Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi, I'm just new to the forum. I'm looking to get some info from expat families, preferably in the airline industry but others as well, living in Dubai. My husband has applied for a job with Emirates Airline and we are now strongly considering the move. I'm 6 months pregnant and we also have a 19 month old boy. We would be looking at a minimum of 7 years in Dubai, so it's a huge commitment.

If my husband is successful with his application and then interview we will bring the family over and check it out. What I'm hoping to do is find other expats living there that could give us a really good insight into life in Dubai - and possibly meet in person when we're there. I have a zillion questions to ask.

I've made a short list of things that concern me the most:
- the weather/heat
- the close proximity to waring countries
- the length of time away from home (7-10 years)
- the general cost of living and whether it's at all beneficial to drag the whole family over there
- the isolation (2x small children, away from family, husband can be away for nearly 2 weeks at a time)

In contrast to all of this, there are a lot of concerns in Australia at the moment: petrol prices, industrial relations reforms, increasing interest rates, etc. Moving to Dubai may be a good opportunity both as a cultural experience and career wise for my husband.

Any comments or advice would be much appreciated!!!

Cheers,
GeekGirl (aka: Penny)

GeekGirl wrote:Any comments or advice would be much appreciated!!!

Welcome. My advice is to start here. My comment is that many on this forum who could offer you useful advice have answered these sort of questions already. Many times. Just as you would much appreciate their feedback, they would much appreciate your efforts at searching first.

- the weather/heat
- the close proximity to waring countries
- the length of time away from home (7-10 years)
- the general cost of living and whether it's at all beneficial to drag the whole family over there
- the isolation (2x small children, away from family, husband can be away for nearly 2 weeks at a time)

1. What do you want to know about weather/heat? It's hot and humid in summer, pleasant in winter, hasn't rained significantly for 7 years, snowed in the mountains two years ago. Try one of the excellent weather sites for more details.
2. Hizbullah rockets probably won't reach Dubai and anyway, it's doubtful we're a target. Israeli rockets probably could but they're unlikely to point them here also. Iraq/Saddam Hussein did target scuds at Abu Dhabi during the first Gulf War but I doubt that's a concern now. Iran has rockets that could reach here and has a dispute with the UAE about some islands but is unlikely to get too agitated about them. Especially since they occupy them already. I'm sure the Al Qaida marketing department would like to make a mess in one of the Dubai nightclubs or hotels. Presumably they're paid off or security in Dubai is better than it appears. Or I'm wrong about AQ.
3. What do you mean? Stay away as long as you like.
4. Cost of living covered in detail in many topics. Cost of living benefit/cost ratio is poor for children since they're not allowed to work - adults deliver newspapers and wash cars, even camel jockeys have become robotised now and the kids sent home. You can apparently sell blond kids for a good price but there's an emotional cost you should consider before doing that.
5. Yes that's something to consider. Your answer depends on you and family and how physically close you need to be. If you're worried about it, it's probably going to be difficult. If your husband is a pilot, how have you managed so far and why would it be different here? Many women cope with absent husbands by drinking coffee with other women in Jumeirah.

You sound like a nice person but your questions indicate concerns that you should probably think about carefully before moving so far away from home. Bear in mind that people who live here already probably don't have the same concerns (or they wouldn't be here), and that Dubai is not the same as Riyadh or Kabul or Bagdhad.

PS, you could try expatmum.com or expatgossip.com. They've got lots of stuff about what you were asking also.

(and they're more polite than I am ).

Yes, thank you sharewadi, I have looked through the forum and the sites you mentioned. Whilst they offer fantastic info, I really want to connect with wives in similar situation so I can ask more specific questions as I think of them. I'm seeking a more personal view of how they deal with day to day issues as well as the big picture. Even down to things like what possessions they took with them - did they ship some stuff, how much, who shipped it, how long it took, etc. And that's just the tip of the ice burg!

Maybe even build some friendships before arriving (if we decide to come). I also have some specific questions for wives of other pilots in relation to what is provided by Emirates and what is not.

GeekGirl wrote:Yes, thank you sharewadi, I have looked through the forum and the sites you mentioned. Whilst they offer fantastic info, I really want to connect with wives in similar situation so I can ask more specific questions as I think of them. I'm seeking a more personal view of how they deal with day to day issues as well as the big picture. Even down to things like what possessions they took with them - did they ship some stuff, how much, who shipped it, how long it took, etc. And that's just the tip of the ice burg!

Maybe even build some friendships before arriving (if we decide to come). I also have some specific questions for wives of other pilots in relation to what is provided by Emirates and what is not.

Sharewadi actually gave you some very good advice.

Dubai can be a great place to live, my advice would be to come and give it a try, for every positive opinion you will also find a negative opinion and the only way through is to do it for yourself.

Hi Geek girl, I second what Sharewadi and S&O said,
Dubai is a city growing at breakneck speed. I guess this is the only place in the world where you will find people of so many different nationalities staying and working together.

But everyones perception of the place is different, whats cool for one might not be the same for other. So its always a better idea to come here and take a look at the place yourself.

As for women in similar position as yours, i dunno about it lets wait and see if someone volunteers to answer back.

but for me Dubai is one hell of a place and i am enjoying my stay here.

cheers,

Jerry

I'm presuming he applied as a pilot.

geek girl I'm not an expat wife as I have my own career here, but Also just made the move from australia three months ago. I would bring;

Vegemite
Nice Sheets
Your fave toothpaste (if other than colgate)
Aspirin (it's awful here)

You can basically get everything here, there are huge malls and dept stores like Myer, but it is a pain having to buy it all again specially since your're moving for so long.

Furniture is cheap here

scarlet wrote:Aspirin (it's awful here)

Be careful not to bring ones with codeine (if there is such a thing - I've seen it added to brufen based painkillers).

sharewadi wrote:Be careful not to bring ones with codeine (if there is such a thing - I've seen it added to brufen based painkillers).

That's what makes aspirin good back home.

XRW-147 wrote:

sharewadi wrote:Be careful not to bring ones with codeine (if there is such a thing - I've seen it added to brufen based painkillers).

That's what makes aspirin good back home.

I prefer the Aspirin from France, I was hooked on that stuff for a while.

^ian^ wrote:I prefer the Aspirin from France, I was hooked on that stuff for a while.

Amsterdam is where it's at.