Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hello there I'm seriously considering going to UAE, hopefully Dubai to teach anytime after May '06. I taught in Japan before where I had gone with my boyfriend and although I had him, I found it abit lonely, not much to do, no one to talk to in English....
So I was wondering about maybe bringing a small dog (don't have one at the moment, but always had pets - dogs and miss it) but was wondering if that would make it more difficult to find accomadation, and then I saw someone say that you would need to have the A/C on when you're not home to keep the dog cool, and that to do that is very expensive? Is this true, do many people have pets there?
Is it easy to make friends, or will I pretty much be sitting by myself in the evenings?

Also is entertainment expensive in Dubai, or UAE in general, for instance to go to the movies it cost like 25 canadian dollars in Japan plus transportation, so I stayed in alot because things were too expensive to do. I'm looking to save money to pay off my student loans, so even if I'm making decent money I don't want to spend all of it.

I'm at the moment 5'8" and like a size 14 for guys that don't know size I'm a little overweight but not obese if that helps. So what I'm wondering is would I be able to buy clothes that would fit me there? And are there many gym's or ways to get into shape there?

Also I read on the Canadian counselate that relationships, without being married are against the law and can have severe consequences. Is this true, how does this work.

Do expats hang out together, date, live in the same area?

I'd love your input on these questions
thanks so much
angie

Hello,

Pets in many places aren't much of a problem, some landlords don't allow them though. I would suggest if you can to get a dog when you get here, there are so many unwanted dogs in the K9 friends kennels desperately looking for a good home.

You don't have to have the AC on all the time, only during the hot days of summer and this time of year when it's cooling down many people put the dogs in the yards of villas, so they're not couped up indoors all the time.

Loads of nightlife, entertainment, things to do. You'll meet people of all nationalities.

Dating is fine here and the authorities tend to turn a blind eye to westerners living with boyfriends etc, unless you give your neighbours something to complain about.

Considering the statistically small number of Canadian’s in Dubai we seem to be inundating this board

You won’t have to worry about having anyone to speak English with here, everybody seems to speak it although many people here have very unique accents and interesting grammer, An Indian, A Scottsman, an Englishman and a Kiwi go into a bar is more than just the start of a joke it is reality

eh ?

I'll be in Dubia latest May.

My Canuck Aquaintance there now for 3 years, is now the editor in chief for the Expat magazine in Dubai. I'll be bunking with her and her husband when I arrive so I would be very interested in meeting the fellow Canucks.

Cheers, and I can't wait, I just saw pictures of the indoor ski slopes that they are opening. Can't wait to carve some mini slopes in the desert!

Hello to all Canadians!

Best,

Trev