'I moved to Dubai for luxury - the reality was very different'

Daily Mirror

20 hours ago

Natalie Goodall, 32, was offered a golf coaching job in Dubai aged 18 after completing internships at a golf school there
A British woman who relocated to Dubai has returned to the UK after years of gruelling 80-hour working weeks, claiming the glamorous city offers "no work-life balance" despite increasing numbers of Brits flocking there. Natalie Goodall, 32, was offered a golf coaching position in Dubai aged 18 after completing internships at a golf school there.
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She seized the opportunity - initially staying with a mate and then various relatives before securing her own flat in Damac Hills. She spent years living in the seemingly perfect and opulent city, which now houses celebrities including Amir Khan and The Beckhams.
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According to The Telegraph's figures, 30,000 Britons relocated to Dubai in 2021, climbing to 35,000 in 2022 and 40,000 in 2023. However, for Natalie, the Dubai way of life became overwhelming - as the city's "business model" didn't accommodate "work-life balance".
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Following years of enduring 80-hour, six-day working weeks, Natalie returned to the UK in 2019 and has now made her home in West Parley, Dorset. Whilst she adored Dubai and mentioned she'd return for breaks, she indicated she's doubtful about moving back permanently.
As masses of Brits choose to emigrate there with lofty expectations of lavish living and non-stop entertainment, Natalie believes that Britons arriving with such high hopes "may be disappointed."
Natalie, now a self-employed PGA professional, said: "I never saw myself leaving Dubai - I was working at one of the best golf schools in the world. And the city was absolutely stunning, on my day off I went down to the beach and when you let your hair down you could have a bloody good time.
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"But afterwards you'd look at your bank balance and think 'oh crap'. But the business model out there - there is no work-life balance.
"I was coming home to my partner after 12-hour days, at 9pm, and I could barely hold a conversation because I'd be so tired. In my last year I told him 'I can't do this' - you know when your time is up. It's a very glamorous place and I can see moving there is a trend - but everywhere has its downfalls."
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Natalie initially travelled to Dubai at 18 for several work placements with a golf academy. At 21, she secured a permanent assistant coaching role there whilst studying for her PGA (Professional Golfers' Association) qualification to become a certified instructor.
Initially, she shared accommodation with a mate from school before her mum and dad relocated there when her father, employed in the petroleum industry, received a job transfer - prompting her to move in with them. Following two years, she began renting her own flat with financial help from her parents, as she found it difficult to afford the deposit.
She would spend her single weekly day off on Mondays either relaxing by the seaside or exploring Dubai's spectacular attractions to maximise her time in such magnificent surroundings.
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Natalie said: "It was amazing - the weather was like being in Spain even in winter. I got to see the Opera House, lots of concerts and stayed for my birthday in the Burj Al Arab hotel, which was so cool. The golf courses were unbelievable too and the food and service was amazing."
At the time, she was earning the equivalent of roughly £25,000 to £30,000 annually - but Dubai's steep living costs meant she couldn't fully embrace the lavish lifestyle many people imagine.
She explained: "It was not sustainable. I was just making money to survive - in the service industry you were worked very hard. I was working six days a week and I couldn't afford to reduce my hours."
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After meeting her fellow expat boyfriend Will Coan, 34, in 2017, the couple moved in together, but Natalie began to "spiral".
She explained: "You can feel yourself, your work and time management aren't as good, your diet goes out the window. I never saw myself leaving Dubai, but it's not sustainable - as I got older, I started to think, how the bloody hell will I have a life here? It's not on an individual person - it's just the business model out there."
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In September 2019, she relocated from Dubai back to the UK and secured employment in Guernsey, after obtaining the necessary golf qualifications to become a coach. Nine months later, Will, who worked in a role in food manufacturing, completed his contract and returned to the UK as well.
Now happily settled in West Parley, Natalie admits she'd only consider returning to Dubai, where her parents still reside, for a holiday. She insists it would take "a huge number" salary offer to tempt her back permanently. She suggests that the surge of Brits heading to Dubai for a better life might not be ready for the reality.
She said: "I think there are people moving because they've been on holiday there and say 'screw it, I'll live here'. It's like a trend - in the same way Ellen DeGeneres moved to The Cotswolds.
"In Dubai, it is a glamorous place, but it can be unglamorous in certain situations. You have to look at the opportunities and weigh up if it's right for you. If you go with high expectations, you might be disappointed."