I don't really get the Dubai hate tbh. I think it mostly stems out of jealousy for what Dubai represents (freedom, growth - things that are scary for people), not the city itself. Personally, I'm so thankful for what this country has offered me. Tax + location + networking aside (big pluses on their own), the BIGGEST benefit of living here is how it expands your mental horizon. It forces you to think bigger, question what's possible, and push yourself to limits you didn't think were possible before. In Australia I always felt this mental cap. This preordained ceiling of what I could be. Here I feel like anything's possible.