View Poll Results: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
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Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Mar 22nd 2007, 8:42 am
#106
Its all good
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Dubai
Posts: 7,650
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Oh dear lets hope Sassys not in a bad mood today 
Mar 22nd 2007, 8:58 am
#108
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 3,968
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Original surname was Martin her sister is called Tracey............. and contery to popular belief did not cut my hair:curse:Well if you have been to Arbroath, you will realise why i am here!!!
Great place the 'Broath. To be honest, i have not lived there since 1990. but all my muckers are still there. Once per year is quite enough
Mar 22nd 2007, 2:05 pm
#109
Excess Baggage
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
I'm sure Belgium's great. I've only ever had two experiences of it, once I was stuck in a huge traffic jam near Brussels, and the other time I got lost on the way back from seeing Boro getting stuffed 4-0 in the UEFA cup final, so I'm probably biased.
Mar 22nd 2007, 2:07 pm
#110
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Belgium is very nice...pity about the Belgians...
Mar 22nd 2007, 2:10 pm
#111
Excess Baggage
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Mar 22nd 2007, 2:14 pm
#113
hmmmm...nice
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 27,923
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
Mar 22nd 2007, 3:16 pm
#115
Excess Baggage
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Mar 22nd 2007, 5:15 pm
#116
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 83
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
10 things about Dubai
1, The education system is about one thing, profit and they treat both teachers and pupils fairly badly. Don't come here for a rewarding, life changing teaching experience. From what I can gather it is largely about learned response.
But as parents pay for education they will expect a certain amount of input by the pupils and not just through paper planes around as they think they win the lottery/go on big brother/x factor. The pupils will, for the most part be responsive to learning.
2, Customer service here is an alien concept for the most part
Maybe so but it was superb in the UK 5 years ago until fat cat bosses decided to sack all UK workers, farm out calls to call centres in the East who pay workers 0.01p a week to do a job they cannot possibly do as they cannot speak the language enough to do a good job as a phone operative, no disrespect to them I feel for them cos they get abuse.
3, There are plenty of taxes here, just hidden
OK maybe so but think I may prefer that.
4, You won't get free or subsidised dentistry here, in fact it is more expensive here than going private in the UK and 99% of private health cover doesn't include dental work.
Do get dental insurance 80% and in UK we are supposed to have a NHS but we actually dont have NHS dentists.
5, Dubai is a city built on, and built for fatcats whose mantra is to screw and exploit everyone, rich and poor.
Uk is becoming more and more so(read latest budget)
6, Etisalat is worse than BT...at least you have a choice to switch providers
Yes but you change suppliers and GOD help you you end up with months of no service and 6 a night calls to the ar**holes
7, It is - however - still cheaper than the UK in the long run
Am hoping for this
8, The weather is a bitch in the summer, but isn't as bad as people make out
But winter is soooooooo long here I live in NW england annual rainfall 10000000 metres a week (yes bit exaggerated)
9, I have no idea about class sizes here but they don't seem to be too bad
Defo less than mine
10, You will be working with maps which don't feature Israel
1, The education system is about one thing, profit and they treat both teachers and pupils fairly badly. Don't come here for a rewarding, life changing teaching experience. From what I can gather it is largely about learned response.
But as parents pay for education they will expect a certain amount of input by the pupils and not just through paper planes around as they think they win the lottery/go on big brother/x factor. The pupils will, for the most part be responsive to learning.
2, Customer service here is an alien concept for the most part
Maybe so but it was superb in the UK 5 years ago until fat cat bosses decided to sack all UK workers, farm out calls to call centres in the East who pay workers 0.01p a week to do a job they cannot possibly do as they cannot speak the language enough to do a good job as a phone operative, no disrespect to them I feel for them cos they get abuse.
3, There are plenty of taxes here, just hidden
OK maybe so but think I may prefer that.
4, You won't get free or subsidised dentistry here, in fact it is more expensive here than going private in the UK and 99% of private health cover doesn't include dental work.
Do get dental insurance 80% and in UK we are supposed to have a NHS but we actually dont have NHS dentists.
5, Dubai is a city built on, and built for fatcats whose mantra is to screw and exploit everyone, rich and poor.
Uk is becoming more and more so(read latest budget)
6, Etisalat is worse than BT...at least you have a choice to switch providers
Yes but you change suppliers and GOD help you you end up with months of no service and 6 a night calls to the ar**holes
7, It is - however - still cheaper than the UK in the long run
Am hoping for this
8, The weather is a bitch in the summer, but isn't as bad as people make out
But winter is soooooooo long here I live in NW england annual rainfall 10000000 metres a week (yes bit exaggerated)
9, I have no idea about class sizes here but they don't seem to be too bad
Defo less than mine
10, You will be working with maps which don't feature Israel
Think everyone gets fed up with there environment at one time or another, I am very fed up could carry on here, like my job, not bad money, friends and family here, but I want to TRY new stuff for better or worse.
Still CANT wait to get there
Julie
Mar 22nd 2007, 5:57 pm
#117
Soupy twist
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,271
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
The pupils will, for the most part be responsive to learning
You're coming with the right sort of positive attitude, but I guarantee that the scales will fall from your eyes much faster than you expect. We've been here nearly two years now, and we're not planning to get out any time soon, but it's very fair to say that the novelty has long since worn off. Dubai's okay, *if* you have enough money... it also helps if you can ignore your conscience. Thinking too much about the fact that we can have a good life here only because the service industry workers have such a crappy one can really ruin your day by the pool.
Mar 22nd 2007, 6:16 pm
#120
Excess Baggage
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: Dubai: How long did it take for the novelty to wear off?
There was an article in one of the papers here a few months ago in which teachers bemoaned the attitude of some of their pupils... unfortunately, Dubai has more than its share of spoiled expat brats whose parents let them get away with murder. As you will learn
You're coming with the right sort of positive attitude, but I guarantee that the scales will fall from your eyes much faster than you expect. We've been here nearly two years now, and we're not planning to get out any time soon, but it's very fair to say that the novelty has long since worn off. Dubai's okay, *if* you have enough money... it also helps if you can ignore your conscience. Thinking too much about the fact that we can have a good life here only because the service industry workers have such a crappy one can really ruin your day by the pool.
You're coming with the right sort of positive attitude, but I guarantee that the scales will fall from your eyes much faster than you expect. We've been here nearly two years now, and we're not planning to get out any time soon, but it's very fair to say that the novelty has long since worn off. Dubai's okay, *if* you have enough money... it also helps if you can ignore your conscience. Thinking too much about the fact that we can have a good life here only because the service industry workers have such a crappy one can really ruin your day by the pool.