In the bustling metropolis of Dubai, where vibrant culture and modernity converge, I, one of the city’s millions of expats, embarked on a delightful journey to celebrate my impending birthday with my Japanese Language Instructor friend. Eager to introduce her to the latest culinary sensation in town – a Ramen Restaurant buzzing with hype – fate had other plans for us. A momentary lapse of attention caused me to lose my most prized possession, my phone, during the taxi ride. However, as this heartwarming tale unfolds, it reveals not only the remarkable safety of Dubai but also the city’s unfaltering commitment to ensuring its residents’ well-being.
Dinner Deets:
As we arrived at Ichiryu Ramenhouse (unpaid promotion 😅), I discovered my phone was missing, a realization that could have easily led to panic in any other place. Yet, I remained undisturbed and confident in Dubai’s reputation for security and efficiency.
So we proceeded with the generous dinner treat and immersed ourselves in the flavors of the Ramen. Temporarily forgetting about the missing phone, we had such a good laugh certainly making it up to each other after almost 4 months of not being able to catch up…and it leads me to thinking how adult friendships just operate on a whole different level.
Head on the game.
Hours later, back at home, I promptly contacted the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to report my missing device. Boy, they responded on a whim.
Reality sinking in.
My worries grew as my attempts to call my phone remained unanswered, and the Find My feature indicated that the device was offline. My negligence in disabling the Work Mode Setting of the phone compounded the uncertainty.
The thought of all those cherished memories, creative drafts, and precious photos and videos being gone forever hunts me. Just like any typical corporate soul, my whole life was in that phone and the reality of it being lost is slowly creeping in… and I can’t do anything about it but wait.
It’s excruciating coz I’m really convinced that I have enough waiting done for 2023 as I was jobless and waited for 8 long months before landing on this current one. Surely, this mishap was the longest 21 hours of my life.
Inevitable… Almost.
As the new day dawned, my reliance on my phone’s alarm became evident, highlighting how intertwined technology has become with my daily breathing moment. Also I just realized I provided RTA a wrong SMS confirmation about our ride so I rushed sending the right one, as usual they acknowledged accordingly.
At this point I already considered accepting the impending doom. Though I found humor in the thought of documenting “My Lost Phone Chronicles” for clout, It’s easy to see that these were all a façade to the underlying anxiety. Until… (Drumrolls)
The Dubai spirit of vigilance and cooperation beamed through in the most unexpected ways. To my delight, exactly 21 hours after reporting the case, a friend informed me that the taxi driver had managed to answer his call, leading to the prompt return of my device.
Love and Heat. (*pun intended 😏 )
Oh, Dubai! With your progressive technology and dynamic environment, I love how you continue to be a city of wonder, where moments of serendipity intersecting with responsible vigilance are such a norm.
This extraordinary incident reaffirms that while our smartphones may serve as lifelines to our digital world, the city itself offers a haven of safety and efficacy. It’s just melting… Well, except your searing summer, DXB, It’s always an auto-pass to that. 🥵
Habibi, Come to Dubai!
Evidently, Dubai’s commitment to safeguarding its residents is not just confined to the streets; it resonates through the hearts of its people, exemplified by the integrity of the taxi driver who helped reunite me with my phone.
This experience proved me that in an age of cynicism and doubt, Dubai stands as a testament to the enduring values of honesty and community. So let us not overlook the benevolence of chance encounters that restore our faith in humanity.
