From stranger to doctor-in-training: How Abu Dhabi embraced an 18-year-old intern
Three weeks ago, 18-year-old Nicolas Cobos Rodriguez arrived in Abu Dhabi knowing no one. With three months of internships ahead and a long-held dream of becoming a doctor, he faced a new country without friends or a clue about what teenagers do in the city. Two days after stepping onto a basketball court in Khalidiya Park, he had a circle of friends he jokes with almost daily. Now, he says the city has given him a community, a front-row seat to medicine, and a reinforced sense of purpose.
Medicine up close
For two weeks, Nicolas has been interning at Harley Street Medical Center, shadowing doctors through consultations, procedures, and operations. He has seen what the profession entails day after day. “It is something you normally do when you end your studies but here in Abu Dhabi, I was able to do it before starting my career,” he said. He had expected to stand in a corner and observe, but instead every doctor involved him, explaining what they did, why, and what the patient was thinking. “They really cared that I learned,” he added. That hands-on experience has cemented his ambition: “Now I know more than ever that this is what I want to do in life.”
A city of possibilities
The clinic is only part of the story. Next week, Nicolas will attend a three-day symposium on medicine and artificial intelligence, gaining insight into his future profession. This Sunday, he will help replant mangroves. Most mornings he wakes at 7:30 or 8, reads, and then explores what the city offers. He has visited Emirates Palace and museums in the cultural district, calling the buildings amazing. The Louvre is next on his list, and the desert awaits when temperatures drop. “It is a city with so many possibilities, every day brings a new experience,” he said.
The court that built friendships
It was not medicine that first connected him to people but a running track. His aunt pointed out Khalidiya Park, which has a cooled track perfect for evenings. That night, his two young cousins insisted on playing basketball. Nicolas agreed, planning to run while they played, but soon joined them. He started talking to people, returned the next day, and within two days had a group of friends sharing jokes. “I did not know where to go, or anything. And suddenly I had a community,” he said. The court draws a diverse mix: Filipinos, Jordanians, Emiratis, teenagers, older men, and children eager to join. Nicolas plays three to four times a week. His best memory so far is playing with a friend named Kareem. “We have a lot of fun, and it is easy to play with him and to talk to him,” he said.
Safety and shawarma
Another thing Nicolas noticed is safety. In other places, he said, you stay alert walking at night. In Abu Dhabi, he has had dinners in the neighbourhood and walked home after dark without that feeling. “Everything is so safe, so watched over. It is one of the things I love most.” Many of those dinners have been at Oh My Grill, a shawarma place near his home. He had never tried shawarma before coming to Abu Dhabi; now it is his go-to for friendly staff, good prices, and the best he has had. Asked what he would tell people outside the UAE, Nicolas said, “It is really easy to come here and become part of the community. There is no barrier, because most people you meet know how to welcome you in.”
