Like 'skysod' said, back to the thread (and 'CTWO', no, it does not necessarily depend on where you are from).
12+ years in Dubai. Single when arrived, married with two kids now.
Life in Dubai has been very good so far. Not a single thing gone bad/wrong to me, my wife or kids. Enjoying our afternoons after school, week-ends on the beach, even mid-summer (no, I don't get enough week-ends off, but who does? BA, LH or SAS complaining about the same, as does my buddies in Cathay and Qatar).
Traveling to amazing corners of of the UAE, like the dunes southeast of Jebel Hafit, the mountains north of Ra's al-Khaimah, lunch in Hatta, then visiting the mountain streams to the east, taking the southwestern access road to Liwa Oasis, enjoying the beauty that is the Empty Quarter.
Camping. Swimming. Golfing. Biking. Clubbing. Water-sports. Dining.
Visiting Oman. Driving to Salalah (several times). Using our ALT's to go to South America, North America, remote areas of Africa, remote areas of Australia. Stewart Island. New Caledonia.
Enjoying it very much, and have not regretted joining EK a single day.
Have I seen a constant decline in our T&C's? Sure.
Do I like it? Certainly not.
Do I inform our management about my displeasure? But of course. Do I think they care? Did not when I joined, do not now. (I came from a highly unionized company in northern Europe, and I knew what I left behind. I though I knew what I was going to, and it has been overall 'as expected').
Do I like my B777 left-seat roster for September 2016? Most definitely not.
Will it get better in the near or medium future? Don't think so. Will call sick when needed to take care of #1. No drama. Will resign if rosters do not improve, long-term.
Back to the thread starter, and title; yes, I (& family) do enjoy it out here still. Very much so.
Let the hazing begin ;-)