1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:10,440 Welcome to an episode of Golden Nuggets Tea and Tails Season 1, 2 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,840 powered by Husby, served by Maria. 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,040 Welcome to the show, Maria. Thank you. 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:17,360 We've got a few things in common. 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,280 Yeah, our age group for one. Yes. 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,320 And we're both London girls. Yeah. 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,720 You've been here for 17 years. Yeah, I've been here 7 years. 8 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:27,400 So you've got a decade on me. Yeah. 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:29,320 Do you see yourself ever going back? 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,440 I did go back for a bit and then I came back and it's one of 11 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,400 these places. Dubai, honestly, I feel like 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,960 it's a drug. It's sort of, you know, you 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,800 leave. I think everyone, especially 14 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,040 like, say, British people, they all think, yeah, I'm going to 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,680 leave. And you leave and then all of a 16 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:44,960 sudden you're back again. Yeah. 17 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,160 Pulls you in like a magnet. It's one of them kind of places. 18 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,240 What's the difference? You feel like what? 19 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,800 Someone's sitting here, sitting there in London, thinking about 20 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,120 moving to Dubai. What would you be saying to 21 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:56,480 them? I'll pretend to do their 22 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,120 homework because I feel like there are many British people 23 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,560 moving over here. Yeah, that have never even been 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:03,800 to Dubai. Yeah. 25 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,640 I think it depends if you're coming on your own or if you're 26 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,520 coming with a family. I think if you're coming with a 27 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,600 family, really do your homework because schools. 28 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,080 Expensive. Expensive. 29 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,960 Medical insurance is expensive. You know where you're gonna 30 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,840 Rents have gone up, you know, if it hits peak, all of that, you 31 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,080 know, yes, we do have a lovely lifestyle weekend, but we all 32 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,640 work really, really hard here during the. 33 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:27,440 Week, Yeah. And we've got to come with that 34 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,720 kind of entrepreneurial mentality. 35 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,720 You can't come just to coast. No. 36 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:35,440 And I've always said it, and I will, you know, I will stick by 37 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,880 every word that I say. In Dubai, we work bloody hard. 38 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:40,960 Everybody. Yeah. 39 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,040 No matter where you come from. What culture. 40 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:45,520 What? If there's there's no such thing 41 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:47,040 as 9 till 6:00. There's not, no. 42 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,720 Seven days a week, Yeah. And there's no help, you know, 43 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,760 like there's no social here where you know. 44 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:53,360 If. You've got no. 45 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,240 Money as in, if you've got, if you run out of money here, you 46 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,960 go back, you got back. There's no help. 47 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,600 As in there is too much help. There is too much we get. 48 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,040 Spoilt with services available. 100%. 49 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,360 So like Korean box for example, you don't even have to drop 50 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,520 anything. Do you don't get that in London? 51 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,800 Apparently what you what they do in London is they order Ubers to 52 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,680 deliver something, but I'm not. Sure, that Uberseas. 53 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,080 Yeah, but the Uber driver, I'm not sure would come up to your 54 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,320 apartment to collect it. Yeah, I'm downstairs coming drop 55 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,320 it off exactly. But you know, massages, I'm a 56 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,680 big fan. Cleaners just got one app. 57 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,560 Just live I mean. You can get up in the morning 58 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,200 being your PJS and stay all day and not leave the house and 59 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,080 you've got everything done. Everything's done for you. 60 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,640 We are really, really spoilt. We don't get treated like that 61 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:40,360 in London. We do everything ourselves or 62 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:44,200 UK, you know. So crime is an issue at the 63 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,400 moment. I did go back in the summer. 64 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,160 I didn't, I mean, I didn't really walk around with 65 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,600 expensive stuff or jewelry or anything like that because of 66 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:54,440 the. Yeah. 67 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,120 Media attention that has been given, but it is happening. 68 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,320 It is happening. And you do double lock, triple 69 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,320 lock your doors at night. I mean, Sylvia, we are both from 70 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:04,760 London. We've lived it, you know, we 71 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,280 both did our schooling there. We born there, despite our 72 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,520 ethnic backgrounds, we've lived London and London life is hard 73 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,600 as well, you know, and I do feel sorry for the, the Society of 74 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,360 kids there. Mm hmm. 75 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,280 In, in this day and age, it's tough. 76 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,160 It really is tough, you know? Especially if you fall into the 77 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:23,960 wrong crowd. Yeah, 100%. 78 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,320 And you know, schoolings, you, you living in certain 79 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,640 unprivileged areas, you know, people perceive that London is 80 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:33,520 central London. No, London is North London, W 81 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,440 London, East London, all these other deprived areas. 82 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,160 I'm not saying they are, but. You've got your grimy pockets 83 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,560 and you've got your. You know, and it's tough. 84 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:42,840 I think it's really, really tough. 85 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,840 And I totally understand why young people want to come out 86 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,280 here in Dubai and I don't blame them, but I do think they are 87 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,840 sold a full stream. I, I really do think that a lot 88 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,520 of companies out here are selling them the dream, you 89 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,400 know, recruiters or and I've got friends that are recruiters and 90 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,440 I think they know because so many youngsters are here and not 91 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,920 everyone is making it. You know, they come out here and 92 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,120 they think that they can, you know, do really well and they 93 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,840 can, I'm not saying they can't. They can grinding, working 94 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,880 really hard, putting the hours in, putting the effort in and 95 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,880 not spunking their money at the weekend. 96 00:04:18,959 --> 00:04:21,320 Unfortunately, some of them do. And I don't blame them on one 97 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,040 side, because you're only young ones, right? 98 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:24,000 Feel like you're on your holiday? 99 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,520 Yeah. But it's so important to sustain 100 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,160 the lifestyle here, you know, because you need a car, you 101 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,200 need, you know, nice clothes, you're going out to see clients, 102 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:36,720 you know, just going out to eat. It's it's hard. 103 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,440 But I think people do, especially when they come from 104 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,360 the UK, they might probably allow themselves a year, six 105 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,240 months to a year to do that, you know, to have that lifestyle. 106 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:47,960 And I think they should and they should enjoy it. 107 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,360 But then at some point, you've got to just decide to knuckle. 108 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,280 Down. I think that's OK if you've got 109 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:55,560 money with you or your families are supporting you and they know 110 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,640 that you're going to have six months to a year for a bit of 111 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,680 fun and you're learning, grinding eventually and then 112 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,440 take you to the next level. But there are a lot of 113 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,360 unfortunately other people that haven't got that kind of help 114 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,720 that come out here and want a better life and deserve to have 115 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,240 that better life, you know, but it's, it doesn't come easy. 116 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:15,920 And I think the markets right now are saturated, 117 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,480 unfortunately, with agents and people in general. 118 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,560 You know, everyone is doing everything, you know. 119 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,400 And so you came out 17 years ago, Yeah, to become a real 120 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,240 estate. Agent No, I came out here in a 121 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,400 very different. I came out here with a family. 122 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,760 I was married. I was very lucky I didn't have 123 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,240 to work at that time. I had young children. 124 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,760 My ex-husband had a really good job, he was in the banking 125 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,800 sector. So I did live a very lovely 126 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,560 life. We lived in some lovely 127 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,120 locations of Dubai and yeah, I made some great friendships that 128 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:52,200 I'm friends to this day. And there was less people back 129 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,400 then, Sylvia. It was different, You know, 130 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,120 Dubai was a much different place to what it is now, but it's 131 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,880 better. I miss the old times and I think 132 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,000 anyone that's been here a long time will probably agree with 133 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,920 me. But on the other hand, it's been 134 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,760 great to see the growth of divine and the changes so. 135 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,720 What was what was endearing about the early days? 136 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,440 The early days, less people. Which means less traffic. 137 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,280 Less traffic. Less because the traffic is 138 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:19,080 horrendous now. We were just talking about it. 139 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,440 Just I think everyone kind of knew everybody. 140 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,880 For example, you know, I started my journey on the Palm, which 141 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,320 I'm, I love the Palm. It's a special place for me. 142 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,960 But you kind of knew everybody. Like all the Brits, you just go 143 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,400 down to, you know, wherever and you, you. 144 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:36,960 Just knew everybody was at the time. 145 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,160 Oh my God, I was used to. Oh God, what was it called? 146 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,360 The one on shoreline underneath 'cause that's where we used to 147 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:45,960 live in Building 3, now Sultana the. 148 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,280 Yes, hold on West 14 like near West 14. 149 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:52,080 Before then of the little parade shoreline, what was it called? 150 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:53,960 Help me someone. In the comments. 151 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,880 But yeah, it was like a little pub there. 152 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:58,240 I've forgotten. It will come to me in a minute 153 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:02,240 but you know, everyone used to live, all the Brits used to come 154 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,200 and you know the banking world used to live on shoreline and 155 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:06,320 so. It was a nice little community. 156 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,520 Yeah, a nice little community and you knew people, you knew 157 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,400 each other's families. Now there's so many people that 158 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,760 come and go, you know, you just don't really have that. 159 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,720 But that's life. That's like going back to 160 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,320 London, isn't it, If we go back. Things do change. 161 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,560 No, they don't. Well, they, you're right, they 162 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:21,840 don't. They say they are. 163 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,000 But what I'm trying to say is, you know, it's sort of here. 164 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,000 It's standard, isn't it? So people tend to move out. 165 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,240 So in terms of what's changed, I guess lots of things have 166 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,720 changed, you know, more schools. I remember before there was like 167 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,040 a few nursery schools and around the Jumeirah area. 168 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,120 Now you support for choice, more supermarkets, more of 169 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:42,880 everything. Yeah, yeah, you know, and and 170 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,440 normalize. And the other thing I will say 171 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,920 is back then, when I came in 2007, when you went out, you 172 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,920 went out. It was so glamorous. 173 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,720 You know, now it's become really sort of super casual. 174 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:56,880 Yeah, which I like as well. You know, you could go out with 175 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,000 a nice pair of jeans trainers, you know, Whereas before, years 176 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:01,680 ago, Oh my God, that just would not. 177 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,000 Happen. You have to really dress. 178 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,960 Up, really normalise and I, I feel like me and my friends that 179 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,920 have been here for a long time, we talk about this a lot, you 180 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,960 know, that saying how nice it is just going out with jeans and 181 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,360 T-shirts. Yeah, no one really gives a 182 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:14,120 shit, you know, so it's quite nice. 183 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,720 And so when, when did you get into real estate? 184 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:18,360 What? Year was I got into real estate 185 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,480 the last four to five years. It's something that I've always 186 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,080 wanted to do. The reason being is when I was 187 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,720 married here with my husband, we bought quite a few properties. 188 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:33,919 So we doubled in, you know, in the UK and here. 189 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,919 I also did a little bit of interior designing, which I 190 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:40,720 absolutely love. So, yeah, I've always, I've 191 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,920 always loved homes, you know, and even myself, I back home, I 192 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:50,800 buy, bought, sold, you know, and the reason why I wanted to do 193 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:55,000 real estate is for me, it's, it's not just about the money, 194 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,160 it's the freedom that comes with it for me, the flexibility and I 195 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,720 feel for me, I'm very I have the knowledge and experience of 196 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,680 Dubai. You know, I'm not just new. 197 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,240 I can sit here and talk about any areas, OK, There are a lot 198 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:14,040 of new things, you know, a lot of new cities and if you call it 199 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,360 cities, like for example, Dubai S the new airport, but I educate 200 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,160 myself and I read up about it. But the old Dubai, you know, 201 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,920 Jamira, the Palm, the meadows, springs, all them areas, I could 202 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,720 be sitting here and having a conversation with anyone and it 203 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,400 it just all comes to me because I've got friends that live all 204 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,600 over Dubai, so and So what? What lessons has been in real 205 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,040 estate taught taught you Oh. My God. 206 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:42,680 Characterly. Hardens you as a person. 207 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:47,840 Character I, I honestly think anyone doing this job, I think 208 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,880 you really, truly find who you are because it's so testing, 209 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,440 Sylvia. What was your most testing? 210 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,920 Oh. God, so many. 211 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,560 So many. But your patience gets tested. 212 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,840 I mean, I haven't got much patience, if I'm honest anyway, 213 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:10,720 but I've realized that obviously you can, you can become anyone 214 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,200 if you really want to. Patience, calmness. 215 00:10:14,680 --> 00:10:19,040 I've learnt to be calmer. I've learnt to, well, try to. 216 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,680 Yeah. I just think lots of little 217 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:25,720 things really. Challenges, a lot of challenges 218 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,080 dealing with different people, different nationalities, 219 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,120 different cultures. That's very challenging. 220 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,400 You know, it's not like for me and you, it's really easy. 221 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,920 We're sitting here, 2 girls from the UK, from London. 222 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,640 We talk about the same things. We've probably been to the same 223 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,680 places in London. So it's really easy. 224 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:44,080 But then sitting there talking to someone that maybe English 225 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,320 isn't their first language, it's very, it's hard, you know, and 226 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,760 you've got to really slow things down and be understanding. 227 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,000 And you have got a tale to tell about different languages, 228 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,080 haven't you? Oh God. 229 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,080 Instalment of Tea and tales for that story. 230 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,840 But tell us why you moved from London to Dubai if you did. 231 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:05,080 Yeah, in the comments. Thanks.