Al Garhoud
I was running for a flight so I couldn't write the details I wanted. I add some beside Jjohns notes.
GARHOUD, EMIRATES ACCOMODATIONS
Jeseleio,
Garhoud is a great place to live!!!
You are lucky with "A" block: the mosk is at the end of the street, it means you will not hear it.
No balconies in this building but who cares?
Only 2-bedroom-apartments. I believe you WILL have your own bathroom and only 1 flatmate. (There are 3-bedroom-apartments in "F" block.)
Apartments are HUGE! Living rooms are big and usually light. Bedrooms are bigger than the new ones (Qusais, Al Nahda, Tecom, Millenium etc.), you will see. Storage place (built-in wardrobes) in the rooms vary, though. (I used to stay in "B" and I had 4 big wardrobes, my flatmate only had 1.)
There should be a storage room in the flat as well.
Kitchen is big: fridge, washing- and drying machine, oven. (No dishwasher.) Yes, they are old but they work.
This building has 3 floors only: it's like a small family. You can open the window! It's great: nice during the winter and no problem for smokers or when there is a party. (Many people smoke, even some Australians and other Westerners who don't smoke at home: cigarette is very cheap, only 6 dhs a pack.)
Security knows you by name! They are very nice, so be friendly and polite with them!!! (Try to learn their names.) If you have friends visiting (male or female) put down "cousin" and "cousin's wife/husband" on the form: it will be fine. You need to drop the Visitor Forms 10 days ahead but it should be fine if you drop them later... (My flatmate had given them the forms 2 hours before her brother arrived.)
I've never seen the gym or the pool in "A". I like the pool in "C" and "G" block. The gym is fine in "C", very basic but fine for a quick workout.
Air-conditioning is old, so it might be a bit noisy. Temperature control is for the 2 bedrooms together which might lead to conflicts. Seperate A/C for the living room. Water heaters tend to leak (very common problem!), make sure you switch it off when you go for a flight. Maintanance is good: you sign the problem and they come and fix everything. Tip them, it's nice. They will fix anything for you if you give them some money. You can paint your room if you want. They don't speak a very good English but they can fix the problem. (It's nice to offer drinks for them as well.)
- As the A/C or the traffic might be noisy and rooms are light, you might need to learn using eyeshade and earplugs. That's why I can sleep any time of the day. I have no problem with sleeping, many crew do. -
You will have satelite in your room. (These idiots - sorry - fixed the satelite in the bedrooms, not in the living room. It's extra money if your flatmate hasn't done it yet.) Anyways, there should be a TV working in the living room as well.
You can share the cost of internet and TV (orbit, showtime, whatever) with the flatmate.
The airport is 10 minutes by crew bus. It takes 15 minutes to get home from work using the crew bus. If you take a taxi, it takes 5 minutes and costs you 10 dhs. YOU WILL NEVER BE LATE! Buses show up every 15 minutes. They are punctual. Don't worry about the noice of the planes: you won't hear them usually.
No waiting area in the building, so you have to wait in front of the house in the heat. It's OK for a couple of minutes: there is no point to show up early, leave your flat 5 minutes before your pick-up time.
The College is next door. If you want to walk, it takes 15 minutes because you need to go around the buildings and walk to the new college building. It's great weather now: it's not a problem.
There are plenty of restaurants and clubs. The Alpha Club is in the Le Meridien Village. There are many restaurants as well. Warehouse has a 40% discount (for alcohol as well!) for crew, it's one of my favourite places. Service is great! (They know me and my husband by name: it's amazing!) Many home deliveries: Sumo sushi, Noodle Planet, lebanese restaurant, Chillis, pizza hut etc. There is the Irish Village, there are parties and concerts sometimes. (It can be loud.)
Are you a tennis player? You can play tennis, many courts. There is squash in Aviation Club.
Life Pharmacy is at "G" block. Lifko supermaket is at "F" block (free home delivery). More Cafe is in "F" block (20% discount), it's an internet café. Many spas around. I love the Nail Spa (25% discound from Sun-Wed): try the everlasting manicure, this job is killing the nails. There is a great Thai Massage place in "G" block and a 24/7 supermarket. You can withraw money in HSBC at the corner or in the 24/7. There is a gas station next to your building: you can buy stuff at night if you only want to walk 2 minutes.
Big shopping malls are close: Deira City Centre and Festival City. It takes 10 minutes by taxi, around 15 dhs. Dubai Mall (Burj Khalifa) is 15 minutes by taxi, around 25 dhs, or you can take the metro. Jumeirah Beach Park (entrance fee is only 5 dhs) is 20 minutes maybe, around 35 dhs.
After you get your ID, you will be able to use the crew bus for transportation as well. It's very easy to visit your friends who live far from you: it's free and you won't get lost. You CAN stay over at your friend's place (male or female) but don't forget your crew ID.
There is a metro station in Garhoud. It's around 10-minute-walk because you need to go around the buildings. It's worth to take it if you go to the Habtour Beach Resort for beach as it's very far, the taxi would cost you a fortune.
Free access to Le Meridien gym: it's an amazing gym! (There is a steam room as well: good for your skin.) Free use of pool: excellent for swimming. 50% discount on food and beverage at the pool. It's across the road, you can walk there. You can go for classes there or in the Aviation Club: one class (yoga, body pumb, spinning etc.) costs you 50 dhs.
Do NOT buy things together with your flatmate: make it clear who owns the microwave and who owns the DVD player. People resign and move.
Be considerate: don't slam the doors when your flatmate is at home!!! Indicate when you are at home: my flatmate switched on the light above the entrance door outside when she was there, I always left my key in the lock (half out) when I was there. Indicate when your lover is there, so she won't be walking naked in the apartment: leave his shoes out or send an sms. Do not let your boy-friend "move in" and hang around when you are not there. Print out your rosters and put both on the fridge. Inform your flatmate if you wish to organize a party or a dinner with friends in the apartment. Take care of the plants! Cleaning is always a big issue, make a schedule. (A cleaning lady costs around 50 dhs for 2 hours.) Always leave the kitchen and living room tidy when going for a flight and empty the washing- and drying machines! If you eat your flatmates stuff from the fridge, replenish it before she comes back from the flight or leave her a note at least. Bring out the trash when it's full and you are leaving for a flight. Put down the volume and close the doors when you are watching TV in the living room and your flatmate is in her room.
I listed most of the reasons of the conflicts between the flatmates and how to avoid them. Respect each other's privacy! If you don't have similar cultural and family background ('the way you were brought up'), you will not match. Young people easily can adapt and intelligent people can learn: you can live in peace together even if you don't really like each other.
You can move free of charge in the first year. (Moving will cost you 1000 dhs after finishing 1 year of service. You can move out but Living-out Allowance is only available for married crew.)
There are single apartments in some of the buildings, so you will see many Pursers and SFSs who live there. It's a really nice place to live.
You really are lucky with Garhoud, it's a very good start. I wish you were as happy in Garhoud as I was during the years I lived there.
All the best for the training!
Last edited by Mari; 31st Oct 2010 at 00:07.