Elvis,
This place offers you so much to do....it's just up to you to choose what you like...
In an incredibly limited way. Check out the level of school's sport, open beaches, sporting facilities for adults, local travel etc etc etc. You are right things are different here and we shouldn't expect what we had at home. I have started to realise that with a decent salary in Europe I could do the beach thing, the skiing thing, the golf thing, the culture thing, the gourmet thing, support a team, go to concerts to a level far beyond anything available in DXB. And I won't be filling a sheikh's coffers. If you live in Southern Cal or Florida, stay where you are!!