Courtesy of Mary Pedler
- Mary Pedler moved from Moscow to Dubai with her daughter in 2022.
- She was drawn to the city because of the climate, business opportunities, and safety.
- Despite the high cost of living, air pollution, and quality of the running water, she loves Dubai.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mary Pedler, the 29-year-old founder of a PR agency who moved to Dubai when Russia invaded Ukraine. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
I was born in Russia and lived in Moscow for most of my adult life. In 2020, my life looked perfect: I had a booming career as a PR director for a large agency, I was married, and I had just had a baby.