It’s like something from Eat, Pray, Love, a Dubai woman has done what most of us could only dream of (because we are too petrified to actually do it) – quit her job and embarked on a life changing journey.
While her job at a Dubai bank was steady, Omniya Fareed Shafik, 26, and originally from Egypt, knew she wanted more from life. She wanted adventure. She wanted to travel the world – who doesn’t, right?
Making a bold move to forgo the job and financial security that her career in the UAE offered, Shafik quit her job last year, packed her suitcase and set off on a life changing journey.
Though her brave decision has been viewed as inspirational buy the majority, as a single Arab woman, Shafik admits the response to her actions haven’t all been positive. She told Business Insider: “When I first started, almost no one got it and no one was okay with it, and I still get comments and backlash.”
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Despite traversing the globe – she has since travelled through Russia, South Korea, Japan, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Prague, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Norway – the adventurer admits she hasn’t seen another single Arab woman along the way.
Shafik began documenting her travels on her Instagram account, with the posts becoming so popular she has been commissioned work as a travel freelance writer.
In her posts it seems Shafik is nailing two elements of the Eat, Pray, Love ideology – she has been enjoying wonderful culinary delights and has been exploring stunning mosques across the globe. While we’ve yet to spot a love conquest we feel she has found true amor by embracing the wonders the world has to offer.
As Eat, Pray, Love , Elizabeth Gilbert wrote: “You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.”Shafik has done just that and we are undeniably inspired.
Here are some of our favourite posts from Omniya Fareed Shafik’s travels:
Kej Hnanna, Morocco
Tokyo, Japan
A video posted by Omniya (@omniyafareed) on
Chefchaouen The Blue Pearl, Morocco
Hassan II Mosque, Morocco
Florence, Italy
Itaewon, Seoul
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Salzburg, Austria
A photo posted by Omniya (@omniyafareed) on
Isle Of Capri, Italy
Images: omniyafareed
