How Basketball and Medicine Helped an 18-Year-Old Build Connections and Find a Sense of Belonging in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi: Just three weeks ago, 18-year-old Nicolas Cobos Rodriguez arrived in Abu Dhabi without knowing a single person in the city.
He was adjusting to life in a new country, preparing for three months of internships and hoping to get closer to a lifelong ambition: becoming a doctor.
With no friends in Abu Dhabi, Nicolas admitted he had little idea of how teenagers spent their free time in the capital.
But everything began to change when he visited a basketball court at Khalidiya Park. Within just two days, he had formed a circle of friends with whom he now spends time, shares jokes and meets almost every day.
Two weeks that brought his medical dream closer
For the past two weeks, Nicolas has been gaining firsthand experience at Harley Street Medical Center, where he has been observing the everyday responsibilities of medical professionals.
From patient consultations and medical procedures to surgical operations, the internship has offered him a valuable introduction to the realities of working in healthcare.
“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 explained.
The experience has allowed him to explore the profession he hopes to enter, even before beginning his formal medical education.
Initially, Nicolas assumed his role would be limited to quietly watching doctors at work. Instead, he found himself actively included in the learning process.
“Every doctor has taken their time to involve me and explain what they had done, why they had done it, what the patient was thinking, what their concerns might be. They really cared that I learned,” he said.
The willingness of medical professionals to share their knowledge has strengthened his determination to pursue medicine.
“Now I know more than ever that this is what I want to do in life,” Nicolas said.
Abu Dhabi offers new opportunities every day
His medical internship is only one part of his experience in the UAE capital.
Nicolas says Abu Dhabi continues to surprise him with opportunities to learn, explore and participate in different activities.
Next week, he is scheduled to attend a three-day symposium focusing on medicine and artificial intelligence, where he hopes to gain insight into how emerging technologies are shaping the future of healthcare.
He also plans to take part in a mangrove-replanting activity on Sunday, adding an environmental initiative to his growing list of experiences.
His mornings typically begin around 7.30am or 8am. After spending some time reading, he considers what new activities or places he might explore that day.
“It is a city with so many possibilities, every day brings a new experience,” he said.
Beyond his internship, Nicolas has already visited Emirates Palace and museums in Abu Dhabi’s cultural district.
“The structures, the buildings, are so amazing,” he said, expressing admiration for the capital’s architecture.
A visit to the Louvre Abu Dhabi is next on his itinerary, while a desert excursion remains on his wish list. Having heard plenty about the experience, he plans to wait until the weather becomes cooler before venturing into the dunes.
A basketball court that turned strangers into friends
While his internship has helped Nicolas develop professionally, it was an evening outing that introduced him to his first friends in Abu Dhabi.
The opportunity came after his aunt pointed out Khalidiya Park during a drive to the medical centre.
She mentioned that the park had a cooled running track, making it an appealing place to exercise during the evening.
“I will try it tonight,” Nicolas recalled telling her.
Later that day, his two younger cousins decided to accompany him. However, rather than joining him for a run, they wanted to play basketball.
Nicolas agreed to the arrangement: he would go running while his cousins enjoyed a game on the basketball court.
He had only just begun his run when he noticed his cousins playing basketball nearby.
“I thought, well, I do not want to run that much. I will go play,” Nicolas recalled.
He joined them on the court and began striking up conversations with the other players. He returned the following evening, and within two days, he had made several new friends who were already sharing jokes and making him feel welcome.
“I did not know where to go, or anything. And suddenly I had a community,” he said.
Finding friendship and a sense of belonging
Nicolas considers himself an outgoing person who enjoys meeting new people. However, arriving in an unfamiliar city without knowing anyone presented an unexpected challenge.
The basketball court soon became the place where he found the connections he had been missing.
The players represent Abu Dhabi’s diverse population, bringing together Filipinos, Jordanians, Emiratis and people from different age groups.
Teenagers share the court with older players, while children as young as eight or nine eagerly ask to join the games.
“It is not just people my age, everyone is just there to have fun, and they want to make you part of it,” Nicolas explained.
He believes the welcoming atmosphere comes from a shared understanding of what it feels like to be new somewhere.
“They have also been in that place where they have no friends. They know what you are going through, so they are super eager to take you in,” he said.
The experience reminds him of life in Spain, where casual conversations with strangers in public parks are common, whether with an elderly resident or a parent spending time outdoors.
Today, Nicolas visits the basketball court three or four times a week, fitting the games around his cardio sessions and gym workouts.
His favourite memory of Abu Dhabi so far involves a friend he met there named Kareem.
“We have a lot of fun, and it is easy to play with him and to talk to him,” he said.
Feeling safe and comfortable in a new city
Another aspect of Abu Dhabi that has made a lasting impression on Nicolas is the sense of security he experiences in everyday life.
He explained that in some parts of the world, walking outdoors after dark requires constant awareness of one’s surroundings.
In Abu Dhabi, however, he has enjoyed dinners in his neighbourhood and walked home at night without experiencing the same concerns.
“Everything is so safe, so watched over. It is one of the things I love most,” he said.
Many of his evening meals have taken him to Oh My Grill, a nearby shawarma restaurant that has quickly become one of his favourite places to eat.
Before arriving in Abu Dhabi, Nicolas had never tasted shawarma. Now, it has become a regular choice, thanks to the welcoming employees, affordable prices and food he considers the best shawarma he has tried in the city.
A welcoming city where newcomers can feel at home
When asked what he would tell people considering a visit or move to the UAE, Nicolas highlights how quickly newcomers can develop meaningful connections.
For him, Abu Dhabi has been more than a destination for medical training. It has become a place where he can pursue his ambitions, discover new interests and build friendships with people from different backgrounds.
“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,” he said.
