The Corridor
The Corridor is a weekly briefing on technology and global markets. From Dubai, American lawyer Jamilia Grier explores emerging tech and the rules shaping business across the United States, China and the Gulf. Subscribe for clear analysis of what these changes mean for your money and future.
What I wish I'd known before moving my career overseas
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER November 7, 2026 What Moving Abroad Really Changes In this issue A ballet class in Business Bay What a small moment taught me about learning. Living by your own values How life abroad loosens society's script. What would you need?A question before your next move. Hi friend, Today I took a trial ballet class in Business Bay. The studio is Russian-owned. I was clearly older than most of the women at the barre. And the last time I took ballet, I was a little girl in...
Living Abroad Made Me Rethink What’s Possible.
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER November 3, 2026 What Changes When You Live Somewhere Else? In this issue A different perspective How living abroad changes the way you see everyday life. Beyond the familiar What technology, culture, and global connections reveal about opportunity. Could you see yourself abroad?A question for our community about where we choose to call home. Hi friend, In today's uncertain world, there's something about living in another country that changes the way you see...
I Drove Huawei’s Tech in Dubai. A Different Story in America
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER October 24, 2026 What Changes When You Get to Choose? In this issue A comparison I couldn’t make back home Three months with my NIO, then a drive in the AVATR 12. The Fine Print How connected-vehicle rules shape what reaches the American market. Would you choose differently?What living abroad reveals about the options we take for granted. Hi friend, In America, the government decided this comparison for you. In Dubai, I got to make it myself. I’ve owned my NIO...
Would you know if I were recording you?
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER October 17, 2026 Are Our Conversations Still Private? In this issue When Technology Becomes Invisible What a pair of smart glasses made me question about everyday privacy. The Fine Print Just because we can record a conversation, does that mean we should? The Unspoken RulesHow culture, consent, and expectations shape the way we use technology. Hi friend, I've been testing Xiaomi's audio glasses, and one feature has left me surprisingly unsettled. They can record...
What to check before making a big purchase abroad
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER October 10, 2026 The Same Product. A Different Experience. In this issue The Geography of Choice Why where you live still determines what you can access. The Fine Print What my Chinese EV taught me about technology across borders. Building a Life Without BordersHow to make more informed choices about where and how you live. Hi friend, For the past 90 days, I've been driving my Chinese EV, a NIO EC6, around Dubai. There's a lot I love about the car. But I've also...
Would you buy a car you’ve never seen?
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER October 3, 2026 What would make you buy a car you’ve never seen? In this issue Wanting something your market doesn’t offer How global access is changing what people are willing to seek out. The Fine Print What happens after the car arrives, from servicing to support. Would you do it?How much trust does it take to buy a car you’ve never seen? Hi friend, A few days ago, I found myself driving around Abu Dhabi in a car its owner had bought without ever seeing it in...
Are you ready for the truth about AI?
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER September 12, 2026 What the world is slowly learning about AI and how to get in front of it In this issue The Fine Print - what to make of AI researchers resigning IMHO- will we see new laws on AI regulation The Market Signal- what becomes premium when the AI boom is over Hi friend, It’s been a busy week in the world of tech. With Anthropic’s high-profile whistleblowing resignation and the drop of an underwhelming iPhone 18, I needed to take a step back from...
My Chinese EV has 33 sensors. Tesla has nine.
THE CORRIDOR • SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 JAMILIA GRIER My Chinese EV Has 33 Sensors. Tesla Has Nine. In this issue The Fine Print — why more data does not necessarily mean more personal data Who Gets Access? — the question underneath the American ban The Market Signal — why great technology can still be locked out Comment of the Week — capture is not the same as transmission Hi friend, Many of you first found me because I built a life abroad. Lately, I have been showing you another consequence of...
People in Dubai are buying cars from websites in China.
VIEW IN BROWSER JAMILIA GRIER AUGUST 29, 2026 Self-Importing a Chinese Car Into Dubai: How It Works and What I Want to Know In this issue The Fine Print - three questions about importing a car For the Investors- what self-imports say about demand Comment of the Week- the sentence every Chinese-car driver here keeps saying Hi friend, I was catching up with a good friend this week — she's a reader of this letter, so hi, you know who you are — and she mentioned, completely casually, that her...
Who Gets to Drive the Car America Banned
This week I tried to rent a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra for the day and the terms stopped me cold. It was 600 AED ($160) for the day, which is fair enough, but the deposit was 3,000 AED (almost $1,000 USD) and the dealer would only return the deposit after 21 days. There's no Xiaomi dealership in Dubai yet, so the car has come in through a third party, and those are the terms you get when someone knows you have nowhere else to go. I'm not telling you this to complain about a rental car company. I'm...
The Corridor is a weekly briefing on technology and global markets. From Dubai, American lawyer Jamilia Grier explores emerging tech and the rules shaping business across the United States, China and the Gulf. Subscribe for clear analysis of what these changes mean for your money and future.