To go or not to go? A few things to help me decide....

Hi Brewie and welcome to Expat.com

I sincerely can tell you that you won't have any problem meeting Brits and Irish people! Here's the Network of Irish in Abu Dhabi and the Network of British in Abu Dhabi.

Meetups are regularly organized, just keep an eye on top of UAE forums where they usually get pinned up!

Cheers
Arlette

Expats from all over the world are here Brewie and of the native English speakers, the English and Scots are in the majority.

Compared with a lot of other muslim countries, the UAE may be considered slightly LESS FUNDAMENTAL that most, but liberal never. The UAE is still a dictatorship, a police state and democracy isn't even on the horizon.

Having said that, there is plenty to do here, there's a good night life (except during the magic month) and plenty of retail therapy to be had. Having recently arrived here from Libya, the UAE is a breath of fresh air!

First of all Brewie, How you survive here in Abu Dhabi or Dubai depends largely on your Package you received from your Employer if your Accommodation allowance isn't enough you may find it a bit of a struggle and settling in can be difficult if you have financial woes aswell.
Although the rental prices are falling so are alot of offers now by company's for e.g
My Husbands company pays our full accommodation allowance based on married couple ,school fees up to 20k per year ,trips back to our home country,Furniture allowance, 100kg baggage allowance, Shipping container to Abu Dhabi and return home.
Now the same company has offered A guy from the U.K
Accommodation allowance for single person (and this guy is married) No school fees allowance and he has 3 children, trip back to home country.That's it. This guy ended up leaving his wife and kids back in U.K because he couldn't afford to bring them here.
Good luck with your decision its a big move to come here and a real culture shock at times but you'll settle in fine if everything runs smoothly for you.

In general, the best relocation packages are, in order from bext to worst:

IOC's
NOC's
The big 4 financial services co's
The big 3 oilfield service co's
Other oilfield service co's
Other major financial services co's
The shit left at the bottom of the can
Independent financial services co's

But if you don't ask, you don't get. And take note of who is at the bottom of the pile.

Of course, UAE is a muslim country and as such there are some differences with our culture and one should never forget it! and adapt our behaviour. But personally I would not really talk about "cultural shock".

That's it! We lead a normal life here! no restrictions at all (at least I didn't notice any). I can assure you that after 9 years in KSA, life in UAE is wonderful!

Now of course, as silver fern says, all depends on the package you are being offered! (My husband for ex. was offered almot 50% more salary from KSA to UAE, full airtickets + annual family tickets, full medicare insurance, full accommodation + utilities, furniture allowance, no school allowance needed anymore, company car, 4 cub.meter baggage shipment refunded, company car). So no reason to complain of course!

I think the most important thing at first is to correctly negotiate your package as an expatriate and not as local contract (which many people do nowadays; I mean come here and find a job! and thus not getting all the advantages of an expatriate package)!

Now for us it's second time in UAE (after 30 years) and I still enjoy it very much. However funny to say, although there is much more things available such as cinemas, more restaurants, night clubs, shopping malls etc., I do prefer the Dubai of 30 years ago! Mainly because it was more convivial; I mean nowadays Dubai is more like every megapole in the world and life is more anonymous than in those times. (Dubai and Sharjah were just like big villages where everyone would know everyone).

Personally, I'm quite happy to have moved to RAK as I find the same spirit here!

Can't talk about Abu Dhabi...

Cost of living is a difficult point to reply on (in my opinion) as everybody has a different lifestyle and needs!

In Abu Dhabi - Cost of Living, in message #5, Marufa has given some indication of her expenses.

As for soccer, you can almost view anything here via satellite (local packages or packages from home). So no problem on that side either.

Hope this information will help you a bit.

Cheers
Arlette

Good evening folks.

Big thank you for the feedback, certainly helping to remove some of my fears and opened my eyes to important items to address, most notably the expat package.

Thanks again
Brewie

Hello, I read your blog with interest. I have applied to teach English there and this is offer I have been proposed as I await my 2nd interview with Nord Anglia. Just your views if this is good enough would be so helpful. 225,000AED per year, in a public school, 1 year contract, furnished accomodation, visa & healthcare provided, 20,000AED furniture allowance for unfurnished accomodation, 24,000AED if placed in rural area, annual transport allowance, mobilisation allowance (what is this?), school fees for up to 2 children - 25,000AED per child. Is thsi good enough to survive there. If  Iget the job, will come with my husband and 13 year old son. I am told may be around christmas but they seem to take so long to get things moving. I am a bit restless cos the salary is below what I earn now as a 12 years teaching life here in the UK. any help will be gratefully appreciated.

silver fern wrote:

First of all Brewie, How you survive here in Abu Dhabi or Dubai depends largely on your Package you received from your Employer if your Accommodation allowance isn't enough you may find it a bit of a struggle and settling in can be difficult if you have financial woes aswell.
Although the rental prices are falling so are alot of offers now by company's for e.g
My Husbands company pays our full accommodation allowance based on married couple ,school fees up to 20k per year ,trips back to our home country,Furniture allowance, 100kg baggage allowance, Shipping container to Abu Dhabi and return home.
Now the same company has offered A guy from the U.K
Accommodation allowance for single person (and this guy is married) No school fees allowance and he has 3 children, trip back to home country.That's it. This guy ended up leaving his wife and kids back in U.K because he couldn't afford to bring them here.
Good luck with your decision its a big move to come here and a real culture shock at times but you'll settle in fine if everything runs smoothly for you.