Okay, I'll bite too...
Things I like about Dubai:
(1) Job: Not the company but the places I fly too and the people I work with. One sector with a suitcase on the 777 is a very nice deal indeed after 4-6 sectors a day 12 hrs on 12 hrs off on little orange 737's in the UK. And EK is still the fastest way to get a left-seat on the 777, providing you're lucky enough to have the time over 55t.
(2) Weather: 9 months of perfect climate, followed by 3 months of hot dust. Beats the UK's 11.5 months of rain followed by a week of dry weather that I can't get leave for.
(3) Lifestyle: I try to avoid night turnarounds as they are fatiguing but generally I spend my days off enjoying using my EPC card for lazing at the Mina Seyahi beach club and eating out at nice joints. I even have a heated pool on the 25th floor of my apartment that's open til 10pm for me to use. I'm married with no kids yet, but I don't live an expensive lifestyle so I do save money each month and have zero debts. I still manage to enjoy fine food, wine and holidays each month. However I only drive a Fortuner not a Porsche like my neighbour.
(4) Safety: Dubai is a relatively safe place to live compared to most other big cities and I feel comfortable anywhere at any time of day. I also like the cosmopolitan feel about it. Just me I suppose.
Things I don't like about Dubai:
(1) Driving.
Just can't get used to the lack of awareness or common sense of other drivers here, or just the sheer recklessness. But that's just the way it will always be when 90% of the drivers are from the 3rd world and see driving in a different light to those from the developed world.
(2) The Company. I knew it would be like this so I can't complain too much but I just feel that this blame culture and face-saving will eventually lead to a big accident. History shows that open, honest cultures with a bit of integrity have better safety records. We are a big western-style legacy carrier on the outside but if you scratch under the surface it's just the same-old third world regime style of management. I go to work, do my job to the book, then come home enjoy my days off and try not to think about EK at all.
(3) The ethnicity gradient. There is an ethos of s**tting on those less fortunate than others here. I read recently about a group of kids who spat on the shoes of a street cleaner as he was going about his daily job. And it's not just the locals who are guilty it's the expats too. Interesting that one day when the oil is not needed anymore, it will be those living in these states who are looking for labour work in the likes of India etc. I hope I get to see it.
Anyway that's how I see it as a European guy from the right seat of a 777... Overall very nice, but some real stinking negatives to gloss over too. Everybody's circumstances are different of course but that's my two penneth.
MGC