ExpatWoman

Just add love… 5 inexpensive ideas for Valentine’s Day

2011-02-09T23:23:00.000-08:00

The most romantic day of the year is almost here and pressure is mounting to get that perfect gift or plan the ideal date. While your man probably puts less importance on Valentine’s Day than you do (if he remembers it at all), you still wouldn’t want to come up empty-handed should he surprise you with the apple (or handbag/jewellery) of your eye.

Want something other than the ordinary for Valentine’s Day this year without breaking into your retirement fund? Visit EW for five Valentine’s Day ideas that will go easy on your credit card while winning you big points with your loved one.

Social Media Abbreviations

2011-01-27T03:07:00.001-08:00

More and more of us, become more and more adept with, more and more social media options all the time! The increase in speed of communication has been nothing short of a revolution over the past couple of decades. Do people even write letters anymore?! The fax machine I relied on so heavily, whizzing news back home to family when I first moved to Dubai 13 years ago, is now obsolete. And I’m now in danger of a repetitive strain injury from my Blackberry affliction; rarely out of sight. Responding to emails or sms; it’s all immediate – dexterous thumbs a-blur. Facebook, first embraced by the young, quickly followed by the rest of the world, was never about perfectly grammatical phraseology. English teachers despair... (but keep their FB pages updates). The forum phenomena grew at the same time and those who regular post pick up shorthand tips which leave casual observers a little abused as to what they’re talking about. But maybe that’s part of the appeal; to stand apart as the knowing ‘in crowd’. At this point I’m tempted to invent RMETTC (roll my eyes to the ceiling). The popularity of Twitter, with its 140 character limit, has led to even greater use of TLAs (three letter acronyms) and abbreviations. And if you’re doing all this in a second language, as many are, it must be all the more confusing. Here are a few common, and less common, ones that you may have seen in use and didn’t like to ask. We’d still recommend you use sparingly if you want to be understood. And yes we know there are rude ones too but that would be TMI...

See the list of abbreviations

Dubai visit visa

2011-01-13T01:44:00.000-08:00

If you are confused about you need to do to get visa's organised for visiting friends and family then have a look at our latest How to on Dubai visit visas.

Clear details on who gets a visa on arrival and who needs to get on before departing for their holiday!

Shopping in Dubai

2010-12-13T23:04:00.000-08:00

Dubai is renowned for it's shopping experience, huge annual shopping festivals and glitzy malls.

EW decided to put together a list of all Dubai's malls to make it that much easier to know where is the best place to shop for what!

2010-10-12T22:22:00.001-07:00

Buying a car in Dubai can be a great or terrible experience, we’ve been in Dubai many years and seen and heard both ends of the spectrum. For what it’s worth here are some of our experiences and those we have heard from others

How to get your Alchohol License in Dubai

2010-09-27T22:25:00.000-07:00

One of the things we miss from home is being able to pop into the local off-license to pick up your favourite beverage. In Dubai there are places like MMI but they require a license before you can purchase. ExpatWoman has made this process easier with our "How to get your Alchohol License in Dubai"
So stop dragging your feet it's so easy...

Sudoku is here!

2010-09-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

If you are as addicted to the game of sudoku as the ExpatWoman team is, then you will be happy with our new daily interactive sudoku game. Play it and send in your best time to see how your fair against the rest of EW!!!!

Battling to keep your kids busy after school?

2010-09-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

Life in Dubai can be fast paced especially for working mums who need to keep the kids busy in the afternoons. If you need some help in seeing what's available for your kids then see our Dubai After School Activities section for some ideas.

How to decide where to live?

2010-09-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

If you are new to Dubai or are thinking of moving you aren't sure where, then read our How to decide where to live in Dubai article. It's filled with helpful hints on residential areas, traffic etc.

If you need more info about Living in Dubai and moving to Dubai then read our Dubai guide!

Expatwoman's Driving survey

2010-09-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

Have you filled out our ExpatWoman's Driving survey? Enter and stand a chance to win vouchers fromAreej. Areej are giving away 15 000AED in vouchers!

Make sure you complete the survey to be entered in the draw.

Safe online shopping with Dubai Gifts!

2010-09-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

I always find it hard buying gifts for friends and family, especially for those who are abroad, and I'm sure it's the same for many of you.

That's why we love Dubai Gifts! Finally we have a local company offering safe and secure online shopping. Dubai Gifts has over 500 gifts to choose from which can be delivered locally or abroad...or spoil yourself and have it delivered to your home:)

Top Ten Reasons to be Cheerful – Back to Dubai

2010-08-31T03:28:00.000-07:00

Top 10 reasons to be cheerful - back to Dubai

Wherever I have been, however great the holiday, I am always, always happy to get back to Dubai! So as the poster girl for positivity, understanding not everyone returns with maybe quite the same level of enthusiasm, here are the Top Ten things that do it for me. If your holiday is drawing to a close and you’re not looking forward to saying goodbye to friends and family, then hopefully this will cheer you up a little....

1. Back with Dad! Well that has to be number one. Mums may take the family away for extended breaks, but you’re lucky if both partners have the same option. We came back armed with a “Things to do with Dad” book and he’s been strongly in demand for father and son activities ;-)

2. I love my bed! I love my bed, my sheets, my bedroom, looking out the window; everything about being back in my own room. And I know I’m not alone in this as friends report back on a variety of night-time manoeuvres from camp beds with relatives to camping to hotels that they’re happy to put behind them.... if you’re not delighted to be back in your own space, then it’s time to brighten it up and make it more comfortable. Make that a September project!

3. The kids are delighted to be reunited with their own stuff. Kept them quiet for the first two weeks at least!

4. Back to having me-time! When we’re away we do lots of great stuff – the experience of taking a pack(?) of llamas for a walk this summer with stay with me forever.... but from getting up to going to bed, there’s not a lot of downtime. I am sure other mums will relate.

5. Every year I get back to Dubai it gives me great pleasure to get back into my car and onto Dubai roads. Now I know they have a certain reputation, and I’d seen moments of madness within the first couple of days back, but somehow, I’m used to the driving style and I’m ok with it. I like the familiarity of a city I know well and the wide open roads – very open this month with so many people away.

6. Slow starts at the weekend with the paper, the puzzle pages and my morning coffee – perfect!

7. Maties! We were about three weeks ahead of the influx of friends returning but they’ve been slowly coming back and good to catch up.

8. Familiar watering holes..... it’s a bit steamy to sit out at night still – some nights better than others – but plenty of bars and restaurants to (re)discover. The hotels have great Iftar offers, and it’s just good to be back on our own stomping ground.

9. I’ve stopped looking like a bag lady! Living out of cases, I never seem to have the right clothes with me, end up layering to cope with the British weather and we only seem to catch up with washing machines, dryers and ironing boards every few days, or worse. I don’t know what it is but the whole lot seems to go downhill. Call me shallow but a week back in Dubai I’d had my hair and nails done and was feeling much more myself! Still got to get round to booking that facial though....

10. Back to routine! It means different things to all of us and as much as a break can be just what you need, I really miss that structure to daily/weekly life and, more than getting back to Dubai, I’m also quite looking forward to the boys getting back to school!

Okay that all said, if you’re still feeling a little sad as the holidays draw to a close, you could draw a leaf out of our graphic designer, Lynn’s book and book your next holiday the weekend you get back from the last; always good to have something to look forward to! There’s a long weekend coming for Eid around September 9th and National Day on December 2nd and plenty of options for local and international breaks. If you’re looking for ideas, Al Arabi Travel & Chic Collection will be attending ExpatWoman’s Living in Dubai Morning & our Burj Al Arab Breakfast respectively, and I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to inspire you!

How to do Dubai on a Budget

2010-08-25T22:47:00.000-07:00

With the recession still lurking in everyone's mind we decided to have a look at ways to save money in one of the world's glitziest cities, Dubai.

Using the Dubai Metro instead of taking a taxi can save you a lot of money and if you don't know how to use the metro, don't worry we've got you covered with How to get around Dubai with the Metro.

If you like to eat out often, then try out one of Dubai's many Indian and Pakistani restaurants which offer economical delicacies.

From going out to sight seeing with visitors we have great tips for tightening those purse strings and still having fun!

Rod Stewart Live from LA

2010-04-20T11:23:00.001-07:00

.... And staying with that theme, Jane had a chat with Rod Stewart this week, catching up on news of the upcoming concert, life in LA and keeping fit.... http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_sub_3774.aspx

Tom's Still Got It

2010-04-19T21:18:00.001-07:00

.... and so much of it !!!
Tom Jones rocked Abu Dhabi on Friday night, delighting old fans and converting new ones. With his 70th birthday looming, that incredible voice is still booming, and from the very first song he had the audience in the palm of his hand. We sang along to all the old favourites "Hard to Handle", "Mama Told Me", "Delilah", "She's a Lady", "Kiss", "It's Not Unusual".... and it was great to hear tracks from the new album.
It was the first concert to be held at the National Exhibition Centre and what a tremendous venue. We had seats in the gallery - a raised tier behind maybe 20 rows of level seating, which afforded an excellent view of both the stage and the two huge screens either side. It was easy to get in and out, and well-organised once there.
With that ash cloud hovering over Europe, we hear that Tom and the crew have enjoyed a fantastic four days hospitality at The Emirates Palace Hotel - apparently the most pleasurable catastrophe they have ever experienced. Hopefully that warm glow will stay with them and they won't leave it so long before booking a return date.

Ladies enjoy another great morning with ExpatWoman & Ford

2010-03-25T00:02:00.000-07:00

40 ladies joined EW on March 21st for another fun-filled morning with Ford, this time at the stunning Els Club, Dubai Sports City.

The morning started with a tasty breakfast on the terrace overlooking the lush green golf course. We then divided into teams and the competitive activities began. The looks from the men on the course were priceless as we started chipping balls into the boot of the Lincoln MKX! After discovering more about the car's features, the competitive spirit amongst the ladies burned bright during the timed quiz.

Prize giving concluded the morning, with every lady receiving a Lincoln goodie bag, as well as the winning team taking home 300dhs gift vouchers to spend on cosmetics at Areej.

Check out this Youtube video to see how much fun we had :-)

NEW Tickets on Sale through all ExpatWoman Coffee Mornings

2010-03-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

Shakespeare4Kidz are making Macbeth accessible to all with this great production from the UK, touring the Middle East and in Dubai for just one week. Public performances are on March 18th & 19th only and just to make life that little bit easier for our readers, ExpatWoman have tickets on sale at all ExpatWoman Coffee Mornings, ExpatBumps & Babes and ExpatMums & Tots with effect from March 8th. See ExpatWoman What's On listing.

Classified Ads Upgrade for www.ExpatWoman.com

2010-02-27T02:56:00.000-08:00

** New **

Add a photo to Classified Ads on ExpatWoman.com

Ads stay online for 14 days before being automatically taken down. Items are fast moving. Its a simple, effective & free service, open to both site members and non-members.

Feature sections : Baby Items, Household Items, Cars/4*4s, Electronics, Childrens Toys, Furniture, Sports Equipment, Tickets, as well as Pets Free to a Good Home & Maids/Gardeners/Drivers Available & Wanted

Dubai Classified Ads, Abu Dhabi Classifieds & Qatar Classifieds

March issue of YOU! magazine

2010-02-27T02:46:00.001-08:00

The March issue of YOU! magazine has gone to press and will be in schools & colleges, and at ExpatWoman events from March 7th. The magazine is freely distributed at agreed locations. Looking to get your hands on a copy, check Events - Whats On on ExpatWoman.com.
Feature themes for this Spring issue include Mothers' Day, Easter, the Brownie Guide Centenary, Doulas of Dubai, Hair Extensions & Race Day Fashions, along with the usual pot pouri of community news and tales of students' achievements at our great schools and colleges.

WIN with YOU! magazine !
This issue for the kids we have Xbox & PS3 games, cds, 17 beauty tips book & 100 creme eggs to giveaway and we're announcing a co-sponsored draw with ExpatWoman with 12 tickets to see the fabulous Rod Stewart & Spandau Ballet.

2010-02-01T04:28:00.000-08:00

When the invitation came through to sign up for the Media Karting Challenge, I had no hesitation... in passing it on to Sallie. As her passenger on the roads of Dubai, I'd already examined the finer points of her car's road handling. Sallie's a motor head... but who would join her? We were quite surprised as our team mates one by one joined me in the weedy corner... Jeanette, Andrea, Amanda.... but she's a feisty Scot!... and Lise, fearless on a polo pony but no interest in whizzing round a track 2 inches off the ground. Equally surprising, those who leapt in with enthusiasm; Jude, Marcus and Jo were very keen, and Lindsey and Debbie.... why not? Well, all I can say is, be careful what you wish for!

January 31st
It was a little hot under the collar down on the track last night, especially for those warm up rounds with the full ferocity of the competiting teams' testosterone unleashed, and the inevitable question coming to the minds of our five brave racers "Why did I agree to do this?"

By some quirk of fate, Sallie's offer to go first turned round and bit her on the bum, as we were allotted pole position and it was a white knuckle start with 20 keener-than-keen drivers revving up to pass her by the first bend. Once she'd survived that one, the rest was plain sailing. Were we the only team with drivers waving to mates as they passed? Jo improved immensely on her initial time trial lap of 3 minutes. Jude was straight in there, no qualms and Debbie too, once the seat had been moved to small girl settings. It was left to Marcus to salvage the team's speed and he turned out to be the dark horse on the track. We were decidely impressed not to be awarded for any "slowest-" anythings. Instead we came away with a fabulous no-expense-spared cup celebrating our Pole Position.

Fab night - bring on Feb 28th !

Burj Dubai Opening today!

2010-01-03T21:32:00.001-08:00

You cannot fail to be impressed by the amazing feat of engineering that is Burj Dubai and tonight the eyes of the world's press will once again be on Dubai for what promises to be a spectacular launch event. Starting at 5pm, the fireworks are scheduled for 8-ish.... this is Dubai.... There is great excitement amongst those invited to attend, and many will be heading for the area to capture the moment, tempered by the odd dash of cynisism; we can only expect the whole roadwork in the area to grind to a halt so I'd recommend an early arrival & patience for anyone going along.
http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=91206
http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=91273
I'll be at home some 10km+ away, but given the nature of the event, sure to catch the fireworks regardless. The NYE fireworks over the Burj al Arab gave us a good show on the horizon and this can only be better.
Today also marks the opening of the Burj Dubai metro station; one step further towards reducing the number of cars on the road and providing quick, safe and clean public transport for commuters.
Congratulations to everyone who has worked on the Burj Dubai project. What a great way to start the new year.

Buy to Let in Dubai

2009-12-27T01:36:00.000-08:00

An ex-Dubai expat passing through en route back home for Christmas, took the opportunity to check out his soon-to-be-delivered Al Fujan villa, just off the Emirates Road, the Abu Dhabi side of Dubai. He was a little concerned about rental opportunities given so many properties will be coming on line in 2010. The consensus at dinner was that he should be okay. Rental yields are still high here - certainly compared to the UK, and tax free of course - and he is definitely the right side of town.

Abu Dhabi rentals are so much higher and there are now 5 lanes solid of commuter traffic heading to AD from Dubai every week day so certainly alot of people wanting to live in Dubai and work in Abu Dhabi.

What we really need is a high speed train service connecting the Emirates of course but then if I was setting policy for Abu Dhabi, and protecting financial/property interests there, I'm not sure I'd go for that option either. There is so much culturally going in Abu Dhabi though, it would make what the city has to offer alot more accessible. Not 2010 maybe, but you never know, hopefully the project is on somebody's desk somewhere, for consideration.

Is Dubai in meltdown ?

2009-11-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

"What's the weather like out there?"
"You got a window; open it!"

A friend's mother rang her in tears the other night, "What's happened? What's happened? Are you all alright?" She recounted this story as we sat in the garden with friends, another balmy evening, having partied and bbq-ed for several hours up until that point, without reference to Dubai's financial problems.

Its not that its not important of course. The numbers are unimaginable, but on a day to day level, as we have seen over the last two years, whilst global headlines scream of the imminent demise of all that we cherish, life kind of... goes on. $60 billion dollars; that's an awful lot of debt. How much do other countries owe? And more interesting, if the UK is hitting hundreds of billions, and the US trillions... who do all these countries owe it to? And should we all be moving there?! I hear China has bought Africa (the mineral rights).... where will it all end?

For all those concerned relatives back home, we're ok. Its the Eid break, followed by National Day, and many are using holidays to link the two. The children are off school for 10 days and given it was unexpected, most families are staying local. Typical agendas for this week involve getting out on the water, golf, lying in, getting together with friends and not watching the clock, putting up the Christmas tree and shopping for gifts in time to catch the post. Its cool enough for a comfortable run in the morning and warm enough to enjoy the rest of the day in the sunshine. Last night we sat outside at the Spanish restuarant at Al Qasr and the temperature was perfect - recommend the restuarant too ;-)

Confidence is everything in the financial world of course so we will watch and wait to see what repercussions come of the proposed debt restructure. Whilst we're waiting however, we're not so much biting our nails as ordering our Christmas turkey.

Dubai welcomes Newcomers

2009-11-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Once again, in October 2009, ExpatWoman recorded new all-time-high statistics: 9.8 million hits registered by 47512 unique visitors who, at the risk of boring you...., between them visited the site 160,772 times looking at 3,049,000 pages! August/September are always peak months for newcomers, fitting in with the academic year so we had rather expected to drop back a little from September stats. So what explains this phenomena?
The site is viewed 80% by UAE residents and 20% people looking in from 160 countries worldwide. So in part maybe, more local expats are discovering the site and ongoing, each month we are bringing something new to the party; we have an endless list of things we can do to make it better! But there is also an underlying steady stream of newcomers still arriving.
Our newcomers coffee mornings are still booming so much so that we had to launch a new Monday coffee morning at the "new Dubai" end of town this week to cope with the overflow. We had got up to 80+ ladies attending the MOE morning and it was too much for them (a daunting prospect for newcomers!) and too much for the host to be able to get round to everyone and make sure they are all happy and have been introduced to a friendly group.

So our new Dubai weekly coffee morning schedule looks like this....
Mall of Emirates StMaxims Mon with Jude
Dubai Marina Costa Mon with Jo
Mercato Costa Tues with Helga
Festival City The Lounge Wedn with Jo
All timings 10-12

And in addition Dubai ExpatMums & Tots meet...
Ibn Batuta Fun City Sun with Sam
from 10-12
Festival City Cool Times Tues with Barbara
from 9.30 - 11.30
We have been asked to look at an additional venue for Mums & Tots.

Dubai ExpatBumps & Babes alternate between two venues so check www.ExpatWoman.com What's On page for dates, and for all other events of course.
Times Square Mall Caribou Coffee Mon with Jodie
Ibn Battuta Mall Gloria Jeans Mon with Jodie
all 10 - 12

The feeling in Dubai is optimistic and hopefully we're seeing the outward signs of an ongoing upward trend. 2009 has been a year most of us will remember with some mixed feelings. We're looking forward to a more comfortable start to 2010.

Jane

Dr Carlo Ferrario resigns from Dubai College

2009-10-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

It was the biggest news story of the day for Dubai-based expats; Dubai College, the long-established bastion of secondary education was thrust into the headlines, with the sad news that Dr Carlo Ferrario had resigned from his position as Headmaster. Dr Ferrario had been with the school for just over a year,but in that short time had been warmly received by DC parents, students and staff. He cites interference in the running of the school by the KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority), as his reason for leaving. The KHDA is seeking to improve standards across all schools, public and private. The results of a comprehensive inspection a few months ago gave top honours to only four private schools (and no public schools) in the region as "Outstanding", surprisingly not including Dubai College. There have been 'mumblings' amongst education professionals about "goal posts being moved" but generally, there seems to be a consensus that, across the board, there is a good case for universal base standards.

As a parent looking on, we have seen little change in the school system following this and a further review this month. Schools are now required to teach Arabic as a core, streamed subject, from primary but that has largely been welcomed by parents. What a wasted opportunity for the many students who see large portions of their academic years here, to leave the country without a rudimentary knowledge of the subject.

From this month, private school pupils are required to sing or hum the UAE anthem each morning and that does seem to have got caught up with the resignation issue, causing somewhat undue controversy. A child being educated in the US will pledge alliegance to the US flag every morning. Its a sign of respect and certainly nothing more sinister than that. Looking through the posts of the ExpatWoman Forum and the sms messages to a radio phone in on 103.8fm, in which we participated yesterday, we were all surprised by the strength of feeling expressed. Actually, I think it would be a jolly good idea if all the kids in the UK were to start their school day with a bracing round of "God Save the Queen". Do you think I should drop a line to the Rt Hon Ed Balls?

Dr Ferrario for sure did not resign over the singing of the national anthem. There is a genuine concern amongst parents along the lines of "what does he know that we don't know?" but unless the gentleman comes forward to detail his grievance, the topic is destined for a two week round of dinner party speculation before slipping quietly away. Dubai College is a first class school with a tremendously experienced teaching staff who will keep the system running smoothly until order is restored.

And ongoing, parents will watch with interest the results of future KHDA reports, not least because school fee increases are capped according to performance. In forming their own assessment of their childrens school / future school however, they will be taking more into account than this report. We are so lucky here now to have such a choice of schools, at such a high standard. There is a place for every child arriving in the UAE, or moving from primary to secondary, and that certainly wasn't the case ten years ago - now that really was a scandal.

Special Needs Facilities in Dubai

2009-10-17T02:24:00.000-07:00

As part of their IA Award, my son & his friend are helping James Masterman, ESSE football coach, on a Saturday morning, running a football coaching session for children with Downs Syndrome. Its a fun hour for all involved, with everyone coming away with a smile on their face. Chatting to one of the mums this morning, she takes her son to an art group for special needs children during the week at Jam Jar, and on Sunday mornings another group go sailing at DOSC.
"Sadly," she explained,"for the many special needs children in Dubai there is a wide programme of activities available, but their parents choose not to bring them, keeping them behind closed doors."
As a mother of three very fortunate able-bodied children who enjoy such a complex array of afterschool activities we have charts in the kitchen and bedrooms so as not to miss anything, how sad that these kiddies don't get to enjoy the fabulous opportunities that Dubai has to offer.
Hats off to James, to Heta and to DOSC for launching these initiatives. I would like to collate information about groups offering activities for special needs kids for www.ExpatWoman.com so that others may find them. These few groups here I can follow up on but if you are aware of any others, please do drop me a line to Jane@ExpatWoman.com.

Have a good week,
Jane

Anything to celebrate ?

2009-10-10T01:35:00.000-07:00

The September issue of YOU! magazine has found its way into 24000 expat homes and the inbox is steadilly filling with competition entries. Its a big month for give aways as we are about to go live with our survey and once again somebody is going to win a fabulous Royal Caribbean Cruise for two ;-)

We're always working with at least one foot in the future. Andrea manages all ExpatWoman events and has got a pretty full calendar through to the end of the year; a Travel Morning, our biggest ever ExpatWoman Craft Fair, a Home & Garden Morning, High Tea, 4 Behind-the-Scenes mornings at More Cafe and all the regular coffee mornings, Mums & Tots and Bumps & Babes.

And I'm working on the next issue of YOU! for which I need your help.

The December issue will be in schools and at ExpatWoman events at the end of November. Do you have any good will messages that you would like us to help you celebrate through December, January, February ?
Birthday wishes, Engagements, Weddings, Anniversaries, Exam Successes, Awards, New Home, New Job.....

Send your good wishes to contact@YOUmagazine.ae, together with a photograph of at least 600kb, by October 20th.

The Rat Pack hit Dubai

2009-10-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

Thursday night, along with a packed house, we enjoyed a little trip back to yesteryear. The Rat Pack is now a well established show, bringing back to life the late, great Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jnr, re-enacting with familiar ad lib, their famous Vegas show.

Three fantastic voices accompanied by the very talented, 'Simon on piano' and great supporting band, the show was spot on. From the first toe-tapping tune through to the all-too-soon finale, we ABSOLUTELY LOVED it, and going by the standing ovations around us, we were not alone.

Leaving the theatre on a high, it was far too early to go home so we moved on to Jambase, another packed house. Jambase is not the cheapest place to eat in town but it is consistently good. You can find alot of good live music in Dubai but if you're looking to dance, its hard to beat Jambase.

All in all, a fab night out. The Rat Pack show is on for a few more days so do catch it if you can. And we also have a couple of tickets to give away for the performance on October 5th - see the ExpatWoman competition. They'll be making the draw Sunday afternoon so get in quick and you could be sampling a bit of that Old Black Magic yourself. http://www.expatwoman.com/dubai/monthly_Competition_Master.aspx

Dubai Metro Changes Life Overnight for Teens

2009-09-25T00:14:00.000-07:00

When the project was first announced, dinner party chat consistently came back to the same question; given all our reliance on cars, the distances we have to cover, the heat in the summer,"Who is going to use the metro?" But those with greater vision, have been amply rewarded this week to see the metro opened to unanimous cheer.

It is clean, safe and apart from the inevitable odd teething trouble, efficient and very, very well received. The main feedback on the ExpatWoman Information Board - a renowned barometer of the good, bad and indifferent - centres more on which stations are open and which are not and a certain irritation with the lack of information in that regard... above all though, an eagerness to see the system working fully.

One hugely significant factor that has made an enormous difference is the introduction of a regular and equally efficient feeder bus service.

Arabian Ranches was, up until last week, accessed by an 8km drive from MOE / Jumeirah. Now the F30 bus bound for Mall of the Emirates has several stops in AR, coming round every 15 minutes. Great news for anyone who doesn't drive and mums' taxi services everywhere suddenly got alot less busy. Young teens overnight have a new found freedom to get on a bus and go into town, link to a metro and on they go.

My son and his friends tried the bus service for the first time last weekend. I called to see how they were getting on...
"We're at Dubai Mall."
"Dubai Mall? What are you doing over there ?!"
"We took the metro to financial city and got a link bus to the mall, wandered around for a bit and then went to see a film. We're back in the metro now, going for something to eat in the mall and will come back on the 9pm bus."
Wow! That may sound very normal to mothers outside Dubai but for here, its a whole new way of life. We've always said that expat kids grow up to be worldly wise but not streetwise. Well maybe this new public transport system and the freedom it affords them, will fill the gap.

For stations and feeder routes : http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_Things_To_Do.aspx

Are Hot Cooked Chickens Safe ?

2009-09-15T22:09:00.001-07:00

Staying with the roast theme, I picked up this interesting thread from the board this morning : http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=79592.

Picking up a pre-cooked chicken is a common weekly ritual for many families, with rotating spits in most of the supermarkets. As the thread suggests, they're such scrawny little creatures... not far on from being eggs so yes, you do wonder how they were reared. Growth hormones? I have always assumed not, given they are so small, but who knows... maybe someone on the board is married to someone who works for a local poultry farm ;-)

Over the last couple of years more organic options have crept into the market both for meats and vegetables. As well as being considerable more expensive, they're a little more off the beaten track (for me) and I don't get organised to buy them. Whenever I'm in a new-broom frame of mind - back to exercise, eating sensibly, getting rid of the piles of rubbish accumulated at home... - seeking out a regular supply of good organic produce is added to the list. Haven't managed to find a solution yet but I'm on the look out.

2009-09-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

The Eid holiday is almost upon us. Whereas in previous years we have used the long weekend to enjoy a mini break along the coast somewhere or slightly further afield, this year we are so close the start of the new term; I feel like we've only just got back ! Going to spend the weekend enjoying being in Dubai, catching up with friends, and hoping it will be cool enough for an evening in the garden.

Have arranged to cook Sunday Lunch for 19 - 8 adults, 11 kids.... going to have to be a split shift affair with a large helping of BYO ;-)

ExpatWoman on Dubai Eye

2009-09-14T02:41:00.000-07:00

We have done alot with Dubai Eye over the years and this morning we resumed a weekly slot, with the very charming Jess and Wes, infecting the airwaves with our own brand of witter. Lola was on before us, talking about volunteering and had clearly come armed with pages of notes and things that had to be said. Lola is doing some brilliant work in the community and we're running a story about her - and how to get involved in volunteering - in the new issue of YOU! magazine (currently at the printers). But I digress.... which is exactly the problem. Sallie and I rock up with nothing more than our handbags, start off answering one question and end up talking about something else altogether. Is this the way its going to carry on ? Yes probably.

This morning was an introduction to the site and a chat about some experiences around being an expat, and being new to the city. We looked at the thorny issue of moderating our Information Board - a live forum that inevitable causes some consternation; we're either in trouble for over-moderating or in trouble for under-moderating but have to conclude, given the fantastic community we have on there, on balance, we get it about right.

Great to have the studio so handy; gone are the KGB-bunker days of Olde Methda Street, ARN have moved to Studio City. Its all brand spanking with 8 studios including Virgin Radio, where, unlike for 103.8fm, 92.0fm and the others, the presenters deliver the show standing up... "Well" explained Mathew, ancient producer (25), "they prefer it that way. They're young....." We picked up our zimmer frames on the way out, but will be back next week, same time, same place.

Expat Life - Make of Break ?

2009-09-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

What makes or breaks an expat move ? Well, it isn’t the size of your villa.

Over the past eight years, hosting www.ExpatWoman.com we have held the hands of many ‘000’s of expats moving to Dubai. From the first eager net trawl for information about a possible posting; … what’s it like ? …is it safe ? should we come… ? to planning the move ; …what school ? … where to live ? to arriving and settling in ; …finding a handyman to put up pictures, … beginning to build a social life. It’s all part of the ‘expat circle of life’. We’ve all done it, and many of us several times.

The first six months of any expatriation are the hardest. For all that you have the excitement of discovering your new locale, you also have to deal with certain frustrations of house hunting, setting up a home and establishing children in schools. You miss your family, miss your friends and feel slightly out of sync with everyone around you.

For women following their husband’s careers, there is that moment when your husband has gone to work, your children have gone to school and you are at home, alone, and you don’t know another soul in this town… country… maybe continent! It’s a lonely feeling. At that point, you have to brush yourself down, pick up your chin and head out to start making your new life. Some days you’ll feel like it and some days you won’t. Some people are very good at and for others, it’s a huge challenge. But either way, it needs to be done.

Women, more than men I think, need at least one good friend. For all women, from seven to seventy, that is make or break. The washing machine repair man hasn’t turned up for the third day running, its proving difficult to settle your youngest into nursery, you have spent an hour in a traffic jam because you took the wrong turning, its your mums birthday and you can’t get home…. Its all an awful lot better with a girlfriend to share it with. And it is not just the negative stuff. Whether its a walk round the park or a shopping day in the mall, its pretty banal on your own but with a girlfriend, stopping for coffee and a chat… it’s an altogether different experience.

So where do we make friends ?

As any family knows, women are the nurturers. We are the ones who create the social lives not only for ourselves, but to a great extent for our children and our partners. New mums in the know actively work the school pick up times, getting chatting with other mums and spotting children that they feel will click with / live near to / could play with their own. Before long, little Vanessa is coming over to play, then Sarah is asked back and phew! she’s ‘in’ with the class. All the better when there are other new mums at the classroom door, as frustrations and opportunities to explore can be shared in equal measure. Some of those early contacts form the basis of life long friendships. We shared 5th, 6th, 7th birthday parties, turned 40 and are fast heading for 50 together.

(We will look at the specific issues facing single women, and empty nesters another time).

The very phrase coffee mornings may well invoke an involuntary shudder but everyone has to start somewhere. The best advice we can give is to throw your net wide, try a few different groups and you are bound to come across someone like you. After all, how unusual can you be ?

Then you’re looking for common interests or job contacts. The ExpatWoman Jobs Board always has a good range of posts available across various industries and skills. For those who are not working there is so much to do; learn a language, art classes, endless sports lessons and fitness classes… To get you started we have sections on Things to Do, Wellbeing & Fitness and under Education, Tertiary Education and Courses for Women.

Friends report back favourably from true hardship postings in Nigeria, Ethiopia… where facilities are poor, and life can be dangerous. Some kind of ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ seems to gel residents into strong bonds and despite the apparent hardships, expats come away with memories of firm friendships, great parties and happy memories to cherish. About five years ago there was a major shift of companies moving their expats from Saudi to Dubai. At ExpatWoman.com, we expected the women to arrive overjoyed to be able to live more freely, to shop and enjoy a full social life. But that wasn’t the case. Above all, they missed the sense of community. On the Saudi compounds from the moment they had arrived, neighbours turned up with a welcome cake, invited them over for dinner and took them to the community centre. Not so in Dubai. If you choose to stay behind closed doors, no-one is going to knock. This is a city and you have to make the effort to make it work for you. The rewards are definitely out there but it can take a little time, and pretty much, you get out of it, whatever you put in.

So what makes or breaks an expat posting ? The single most important thing is friendships… everything else you can cope with. And as the song says, it takes two; bottom line, you have to be open to and active in getting out and meeting people. For those first six months be patient and understand the stage of the process you’re in; it does take time to settle in well. You could go to ten different groups, meet lots of very nice people but no-one you really click with and that 11th time…. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done it before, if its time to put yourself out there, you’ve got to walk in, take a deep breathe, and plant your friendliest smile, “Hello, I’m Andrea. We’ve just arrived….”

End of an Era

2009-09-11T05:19:00.000-07:00

For many expats, certain sights, sounds and tastes of home generate strong feelings of attachment. We Brits abroad have some wonderful stars of tv and radio who have a special place in our hearts. My personal list would include Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Joanna Lumley and that old rogue, Terry Wogan. Being away from home and not able to access the regular morning show, doesn't lessen the blow that he announced this week, an end to his 7am weekday morning show which he hosted from 1973 to 1984, and again from 1993 through to current day. The show will end at the end of this year. The silent majority of middle England tune in in their droves; it is the biggest programme in the UK with ratings higher than any tv show.

At 71 Mr Wogan deserves the odd lie in and it seems he is not hanging up his mic for good and will be returning with some daytime show.

Any TOGS out there wanting to follow up on the story, check out Terry's blog :
http://www.togs.org/biogs/twbiog.htm

ExpatWoman Online Book Club

2009-09-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

ExpatWoman is many things to many different groups of people but for one particular group, with a keen interest in reading, but lacking the chance the get together in one location, it is an online book club. Readers vote for the following month's book. The most popular choice is selected and when they have read it, members post their comments on a dedicated section of the ever busy, ExpatWoman Forum.

This month our members are reading Tamarind and Saffron by Claudia Roden. It is comprehensive cookbook has recipes drawn from many Middle Eastern countries, including Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Algeria and Iran for every occasion, from simple snacks or "mezze" to grand feasts. It also includes classics of Middle Eastern cuisine, little-known regional specialities, homely everyday foods and even special vegetarian dishes.

A thread to discuss Tamarind and Saffron will be open from October 1st : http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/topics.aspx?ForumID=14

The three choices for October reading are

Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam
Born Under a Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Readers are voting now for their preferred book.

Interested ? Just sign up and get involved.

The club is freely open to anyone anywhere ;-)

Dubai After School Activities

2009-09-08T22:43:00.000-07:00

They're pretty much on hold through Ramadan as school premises close early, but that's quite welcome given its still so hot. Temparatures and humidity drop away through October and then November to March/April we will enjoy a long winter outdoors. Maybe you'd have to have lived in the UK to fully appreciate the pleasure of being able to book bbqs, beach days, camping trips, weekend breaks in the Northern Emirates... weeks in advance.

With the normal school day ending at 1-2pm for primary schools, and 3pm for secondary (they start at 7.30), long afternoons are free for regular hobbies and children here are spoilt for choice : arts, ballet and modern dance, basketball, boxing, brownies, cubs and guides, f1, football, go-karting, golf, kite-surfing, martial arts, netball, rugby, sailing, scuba diving, skiing and snowboarding, surfing, tennis, theatre.... Well else would you get that level of choice? Mothers drive for miles, criss-crossing the city every afternoon, spending hours on touchlines... bottles of water in the summer, flasks in the winter, happy to catch up with friends whilst lending (sometimes very) vocal support.

Check http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_After_School_Activites.aspx for club contacts. And enjoy your last few afternoons of freedom. All our timetables will get very busy after Eid ;-)

Dubai : Ramadan

2009-09-08T02:14:00.000-07:00

We're often asked how Ramadan effects the every day lives of non-muslims living in Dubai. Ramadan is the Holy Month throughout which muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Fasting means no food and no liquids; it is no easy task, particularly given the time of year. There are exceptions to fasting; young children, pregnant women, travellers and the sick.

School and work hours are restricted by law throughout the month to accomodate the change in timetable. For non-muslims then, the working day / school pick ups will be a major change. Not all companies observe the reduced hours for all staff, but many do. That may mean extra hours working at home to make up for lost time.

School hours are 8.30 - 2.00 and there are no after school activities during the month of Ramadan. Given the heat, that's been quite good this year.

There is always an impact on the roads with the school traffic going in later than offices, so we get to move around a little more freely than usual - and easier to find a parking space ;-)

Eating and drinking in public is strictly prohibited and most cafes are closed until sunset. The Ministry grants a few licenses each year for cafes dotted around town to remain open. Their windows will be blacked out / screens erected so as not to cause offense. All hotels will have refreshment options open during the day but they will be similiarly screened off.

You should not wander around with a bottle of water, or drink in your car. Its unlikely that anyone would say anything to you but more, that it is not the done thing. If you take your tots to the park of course they can still have a picnic snack but try to be discrete if muslims are nearby. At work, company policies vary but people avoid eating or drinking in front of muslim colleagues.

Iftar is an early evening meal which breaks the fast. Tents spring up all over Dubai offering good local fayre and a traditional atmosphere to be enjoyed by families. It is definitely worth making the effort to get along to sample this taste of local culture. And if you are interested to learn more, The Sheikh Zayed Centre for Cultural Understanding (See ExpatWoman.com - Things To Do section)run daily guided tours of Jumeirah Mosque. It is also possible to take Iftar at the home of a local, which would give you a better understanding of what this month means to individuals and families.

Ramadan as a time for reflection, to appreciate how lucky we all are. And I think that there's something in that for all of us.

Dubai - Normal Life

2009-09-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

After a long summer, it is truly great to be back to routine. The forewarnings of doom have proved ill-founded. Classes are full and the roads are busy - albeit slightly easier given the spread of traffic accomodating Ramadan hours. ExpatWoman hosts several weekly coffee mornings and mums groups accross town and at every one, every week we have been welcoming newcomers arriving, all through the summer.

Sat in Costa at Arabian Ranches last week, I couldn't help but overhear a guy phoning his wife back in the UK, reporting back on houses he'd seen and first impressions of how life might be. It through me right back to our first few weeks here and how exciting it had all been. It was clear from day one that our "hardship posting" (haha... well it was 12 years ago) was going to be just fine thank you !

It can be a lonely time too of course... the first six months. For women, finding a good girlfriend is pretty make or break, and the only way to do that is to get out there and meet people... casting your net as wide as possible. Got to be somebody like you here; how odd can you be ?!

To all the newcomers in town we wish a warm welcome. Through ExpatWoman we offer a whole gamut of free services and really, everything you need to know about family life in the region. Check out the events too. Andrea has hit the ground running taking over the events role, and has lots of plans for September, October, November including our annual Breakfast at The Burj at the end of September - a chance to experience the fabulous ballroom, and we have a chocolatier flying in from Belgium for that event... hope he's bring samples !

New to Dubai

2009-07-11T03:25:00.001-07:00

Gillian’s husband had already been living in Dubai for 18 months when she moved here in October. Here is Gillian's story : http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_sub_702.aspx

Another first for Dubai....

2009-07-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Cru Wine Bar, Souk Al Bahr

Sallie's having "immense fun playing with a vending machine with a couple of girlies." The mind boggles...
http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_sub_2082.aspx

Living in the heat...

2009-07-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

With temperatures reaching the high 40's, cold water tanks bake all day leaving the water far too hot for an evening shower. No, in the summer, you turn the water heater off and use the hot tap for warm water (and the cold tap for hot).

Swimming pools have to be chilled this time of year or they really are neither refreshing nor healthy. And brace yourself when the electricity bill comes in as these are the high cost months, with the A/C running every day...

Expat Life - Make or Break ?

2009-07-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

What makes or breaks an expat move ? Well, it isn’t the size of your villa.

Over the past eight years, hosting http://www.expatwoman.com/ we have held the hands of many ‘000’s of expats moving to Dubai. From the first eager net trawl for information about a possible posting; … what’s it like ? …is it safe ? should we come… ? to planning the move ; …what school ? … where to live ? to arriving and settling in ; …finding a handyman to put up pictures, … beginning to build a social life. It’s all part of the ‘expat circle of life’. We’ve all done it, and many of us several times.

The first six months of any expatriation are the hardest. For all that you have the excitement of discovering your new locale, you also have to deal with certain frustrations of house hunting, setting up a home and establishing children in schools. You miss your family, miss your friends and feel slightly out of sync with everyone around you.

For women following their husband’s careers, there is that moment when your husband has gone to work, your children have gone to school and you are at home, alone, and you don’t know another soul in this town… country… maybe continent! It’s a lonely feeling. At that point, you have to brush yourself down, pick up your chin and head out to start making your new life. Some days you’ll feel like it and some days you won’t. Some people are very good at and for others, it’s a huge challenge. But either way, it needs to be done.

Women, more than men, need at least one good girlfriend. For all women, from seven to seventy, that is make or break. The washing machine repair man hasn’t turned up for the third day running, its proving difficult to settle your youngest into nursery, you have spent an hour in a traffic jam because you took the wrong turning, its your mums birthday and you can’t get home…. its all an awful lot better with a girlfriend to share it with. And it is not just the negative stuff. Whether its a walk round the park or a shopping day in the mall, its pretty banal on your own but with a girlfriend, stopping for coffee and a chat… it’s an altogether different experience.

So where do we make friends ?

As any family knows, women are the nurturers. We are the ones who create the social lives not only for ourselves, but to a great extent for our children and our partners. New mums in the know actively work the school pick up times, getting chatting with other mums and spotting children that they feel will click with / live near to / could play with their own. Before long, little Vanessa is coming over to play, then Sarah is asked back and phew! she’s ‘in’ with the class. All the better when there are other new mums at the classroom door, as frustrations and opportunities to explore can be shared in equal measure. Some of those early contacts form the basis of life long friendships. We shared 5th, 6th, 7th birthday parties, turned 40 and are fast heading for 50 together.

The very phrase 'coffee mornings' may well invoke an involuntary shudder but everyone has to start somewhere. The best advice we can give is to throw your net wide, try a few different groups and you are bound to come across someone like you. After all, how unusual can you be ?

Then you’re looking for common interests or job contacts. The ExpatWoman Jobs Board (link) always has a good range of posts available across various industries and skills. For those who are not working there is so much to do; learn a language, art classes, endless sports lessons and fitness classes…

Friends report back favourably from true hardship postings in Nigeria, Ethiopia… where facilities are poor, and life can be dangerous. Some kind of ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ seems to gel residents into strong bonds and despite the apparent hardships, expats come away with memories of firm friendships, great parties and happy memories to cherish. About five years ago there was a major shift of companies moving their expats from Saudi to Dubai. At ExpatWoman.com, we expected the women to arrive overjoyed to be able to live more freely, and shop and enjoy a full social life. But that wasn’t the case. Above all, they missed the sense of community. On the Saudi compounds from the moment they had arrived, neighbours turned up with a welcome cake, invited them over for dinner and took them to the community centre. Not so in Dubai. If you choose to stay behind closed doors, no-one is going to knock. This is a city and you have to make the effort to make it work for you. The rewards are definitely out there but it can take a little time, and pretty much, you get out of it, whatever you put in.

So what makes or breaks an expat posting ? The single most important thing is friendships… everything else you can cope with. And as the song says, it takes two; bottom line, you have to be open to and active in getting out and meeting people. For those first six months be patient and understand the stage of the process you’re in; it does take time to settle in well. You could go to ten different groups, meet lots of very nice people but noone you really click with and that 11th time…. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done it before, if its time to put yourself out there, you’ve got to walk in, take a deep breathe, and plant your friendliest smile, “Hello, I’m Andrea. We’ve just arrived….”

Staying Power

2009-07-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

With always one of us in the office - and quite often me - somewhere between being committed to healthy eating or falling off the wagon, conversation quite often comes round to dieting. And on one such occasion Judy told us about a resolute lady she'd met at the Mercato coffee morning. Julia slowly but surely shed an amazing 19 kilos and even better, has kept it off for over two years. Here is Julia's story : http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_sub_1658.aspx

On a less positive note, Judy returned to Toronto a couple of months ago where she is throwing herself into her new lifestyle but missing EW of course - when you return to your home country there are rarely the same kind of networks offering support. Re-pats do settle of course, but it takes a bit longer. Anyway, we miss Judy, but Helga is keeping the coffee morning going and we have found a couple more local writers, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, who will be interviewing people who live in the region - always interesting for potential newcomers to hear the stories of others ;-)

Swine Flu Update

2009-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

With many readers travelling with their families this summer, the progress of swine flu is on everybody's mind. We're keeping up to date with weekly bulletins at ExpatWoman. It would seem that reported cases are dramatically on the rise, whilst fatalities, thankfully, are on an equal and opposite downward trend.

Here is the latest from the WHO with clear recommendations on how best to avoid contact :

http://www.expatwoman.com/Dubai/monthly_sub_2096.aspx

Dubai Expat Schools : Back Before or After Eid ?

2009-07-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Much consternation this week at announcements in the press and on air regarding the local education authority, KHDA, ruling that schools will not return until after Eid, Sept 20th. For the expat schools, having broken up for the summer this week, that would mean stretching the already long 9 week summer break to eleven weeks.

Is it all a storm in a teacup ?
It is not clear however whether the ruling applies to schools offering the National curriculum only... in which case we are needlessly worrying.

Education professionals from schools teaching the British and US curriculum, are also unsure, having been told that the ruling would not apply, they are reverting to the Authority early next week to reconfirm. Parents should check their own school website for updates.

Meanwhile, the debate goes on.... the ExpatWoman Information Board has covered the issue for the last few days. Any announcement by schools no doubt will quickly find its way to one of these threads :
Schools Starting After Ramadan - http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=72058
Schools Back After Ramadan - http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=72111

Parents concerned about maintaining continuity of study can check out website options such as :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/
http://www.mathletics.co.uk/
www.mymaths.co.uk/

Get them doing a regular few hours a week and they will be in much better shape to hit the ground running when they do get back to school.

www.ExpatWoman.com

Dubai : Are we still 'living the dream' ?

2009-07-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

Much has been said of late about the dwindling fortunes of the region and there is gleeful hand-wringing from Wapping to Canada Square at the apparent demise of the easy expat life. We read the articles sent over by concerned family members, and know there is some element of truth and yet, we look out the window at fellow office workers, at fellow diners in the crowded restaurants, across the compound swimming pool at another Dad and his son, at the passing faces in the busy mall…. and to a great extent have to conclude, that expat life goes on.

The crunch question is “Do you still have a job?” And depending on the answer, the situation is of course quite different.

Just about everyone now knows someone who has lost their job, but of those who have, a good proportion, have found alternative work in the region, if not in Dubai itself. Commuter traffic to Abu Dhabi is reportedly up to a fast moving four lanes, admittedly with some of that being Abu Dhabi number plates choosing to get the benefit of considerably lower rents / house prices in Dubai.

We’re waiting for September to see the true effects of the global economic melt down. We fully expect some surprises; some families not coming back. Maybe they know already, maybe they’re just waiting to see if something else comes up at last minute, but not everyone wants to share with the community at large that they have lost their job – why would they? So for now, there is still a sense of uncertainty. People are being a little more circumspect about spending, or investing.

For those who are still working (and that is by far the majority), actually, provided their jobs are safe (a thought that makes us all a little cautious) things are okay. In fact, they’re better than okay. If anything, the roads being a little quieter has just made the city run that much smoother and we can get to places we’d given up on in previous years. Expat tenants are giving notice to landlords who refuse to lower rents and are moving to bigger houses / better locations for less money. The sales are in full swing and the summer offers at hotels and restaurants have kicked in. Local resorts are offering cheap getaways and the city is moving into summer mode, with an array of free entertainment for families.

‘Mad dogs and Englishmen’; it’s too hot and humid to enjoy outdoor life really, but there are plenty of people defying the odds. Mornings and evenings you can still enjoy a walk on the beach or a dip in the sea, the tracks round Safa Park are still busy with mums having dropped off at school, and Wolfi is still taking a peleton of 120 mad cyclists out for a couple of hundred km ride every Friday morning. Golfers are teeing off at 6am, hotels, compounds and residents have chilled their pools and restaurants have set up fans and outdoor aircon for al fresco diners. Life could be worse.

Come September, we will look around at who is back and there will be a sense that ‘we’ve made it’. We’ve got through the storm and its time to re-build. Confidence is the key to any market and once things start to move again we will be back to a virtuous circle, albeit considerably more cautious than the bullish years that recently passed. You never know, through all of this we may once again be able to convince the HR world at large that Dubai is a hardship posting after all and compensatory recompense is due.... unlikely; that particular cat escaped the bag a long time ago. This region is firmly established as a lifestyle posting and most people here are in absolutely no hurry to leave.
http://www.expatwoman.com/