'I was made in Dubai!': Meet 9-year-old Cody and his fun UAE story

Elijah Cody Relano with his parents and relatives in Dubai. SUPPLIED

"Hi, I’m Cody. I’m 9 years old… and I was made in Dubai!" That’s exactly what Elijah Cody Relano, a cheerful boy with big dreams and an even bigger imagination, told the immigration officer the last time he flew to Dubai. “It was so funny,” he tells Expat Media. “They asked why I was visiting, and I told them, ‘I was made in Dubai!’” Cody was born in Dubai, and even though he now lives in the Philippines with his grandparents and cousins, Dubai will always feel like home to him. “My parents lived in Karama for a long time and now they live in Bur Dubai. I have nice memories there,” says Cody. From sizzling barbecue picnics at Zabeel Park to building sandcastles on Jumeirah beach, Cody's UAE life is filled with sunshine and smiles. Whenever he visits during school breaks, there’s always a new adventure waiting—whether it’s racing around Legoland, hunting for his favorite Hot Wheels toys, or sipping his mama’s homemade chocolate milk topped with whipped cream and fluffy marshmallows. Yum! But some of Cody’s favorite moments are the simplest ones: playing with his parents’ pet goldfish and turtles in their Dubai apartment, and just having fun chats with mom and dad. Cody’s mom, Mary Anne, says raising Cody in the UAE has been a joy. “It’s a family-friendly country with safe parks and beaches where kids can play freely. Living in such a multicultural environment helps our son learn so much and grow with maturity,” she says. Cody’s already showing that maturity beyond his years. “At just 9 years old, Cody is already showing great intelligence, and we’re very proud of him,” Mary Anne says. In school back in the Philippines, Cody takes his studies seriously. He’s a consistent honor student since kindergarten, and he’s also a class officer—Sergeant at Arms, no less! “That means I make sure my classmates are not fighting each other,” he explains. (Future peacemaker, maybe?) When he’s not studying, you’ll find Cody on the basketball court, practicing layups with his team of fellow kids. This young baller has big energy and an even bigger heart. Whether he's in Dubai or the Philippines, one thing’s for sure: Cody is full of love, laughter, and a whole lot of stories to tell. In his words: I’m Elijah Cody Relano, I am 9 years old, and I was born in Dubai. My parents have lived in Karama and now in Bur Dubai and I have very nice memories there. I am staying in the Philippines now with my grandparents and cousins but I try to visit my parents in Dubai during my school break or when there is a chance. The last time I visited Dubai, the immigration officer asked me why I wanted to visit and I said, "I was made in Dubai!" I love everything about the UAE, especially going to Legoland and buying the Hot Wheels toy, and also playing and talking with my mom and dad in the UAE. When I am here, I love having a picnic and barbecue at Zabeel Park with my family. I also love the beach in Jumeirah. In their Dubai apartment, my parents have pet gold fishes and turtles and I love playing with them. My mama also makes me choco milk with whip cream and mashmallows, which I love to drink! Back in the Philippines, I take my studies very seriously because I know how hard my parents work to send me to a good school. I am a consistent honor student from kindergarten to Grade 4. I am also a class officer and I am the Sergeant at Arms, which means I make sure my classmates are not fighting each other. My favorite sport is basketball and I play with other kids.

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