Everyday 80,000 people pass through Dubai International Airport. White, black, brown, red - travelers from almost every country in the world make their way beneath the golden palm trees that dot the airport. But while they differ in color, culture and creed, they all have one thing in common. A dream.

Dubai International is the collection of short stories (vignettes) of such travelers whose paths cross at the airport. Hoping to change their destinies, they arrive in Dubai from New York City, London, Beirut, and Kerala in South India and depart to Los Angeles, Moscow, and Teheran. They speak Arabic, English, Russian, Malyalam, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi, and represent a wide cross-section of Dubai society.

A young Emirati man, who—trying to cope with the future—embraces the past. An Emirati girl who defies her father’s wishes to gain his love and respect. A blind Emirati boy who sees through the eyes of an Indian girl. A Russian woman and an Egyptian man whose great love transcends countries but not their cultures. An Iranian-American ready to move full speed into the future, only to have the past catch up with him and destroy him. A construction worker from South India who decides to die to keep his dreams alive.

Love and revenge. Loyalty and betrayal. Fear and courage. Their stories are full of contrasts just like the city they live in. It’s Dubai through their eyes. A city where dreams and reality sometimes merge and sometimes remain a mirage in the desert.