I went to Dubai in 2025

Dated: 12-07-2025

This was my first international trip, I can sense some eyes judging me for becoming Mr. International at the old age of 24, but it's fine I guess

I learned a few things:

It's hard to put a price on civic sense, but if there was one I'd buy it.
Indian passport is - uh - kinda like the youngest child of the family. Recognized but mostly useless.
Big building make big thinky make big work happen.
Oh MY GOD I LOVE DUBAI KARTODROME.

There were more lessons, ofcourse. I like working in-person more than remote. Being around high-energy people is more fun than people who prefer a more "Let's just live and do nothing" lifestyle. Being so neutral you try to conform with everyone yet relate with no one is philosophical death, yada yada.

But the main thing I wanted to talk about - purpose.

It's a very small word thrown around a lot especially in the "modern" world. The anxiety from this word alone makes bank for therapists.

[ It is hereby mentioned that I fully support the use of therapy for an individual to think about their life choices and delve deep into their own psychological issues and I do confirm that I stand by the mental health movement. Investments are subject to market risk please read documentation carefully. Also, your mom. ]

Life in Dubai - the 2 weeks I was there

To be VERY clear, I didn't find my purpose going to dubai, but that I'd definitely lost mine before it. I was thinking between continuing working on different SaaS ideas, I wrote two shortfilms that are currently going nowhere - that and maybe a few abandoned games meant as a 24 year old in za year 2025 - I wasn't doing much.

And it isn't the case that I toured much of the city either, I didn't go to Burj Khalifa, or the Palms, or any of the other tourist attractions - mainly because I was alone and it felt awkward to go alone. Most of the time I was either in a WeWork doing fake meetings with myself and a whiteboard (for 10+ hours a day), going for gokart or cricket or padel or the gym, or sleeping alone in a nice hotel room because I couldn't find a decent flat in time.

But the day-in-day-out of going to an office to work on what I (sort of) liked working on, while making time for my "hobbies" gave me a sense of belonging - in a city I had only spent a few days in.

A sense of belonging I never really felt in my home town.

Which is weird, right? I mean 24 years of being a dropout, exploring different fields in work, doing things from making a youtube channel to running a business (creating thing -> analytical boring thing), it never occured to me that maybe the environment was the problem?

I know how stupid this sounds. Trust me, I know it now - but I didn't know it then.

Anyway - let's get back to the point.

The word "purpose" may be thrown at you - especially if you're in your 20s - a lot more often by people who lack an understand of human life than by people who do.

So until you find it, don't beat yourself up. You might not find it until you die, and that's okay.

In the meantime, find something you enjoy, ideally everyday, and do that.

All the world's a stage and nobody cares if you put on 2kgs chill.

(Also watch Into the wild and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty if you haven't yet)

MUSIC AND THE HEARTBEAT OF LIFE

I swear I'll try to put a few songs everytime. I will try.

Here's two songs you should listen:

Jude in the Mountains - Dan Mangan, Jesse Zubot Society - Eddie Vedder