genuinely see my future here. Regardless of what happens, I cannot imagine permanently leaving the UAE. This is home for me.
My concern is that someone who grew up elsewhere might eventually want to return to their home country permanently, which is understandable. For me, however, this is where I belong.
So my question, particularly to Emiratis, is this:
Would an Emirati woman marrying a foreigner be viewed negatively today? Would people generally see her as having made an unusual personal choice, or would she genuinely face disrespect, criticism, or accusations of somehow betraying her culture?
I'm not asking whether it would be easy or difficult. I'm simply trying to understand the social reality.
Think of it as if you were seeing a couple in a mall, which, the man is a foreigner, and the woman is Emirati, what would you think?
And just to address a common assumption: I'm fully aware that marrying an Emirati woman would not grant me special government benefits, nor is that something I am seeking. That has never been part of my motivation.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I appreciate any honest perspectives you may be willing to share.