US girl moving with husband

[Hallie]

Hello to all. First off- thank you very much for this forum. It has been a big help, and ever time I get a free minute at work I check it.

My husband and I will be moving to Dubai (or Cape Town- moving is a given, but the location is still up in the air) this time next year.

I bought a book about Dubai, but it was more about touristy things to do and didn’t include a lot about living in Dubai.

I just bought Dubai Explorer : The Complete Residents' Guide (Living & Working for Expats) from Amazon, so hopefully it'll be more helpful.

A few questions for everyone (I looked around to avoid a repeat)

Are weekends Friday and Saturday? Is Sunday the beginning of the work week?

What does everyone do in the summer? I'm from the Gulf South (US), so I'm accustomed to heat, but not 122 deg in the summer!

What are absolute musts to bring to bring for the summer weather (I'm planning on taking advantage of after summer sales here in the US, so any ideas about fabrics to avoid/get, length of skirt/short, etc would be greatly appreciated)

What clothes do women wear in the summer?

It is likely that my husband and i will start a family while living in Dubai- are there women OB/GYN's?

What other countries are close enough to visit for a long weekend trip?

Are movies in the theater the same as movies that would release in Western Countries, or are some of them banned?

I currently work in a non profit organization where I help teach/provide food for low income children. I have read about the poor treatment of immigrant workers and was wondering if anyone knows of jobs (or even volunteers) who help these people. I'd rather do something along those lines than get a job in my husband's office.

Thank you in advance! I really do appreciate your help.

[mv8]

1) Weekends are Friday and Saturday

2) Mostly folks go back to their home country (since a large amount of people are internationals). But there are events like Dubai Summer Surprises to keep you busy.

You can drive to a few nearby places like Ajman, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Fujeirah, Al Ain etc. But if you thinking of doing something outdoor, I would give it a second thought as 45 deg C with 75 - 90% humidity will set you back big time.

Dubai has great beaches with clear water if you are into that sort of activities.

And there are always malls to visit with new one opening every year. But most of the people go overseas during summer break.

3) Getting 100% cotton fabrics (Shirts, trousers) will be your best bet. Many outlets in the US like Belk, Sears, Macy's, JC Penny will offer those. Length of short/skirt is up to you, however use good judgment when wearing clothes that might be in appropriate. There is no restriction whatsoever.

4) You are free to wear what ever you wish.

5) YES, there are women OB/GYN's

6) You can drive to Muscat (Oman) and fly to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan which are within 2.5 hours flying time. However you will need a visa to visit them, although some countries might make an exception if you hold an American passport.

7) Absolutely all the movies are shown in Dubai within a week of releasing in the US. Movies might not be banned but some explicit scenes might be censored.

8) I don't think any one is working towards improving conditions of those workers. You will need to find out once you reach there.

Hope this answers your queries. You will certainly enjoy Dubai

[avikal]

Welcome......you may expect best of east and west......You can afford all you can west like big cars and all. Fuel is cheap. You can also afford things people can afford in east like housemaids, cleaners etc.
Cheers

[sgilli3]

Originally Posted by avikal

Welcome......you may expect best of east and west......You can afford all you can west like big cars and all. Fuel is cheap. You can also afford things people can afford in east like housemaids, cleaners etc.
Cheers

This is the 2nd time Ive read from you this morning about being able to afford maids etc.

Having home help costs money, so do big cars, houses etc. You are making Dubai sound like the streets are paved with gold. That is not the case for the majority of the people here. People need to be aware that some things are very, very expensive here (such as housing + schooling)

Yes home help is available (if wanted...not everyone has it)

[McBook]

Originally Posted by avikal

Welcome......you may expect best of east and west......You can afford all you can west like big cars and all. Fuel is cheap. You can also afford things people can afford in east like housemaids, cleaners etc.
Cheers

The maid situation in Dubai bothers me. Everyone I speak to seems to have a maid, even if they live in a small apartment! They brag about how cheap it is to have a maid but I don't think that's anything to be proud of. I would be ashamed to pay another human being such ridiculously low wages and feel embarassed that so many of these people are exploited by my fellow "rich" westerners (and others). I'll clean my own flat, thanks.

[Iron Horse]

I clean my own place and it's small too. Plus I'm a cheap arse so I got two things working for me.

[Elphaba]

Originally Posted by McBook

The maid situation in Dubai bothers me. Everyone I speak to seems to have a maid, even if they live in a small apartment! They brag about how cheap it is to have a maid but I don't think that's anything to be proud of. I would be ashamed to pay another human being such ridiculously low wages and feel embarassed that so many of these people are exploited by my fellow "rich" westerners (and others). I'll clean my own flat, thanks.

Don't be fooled. Not everyone has a maid - far from it!

I have a cleaner who comes in one day a week and I pay her well over the odds, as I'd feel uncomfortable paying less that the equivalent of the UK minimum wage. My husband and I work full-time and there is nothing wrong in employing someone to help out. Persoanally, I loathe housework and roning so am happy to pay somesome else to do it. It just depends on how you treat them and your attitude.

Sadly some people seem to leave their manners on the plan when they arrive.

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