American expats in UAE breathe easy as suspense ends

Dubai - 'I have spent the last several days glued to the television and refreshing my Iinternet browser'

by

Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Sun 8 Nov 2020, 2:48 AM

Last updated: Sun 8 Nov 2020, 11:18 AM

After spending days in bated breath, scores of UAE residents, including American expatriates, heaved a collective sigh of relief on Saturday night after Democratic party candidate Joe Biden secured the majority Electoral College votes in the 2020 US Presidential elections.

American citizens said they spent the last several days ‘constantly refreshing their Iinternet browser’, tensely waiting for the proverbial ‘blue wave’.


UAE residents and citizens also took to social media to congratulate Kamala Harris, the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice- president-elect.

“I feel like I have been holding my breath. And now I can finally breathe. It is a deeply emotional moment for me. I hope Joe Biden is not too late to save the moral character of America,” said Doug Cutchins, an American expatriate from Abu Dhabi.


Another Abu Dhabi resident Shukri Deria said:, “I am excited but I am still angry that it had to come to this. I honestly cannot see how anyone would vote for Donald Trump but at this point, I will take this win and I am so happy that I woke up my daughter who is sleeping because I wanted to share with her. She is nine years old and she has been paying attention to this election. The number of days it took was driving us nuts.”

Reiterating similar sentiments, Naeema Zaki, an American expat who has been a UAE resident for 10 years, has also been up until late last night tracking the results closely.

Zaki said:, “When Obama was elected, I was ecstatic because I was ready for a change. However, my happiness from this election is coming from a different place. It reinforced my faith in the democratic system because it shows the power of the people and the power of the popular vote. Voting is scared, our votes do matter, and it reflects the will of the people. God bless America and my new President-elect Joe Biden.”

Kefah Alkadi, an American expat with Arab roots who has been living in Dubai for 14 years, said:, “I have spent the last several days glued to the television and refreshing my Iinternet browser. It has been a tense wait, but sense has prevailed and the American people have chosen the right leader. Our future is in safe hands. It is also a great day for women, especially women of colour.”

nandini@khaleejtimes.com

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

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