Abu Dhabi: yes or no?
June 22, 2009 11:12 AM Subscribe
I can't tell if this job opportunity in Abu Dhabi is the chance of a lifetime or a potentially huge mistake.
I've just been offered what could be an amazing opportunity or six months in hell: a new job that would begin with six months in Abu Dhabi (if I like it, I can stay there; if I don't, I can return to the US to work for the company here). I'm 43, single, no kids, and pretty content with the current configuration of my life. This would require giving up some very good things (like a solid job that leaves me plenty of time to do other things) for a lot of unknowns. The main things holding me back are a) a 20-year-old cat, whom I've had for 19 of those 20 years and b) absolutely no solid information on what it is like to live and work there, both as a human and as a woman. Does anyone have experience doing short-term work in Abu Dhabi who could give me a sense of what daily life is like? (I think my salary would be fine, and I'd get other amenities, like a place to live, so this isn't really about money but more about ex-pat communities, potential isolation, etc.) Bonus points for anyone who has any thoughts about the cat situation!
I've just been offered what could be an amazing opportunity or six months in hell: a new job that would begin with six months in Abu Dhabi (if I like it, I can stay there; if I don't, I can return to the US to work for the company here). I'm 43, single, no kids, and pretty content with the current configuration of my life. This would require giving up some very good things (like a solid job that leaves me plenty of time to do other things) for a lot of unknowns. The main things holding me back are a) a 20-year-old cat, whom I've had for 19 of those 20 years and b) absolutely no solid information on what it is like to live and work there, both as a human and as a woman. Does anyone have experience doing short-term work in Abu Dhabi who could give me a sense of what daily life is like? (I think my salary would be fine, and I'd get other amenities, like a place to live, so this isn't really about money but more about ex-pat communities, potential isolation, etc.) Bonus points for anyone who has any thoughts about the cat situation!
my limited experience in the UAE matches oinopaponton. i saw plenty of women in western clothes (or even dressed up "for the club". i had no trouble at all stumbling into ex-pat bars etc. as it turns out 6 months might be just right. I enjoyed my visit there but i enjoyed returning home too.
posted by chasles at 11:51 AM on June 22, 2009
posted by chasles at 11:51 AM on June 22, 2009
I've lived and worked in Iraq and passed through Dubai and Abu Dhabi on a job that lasted a year and a half. I'd totally recommend it!
Try to find relative or friend for your cat. I have a dog that stayed with my brother's family while I was over seas. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are not as backward as other parts of the Middle East. Lots of westerners do business there so they have to be somewhat accomodative. But you'll know you're not in Kansas anymore when you hear the 5 o'clock call to prayer echo through the city.
Rhamadan is interesting. Don't let anyone see you eat or even chew gum between sun rise and sun set. It's not considered polite.
I've never regretted a bit of it. Go to a far away land to live and make money. You may not ever be as free to try this as you are now. It's magnificent!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 1:39 PM on June 22, 2009
Try to find relative or friend for your cat. I have a dog that stayed with my brother's family while I was over seas. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are not as backward as other parts of the Middle East. Lots of westerners do business there so they have to be somewhat accomodative. But you'll know you're not in Kansas anymore when you hear the 5 o'clock call to prayer echo through the city.
Rhamadan is interesting. Don't let anyone see you eat or even chew gum between sun rise and sun set. It's not considered polite.
I've never regretted a bit of it. Go to a far away land to live and make money. You may not ever be as free to try this as you are now. It's magnificent!
posted by Lord Fancy Pants at 1:39 PM on June 22, 2009
Best answer: I emailed this question to a friend of mine who doesn't have a MeFi account, and here is his response [warning, it's lengthy]:
I've recently returned from Abu Dhabi (Khalifa City A, to be exact) after living/working there for the past two years.posted by alynnk at 1:48 PM on June 22, 2009 [3 favorites]
Allow me to first caveat: I am a man. My girlfriend lived/worked with me, but she had the benefit of my association in many social situations.
I'll start with life in the Emirates as an *American* expat (this is important): I (and those that lived/worked with me) enjoyed it thoroughly. There are a number of strong british / american expat communities, most based around a specific activity. For example, I was heavily involved with EMUG, an Apple User Group. For runners, there are a few hash house harrier clubs, and there are many bars / nightclubs that tend to draw a specific nationality.
That said, after my time there, the majority of my friends were not English or even American, but were Arab. Compared to many other parts of the Gulf, the emirati culture is very open to foreigners*, with every effort made to make them feel welcome.
Specifically relating to women in a social context: My observation was that most people understood the differences in cultures well enough to feel comfortable chatting with women or even befriending them, there are limits. For example, as a single woman, you will be hard pressed to make an Arab guy friend that you can spend time with outside of large social gatherings. At a party, or dinner with friends, Fine. Going to see the movies or dinner... not so much.
Workwise, it depends greatly on your particular vocation. You have a distinct advantage as an American, and one would assume, professional. That said, there are things you should definitely be aware of. I'm assuming that you are working for a US based company doing business abroad. This eliminates a lot of the dangers of working in the UAE. You should still be aware of them, should you choose to seek employment with a new (local) company.
Employers hold a great deal of power in the country. All visas must be sponsored by a "local" company or agency. If you quit your job, leave the country without your sponsors permission, or take a job with a new company (without permission), you can be black listed in the country. The penalties for this range from minimal to extreme, usually dictated
by the sponsor in question. Usually, if you break the conditions of your visa, you will need to leave the country and will not be able to re-enter on a work visa for a minimum of one year. This applies to all gulf countries (on paper at least, practice is a little different).
That said, while the black list only lasts a year, you will be hard pressed to secure a new work visa after that.
If you need to cancel your visa or leave, you will need a no objection letter from your sponsor. If they are feeling vindictive or lazy (both equally possible), you (technically) can't leave until you obtain this and have your visa canceled. Technically. The amount of resistance is usually directly proportionate to your nationality.
All that said, these are really non-issues if you are remaining in theemploy of a US company.
I've hinted at it a few times, and I will come right out and say it: There is a definite pecking order in the country. Folks from western nations (US, Canada, Western Europe) are treated exceptionally well, almost as equals. Below them fall other parts of europe, asia and Islamic (not gulf) countries. Next, filipinas, and at the lowest rungs, Indian, Pakistani and so forth. This is not to say that there aren't Indians that are higher up the food chain, but it's a lot less common. Your day laborers, house servants, etc are typically Indian or
Pakistani, nannies, mid-end retail clerks, food servers, hospitality are Filipina.
Regarding the isolation, this is dependent solely on your personality. If you are adventurous, outgoing and generally open to the culture, you will find you will have no problem making friends. In fact, I would say it is easier to make friends there than it is here in the states.
Day-to-day life. First, learn "enshallah". Literally this means "God Willing", but in execution it typically means "ain't gonna happen" or "don't hold your breath". The pace of life is slow. People will be late to appointments, miss them entirely, interrupt them with personal phone calls, or drag them out for hours with idle chit-chat. This is the culture, you must learn to (quickly) embrace it. Patience in the UAE is not a virtue, it's a survival tactic. Once you've settled in to the languid rhythm of life, you may even learn to love it (I did). Watches (for the most part) are fashion pieces and good for a general feel for the time, but do not dictate your schedule.
All this is a stark contrast to the pace of traffic. It improved considerably in the time I was there, but it was still atrocious but most standards. If you are a timid driver, take advantage of the abundant (and cheap!) cabs in the city. If you are adventurous, hit the highways. Traffic laws are not typically enforced by police, but rather they rely on speed cameras to do the work. Speed cameras aren't everywhere (yet), so it's not at all uncommon to be in traffic with folks doing 180km/h in a 60km/h zone. The contrast is the traffic jams in the cities themselves. Abu Dhabi is bad, Dubai is a misery.
You will discover a few quirks here and there- For example, give up on Dr. Pepper or Lucky Charms. You can't get them (usually). Everyone I knew had a few items that they just couldn't get and drove them slightly batty. Ever brought back a suitcase of Dr. Pepper, Lucky Charms and BK Onion Ring sauce? I have. The trade off is the cost of the things you can get. Even with the recent hyper-inflation, food is still ridiculously cheap. If you cook at home, you can easily eat very well on $20 a week. Restaurants are quite inexpensive, and some of the best deals can be had if you are blessed with an adventurous palette. If you hate cooking (I did), everyone delivers.
*EVERYONE* delivers. Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, the local restaurants, the corner market, the co-op supermarket, department stores, you name it. If they sell anything at all, they will also deliver it.
Like shopping? It's the official national past-time of the UAE. In Abu Dhabi alone I can reel off a half dozen decent size malls. And four large/huge malls. And a bakers dozen of small malls. And strip malls.
Malls are nice to walk around in to while away the time and beat the heat, but for the real deals, get out into the alleys and deal with the local merchants directly. Everything has a price, and everything is negotiable. It may be poor form to try and haggle a price in malls (or carrefour), but at the mom and pop, there is always a lot of wiggle room depending on your talent.
Give up on addresses. Technically, every building has a plot number, but no one knows it. You will need to know the street (or one of the popular nick names) and the landmarks near it. For example, we had an office down town, it was Electra street (actually 4th street), in the siemens building, above al noor bank, behind the gold souk, on the 12th floor.
Regarding addresses, there is mail. Everything is done (for obvious reasons) by PO box. You will run into uninformed UPS agents who claim they can't deliver to a PO box, but you will need to get through to someone who actually checks. There is no home postal delivery, and there are no street addresses. You should also be prepared that anything sent through regular post is subject to on the spot customs inspection.
If you intend to buy things online (Amazon for example), get an Aramex Shop&Ship account. They provide a US mailing address, and then once a week forward everything in your box to the UAE. The shipping prices are far better than FedEx, DHL, etc.
Prescription Drugs. This is a double edged sword. Most pharmacies will need little more than the actual name of a drug to provide it (or an alternative) to you. No prescription, nothing. However, many drugs are prohibited or very tightly controlled. Birth Control in particular is a sticky wicket, although women in Dubai have luck getting Yaz(?). It's not illegal, just counter-culture and thus difficult. Forget about many pain medications. A few of our guys had scripts for tylenol-3 and were unable to get/possess them in the UAE.
While there is a ton more I could tell you, I think this covers quite a bit. Regarding your cat, it may be time to part company. I know a few people who brought dogs with them, and they have to remain in quarantine for quite a while, and given your cat's age the travel may
be far too traumatic.
Seconding pretty much everything alynkk's friend says, but:
The contrast is the traffic jams in the cities themselves. Abu Dhabi is bad, Dubai is a misery.
This is no longer as true as it was even a year ago. Yay recession!
Also, I see that your employer is providing a place to live. That's very good because there is still a massive under supply of housing in Abu Dhabi.
posted by atrazine at 8:55 PM on June 22, 2009
The contrast is the traffic jams in the cities themselves. Abu Dhabi is bad, Dubai is a misery.
This is no longer as true as it was even a year ago. Yay recession!
Also, I see that your employer is providing a place to live. That's very good because there is still a massive under supply of housing in Abu Dhabi.
posted by atrazine at 8:55 PM on June 22, 2009
I've lived in the region on two separate occasions, also agree with what alynnk's friend says (with the exception of being able to get Dr. Pepper).
I'm far from outgoing, but found it really easy to meet people from all over, thoroughly enjoyed conversations when there were people from the UK, NZ, Austria, Lebanon, etc., at the table.
One other thing: to go over there, the first couple months or so go by really, really fast. If it's not your cuppa tea, you'll be on the downward slope before you know it.
Hard to think you would find it hellish--and there are interesting places in the region to visit--but if it's not for you, it'll be winding down before you know it. No sense of how much you've traveled, but it is a verrrrrrrrrrry different world over there; I found it immensely valuable and interesting to have experienced life in that neck of the woods.
Oh, random fact: cats in that region tend to be superb in terms of markings, physiques and personalities. I took in a Saudi desert cat and brought her back. You could well make a new animal friend and there are plenty of 'em in UAE shelters who need a loving person.
posted by ambient2 at 12:19 AM on June 23, 2009
I'm far from outgoing, but found it really easy to meet people from all over, thoroughly enjoyed conversations when there were people from the UK, NZ, Austria, Lebanon, etc., at the table.
One other thing: to go over there, the first couple months or so go by really, really fast. If it's not your cuppa tea, you'll be on the downward slope before you know it.
Hard to think you would find it hellish--and there are interesting places in the region to visit--but if it's not for you, it'll be winding down before you know it. No sense of how much you've traveled, but it is a verrrrrrrrrrry different world over there; I found it immensely valuable and interesting to have experienced life in that neck of the woods.
Oh, random fact: cats in that region tend to be superb in terms of markings, physiques and personalities. I took in a Saudi desert cat and brought her back. You could well make a new animal friend and there are plenty of 'em in UAE shelters who need a loving person.
posted by ambient2 at 12:19 AM on June 23, 2009
I instantly thought of this rather sobering article from a couple of months back. it would seem that if you run into any financial problems while you're there (say if you become ill), it can go very, very wrong. All I know is what the article says, so if alynnk's friend has anything to add or rebut, go for it.
One doctor told [her husband] he had a year to live; another said it was benign and he'd be okay. But the debts were growing. "Before I came here, I didn't know anything about Dubai law. I assumed if all these big companies come here, it must be pretty like Canada's or any other liberal democracy's," she says. Nobody told her there is no concept of bankruptcy. If you get into debt and you can't pay, you go to prison.
"When we realised that, I sat Daniel down and told him: listen, we need to get out of here. He knew he was guaranteed a pay-off when he resigned, so we said – right, let's take the pay-off, clear the debt, and go." So Daniel resigned – but he was given a lower pay-off than his contract suggested. The debt remained. As soon as you quit your job in Dubai, your employer has to inform your bank. If you have any outstanding debts that aren't covered by your savings, then all your accounts are frozen, and you are forbidden to leave the country.
"Suddenly our cards stopped working. We had nothing. We were thrown out of our apartment." Karen can't speak about what happened next for a long time; she is shaking.
Daniel was arrested and taken away on the day of their eviction. It was six days before she could talk to him. "He told me he was put in a cell with another debtor, a Sri Lankan guy who was only 27, who said he couldn't face the shame to his family. Daniel woke up and the boy had swallowed razor-blades. He banged for help, but nobody came, and the boy died in front of him."
Karen managed to beg from her friends for a few weeks, "but it was so humiliating. I've never lived like this. I worked in the fashion industry. I had my own shops. I've never..." She peters out.
Daniel was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at a trial he couldn't understand. It was in Arabic, and there was no translation. "Now I'm here illegally, too," Karen says I've got no money, nothing. I have to last nine months until he's out, somehow." Looking away, almost paralysed with embarrassment, she asks if I could buy her a meal.
She is not alone. All over the city, there are maxed-out expats sleeping secretly in the sand-dunes or the airport or in their cars.
"The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship."
posted by Billegible at 5:04 AM on June 23, 2009
One doctor told [her husband] he had a year to live; another said it was benign and he'd be okay. But the debts were growing. "Before I came here, I didn't know anything about Dubai law. I assumed if all these big companies come here, it must be pretty like Canada's or any other liberal democracy's," she says. Nobody told her there is no concept of bankruptcy. If you get into debt and you can't pay, you go to prison.
"When we realised that, I sat Daniel down and told him: listen, we need to get out of here. He knew he was guaranteed a pay-off when he resigned, so we said – right, let's take the pay-off, clear the debt, and go." So Daniel resigned – but he was given a lower pay-off than his contract suggested. The debt remained. As soon as you quit your job in Dubai, your employer has to inform your bank. If you have any outstanding debts that aren't covered by your savings, then all your accounts are frozen, and you are forbidden to leave the country.
"Suddenly our cards stopped working. We had nothing. We were thrown out of our apartment." Karen can't speak about what happened next for a long time; she is shaking.
Daniel was arrested and taken away on the day of their eviction. It was six days before she could talk to him. "He told me he was put in a cell with another debtor, a Sri Lankan guy who was only 27, who said he couldn't face the shame to his family. Daniel woke up and the boy had swallowed razor-blades. He banged for help, but nobody came, and the boy died in front of him."
Karen managed to beg from her friends for a few weeks, "but it was so humiliating. I've never lived like this. I worked in the fashion industry. I had my own shops. I've never..." She peters out.
Daniel was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at a trial he couldn't understand. It was in Arabic, and there was no translation. "Now I'm here illegally, too," Karen says I've got no money, nothing. I have to last nine months until he's out, somehow." Looking away, almost paralysed with embarrassment, she asks if I could buy her a meal.
She is not alone. All over the city, there are maxed-out expats sleeping secretly in the sand-dunes or the airport or in their cars.
"The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship."
posted by Billegible at 5:04 AM on June 23, 2009
Well, I live in Dubai and I can't exactly rebut it. That is, I'm sure that the events in the newspaper story actually happened, though of course we are only being presented with one side of the story, and without much context.
I have lived here for years as have many of my friends, and stories like this are a bit like writing an article about the US and making it all about gun-crime and people without health insurance - those things are very real problems, but filling a whole article with them presents an incomplete picture.
It is true that there is no bankruptcy law here (this is actually true in much of the world though - defaulting on debts outside "The West" is most inadvisable).
Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be great places to live (FYI - I'm Dutch and work in Dubai, my family has been in the middle east for a long time and in Dubai since 2000) if you keep it all aboveboard. Not being able to pay your debts (or being caught dealing drugs f'rinstance) is bad anywhere, much worse here.
posted by atrazine at 7:03 AM on June 23, 2009
I have lived here for years as have many of my friends, and stories like this are a bit like writing an article about the US and making it all about gun-crime and people without health insurance - those things are very real problems, but filling a whole article with them presents an incomplete picture.
It is true that there is no bankruptcy law here (this is actually true in much of the world though - defaulting on debts outside "The West" is most inadvisable).
Dubai and Abu Dhabi can be great places to live (FYI - I'm Dutch and work in Dubai, my family has been in the middle east for a long time and in Dubai since 2000) if you keep it all aboveboard. Not being able to pay your debts (or being caught dealing drugs f'rinstance) is bad anywhere, much worse here.
posted by atrazine at 7:03 AM on June 23, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oinopaponton at 11:47 AM on June 22, 2009