Hi Helene,
I came to the Middle East for the experience, the money is an added bonus. I came prepared for it to be a more restrictive lifestyle than back home but it is actually more relaxed than I expected. Bare in mind though that it's easier here for me as a male and that I'm living in a country with a long history of trading with other nations and, therefore, is more tolerant of foreign cultures.
There are other airlines in different parts of the Middle East that are worth approaching for contracts. I hear that Oman Air is expanding and I guess that they'll need crew from somewhere. You might prefer Oman to some of the ME countries further North, definitely more tolerant of women but you will need to follow some simple rules so as to not offend the more conservative locals.
Good luck