Rabeea Soban - After Moving to Dubai Things Were Quite Different as Out of Your Homeland You Are on Your Own (Blogger)

I love to take pictures. I am a social person. I like to know about people’s life experiences and share mine also. So I enjoy it when I share something and people resonate with it.

Tell us about your background and journey.

I am a lifestyle, mom blogger and a qualified fashion designer. I did my graduation in fashion Design from Pakistan Institute of Fashion And Design, Lahore, Pakistan. I have run my own brand in Karachi also. Right now I am residing in UAE. After moving to Dubai things were quite different as out of your homeland you are on your own. 

No one is there to take care of your kids. I tried a lot for part-time jobs as I can’t ignore my kids at the tender age of 6 and 10. This is the time when they need me the most. It doesn’t mean that other working moms are ignoring their kids. It’s just me and my husband are not comfortable with the idea of leaving kids alone for straight 8 to 10 hours.



What led you to start your page on Instagram?

I felt that I know so many things which I want to share plus I love to take pictures. I started posting on my Instagram and when I got a good response, I made my account public. 

Basically, I am a social person. I like to know about people’s life experiences and share mine also. So I enjoy it when I share something and people resonate with it.



Is it financially sustainable to be a blogger today?

To be honest, in the beginning, you don’t earn anything, in fact, you have to invest in your devices and apps as you need good apps for editing purposes. We can take it like any other business. 

First, you invest then you earn and that also in a case when you start playing smart by approaching brands and convincing them for the paid collaboration of promotional campaigns. Most brands do barter collaborations, to get paid ones you have to get lucky and work really hard on your insights. Basically one has to love their work to make progress. 

If you love what you do then you automatically start working hard.



Which is your favourite cuisine and dish?

I love desi Chinese food and the list of favourites dish is really long. Orange chicken, chicken with cashew nuts, crispy honey chicken, chow mien and many many more. I also love white mushroom sauce with grille chicken fillets.



Who is your favourite fashion blogger and why?

Again list is long but Laraib Rahim is really killing it. Her videos and pictures are so effortlessly amazing. The best thing is that she creates her content by staying modest by adding a hint of her culture. 

Apart from her Virdah from mom in Dubai is doing great as her hard work is evident from her content. Despite being a mom of a toddler she manages to work with so hard and create amazing content.



How long does it take to get a perfect Instagram shot?

Well, most of the time it takes ages as you are looking for the perfect angle, perfect expressions, perfect lighting and perfect timing. If you have something already in your mind which you want to achieve then to get that kind of click you have to take zillions of clicks and then lots of editing. 

Actually, I am loving what am I doing right now so I don’t mind spending hours on only 12 seconds videos.



Which is your favourite book and why?

I recently read “ The forty rules of love” by Elif Shafak. Honestly speaking I kept that book on my side table for two months as I was thinking this is not my type but so many people recommended that’s why I bought. But once I started, I got fully absorbed by the book. 

The importance of love and connection with your creator can’t be emphasized in a better way. You get an insight of Sufis and Sufism. Most importantly, it teaches ... let the world say whatever they want to say, you do what is right in-front of Allah.

Interviewed by - Saba Parveen