HOW I ESCAPED FROM DUBAI 🇦🇪 THE DARK SIDE OF DUBAI NOBODY TALKS ABOUT

Summary

The video script reveals the 'Dark Side of Dubai,' where the speaker recounts their personal struggle as a hotel employee, highlighting the city's stark contrast between opulence and exploitation. They describe their experience of having their passport confiscated, working under harsh conditions, and the psychological manipulation they faced, which led to their eventual escape. The narrative also touches on broader issues of human trafficking and the plight of workers in Dubai's construction and service industries, urging viewers to recognize the hardships behind the city's glamorous facade.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker discusses the 'Dark Side of Dubai', highlighting the contrast between the city's luxurious image and the harsh realities faced by some individuals.
• 🗣️ The video is a personal account of the speaker's difficult experiences working in Dubai, suggesting that not all stories are as glamorous as the city's facade.
• 🛂 The speaker's passport was withheld by their employer, a common practice that can make workers feel trapped and vulnerable.
• 🏨 The speaker worked for Hilton in Dubai, but the video is not against the company; it's a critique of Dubai's policies and treatment of employees.
• 💼 The initial job offer was for a low salary but included accommodation and meals, which the speaker accepted for the career opportunity it presented.
• 🕰️ The speaker experienced long working hours, often exceeding 12 hours a day, during the pre-opening chaos of a luxury hotel.
• 🏜️ The accommodation provided was described as jail-like, located in a remote desert area, far from the city's attractions.
• 🤝 The speaker's co-workers, mostly from developing countries, worked under similar conditions, sending their earnings back home to support their families.
• 💔 The speaker felt mentally and physically exhausted, manipulated, and brainwashed by the management, leading to a breakdown.
• 🛫 The speaker managed to leave Dubai during a planned holiday, choosing not to return after realizing the extent of their mistreatment.
• 💼 The speaker's decision to leave resulted in penalties for their manager and co-worker, who were responsible for their return, which the speaker compensated for the co-worker but not the manager.
• 🏗️ The video also touches on the broader issues of labor exploitation in Dubai's construction industry and human trafficking, particularly in the service sector.
• 🔄 The speaker observes a demographic shift in the workforce from primarily Southeast Asian to a significant African presence over the past decade.
• 🌐 The speaker hopes their story can shed light on the issue of labor exploitation and human trafficking, which are global problems, not limited to Dubai.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is the 'Dark Side of Dubai,' highlighting the author's personal experiences of exploitation and hardships faced while working in the hospitality industry in Dubai.

Why did the narrator feel the need to escape Dubai?

The narrator felt the need to escape Dubai due to the harsh working conditions, mental exhaustion, and the realization that they were being treated more like a slave than a human being or employee.

What was the narrator's initial job position in Dubai?

The narrator's initial job position in Dubai was as a front desk supervisor at the Hilton Residences, part of the Hilton Resort.

How much was the narrator's salary in Dirhams when they started working in Dubai?

The narrator's salary was about 2,500 Dirhams per month when they started working in Dubai.

What was the policy regarding employees' passports in the hotel where the narrator worked?

The policy was that employees had to leave their passports with the hotel's HR department. Passports were only returned when employees needed to travel outside of Dubai, and then they had to be returned after the trip.

Why did the narrator decide to stay in Dubai despite the difficult conditions?

The narrator decided to stay due to feeling manipulated and brainwashed by the management, who made them feel responsible and guilty for their team, as well as being young and not wanting to cause any drama on their first job.

What was the condition for the narrator to get their passport back for a holiday?

To get their passport back for a holiday, the narrator had to have two co-workers sign a document, taking responsibility for the passport. If the narrator did not return, the co-workers' salaries would be deducted as a penalty.

How did the narrator feel after returning to Italy from Dubai?

After returning to Italy, the narrator felt relieved and realized the extent of their miserable and brainwashed state during their time in Dubai, leading to the decision not to return.

What impact did the Dubai experience have on the narrator's career?

The Dubai experience had a significant impact on the narrator's career, leading them to quit the hospitality industry altogether and start their own business.

What other issues does the narrator mention as part of the 'Dark Side of Dubai'?

The narrator mentions issues such as the poor treatment of workers in the construction industry, human trafficking, and the forced labor of women in massage parlors and prostitution as part of the 'Dark Side of Dubai'.

How does the narrator describe the shift in workforce demographics in Dubai over the past 10 years?

The narrator observes a shift in workforce demographics from primarily Southeast Asian, Indian, and Pakistani workers to a significant increase in the number of African workers in Dubai over the past 10 years.

Outlines

00:00

🌆 The Dark Side of Dubai: A Personal Account

The speaker begins by revealing the less-discussed darker aspects of Dubai, where he had a harrowing experience that led to his escape. Despite its reputation as a rich city with numerous world records and luxury, the speaker's narrative focuses on his personal struggles, including having his passport withheld and being held in a villa that was converted into a jail. He contrasts this with the well-known glitz and glamour of Dubai, highlighting the disparity between the city's facade and the reality for some individuals.

05:03

🏨 The Hospitality Industry's Hidden Reality

The speaker shares his background in hotel management and his journey from Italy to the United States, where he trained at the Hilton Los Angeles airport. After his visa expired, he sought employment and was hired by Hilton in Dubai. However, the reality of working conditions in Dubai was far from the glamorous image portrayed. He describes the policy of passport confiscation, the chaotic pre-opening of a hotel, and the excessive work hours that left him exhausted. His accommodation, located in the desert away from the city, added to the feeling of isolation and the challenging living conditions.

10:04

📜 The Struggle for Freedom and the Impact on Mental Health

The speaker details the oppressive work environment and the psychological impact it had on him. He felt trapped, manipulated, and responsible for his team, which led to a severe decline in his mental health. When he finally requested his passport to go on holiday, he was met with a policy that required his colleagues to be responsible for his return, with severe penalties if he did not. This policy exemplifies the control exerted over employees. Upon returning to Italy, he realized the extent of his brainwashing and decided not to return to Dubai, choosing instead to pay the penalty for his freedom.

15:04

🏗️ Beyond Hospitality: The Plight of Construction Workers and Human Trafficking

The speaker expands the discussion to the broader issues in Dubai, particularly the construction industry where workers are treated poorly, paid meager wages, and often live in conditions akin to modern-day slavery. He also addresses the issue of human trafficking, especially of women lured into the city with false promises, only to be forced into sex work. The speaker acknowledges that while his experience was traumatic, it pales in comparison to the suffering of many others in the city.

🌐 The Facade of Luxury and the Reality of Inequality

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker reflects on the dichotomy between Dubai's luxurious image and the underlying social issues. He emphasizes that while his story is significant, it represents only a small part of the larger picture of exploitation and human rights abuses. The speaker hopes that sharing his experience will raise awareness and contribute to a broader conversation about the darker realities behind the city's facade of wealth and success.

Keywords

💡Dark Side of Dubai

The term 'Dark Side of Dubai' refers to the less glamorous and often harsh realities that exist beneath the city's luxurious facade. It is a central theme of the video, highlighting the contrast between the city's wealth and the struggles of its workers. The script mentions the confiscation of passports and the speaker's personal experience of feeling trapped, which exemplifies the darker aspects of life in Dubai that are not commonly discussed.

💡Passport Confiscation

Passport confiscation is the practice of employers holding onto the passports of their foreign workers, effectively restricting their freedom of movement. In the video, the speaker describes how their passport was taken away upon starting work in Dubai, which is a key example of the control exerted over workers and a significant factor contributing to their feeling of being trapped.

💡Human Trafficking

Human trafficking involves the illegal trade of people for exploitation or forced labor. The script touches on this issue, noting that many individuals are lured to Dubai with promises of opportunity, only to have their passports confiscated and be forced into undesirable work conditions, such as in massage parlors or construction sites.

💡Exploitation

Exploitation in this context refers to the unfair treatment of workers, including long hours, low pay, and poor living conditions. The video describes how workers are overworked and underpaid, with the speaker's own experience of working 16-hour days serving as a stark illustration of exploitation in the hospitality industry.

💡Mental Health

Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual can cope with the stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community. The speaker in the video discusses the negative impact on their mental health due to the working conditions and pressure in Dubai, which led to feelings of despair and manipulation.

💡Brainwashing

Brainwashing is the process of coercing someone to change their beliefs or attitudes through the use of systematic methods of mental manipulation. The video script describes how the speaker felt brainwashed by the management, which contributed to their decision to stay in an oppressive work environment against their better judgment.

💡Construction Industry

The construction industry is highlighted in the video as one of the sectors with significant worker exploitation issues. The speaker mentions that workers in this industry are often treated poorly, kept in substandard living conditions, and paid very little, indicating a severe lack of worker rights and protections.

💡Accommodation

Accommodation in the script refers to the living quarters provided for workers, which the speaker describes as being located in the desert, far from the city center, and resembling a jail. This underscores the isolation and poor living conditions that workers face, further emphasizing the dark side of Dubai's labor practices.

💡Salary Deduction

Salary deduction is the practice of withholding part of an employee's wages as a penalty or for other reasons. In the video, the speaker recounts how their manager and co-worker had their salaries deducted as a consequence of the speaker leaving Dubai, which is an example of the coercive measures used to retain workers.

💡Self-Esteem

Self-esteem refers to the overall subjective evaluation of one's own worth. The script describes how the speaker's self-esteem was negatively affected by their experience in Dubai, contributing to feelings of helplessness and a sense of obligation to remain in their position despite the adverse conditions.

💡Career Opportunity

Career opportunity refers to a chance for professional advancement or the potential for gaining valuable work experience. The video script initially presents the job in Dubai as a career opportunity for the speaker, but it quickly becomes apparent that the reality of the situation was far from the promised opportunity, leading to disillusionment and a change in career path.

Highlights

The speaker discusses the 'Dark Side of Dubai', revealing a side of the city that is not commonly talked about.

Personal experience of having their passport withheld, leading to a feeling of being trapped in Dubai.

Dubai is described as one of the richest cities in the world with numerous world records and luxurious landmarks.

The contrast between the glamorous facade of Dubai and the lesser-known darker aspects of life in the city.

The story of Princess Latifah, the missing daughter of Dubai's ruler, as an example of untold stories from Dubai.

The speaker's background in hotel management and their journey from Italy to the United States for an internship.

Acceptance of a job offer in Dubai with the Hilton, despite the challenging conditions and low salary.

The policy of confiscating employee passports in Dubai as a control measure, raising concerns about worker's rights.

The chaotic pre-opening period of the Hilton Residences and the excessive work hours that exceeded the contract terms.

The isolation and lack of freedom experienced by the speaker, confined to the hotel and distant accommodation.

The stark reality of living conditions for many workers, including the speaker's co-workers from various Asian and African countries.

The mental and physical exhaustion that led to a breaking point for the speaker, questioning their decision to stay in Dubai.

The manipulative tactics used by management to retain employees, including guilt-tripping and brainwashing.

The complex process of retrieving one's passport, involving co-workers being held responsible for the employee's return.

The speaker's decision to leave Dubai after realizing the extent of their mistreatment and the manipulative environment.

The aftermath of leaving Dubai, including the financial repercussions for the speaker's manager and co-worker.

A reflection on the broader issues of worker treatment in Dubai, particularly in the construction and service industries.

The speaker's hope that sharing their story will shed light on the darker aspects of life in Dubai and contribute to a larger conversation.

Transcripts

and yeah man this is the Dark Side of

Dubai that nobody talks about and they

wouldn't give me my passport and so at

some point I really had to escape that

was the only option

Dubai that's where I am right now and

this city is considered one of the

richest cities in the world it has super

cars everywhere has some of the most

amazing and incredible skyscrapers in

the world it has a crazy amount of world

record it has the Burj Khalifa which is

the tallest building in the world it has

Dubai Mall which is the biggest shopping

mall in the world it has burjalara which

is this crazy insane seven star hotel it

has the biggest fountain show in the

world and on and on and on there are so

many amazing incredible things in this

city here in Dubai everybody focuses on

the rich side on The Shining side on the

facade of Dubai but very few people know

about the Dark Side of Dubai actually

there are more Dark Side of Dubai one of

them being for example the daughters of

the shake which I'm not gonna talk in

this video but you can research on

YouTube and you will find a lot of

videos and a lot of information I'm

making this video because it could be

the last video I make

so uh I'm in a villa I'm I'm a hostage

and this Villa has been converted into a

jail all the windows are board shut I

can't open any window

for three years the world has heard

nothing from Princess Latifah

the missing daughter of one of the

world's richest men Dubai's billionaire

ruler Muhammad bin Rashid al-maktoum but

that's not the topic of this video

because in this video I want to share my

own personal experience my own personal

Dark Side of Dubai that I lived exactly

right here 10 years ago and so this is

not something that I heard about or some

stories or some general information this

is like first-hand experience that's

something that I lived on my skin and I

want to share with you in today's video

foreign

[Music]

first of all let's start from the

beginning Let me Give a Little Bit of my

background so you really understand what

happened here in Dubai so I study hotel

management back in Italy and after that

I got an amazing opportunity to intern

and train in the United States I got an

internship contract at the Hilton Los

Angeles airport and I had one of the

best year of my life in Los Angeles I

was working at the front desk as a

trainee and even though I was an

internship I was getting around 1 700 to

2 000 per month then after one year my

Visa expires so I had to leave the

United States and I started to like

looking for a job I was looking for

different position in the hospitality

industry all around the world and I saw

some great openings in Dubai in

particular was the Hilton in Dubai that

was looking for stuff and because I was

just working for Hilton in Los Angeles I

thought that would be perfect to just

apply for the same company but in Dubai

and before you know it they actually

hire me they offered me a contract for a

pre-opening of a brand new five-star

luxury hotel in Dubai VR there was

already an existing Hilton Resort in jbr

but just across the street they were

about to open a big tower which was the

Hilton residences so this is the Hilton

Resort and I used to work here Hilton

residences so yeah guys that's what I

used to work for one year of my life in

2012.

now I want to clarify that this video

has nothing to do with Hilton have

nothing against Hilton I actually love

Hilton Hotels but this video has more to

do about the policies in Dubai and how

they treat employee in Dubai not only in

the hospitality industry but also in the

construction industry and in so many

other Industries so nothing against

Hilton even though it was an exciting

opportunity the salary and the package

and the offer was actually terrible they

were offering me about 2 500 Dirhams

which back then in 2011 2012 there were

about 400 450 euros so very very small

salary but on top of that they were also

offering me the accommodation the meals

and I thought you know I'm just 23 years

old let's not focus about the money

right now but let's just take it as an

opportunity for my career to focus on my

career to put this experience on my

resume because it's gonna be great I'm

gonna get a great experience and the

position was as a front desk supervisor

so I can grow from there to duty manage

so I saw the perspective and I decided

to sacrifice the salary for the career

opportunity so I was like all right

let's go and then it was October 2012

exactly 10 years ago because right now

I'm filming this video here in Dubai and

it's October 2022 and that's amazing to

be honest it's it's crazy but I arrived

there in Dubai I was shocked to see

everything around like wow I arrive at

the hotel I introduced myself and on the

first day that's when the real issue

happened because I went to the HR all

the paper or the introduction the

training blah blah blah and then they

asked me to give them my passport and at

the beginning I didn't really give it

too much thought today all right here

you go they will use it for some

documents and then they will give it

back to me but then at the end of the

day they didn't give it back to me and

the day after I went back to the HR

office and the manager told me you know

the policy here is that every employee

leaves their passport with us don't

worry we have a safe we keep all the

passport there you don't have to worry

about anything but that's part of our

policy we keep your passport and then if

you need to go outside of Dubai maybe

you have to go to Italy for holiday or

you have to go somewhere else then don't

worry you can come here we will give it

to you and then you can bring it back

and that to be honest was a huge red

flag but at that time remember I was

like 23 years old it was my first day so

everything was new I didn't really want

to make drama I didn't want to like

start to complaining with the HR and

also everybody around me was doing the

same thing so all the stuff they were

giving the passport so I was like maybe

it's a normal thing and it's Hilton you

know I can trust them it's a big

Corporation they're not gonna do

anything with my passport and I thought

you know what that's fine let's just

focus on my job it's the pre-opening of

this hotel there's a lot of work to do I

have to learn a lot of things so that's

okay for me and so I started to work

slowly day after day day after day and

to be honest it was a mess it was a

nightmare because the hotel was about to

open in less than two weeks and nothing

was ready there was still construction

going on nothing was organized was a

total chaos they were still hiring stuff

people coming people going it was a mess

to be honest and my contract's supposed

to be eight hours a day 6 days a week

and then one day off but has never been

like that and I end up working 10 hours

12 hours even 16 hours per day just

because it was a mess and I was a

supervisor so I was responsible for it

so I was just working all the time I was

extremely tired I had one day off and

that day off there was always something

coming up they were always scheduling

something some team meeting some

activities to do with the stuff so

basically I was stuck in that hotel

seven days a week I feel so many mixed

emotions right now I feel a little bit

sad because I went through some hard

time while I was working here it was

really tough foreign

[Music]

and when I was not working it's not that

I was just going outside enjoying the

amazing Dubai enjoy the luxury enjoyed

the nightclub enjoy The Nightlife enjoy

the beach and all the amazing things of

Dubai not at all because there was a

minivan outside the hotel that would

bring the stuff including me to our

accommodation and our accommodation was

not in the city center of Dubai but was

in the middle of the desert 25 minutes

away in the middle of nowhere literally

there were just desert all around so I'm

here chilling in jbr behind you can see

the Hilton where I used to work and this

one in front of me is the bus the mini

bus then used to bring me from the hotel

back to the accommodation and right now

in the evening time it's bringing some

stuff from the hotel back to the

accommodation

so many memories man

and it was this accommodation that to be

honest looked like a jail with security

and the gates at the entrance so you

arrived there with a minivan you go back

to your room nothing to do it was pretty

depressing to be honest

[Music]

and then the same minivan in the morning

would bring me from the accommodation

back to the hotels and so yeah it was it

was really intense really hard and I was

also one of the very few Europeans there

most of my colleagues and most of the

staff were from India Pakistan

Bangladesh Myanmar Philippines a lot

Egypt different countries in Africa as

well and basically all my co-workers

they were earning less than me because I

was kind of a supervisor and I had a

private room while they had a shared

room and they were also earning less

than me but they will take all this

money let's say 300 per month and they

will send them back to their family in

the Philippines in Vietnam in Cambodia

in India in Sri Lanka so all my

teammates basically they were not living

they were just working taking the money

and sending back home and some of them

they were doing this for 10 20 years and

so I kept going for a few months but at

some point I really had it enough and I

broke down I was really like devastated

like mentally physically I was

completely exhausted and you're probably

wondering Gabby why don't you just quit

take your passport and go back to Italy

and yes that's true I will think the

same way right now but you have to

understand that back then I was very

weak mentally my mental health was

terrible my self-esteem was terrible I

was very manipulated by the management I

was also very brainwashed and they would

make me feel like guilty that I was

responsible I was a supervisor I was a

role model people were looking up to me

I have to give a good example and I was

believing all those things it's it's

crazy to be honest and my mental health

was getting worse and worse and worse so

I decided to stay I stayed for six more

months I almost completed the year and

around the ear Mark which is the time

that I supposed to get the holiday I was

ready to get my passport back go on

vacation in Italy and then come back to

work in Dubai and within myself I

thought maybe this is a great

opportunity to get my passport just

leave for vacation and then don't come

back anymore and actually so many people

do like this I went to ask for my

passport to go on holiday and here is

the crazy thing because they sit me down

and they put a paper in front of me the

HR department and the HR manager told me

the policy here is like this I can give

you your passport you can go on vacation

but in order to give you your passport

two of your co-workers they have to sign

and they will be responsible for your

passport so if you don't come back and

you don't bring me back the passport

they will be in trouble and they will be

responsible for it so do you see how

they structure is so it's not only about

you but they also make other people

responsible and I had my manager and my

co-worker to sign this paper it's

mandatory that they have to sign this

paper if you want to get your passport

back and if I don't bring the passport

back after one month's holiday the hotel

will deduct their salary for one month

so both my co-worker and my manager they

will not get a salary for entire months

as a penalty of signing my document and

for being responsible of me not coming

back can you believe that that's that's

insane and so the end of the story is

that I got my passport back I flew back

to Italy and the moment I arrived in

Italy I was able to kind of zoom out and

step back and realize how miserable I

was how brainwashed I was how

manipulative the entire situation was

and how much I was treated as a slave

and not as a human being or not as an

employee and and so I decided not to

come back to Dubai anymore and sure you

know the hotel kept one month's salary

from my manager and one month salary to

my co-worker as a penalty I pay out of

my pocket the salary for my co-worker

because I really care about him but for

my manager I didn't pay because he was

the one really manipulative and that

kind of forced me to stay there was

really brainwashing me a lot so I'm

actually happy that he lost one month's

salary and so that's it that's my story

on how I escaped Dubai I still have a

lot of mixed feelings because this

morning for example I was walking right

there in front of my hotel around the

hotel and all this emotion will just

come up

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

so many memories man

and to be honest looking back I'm so

happy that I was able to escape to run

away because here I was really really

miserable and that experience actually

traumatized me so much that I decided to

quit completely in the hospitality

industry I didn't work in a hotel

anymore because it was just too intense

for me I changed career I start my own

business and right now my life is so

beautiful I really really love my

lifestyle I really enjoy what I do and

also I don't want to say that everybody

has the same experience as me some

people are really happy in Dubai

especially if you have a higher position

or maybe you have a great salary you

know you can have an amazing life in

Dubai and also I don't want to say that

everybody working hotels has the same

experience as me because if you think

about it if hundreds of thousands of

people come to Dubai every year to work

in hotel there is a reason you know they

probably make more money here than back

in their home country so this was

probably more like a personal issue of

mine but let's talk about the real issue

in Dubai right now because my story and

my experience compared to what I'm about

to tell you like piece of cake it's

actually Paradise there is no issue at

all but the real issue in Dubai is in

the construction business which has a

lot of people that are really really

treated as a slave not only they kept

their passport but they pay them very

very little money and they sleep inside

the construction site almost like a

homeless and they're treated very very

poorly and then as I said early there is

a lot a lot of human trafficking a lot

of tricks and this happened also a lot

with girls especially in massage parlors

in spas and in the prostitution field a

lot of girls they received this nice

offer in Dubai a nice opportunity they

arrive in Dubai they keep their passport

and then they're forced to work in a

massage parlor to offer like sex

services and basically they're a sex

slave in Dubai and this also happen a

lot unfortunately here so to be honest

the hospitality industry is not that bad

compared to other Industries such as the

construction industry and another thing

that I noticed is that there are many

African people here mostly like working

here I I see a lot of Staff members from

Africa while 10 years ago was mainly

like Southeast Asian Indian Pakistan Sri

Lanka they are still here but I see way

way more African so that's an

interesting shift over the past 10 years

the facade is this luxury lifestyle

everything is perfect Everything is

Beautiful Everything is just

extraordinary everything is just

mind-blowing everything is just a world

record everything is very shining every

corner in Dubai but then behind the

facade behind the scenes on the back

side of Dubai there are a lot of stories

of struggles a lot of stories of slavery

a lot of stories of human trafficking a

lot of bad stories I hope that by making

this video today I share just my story

which is a small part which is just a

little voice I know there are situations

that are way worse than me but also my

own small experience I was traumatized

and it was a terrible experience and I

don't pretend to have the solution

because this is a very common issues

worldwide actually you know that these

things happen all in Thailand in Vietnam

in Cambodia in Africa and South America

as part of our society also back in the

days with slavery with colonialism so

it's always been there now it's probably

taking a different shape and it's also

evolving compared to the past but it's

still here it's still happening and

that's something that we have to see

acknowledge and I hope that by sharing

my little experience I can shed some

lives on this topic and on this issue as

well that's it for this video guys thank

you so much for watching it thank you so

much for listening to me and to hear my

story and to hear how I escape to buy 10

years ago as I said now I'm in Dubai I'm

leaving soon I really hope that by

making this video Dubai will not ban me

will not put me on The Blacklist maybe

they will not allow me to come back here

anymore I don't know it can be but I

don't really care if they ban me I can

still survive without coming to Dubai

for the rest of my life that's fine

thank you again so much for watching let

me know actually in the comments below

what do you think what's your opinion

maybe share your story if you have a

similar story and that's all big hug

from

bye-bye

[Music]