scrubbedexpat141

Co-op is quality for all things household. Banned from going there too though. Went for bog roll, kitchen roll and washing powder.

Mrs went into orbit when I came home with matching bog roll and kitchen roll that was bright red and cost 42 dirhams for a pack of 4 bog rolls. Hahahaha.

busybee2

<snip the spam this replied to>

it was always illegal to actually live on a boat doubt things have changed.

BritGeek

Just been reading this thread and had to add my opinion. I can't believe so may posters are saying this is a low wage and *impossible* to survive on. It is definately not impossible to survive on, and it may be lower than alot of western expats get paid here but its still a hell of a lot higher than you get in the UK for the same job.

When we first came here 5 years ago we had a *combined* income of 29k per month and we lived in a 3 bedroom apartment on the beachfront which was much bigger than the 4 bedroom house we left behind in the UK. We have 2 teenagers, and one of whom went to school and did A levels here. The other wasn't at school age but we could have afforded to school him as well. Our lifestyle became significantly better, we had a new car each, a bigger nicer home, more leisure time and more expendable cash. We spent our weekends driving out for picnics in the desert, mountains or on the beach. I suppose it depends on what your standard of living and expectations are - we were not lavish spenders and eating out all the time kind of people in the UK and we are the same here.

What you have also failed to point out to the OP is the scope for career development in this region. We have both been promoted and head hunted over the 5 years and are now on much higher salaries, so I for one am glad we took the chance and came here on such a *low* salary to start with, and even if we had stayed on that salary we still got great career experience and the chance to live in another country & experice new cultures and learn new languages. And we still dont lead the rockstar expat lifetyle even though we now earn the salary to afford it!

commander

[QUOTE=BritGeek;10187661] and learn new languages. /QUOTE]

You've learned Arabic?

BritGeek

[QUOTE=commander;10187668] no, well only a little bit but I'm learning Hindi and my kids speak fluent Tagalog and bits of Arabic, Hindi and Mayalalam due to havinng such a wide range of friends

Patsy Stoned

BUT, did you get your housing paid for? and your school fees? You say you had 2 teenagers yet 1 wasn't at school age???

Anyway, well done on your lifestyle choices, I still say that without housing or school fees paid it is not doable unless they want to live somewhere like International city

BritGeek

no we got nothing except health insurance. One child was 14 and the other was 18 and had already left school

commander

[QUOTE=BritGeek;10187677] that's pretty cool.

BritGeek

[QUOTE=commander;10187711] Thats why I'm so glad we came here, despite not being on great salaries. The child that went to school here obvioulsy has had a much wider experience. She has made friends from many nationalities, including locals and has even travelled to friends homes in India and Sudan for the summer with their families. She is now 19 and is confident enough to be going to live in Budapest on her own to go to University, a confidence that I'm sure has grown from living and travelling here

commander

[QUOTE=BritGeek;10187719] How 'streetwise' do you think she is though? Don't you think that the UAE is a bit of a cucoon..you can walk around at night, leave your mobile on your table at a bar etc etc..

Its just one of those worries I have with Dubai expat kids...

BritGeek

[QUOTE=commander;10187736] true, Dubai is a cucoon. But I hope we have done a good job of raising her to be aware and sensible. I dont believe in wrapping kids up in cotton wool, but on the other hand you have to exercise some caution. I let her go to Sudan a few years back when there was all the trouble, but only after doing alot of research about the exact location and safety of where she was staying. We thought that the life experience of going outweighed the danger.

commander

[QUOTE=BritGeek;10187751] That sounds like just the way I want to bring up my little one..(Apart from send her to Sudan of course ;-))

I have seen the other side to expat kids...I.e an 18year old guy I know recently posted on FB that 'when I grow up I'm going to take my kids to hogwarts and fly'.....hmmm...

Meow

It's all very well being able to afford the house, schooling etc, but what about savings? If you aren't putting away significant sums for your future then you can't afford to live here. People's lack of provision for their own futures is a demographic timebomb.

Patsy Stoned

My sister is married to a millionaire darling..... there is my provision for my future, she has enough money to look after both of us

Meow

Ha ha! An unusual plan...