adminee
From: United States
11/25/2008 12:08 EST
We're going to be putting together an article entitled, 10 Tips for Living in United Arab Emirates, and we need your help. Please post a reply to this thread with as many tips as you'd like (or as few) for expats living in United Arab Emirates. Whether you're a newcomer yourself or a seasoned expats whose lived abroad for many years, share your favorite tips for expats living in United Arab Emirates. If you want to discuss or expand upon someone elses tip, feel free! We'll use your posts to compile the articles.
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
Betsy Burlingame
ExpatExchange.com
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mishmumkin
11/26/2008 07:13 EST
-The UAE is a relatively tolerant country, but this does vary from emirate to emirate. Remember that this is not your home country. Just because you see another expat wearing hot pants and a spaghetti top doesn't mean that this is acceptable attire for shopping malls and other public places.
-Try and embrace all the different cuisines available in the UAE. You will not find all your favourite foods, but you will find fantastic new dishes and spices.
-Make every attempt to learn Arabic. It's difficult to use Arabic in your day-to-day activities since many people in the service industry are not Arabic speakers. That said, you will find that many Emiratis (and other Arabic speakers) truly appreciate your attemps to learn the language (and the customs).
-Seize any and every opportunity to get to know Emiratis. It's a challenge, but it's worth the effort.
-Bring a LOAD of patience when dealing with returns with exchanges. Customer service is generally a disaster.
-There are a slew of cultures coming together in the UAE; each with its own individual norms and expectations. Try to appreciate the diversity rather than dividing everyone by nationality.
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SassyPilotsWife
12/8/2008 08:27 EST
Prior to taking the job offer, research your expat package offer to make sure it is financially affordable for housing cost, education cost if you have school age children, have a CV done by someone from this area who knows how they look and view CV's. It can be quite different than your own country. They are big on seeing education, continuing education etc. Depending on which emirate you move to, find forum friends from there to learn alot of the information your looking for. Don't assume you need to bring your car and furniture over, it might be cheaper for you to rent or buy a car and buy furniture here due to shipping cost. 2nd hand cars here are very reasonable because they are usually 2 to 3 y/o cars that previous expats are selling after their contract expires.Also, some cars from other countries such as the US don't have good enough A/C or radiators to keep up with the heat. Expect to pay up front for your housing for 1 year plus a 5% commission to the broker who finds it. Some landlords will allow you to write post dated checks quarterly. Download Skype prior to arriving. if you don't, UAE will block it and you won't be able to make calls out. Download Hotspot prior also, it makes skype work. Watch what electronics you bring with you, some just won't convert. Might be cheaper to buy them here.
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InsuranceQuotes
12/18/2008 13:23 EST
You can only purchase medical insurance from an authorized UAE provider. The UAE has very strict insurance regulations. Know before you go. Visit the US consulate website or feel free to email me for more information.
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sukie
12/26/2008 14:13 EST
Don't just research the country, research the emirate that you will be living in as they are all different. For some emirates do not even think of bringing your family here until you have secured permanent accomodation and researched schools. School places for a european/american style education can be hard to find in some places. Immense patience is a necessity as nothing will go to plan. Flexibility is likewise a virtue as plans will change by the second. Try to learn arabic, respect their culture and traditions and you wil be just fine.
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esta
7/7/2009 10:10 EST
Thanks so much for giving thought to people that might find it hard cos its where they've never been to before. I'm actually very new to this forum and will be schooling in sae dubai, but my challenge is trying to find an accomodation that would be affordable for a student for 1year. It would be greatly appreciated if i can get info on this. thanks
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