Living in Dubai

I have been to Dubai, and did not like it much. AC's made me sick.

Cheap technological stuff and good for that kind of shopping, but who the hell wants to swim in a sea hotter than a turkish bath?

Zero, that's absolute rubbish. Either the woman is telling lies or she lives in Saudi Arabia not Dubai. No-one has to wear a veil in Dubai. Some women wear one by choice, that's all. All over the city you see women wearing exactly the same as they would wear in the west.

Hi,
Have been living in Dubai for 7 years now, 5 years in Saudi before. Regarding the veil, nobody is forced to use abaya or veil in any part of UAE.  In Riyadh, yes, western women need to also cover, but not with veil, rather a loose scarf.

Dubai can be good for expat living, provided that one works for a reputed international company or a local company with proper set up. There is quite a bit of difficulty if you work for a company with single owner and he turns negative overnigth, for any reason. Have your dots on the i and cross all the T's when writing an agreeement. The oral tradition is still strong to evoke "trust", " friendship", "family", etc... but please be aware, that things can turn very drastically very fast.  I am just going through such horrific experience.  I have a blog on my site, if anyone is interested to read more or see some local unedited pics, feel free.

I lived in Dubai for 5 years, and LOVED it. Expensive. But had such a great time there.
It is one of the most tolerant and safe cities in the world. Prices are high/very high, but the sky is the limit of what is possible in Dubai.

I can testify there is NO need for ladies to wear a veil nor even to 'cover' up. You would typically sit in a restaurant, served by a Philippino waitress in a mini skirt, while on the next table, a lady sits with a veil and habbaya, and the table next to it, a lady in shorts... The dress code on the beaches are just like any other beach in Europe (except the mono-kini, though!).

Have also a look at my post for a typical story about Dubai http://theroadtothehorizon.blogspot.com … -city.html

rgds,

Peter
http://theroadtothehorizon.blogspot.com

Hi, I have been living in Dubai for a year now with my husband and two boys. 

I love living here, there is everything at your fingertips.  There are tons of activities.  You don't feel like a fish out of water here.  You here that you should dress conservatively, but I have seen women in barely there tops and bottoms.

It has the feel of living in a highly developed country and it almost feels like you are on one long vacation.  You tend to let your guard down, because there is hardly any crime here. 

My older sun goes to a preschool, his school has such a fun and relaxed atmosphere. 

It's has all the major clothing brands here.  There is construction everywhere, it is quite frustrating.  I am from a tropical climate, but Dubai's heat is unbearable.  Yes, the traffic is also unbearable.

It is pretty far from my home country, so it is tough being away from family.  To keep my family and friends up to date, I decided to blog about it. 

Right now my aim is to travel around and document my excursions, so far it has been fun.

http://my-great-adventures.blogspot.com/

You cannot retire in Dubai and it is somewhat a young persons place

Avril, you can now retire in Dubai because with the new freehold property laws you can buy a property and with it you get a residence visa. If you do it that way you no longer have to have the sponsorship of an employer - and you're protected from rising rents.

how is it for women in dubai?

I may relocate to Dubai by the end of the year. Would like to know where is a good choice for residential area if one were to work at the Jebel ALi FTZ? I am totally dazed by the new development in Dubai

You don't actually need to pay much for cell/mobile phones. I have been having a UAE cell/mobile number on international roaming for 2 years now. I need this since I travel around so much .. got tired of changing SIM & giving out new numbers to people so I need a fix post paid number for long term use regardless of where I am. I hardly pay more than US$200 a month.

Looking for information 54 year old women would need to know before packing everything up and moving to work in Dubai. 
What is it like for an older women working there
Any Night life?
From what I've read living there is expensive and it's a younger person's town?
any information appreciated

Hi Seabee
Thanks for the info. I was thinking of putting a US$30k downpayment and take a 90% loan for an apartment as opposed to paying rent. Is this amount sufficient for a 1200 sq ft apartment at the Dubai Marina? Its a shame that the property market has exploded to an unsustainable level in Dubai vis-a-vis 3-4 years back. While it's good neews for owners, it affect everybody's pocket in the end.

Where are the good places to live in Dubai? Something tony but not for the super rich. I'm talking about apartments / houses that will not go above $1M if you buy it outright. Thanks.

you guys are awesome... i mostly made this account so i could post about how much i appreciate all the insight. i've been researching dubai for a few weeks now and am cramming for information.

but while i'm here, does anyone know what the climate is like for broadcast design, animation or graphic design? do they need my kind over there?

thanks again

- kirkwood

Wife , 3 kids and I are currently considering moving to Dubai for a couple of years due to a legit job offer. What can we expect coming from someone who currently resides there. I just keep finding mix stories from all the other posts and sites. Also does anyone living there now have a blog or website we might be able to look at? Also, what are some good informational web sites one might see? Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi Seabee
Is it still true that purchasers of residential properties in Dubai gets PR automatically?
Karen

I run my own Human Resource and consultancy Co. Where do i get information on how to set up a company there? Any advise on gorverment agencies i can contact or website i can go to. Would appreciate any information avalable.

mroland, I guess you could start at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. www.dcci.ae
If you open a business in one of the free zones you don't need a local partner, so the free zone authorities might also be worth checking out. www.uaefreezones.com is a starting point.
The Dubai Government info portal is at www.dubai.ae/en.portal

gray, there are hundreds of international construction companies operating in Dubai, including from the UK. You could make contact with companies in the UK and ask about openings in Dubai, or contact them here to see if they need someone with your particular skills. Googling will give you names of companies I'm sure.

Hi Joddei.

if i could get say $50-$60 hotel or hostel accommodation

Winter time is peak season in Dubai.. It will be very difficult to find any accommodation within that price range!!