Its interesting how cyclical guys views tend to be. When I first arrived all I could see was the lovely new skyscrapers and beautiful beach bars. After about 2 years, all I could see were the building sites in between them. Thats about where cuckoo land resides.
Initially the driving on the roads was spirited, I now know of 6 people that have had major car accidents when they were run into by, as SS says, a muppet.
So lets look at what SS says:
1. Pay is getting worse, the starting salary has risen by 13% since 1992 and the dollar rate has fallen compared to the GB pound by 23% in the last 3 years. FACT
2. There is no representation, and yes you do get reported, rumour is a mate got reported in SEP the other day. FACT
3. Command goal posts have moved. In 2000 it was even 4500hrs. FACT
4. Housing is a lottery but I lucked in with my company house. I think a lot of guys are looking to take the allowance to try and save a bit more cash for retirment. It won't cover all the costs but will hopefully provide a bit more cash. I cannot see myself retiring from the cash generated by the provident fund. FACT
5. There are not enough schools. FACT
6. I haven't tried to get an appointment for a while but it was ok last time I tried.
7. Cyclical as above! After a while as the kids get older, guys do start to feel trapped because they wonder where they can go from here. The big break points are to do with kids schooling and exams. FACT
8. They are f**ing muppets and kill several expats every year. The stats say that the locals have the second highest death rate behind the Saudis; 3 times all other road users. The bottom line is that everytime you step in your car here, the risk of not getting to your destination is more than 3 fold higher than anywhere else in the world. FACT
9. To SS's reasons you can add weather coz despite the crappy summers, the winters here beat the crap out of a european or canadian winter. Doesn't help you if you are from Aus.
So despite the nay sayers, I would say that our beloved Mr Staynes has a point. In fact at least 7 out of 9 of his statements are empirically true. If you want to go into it with your eyes open then heed his warnings.
For me; I get pissed off for 4 months in the summer because the weather truly does suck. But..the winters make up for that. As to whether Dubai is all glitz or all building sites. It is somewhere in between. Problem is when you are looking to come here you tend to ignore the crap. I was quite happy in my little bubble until an Indian lorry driver tried to take out my family. I look back now and smile at the comments of the guys that have only been here 18 months or so because I was just like them.
When Dubai is good, its great. Upgrade on a shiny new plane, kids happy etc. When things go wrong though you start to feel a hell of a long way from home with very little back-up.
Would I change my decision? Not personally but here's my opinion for what its worth. If you have got a decent job for a stable employer in your home country, I wouldn't come here. (Unless its Aus....only kidding maaaates.....!) I would only move here now if I was certain I was going to be tangibly better off in the future. The cash will not go as far as you think. Once you are here, its a job like any other. Long haul in Dubai is the same as Long Haul in Outer Mongolia. Everyone's situation is different though. If you are single and under say 35, it will probably work ok and you'll save enough cash. If you are married and over 45, you might not!
Seaman Staynes, I cannot believe you are going to take any banter about Roger the Cabin Boy from a mate called Ironbutt!
Crawling back under my stone,
Cerberus
