Daily life in DXB
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Daily life in DXB
Hi Folks,
Just a few questions here from a newbie.
I am thinking of pursuing the EK job and wonder about a few things. I have lived overseas for quite a few years but currently am living and flying in the US and am a US national.
How are the basics of daily life in Dubai? Shopping? Telephone/Cell Phone? Cable/Satellite TV? Internet?
I would be going as a single guy and would (if selected) get the single housing which I guess is a 2-bedroom apartment. Are these decent places? Safe? Quiet?
I would love to hear some thoughts on the basics of daily life in Dubai when not working.
Thanks!
Just a few questions here from a newbie.
I am thinking of pursuing the EK job and wonder about a few things. I have lived overseas for quite a few years but currently am living and flying in the US and am a US national.
How are the basics of daily life in Dubai? Shopping? Telephone/Cell Phone? Cable/Satellite TV? Internet?
I would be going as a single guy and would (if selected) get the single housing which I guess is a 2-bedroom apartment. Are these decent places? Safe? Quiet?
I would love to hear some thoughts on the basics of daily life in Dubai when not working.
Thanks!
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I have done a fair amount of searching and will certainly do more. I do appreciate all opinions.
I have lurked for a quite a while but have never posted.
Thanks!
I have lurked for a quite a while but have never posted.
Thanks!
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Lived in Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain, and Michigan before...you especially as a single would enjoy DXB for sure lots to do in most areas..safe yes..not likely to get mugged or carjacked..leave the ice-fishing shack at home
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What are the basics of life like? Services?
How expensive is telephone service? How about cell phone service? When I did my search I gather that Skype is not available and I figured out that the internet is very restrictive.
I have no doubt that I might like the single life....
But I have also to know about some of the every day things. Are there stores that cater to westerners?
Any thoughts on the things we tend to take for granted in the western world would be appreciated!
How expensive is telephone service? How about cell phone service? When I did my search I gather that Skype is not available and I figured out that the internet is very restrictive.
I have no doubt that I might like the single life....
But I have also to know about some of the every day things. Are there stores that cater to westerners?
Any thoughts on the things we tend to take for granted in the western world would be appreciated!
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DXB is a busy city
With all services available, water, electricity, and even telephones. But NO skype.
Western shops, include such clasics as McDonnalds, and Spinneys.
The quality of life is what you make of it.
It is a manic city at times, but can be fun.
Just get here, and enjoy, bit sticky in summer, but great most of the year.
Western shops, include such clasics as McDonnalds, and Spinneys.
The quality of life is what you make of it.
It is a manic city at times, but can be fun.
Just get here, and enjoy, bit sticky in summer, but great most of the year.
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Thanks!
I hope to interview soon and will get a glimpse then what it is like. I have seen much of North America and lived in Europe for 12+ years but have never been to the Middle East.
The roadshow by EK presented it is very much a 'First World' country, but not a 'Western' country, if that makes sense. I do not use these labels in an offensive way, so please understand my meaning without reading anything negative into them.
It'll be interesting to check out.
I hope to interview soon and will get a glimpse then what it is like. I have seen much of North America and lived in Europe for 12+ years but have never been to the Middle East.
The roadshow by EK presented it is very much a 'First World' country, but not a 'Western' country, if that makes sense. I do not use these labels in an offensive way, so please understand my meaning without reading anything negative into them.
It'll be interesting to check out.
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Quick point - my Skype DOES work fine when I'm in Dubai. I think the problem is, the skype website is blocked, so locals can't download the app. in the first place. But if it's already on your laptop when you come in, no problem. Believe me it makes a big big difference to your mobile bill 
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You seem to be missing the big issues
If you are single then you will not have to worry about a bored wife, schooling for kids etc. The big issues come when trying to balance your work and being here with the needs of a family. US and Europe are nothing like here, totally different culture with a heavily ingrained class system. UAE nationals at the top, western expats in the middle and Asia/sub continent expats at the bottom. As someone has said this has been done to death on these forums.
If your only real concern is the cost of phones and Internet then it is a no brainer ... come and enjoy the hospitality of the most tolerant Arabic/Muslim country and the biggest, tallest, widest, largest, bestest, most wonderful place on earth ... no wait that's Disneyland isn't it?
Most of what you have in US is here consumer wise, there are bigger malls being built all the time. Cars are cheaper to buy and run, labour is cheap so you needn't ever have to clean your apartment, wash your clothes or iron your laundry whilst you are here if you choose.
Once you get used to the god-awful driving, perpetual road works, manual paper based systems and dealing with the various cultures you'll be fine.
If your only real concern is the cost of phones and Internet then it is a no brainer ... come and enjoy the hospitality of the most tolerant Arabic/Muslim country and the biggest, tallest, widest, largest, bestest, most wonderful place on earth ... no wait that's Disneyland isn't it?
Most of what you have in US is here consumer wise, there are bigger malls being built all the time. Cars are cheaper to buy and run, labour is cheap so you needn't ever have to clean your apartment, wash your clothes or iron your laundry whilst you are here if you choose.
Once you get used to the god-awful driving, perpetual road works, manual paper based systems and dealing with the various cultures you'll be fine.
Last edited by Macaroon; 18th Dec 2007 at 17:04. Reason: formatting
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Internet and phones are not the only things by even a long shot. But they are examples of small things that can be frustrating if they don't work as we expect them too.
I continue to search. But I do appreciate the answers and thoughts.
You are right that I won't have a wife or kids to worry about. It's just me and whether or not I like it. That sure makes it easier.
Most of the things I read about Dubai from pilots tend to be negative. Of course, probably a majority are satisfied and have no reason to whine about their lot in life.
I continue to search. But I do appreciate the answers and thoughts.
You are right that I won't have a wife or kids to worry about. It's just me and whether or not I like it. That sure makes it easier.
Most of the things I read about Dubai from pilots tend to be negative. Of course, probably a majority are satisfied and have no reason to whine about their lot in life.
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Don't be fool by the Emirates "First World" crap, Dubai is nothing more than a third world country getting a "First world Fake over". Don't come here with "rose coloured specs" have your eye's very wide open.
It's not a bad place to live but it's not great by any means. In America and Europe if you live there you're all covered by the same rules and laws, not here buddy, put a foot out of line and you're locked up then deported, while the local gets a slap on the wrist
The whole place is one big money making machine for the arabs, that's all it is, "A money go-round" It's getting more expensive by the month and the Emirates pay rise does'nt cover inflation, the layover allowance will only cover room service, so you're out of pocket before you start!
They're so short of accomadation at the moment you may well not get that shiney new apartment you're hoping for, there are some real horror stories going around at the moment about temp accomodation, so be warned.
Good luck
It's not a bad place to live but it's not great by any means. In America and Europe if you live there you're all covered by the same rules and laws, not here buddy, put a foot out of line and you're locked up then deported, while the local gets a slap on the wrist
The whole place is one big money making machine for the arabs, that's all it is, "A money go-round" It's getting more expensive by the month and the Emirates pay rise does'nt cover inflation, the layover allowance will only cover room service, so you're out of pocket before you start!
They're so short of accomadation at the moment you may well not get that shiney new apartment you're hoping for, there are some real horror stories going around at the moment about temp accomodation, so be warned.
Good luck
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the layover allowance will only cover room service
.....
On another point mentioned above about the pecking order of expats in the Sandpit, as I sit in airconditioned comfort in my car, I sometimes find myself behind a truck (admittedly, more often a bus these days) packed to the gunnels with Pakistani or Bangla Deshi workers, (or in the middle of the night, drive past a gaggle of the poor buggers standing on the side of the road waiting for the bus to arrive to take them back to 'rest' during the day in their 'looxuries-filled' barracks).
I've often wondered how much I'll squirm should one day one of those men get himself an education and write a story on what life in Dubai was like for him and his fellow workers as they built the Dubai I'm very comfortably living in.
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Come on guys, get real.
You mean to tell me you go to the UK for example and need more than £50 - £60 to feed your fat faces over 24 hours. Most hotels offer a good enough discount. Most around 30 -40%, even on the old amber nectar, so unless you're having fillet steak for breaki, lunch and din dins, can't see how you feel hard done by. I'll admit that you can't put it towards the alimony but I always come home with a full tummy!
This Company ain't perfect but be realistic.
Harry
You mean to tell me you go to the UK for example and need more than £50 - £60 to feed your fat faces over 24 hours. Most hotels offer a good enough discount. Most around 30 -40%, even on the old amber nectar, so unless you're having fillet steak for breaki, lunch and din dins, can't see how you feel hard done by. I'll admit that you can't put it towards the alimony but I always come home with a full tummy!
This Company ain't perfect but be realistic.
Harry
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Well, at my own airline in the US we are paid $1.50 Per Diem while away from base. $36 per day. I guess it adds up and it is tax free, but it's still not much. Plus there are no crew meals at my carrier.
For some the deal is maybe rotten, but for others it might not be all bad.
For some the deal is maybe rotten, but for others it might not be all bad.
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If you are married with kids forget about coming to Dubai. Costs for your wife and schooling for your kids will be 5X the costs as in the states. Your phone calls which because of the local monopoly blocking tactics are over 60 cents a min overseas. Don't listen to the pack, Sykpe is blocked unless you do some fancy stuff to your computer so plan on spending big bucks on your phone bill.
My advice is you have a job in the states, stay there and enjoy all the offerings. Rememeber no matter what EK tells you it is a 3rd world police state. You have no rights and your sole being in Dubai is to make the ruling family money and you won't make as much money as you would in the states. You might make more money but you won't save as much as you think either. Think long and hard about joining and get all the information you can to make an informed decision.
My advice is you have a job in the states, stay there and enjoy all the offerings. Rememeber no matter what EK tells you it is a 3rd world police state. You have no rights and your sole being in Dubai is to make the ruling family money and you won't make as much money as you would in the states. You might make more money but you won't save as much as you think either. Think long and hard about joining and get all the information you can to make an informed decision.
If you are married with kids forget about coming to Dubai.
Costs for your wife and schooling for your kids will be 5X the costs as in the states.
Don't listen to the pack, Sykpe is blocked unless you do some fancy stuff to your computer
you won't make as much money as you would in the states. You might make more money
From what I've seen single guys have a pretty good time here.
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I appreciate all comments, good and not so good. Anyway, I don't have a wife or kids so that's not an issue. However, I do have family in the US and so I like to keep in touch with them by phone. I do spend a lot of time online and on the phone and so they are not entirely trivial issues.
Seems like it could be decent since I don't need to worry about a wife or kids.
A couple of aquaintances seem to like what they have seen so far. We'll see.
BTW, the US job market is not great. Yeah, folks are getting hired but at truly pathetic salaries. First year pay at the majors is about $40K/year or less. And working in the US at the airlines has turned into a pretty miserable experience as well.
Anyway, there are good points and bad points to every company and every country and that will never change.
Seems like it could be decent since I don't need to worry about a wife or kids.
A couple of aquaintances seem to like what they have seen so far. We'll see.
BTW, the US job market is not great. Yeah, folks are getting hired but at truly pathetic salaries. First year pay at the majors is about $40K/year or less. And working in the US at the airlines has turned into a pretty miserable experience as well.
Anyway, there are good points and bad points to every company and every country and that will never change.
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Yes Wiley, only some places are covered by the poor allowence. Like DAC.
Sorry Harry I but I like to eat in a resturant and not in my room for dinner, try having a three course meal (not unreasonable) and a glass of wine and you will find yourself very much out of pocket!
Just done it in SYD and even with the dicount it's very short of enough.
Sorry Harry I but I like to eat in a resturant and not in my room for dinner, try having a three course meal (not unreasonable) and a glass of wine and you will find yourself very much out of pocket!
Just done it in SYD and even with the dicount it's very short of enough.
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So the question is just who is Wizo getting paid by. Are you under orders to refute every statement in the quickest of time? AAR or TC order you to do this or do you feel that you have to "protect the company".
Now on to the truth...
If Lugano had kids it would cost him three months salary to educate two of his kids out of his pocket. Now that is a fact.
If he wants to eat out for dinner it would be more expensive than any city in the US. Fact and that includes NY or SFO.
There is ways around the phone company but why do we have to do such things to our computer. Other than living in a 3rd world police state there is no reason to block anything on the computer.
Why would you leave the US and come to the sandbox?
Now on to the truth...
If Lugano had kids it would cost him three months salary to educate two of his kids out of his pocket. Now that is a fact.
If he wants to eat out for dinner it would be more expensive than any city in the US. Fact and that includes NY or SFO.
There is ways around the phone company but why do we have to do such things to our computer. Other than living in a 3rd world police state there is no reason to block anything on the computer.
Why would you leave the US and come to the sandbox?