How is it to live here?

People often ask me "How is it to live in the UAE?", a very wide and near to impossible question which I find quite hard to answer.
When it's the tourists asking, I tend to find the answers they want to hear: "I love the fact my kids get to grow up in a multicultural environment", "I love that people are very friendly and that I always feel safe", "I love the easy access to so many amazing things to do" etc.

If it's friends asking, I am usually a bit more honest and blunt - and the answers certainly depend on what time of the year it is. May, June, August and September, be prepared for the full-blown depressed and gloomy: "It's too hot for too long", "I miss the greenery and ability to be outside", "It's boring" and the "It's really lonely" to name a few. Nothing new there, I've written about those feelings many times. That's just how I experience those months, and unfortunately no matter how prepared I am or how much I try, I can't seem to change things those times of the year. I just accept the blues.

October to April is a completely different story! It's like the fog has lifted, and I'm (well mostly, I'm human after all) in such a good mood! It's a bit of a crazy Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde-life here, ha ha!
November is probably my very favourite month all together. I might say that every month for a while now, but there you go, it's the elation of wintertime!
The weather is absolutely perfect right now. I make that statement every day, but it really is. Feels like we had been waiting forever for the nice weather this year, but now it's here and it's gorgeous.
I guess what I love so much about November is that we have it all mostly ahead of us still. Months and months of fantastic weather, lots of visitors and a bunch of fun work and other happenings. I really, really, really enjoy life here this time of the year! If only time could pass a little slower...