A successful German woman is living off the grid with 40 camels in Dubai after becoming fascinated by the beauty and love of these long-legged creatures.
Ursula Musch, who owned an international transport company in Germany, moved more than 3,900 miles from her native home to the outskirts of Dubai in 1998 to adopt and raise some of the camels; this was when her dramatically inspiring journey began.
“I am married to my farm and my animals. My local friends say I am more Bedouin (Arab-speaking nomadic people) than them,” Ursula told Caters News.
“Like most of the people I had my daily job routine which became boring over the years,” she said.
“When I first visited Dubai as a tourist, I fell in love with the camels and the country, and I knew that this is the place I wanted to live.”
Affectionately addressed as Uschi or Oosha by the locals, Ursula has developed close-knit bonds with the local residents and a lifelong passion for UAE culture and Bedouin traditions, the Kamel Uschi website states.
Having reared camels and lived in Dubai for over 20 years, Ursula said she “never planned” to become a camel farmer and too this far away from her native home.
“[It] happened by chance,” she said, “and I am very happy about it.”
“In Germany you can see a camel maybe in a circus or a zoo, so the first time I really got in touch with the beautiful animals was in Dubai,” she said.
Today, Kamel Uschi is a well-known traditional farm in Dubai and has made its name not only in the UAE but also in the travel industry, while the spirited founder herself has earned the name of an advocate of Bedouin culture and traditions across the Arab world.
In August, the enterprising German set up her own business to sell camel wool, Caters News reported.
“The wool is perfect for all weather conditions,” she said.
Ursula’s transformation from city life to desert neither happened in one shot nor was easy. Her family background in farming, however, helped her settle in desert life.
She said: “As I have a family background in farming from back home, I knew basics but nothing in particular about camels.
“For me living with camels also means keeping up the tradition of this country having deep roots in camel breeding, farming, racing etc.”
Ursula said she started her amazing journey with just two camels. However, with consistent efforts to enhance her knowledge day by day, she is now a proud owner of 40 camels, most of which are bred on her own farm.
“You can compare my lifestyle a bit with the farmers in the old days. There is no electricity or water connection, just sand,” she said.
“I don’t miss the country and by far not the weather. It is sometimes the people like close friends. But as we live in a connected world, they visit me regularly on my farm.”
