Every expat worker bookmarks at least one online currency converter. OANDA dot com is my favorite. Whether for purchases or savings, it’s the first site that comes to mind. How much is this worth in peso? Am I overpaying? Am I getting a really big discount?

Christmas is just a few days away. If I were in my country, I would have been singing Christmas carols, receiving some money while  making people happy . Or I might have been shopping gifts for my family and friends (a few special ones). But here in the UAE, December wind is frequently chilly (yes, figuratively speaking).

First (and the apparent reason), we’re away from our love ones – those who truly matter to you when you know you have only 24 hours to live. Second, at work, the holidays meant ruthless year-end reviews and unreasonable deadlines. Third, and probably the last, the conversion rate of dirhams to peso is truly disheartening: 1 dirham = 10 pesos.

Out of sheer curiosity, I searched for the conversion rate pattern of dirhams to peso  for the past 12 years. Who knows, I might disprove a rumor or at least discover something new. Look at this graph. Do you still want to work in Dubai?