Keralite expats on vacation worry over rejoining work in UAE

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Keralite expats on vacation worry over rejoining work in UAE
AP

Dubai - Khaleej Times spoke to a few expatriates stranded in Kerala.

By Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Sat 18 Aug 2018, 7:00 PM

Last updated: Sun 19 Aug 2018, 11:32 AM

 As summer holidays in the UAE are ending, several expatriates living in the UAE who are stranded in the Kerala floods are worried if they can make it back in time to join work. Parents with school children and teachers are feeling concerned as they have to report to school in a week's time.
Khaleej Times spoke to a few expatriates stranded in Kerala over instant messaging service WhatsApp and phone calls to ascertain their immediate future plans.
Ruby Mathew, a school teacher in Sharjah and mother of two, is currently stranded in the outskirts of Ernakulam, Kerala. Her ancestral house in Paravur flooded late last week, and Ruby had to relocate to a relative's house a few kilometres away from home.
"I am supposed to return to work next week, however, I need to make sure that my house and things are in place before I leave. I am sure getting flights out of Kochi Airport will be a challenge, so I need to wait a few days before I can reschedule our flights back." Mathew said.
Another parent and Dubai-based teacher Jayalakshmi Menon and her husband Anil are currently in Thrissur district. "We had booked our tickets out of Kochi Airport. Until the airport becomes fully-functional, I don't expect to get flights. I might miss a few days of school. However, I don't intend to leave until the rest of my family is safe."
Several other expats have re-directed their flights to nearby airport destinations. Rahul Sudheer, a Dubai-based architect was supposed to return from Ernakulam on August 24, however, he has decided to redirect his flights to Thiruvananthapuram instead on the same day.
He left for Kochi for a cousin's wedding and has been there since. He said, "I am worried about leaving my family back, but, I am really hoping things will get better in the next couple of days. The situation in the camps are also very terse, people need help. Leaving everything behind and heading back is challenging."

Home turns guesthouse

Several other expatriates are taking the opportunity to help out as much as they can. Molly Joseph, an HR professional from Abu Dhabi, said: "I came to Kozhikode to spend time with my family for the summer holidays. When the floods began, a lot of people who lived in low-lying areas began to suffer. Our house is in a slightly high-rise area, and we have invited 15 people to stay in our home. We have collected relief supplies and have been helping whoever needs help."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com   


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