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What are the positives and negatives of living in Dubai from a Western perspective?

3biscuit3 wrote:What are the positives and negatives of living in Dubai from a Western perspective?

Crikey! Got a week or two to spare? Thats a big question.

The weather is a blessing and a curse. Lovely in the winter but bloody hot and sweaty in the summer. You never really get used to it, but you cope.

The traffic sucks. The road infrastructure is still being built. Likewise the quality of driving leaves a lot to be desired.

The social life once you make a circle of friends can be rock and roll and you are hardly ever at home.

Work hours and application tends to be longer than back home, but its work hard play hard. You will find the size and level of accommodation to be bigger and more grand than you may be used to, but don't fall into the trap of thinking its real! Its very expensive to rent anything here.

Cars and of course petrol are considerably cheaper, so you can afford to get out of the city and see some of the country and there are some wonderful getaways.

Beurocracy will drive you nuts, but if you are cosseted in an educational establishment then you may have some of the more grievous stuff done for you by a PRO (Public Relations Officer) which is different to the meaning back home. Some things you have to do yourself and make sure you have a whole load of passport photos and copies of your passport.

All in all its better than some places, but worse than others. Its a growing country but don't forget its not ours. Its the dudes in the white frocks who own it and its all built in their favour, so don't try to compete with them, just get out of life what you are looking for and you should be happy.

Loads of bars and clubs to drown your sorrows in if it all gets you down!



Knight

I've seen one, I've seen it all...

farthestpoint wrote:I've seen one, I've seen it all...

Thats it? Nothing to contribute?

Strange...



Knight

Hi Knight...

I was actually planning to contribute something when it hit me that I had to leave the office, so I tried to squeeze as much in one sentence.

3biscuit3...

I completely agree with what Knight posted above. He covered most of the general conditions here.

However, I would like to add that if you are single, better get married before coming here! Hahaha that's a joke ofcourse. Kidding aside, I've seem to notice that everything in Dubai seems to be tending to one point - temporary. Having had a lot of friends come and go, people jumping from one job to the other like grasshoppers, old places that you were so used to--suddenly gone because a taller and more sophisticated buildings need to be constructed, boyfriends/girlfriend saying their goodbyes as one got relocated somewhere else, children without a normal society to grow up with going back home.....I can go on and on and on....

On the contrary, as Dubai is a multi-cultural environment, you really get to see different cultures and enhance your social skills and cultural respect exchanges....apart ofcourse from the obvious fact that it seems more and more people in other counties are starting to think that THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE....that's an understatement, there's more behind the layer....or probably, there's actually a hallow underneath.

And so I've seen one, I've seen it all...

So Biccy, what you are saying is: Its temporary, its transient, its shallow and its a Bollywood movie set.

Absolutely hit the nail on the head!

Crumbs!



Knight

That's exactly what I mean Knight...but why Biccy?

farthestpoint wrote::D That's exactly what I mean Knight...but why Biccy?

Ah! Mea Culpa! Mea Maxima Culpa!!!

I looked at the nic on the original post...3biscuit3 aka 'Biccy' for short!

I like a nice cup of tea and a dunky biccy at three every afternoon!

I do apologise, it was a case of mistaken ident-i-tea!



Knight

De minimis non curat praetor!

Your sense of humour dissolved it all!!

farthestpoint wrote:De minimis non curat praetor!

Your sense of humour dissolved it all!!

My sense of humour normally either gets a groan...or I get a good kicking!



Knight

I've noticed that! hahahahahaha

It's good to be rude when you know you're shrewd hahahahaha

You are like the fish of iggy pop

farthestpoint wrote:I've noticed that! hahahahahaha

It's good to be rude when you know you're shrewd hahahahaha

You are like the fish of iggy pop

Careful! Iggy Pop looks like the 80 year old shammy leather used by the car cleaning guys!

Keith Richard, a Shar-Pei dog and I are competing for who has the most wrinkles.



Knight

But then Iggy Pop is a fish who knows it all! It's a good compliment don't you think!!!