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Having been an expat in the past (Thailand though) I know there are things that you miss or are just plain hard to get when you live away from home.
I have a friend about to come to live and was wondering what to get her as a goodbye gift - something that would be useful for her new life in Dubai....
Alternatively, if I could make her a little 'care' package of hard to get things, then that would be cool too.
For example, tampons were at one time impossible to get where we lived, bras in a western woman size....
Any issues like that in Dubai?
She is a young newly wed if that helps.... no kids. And a kiwi.
Thanks

I hope you do not mind that a guy response to you Q. But personally comfort food, a book to navigate around new places and gatherings to meet likeminded people/fellow kiwis etc will be extremely useful.

buy her a copy of Dubai explorer, The complete residents guide. Its very useful. Oh and a bottle of Vodka!

If your friend likes tampax pearl (which in my opinion are the best tampons ever) get her those, because they don't have them in dubai

also maybe if there is a particular facewash or eye makeup remover (for example) that she likes, sometimes specific brands can be hard to find, i use biotherm and i haven't been able to find it in dubai

also, if for some reason she likes david yurman jewelry you can't get that in dubai either

also no pop tarts or diet ginger ale or funfetti cake mix or cedars hummus or rainbow sprinkles if she enjoys any of those things...

Dilligaf wrote:And a kiwi.

Vegemite and banana lumps.

A portable airconditiong! i am joking!
A good map of Dubai and a book about Arab culture. I can recommend one: A history of the Arab world. It is a best seller. It will be of great help to understand why things are done in certain ways. Learn about Islam, etc. I am still reading it, takes a while but I understand more and more.