Growth. What does it mean? One pictures a child constantly checking for evidence of it, marking their progress against the wall. Or an ambitious palm bursting skyward from the sand, against all odds. Propelled upwards, outwards, into the future. Enter Abu Dhabi. Oil-fueled, up-and-coming, international conglomerate. A city with one eye on the past, one fixed with a fiery determination on being the grand tour de force of the 21^st century. Positioned firmly at the center of the Gulf, and the center of the Eastern World, Abu Dhabi is a true fusion of cultures, ethnicities, and experiences. It is a captivating case study of modern innovation, tourism, and globalization – just as troubling as it is inspiring. Here I aim to capture the multiplicities of its contradictory nature as I witness them. An ambitious metropolis bursting skyward from the sand, against all odds – growth?