So everything has it’s pro’s and con’s and will be different for everyone. However a possible opportunity is up to work for a much larger firm that will give v good prospects as well as very good payrise, however here in lies the dilema,

I like the green green land that is the UK and having spent a summer in a rather hot sh!thole can’t say that a welcome break from the rain is that …welcome. Also and more importantly – Missus (not married), 1 x 2year old and 1 x 12 week old. This would be uprouting a young family. The missus is oddly up for it as long as certain conditions are met (i.e. pay and perks – who’s going for the job here anyway). Has anyone else here done the same?

I’d normally say, just go and you’ll soon find out if you like it.

But given the family circumstances, I’m not so sure.

I don’t have kids, but has your Mrs thought about what it will actually be like for her in Dubai with two very young kids? Might be a bit lonely (i.e. hard for her to meet new people etc).

I’ve had a few mates go to Dubai, some loved it and some hated it. None have remained there permanently. If the money is REALLY good (watch out for tax implications if you return home early) and you can stick it for a couple of years, it might be worth doing if you want to pay off the mortgage etc.

No, but been there on business and would rather go on the dole than work there!

sounds good already! Would certianly make sure i didn’t fall into the tax issue, already looked at that! I see there are some MTB groups out there so that’s not a complete loss. Would certainly make a sizeable dent in the mortgage which is probably why the mrs is so up for it. I’ get givent the cahnce to go there for a couple of days first with the family, but can you really judge a place in that time..

A ‘very good’ payrise isn’t enough to go over to Dubai IMHO.

A staggering, truly iniquitous payrise might be and even then I’d need to think it over.

Thy have a chainy every Friday(Holy Day) at 5am (Its too hot other wise) If you like traffic you will love Dubai.

shithole of the highest order.

bl00dy hell, it sounds like Satans playground the way you lot go on about it – think i’ll stay here then 🙂

The jobs that are worth taking in Dubai are the ones where they fly you out there for a look around before you sign up, they pay your housing (in addition to your salary) and (as above) the pay rise takes you to a whole level.

You may consider getting married before you go, s3x outside marriage could end you and missus in jail. Also 45-50 degree heat during summer is too much for most people, especially kids. My brother is there and it works for him as he is single with no ties and enjoys a large tax free salary, however property costs are crippling him. No public transport, no parks, i don’t think it sounds great for a family.

My brother’s out there, and seems happy enough. Mind you, his job’s flexible enough that he can get out of there for the summer! He’s also single, not sure how much of a difference that makes.

I spent a couple of years living in Egypt, and I think it’s fairly similar in a lot of ways – big, fluid, ex-pat scene, limited relationship with the locals, good standard of living, and unbearably hot from June -> end of August.

Friend of mine went there for a year or so, about 16 years ago! He met his wife out there and they now have kids so that is probably partly the reason.
However most people don’t last anywhere near that long. He reckons they have a complete turn over of friends about every 3 years.
Have been over to visit a few times. There are a lot of ex-pats so making friends doesn’t seem to be an issue. It seems to me to be a very much work hard/play hard sort of place for the blokes, but most wives seem to be ‘ladies that lunch’ types.
Also from many of the people I met, seems to quite a lot of colonial type racist-ism in that they won’t mix with, and are quite aggressive with the locals, or other foreigners who aren’t white. Most have maids/housekeepers etc who are from the Philippians who they pay very little and treat like dirt.
Wouldn’t be somewhere I’d like to live, but it can be great fun, and would probably opportunity to experience a very different culture for both you and the kids for a few years.

The jobs that are worth taking in Dubai are the ones where they fly you out there for a look around before you sign up, they pay your housing (in addition to your salary) and (as above) the pay rise takes you to a whole level.

this seems to be on the cards.. i’m ok with the heat, but yeah the kids not so sure about – do most expats live in the same area as well?

Lived there for 2 years, i hate the place with a passion. 8)

Its a place that attracts a certain type of money orientated, greedy and obnoxious person who believe they are superior to everybody else.

Also the place was built on a modern day version of slave labour. Scratch the surface and its so easy to see.

I did exactly what you are doing but i felt i had no life outside a very close group of workmates and their families. If you go with a plan then stick to it. It can be a very big culture shock for your family.

But it might be the best thing for you, lots of people love it. Just not me.

You need to check out housing etc. as noted above. Also schooling – how long do you plan to be out there ? In Duabi you pay a years rent upfront, how is that going to be handled ? The good news is that with the recession the worst of the “froth” has gone along with the worst of the chavy Brits.

It’s not my sort of place but it might be yours.

All good points and questions to be asked yet. Suffice to say there would be a plan and that’s it!

He’s also single, not sure how much of a difference that makes

Hookers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

This pretty much sums Dubai up

We moved to Doha in Qatar 5 months ago with 3 children. Different country but similar setup. Firstly make sure house, utilities, schooling, car and flights are paid for in full, not an allowance. I know plenty of people who have caught out by this and end up subsidising their rent. Although it has been 48 deg c this week, we have still been to the pool after work/school, I still go biking early in the morning. There are 3 months in the summer which are unpleasant outdoors a bit like the UK in winter only in a different way. There are some racists but we have an indian maid, nepalese car washer, indian driver and its a great experience for the kids, they have become a lot more trusting of other nationalities.

I have lots of friends with young kids and they have a lot more help with them than they would in the UK- maid etc.

Not sure how long we will stay but kids are getting a good private education paid for and I am only 10 minutes drive from work rather than working away or with an hour commute each way. Southern India is a 3 hr flight away for beaches.

Like everything in life it is what you make it.

Truly horrible place unless you’re rich and worship money. About as superficial and greed orientated as you can get.

He’s also single, not sure how much of a difference that makes
Hookers.

lol, don’t think so – there’s a big enough ex-pat colony that it’s not necessary. I think. Maybe. Hmm… will have to ask him 🙂

Its a place that attracts a certain type of money orientated, greedy and obnoxious person who believe they are superior to everybody else.

Not the impression I get, any my brother (possible hooker-habit aside) certainly isn’t like that. But I haven’t lived there, and I wouldn’t be particularly surprised if certain groups are like that.

You will be living in a small gated community of other ex pats. Nice living standards, pool etc but absolutely soulless with no culture and you will need to work at keeping entertained (and sane). The high wages are there for a reason, they cant get people to come or stay.

How much will that put you off v’s how much you will bring home after x years.

Also consider the downside – there are horror stories of people falling out with employers and the authorities, low probability but I would want to know what goes on and would look in to the risks.

The prostitutes are gorgeous… ! 😀

My first evening of a biz trip there my business host waved at several hookers at the bar and asked “What would you like, Black, Brown, Yellow, White… we have everything and all good!”

I did not partake… but if you were single or that way inclined, well! 😉

Put it like this, I’m sat in Doha at the moment it’s been about 47 today, and generally early to mid 30’s at midnight – and will only get hotter.

Tomorrow is the start of the weekend and I need my cycling fix to stay sane. I’m trying to work out exactly how early I have to get up to drive out of Doha to find some meaningful offroad fun – it’s likely to be 0500 or earlier!

On the plus side there’s lots of work and it’s good for families over here…

A ‘very good’ payrise isn’t enough to go over to Dubai IMHO.

A staggering, truly iniquitous payrise might be and even then I’d need to think it over.

This!

I have done it myself in early 2000 for a couple of years, but the tax free fantastic salary as it was then, wasn’t really upto much after about 12 months, the cost of living just rose & rose, or was it my lavish lifestyle 8)

If possible look at somewhere like Muscat (Oman), very nice, if not nicer than Dubai, and the people are so welcoming….. cost of living is half of what Dubai is..

I spent 2 days there, wouldn’t want to go back again for any longer! A mate lives there and loves it, but to me its hot, dusty, dirty, noisy, smelly, fake, watering hole in a desert, made of crumbled dreams and slave labour, with nothing I like to do, to do. The traffic is just insane, taxi rides are like a roller coaster. What eastern mystery there is to it would probably soon fade I think, though you would be able to travel to other towns for that I guess. It is very safe though and places like the old souks and creek are of interest.

I spent a number of years in a hot sunny tax haven in my early 20s – not dubai. Well paid and all that but everyone is in the same boat and you really get a sense of just doing time to earn money. A bit like being in jail really but with better living conditions.

Money oriented, worshipping money type people?

Those I know there are there for the money, that for sure. It’s not that they worship money, though… it’s that they see money as a means of providing security for themselves and their family – and Dubai as offering a great chance to build their savings substantially (to a degree that would be impossible in the UK).

Digger90 – Member
The prostitutes are gorgeous… !

My first evening of a biz trip there my business host waved at several hookers at the bar and asked “What would you like, Black, Brown, Yellow, White… we have everything and all good!”

I did not partake… but if you were single or that way inclined, well!

sounds like a lovely place

cheers all. Damo that article is most damning, still i haven’t been given the full terms yet so could end up saying no all the same – will be a hard decision i think.

http://www.fastcompany.com/pics/look-decline-dubai#1

This is a nice photoset too – I always remember that picture of the sewage trucks…

What a profoundly depressing place.

I’ve been over to Abu Dhabi for a couple of long weekends in November to meet a mate working there. At that time of year the climbing is amazing. There’s some excellent deep water soloing and good sport routes. The biking should also be great in Oman any time from October to February. BUT it must be an utter nightmare place to try to stay active in spring and summer. My mate has done very little exercise over there and also yearns for the green fields of home at times.

This – from a friend here

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

This pretty much sums Dubai up

I knew it was bad (been there a few times with work), but didn’t realise quite how much of an evil shit hole it actually is!

The biking should also be great in Oman any time from October to February.

This.
But.
Oman != Dubai.

There’s a lot of bollocks being talked on this thread and it would be better if people mentioned what they were basing their comments on – whether they are just repeating toss they’ve heard down the pub.

Stuff like

You will be living in a small gated community of other ex pats.

is just wrong. There’s a variety of housing available – apartments, subdivisions, houses, whatever. Dubai is not Saudi.

My old man has lived in Dubai on and off for a couple of decades and I’ve been out there a lot. Housing is expensive as hell and the cost of living otherwise is not cheap. School fees can be dear and some of the schools are rubbish. Ia kid that learns Arabic will be well placed for the future – but unfotunately the schools seem to be remarkably terrible t teaching Arabic. Expats don’t all live in one area – in fact, Emiratis are such a small chunk of the population that Dubai pretty much is all foreigners. Traffic can be really crap. Beach club membership is v desirable for kids – but that costs money too. Don’t underestimate the expense of visiting the UK – you’ll prob want to do that as well as take holidays

Summer is hot (duh) so daytime outdoor activities won’t be fun but you can play etc in the evenings.

Dubai is certainly like a Mecca for the world’s bullshitters and shiny suit wearing ****. The good news is that it’s not obligatory to hang out with them.

Johann Hari is a fantasist and plagiarist – would have thought Dubai would be right up his alley…

Go for three years, earn stacks of lolly then come home. You and your wife will miss the UK, the weather, the culture, fish and chips and real beer but you’ll be set up for life.

But don’t bother if it’s not for a shipload of money, it’s a horrible place full of Emiratis who are despised by the rest of the Arab world for their laziness.