The Nevsky Family in Dubai — not a polished relocation story, but a record of how an unfamiliar city gradually becomes home. Children grow, schools and houses change, and new routines, routes, and memories take shape. This is a collection of ordinary days, family journeys, and small moments that slowly become a life of their own
For almost two years, several evenings a week, Ira traded home life for the lecture rooms of Middlesex University Dubai. Now that long route has ended with a Master of Laws diploma — and another point on our map of Dubai
Four years ago they let us out of Dubai Airport: Ira, three children with matching backpacks, and me — still a designer. Only now I've realised the escalator never stopped: all this time it has been carrying us through homes, careers, bills, cars and an entire sea towards a new version of the family
Bekki came to us as a reward for Alexander Jr's jiu-jitsu victory, but quickly became something bigger: a friend to all three children, a guide through our move, and our little shepherd who now walks with me to Project 80 every morning
For 1,360 days an old Arab villa in Umm Suqeim raised our children, let rain into the bedroom, broke its air conditioners and sent me onto the roof to retrieve the electricity. In the end it summoned an army of cockroaches and kept half our deposit. We moved to the Palm — grateful, but exhausted.
Today, July 12, we are moving!
Today we are leaving our old Arab villa in Umm Suqeim and moving to Palm Jumeirah. Moving a family of five took two large trucks, an extra pickup, and the wonderful Union Movers team.
Not long ago Daria Alexandrovna slept in a pram among the Marina skyscrapers, travelled in my arms and learned the pool under her brothers’ watch. By 8 July, the baby had given way to a young lady with a book, a bow and opinions of her own.
Her first proper class, her first teacher and her first whole-class photograph. After a wonderful time at The Forest Oasis Nursery, Daria begins a new chapter — now at Raffles World Academy alongside her brothers.
Ten minutes between “take shelter now” and “all clear.” These screenshots aren’t stills from a thriller — this is daily life in Dubai, 2026. While the skies decide the fate of regions, we balance work calls and emergency alerts from MOI. Hard? Yes. But people adapt to everything
New essays, notes, and updates are easiest to read on Telegram
