Whittleminx

Hello Everyone!

I came across this great forum whilst doing research for my husband as he has been approached for a job based in Dubai.

I would be grateful for some honest/brutal insight please on some concerns I have.

Firstly I shall give you an idea of our background so you understand why I would have such questions.

I am Indian and my husband is English, we have a son who is a year old.

I have been told (by well meaning friends) that Indians or anyone of Asian origins are treated badly in the UAE. Would you say this was accurate?

I did joke to my husband that people would probably think I was the au-pair, he doesn't think it will be that bad out there. I still can't help but worry.

Also I am a stay at home Mum in the UK and will be the same in Dubai. Are there kids clubs and places for stay at home Mums to go to readily available? As I fear my son won't get enough interaction with other children which he currently enjoys and I won't get bored and pine for home too much!

All opinions gladly welcomed!

Thank you!

Pami

arbroath_abroad

Pami,

I dont think it is like that. Granted some locals do act in this way as do some Westeners.

Sod them, come over, go to the pool with your kids and have a great time..

Whittleminx

Thank you for your reply Mister Arbroath_abroad!! I guess I am panicking a bit!

klaus3974

For what I know, Dubai is a racist place but you will not have problems in the every day life, specially if you do not work. The nationality bias applies more to the kind of job/salary you can get. Plus being from India you will feel home since half the people here are from there. I actually was discriminated in all India restaurant in Deira

There are a lot of meeting groups for mums. Check for instance:

http://www.expatwoman.com/
http://www.mirdifmums.com/
http://www.dubaikidz.biz/
etc
etc

Welivehere

Chill Tiger (see what I did there, avatar, intro, snigger.. )

Pretty much an echo of AA post, I do not think you will have an issue here anymore that you would with numpties anywhere else in the world.

As for the social side, there are lots of mum's groups, social circles, schoold groups you can get involved with once you are here, especially if you are lving in one of the more popluar expat locales (ie Ranches, Mirdiif, Lakes, Springs etc etc).

Go for it...

arbroath_abroad

reminds me of a wee lighthearted story...

where i come from as slang we call each other chief.

i.e "you coming out for a pint tonight chief?"

A few years ago i was in the Wafi centre and i asked one of the guys(indian) in the shop directions to another shop.

when he gave me the answer i impulsively replied.

"thanks for that chief"

quick as a tack he replied with a wink and a smile

"im not that type of bloody indian"

funny as ****.

and it DID happen i swear..

Ronnie Biggs

Spot on. Pea brained ignoramuses are everywhere, don't let them sway your opinion. I think you and your family will be absolutely fine out here, there's a huge mix of people and cultures but outside of the sweeping generalisations made in the workplace by UAE employers (or narrow minded expats who think the British Empire has been recreated just for them) I don't think it will affect you too much at all in day to day life. The locals look down on ALL of us anyway.....

Whittleminx

Thank you Klaus3974 for your honest answer! You say I'd feel at home there as most people are Indian but unfortunately I probably wouldn't have anything in common with them other than the looks lol as I have lived in the UK most of my life and my lifestyle and social circle is very English! I'm the odd ball again! lol

Whittleminx

Thanks Ronnie Briggs, I just like to fade away in the background and don't want to feel like an alien just because I'm part of a mixed race couple lol

Whittleminx

Welivehere, cheers for the location ideas, so much to think about. I want this move to be good for my son. My husband & I are secondary really!

MataHari

he's only 1...he will adapt easily I'd say, and if you are happy so will he be...

IndieG

Hello Pami,
I am an Indian and we have lived in Dubai for almost 14 years now. I can honestly tell you that in this entire period we have NEVER ever been treated badly. We have been treated very courteously - be it at the workplace, at the airport, immigration, hospital, government offices, police station..basically everywhere.

The horror stories you hear unfortunately do happen in case of labourers, maids etc. What is worse is that they are also treated badly by their own country men (an idiot in the Indian embassy got a earful from me when he was extremely rude to a labourer).

Don't worry - you should be fine!

Whittleminx

I really hope so MataHari!! We are considering this move seriously as it would give us a chance to hopefully save a little to give our son a good life and have an eaiser life when we finally do go back to the UK...... hope it goes to plan....!

Whittleminx

Thanks for your reply IndieG, that makes me feel a bit better! I know there are some awful people in this world who feel big & important by belittling another person unfortunately. I hope I don't bump into to many of them! lol

Norm_uk

My ex wife was a Filipina and people used to think she was the nanny until my boy called her mum...

The middle east is much bigger on stereotypes and prejudice than western countries...but many people do live here and get on fine.

It always ticks me off how people from this region make comments about racism or bigotry in the West yet no one is really willing to tackle the religious, cultural and racial discrimination here on any significant level.

We at least have the minerals to be constructively self-critical

N.