NYfinance

For the right opportunity is it crazy for a woman to move her family to Abu Dhabi for a couple of years? (The job would eventually be in NYC). Former colleagues seem to think an outspoken woman like myself would not adjust well to the culture and business climate. Thanks.

The Dean

"Outspoken"?

You may not enjoy the culture but you'll love taking part in this forum..........

Norm_uk

As long as you don't shout at locals, discuss religion & politics or dress provocatively around more traditional sorts you shouldn't have too many problems. Women can always get away with a lot more than men in most places.

Keep the religion and politics for these forums and the expat house parties

N.

soukie

My advice would be to leave your family where they are settled until you know how the job is - many have come for "X" years for it to last 3 or months. Anything can happen here and does! Also school places are very difficult to get at the moment.

NYfinance

thanks, my kids are quite small so being away for 3 months is not really an option.

norsk

there's nothing wrong with discussing religion as long as you're willing to listen for hours and hours to all kind of boring things that are sometimes not even remotely related to religion. you'll be amazed at some of the things otherwise intelligent people believe.

one guy at work (who i consider to a moderate) told me that the bible says not to drink alcohol and that i should reconsider my actions if i didn't want to go to hell. i asked him how he could explain the part of jesus (who is also regarded as a prophet in islam) making wine from water, but he wasn't interested as it didn't add up to what he had learnt in school. anyway i told him that i'd take my chances as hell couldn't be worse than not having a drink ever again. i even said to him that maybe it is kind of like living in saudi, which he actually thought was quite funny..

heartofdarkness

I work with guys who think anyone who is not Muslim is going to hell. What I really find fascinating is that while alcohol is prohibited while they are in this world.."they will be swimming in rivers of wine when they move on.."

Blue Cat

eating bacon sandwiches

heartofdarkness

And unlimited Virgins feeding them

heartofdarkness

OP..your husband will be doing what? Mr. Mom? If he is not working he will lose it I would say.

NYfinance

he is looking into this, we know he would go crazy, so as long as he can do something in his field it would be okay, maybe a more entry level position is something realted that would add to his resume. the thouhgt is that this would be a 1.5-3 year gig.

seven seas

I thought this was a report of a woman being seen in the greater Abu Dhabi area...

Bitterly, bitterly disappointed.

lullabelle

Ok I brought my family here last year. Was a big upheaval: husband took a lot of persuading and finally agreed to take a three year career break. He was going to study and volunteer.

Like you my kids are quite young so I came out mix august and we were reunited three weeks later. Things only went wrong after seven months so them not coming out for a three months would have made no difference.


During my time here I have met many female friends who have also come out and are the principle family sponors- its not as unusual as people may think. However, the burden of being wholly responsible for the family us not a pleasant one for me - the job instability and knowing that everyone relied on me for a visa has weighed heavily. Plus, being the sponsor, everything uses
my name. Which means I'm regularly the one dealing with gas/dewa/Internet/rent crap. It can wear you down. Well, it wears me down.

I was made redundant just over a week ago and the responsibility can wake me up in a cold sweat - if I was at home I would have my own house, the kds school wouldn't be demanding fees and I would have the security of my husband also working and a successful childcare infrastructure. I'd also have a network of work contacts to tap into. Here I can get a bit overwhelmed by not having any of the above and have to keep reminding myself to keep motoring on in the hope that things will improve.

Come with eyes wide open and a back up plan. My industry here was certainly different to the industry back in the uk and some of the things that took place
were jaw dropping. Also be prepared to shell out loads of dosh to get set up initially.


I will say that my kids have an amazing time here - they love their school and all the activities, people they meet, the desert, the mountains, the beach, the pool etc. My husband is less enamoured but I think that has to do with the
scenario I've been through at work and how it affected me. We don't regret coming, whatever has happened.

Norm_uk

And there are "doe eyed youths" waiting for when they get tired of the virgins too....

N.

Meow

There's a village on the Hatta Road called Al Madam where no women are ever seen. Is that irony?