Grimps

I’ve always wanted to work and live in the UAE and recently was offered a job in Abu Dhabi which is a lot less money than I’m currently earning.
I work as an engineer in the oil industry and have worked overseas for the last ten years in most of the worlds shit tips , Iraq , Nigeria , Russia (Siberia ) ect , I work a 28 days on 28 days off rotation.

I’ve always had quite a high salary due to the remoteness of some of these locations , I’ve quite a lot of money saved and have several properties I rent out in the UK.
I’m 41 years old and single and have never settled down or been Married , I believe some of the reason for his is most the places I’ve worked there had been a shortage of women ( well that’s my excuse anyway )

I’m hoping that a nice steady nine to give job with the chance of a good social life might be a perfect opportunity to meet someone or at least have a good time.
I’ve been offeered a salary of around £100000 all in with medical insurance my only other Benefit, this will be around £40k less than I’m currently on plus the fact I’ll have to pay my living expenses out of this salary .

The location of my workplace would be not far from Abu Dhabi airport so I was thinking I might actually commute from Dubai marina .

My current workmates think that I’m mad for leaving for less cash but I really think that for 6 months a year my life is a total write off while I’m working on rotation , plus a lot of the time when I’m home on leave I’m sat on the house bored due to the crap british weather and also most of my mates being at work or settled down .
Am I mad to consider this and would Dubai be a good place to let my hair down for a year or two ?

Bahtatboy

You'll still save on that unless you go berserk. Look at some of the threads / the wiki to work out how much you could save: if that's enough to meet your target, then why not? You can certainly let your hair down there. A smattering of Chinese would help, but isn't a prerequisite.

reddiva

My costs for a single person in Dubai are

Apartment 6500 per month ( I live in a nice area)
Utilities 800 per month
Petrol 250 per month
Salik 320 per month
Food 1500 to 3000 a month
Going out usually one night on the weekend 500-800 ( I am not a fan of brunches)

I have to factor in all the girlie stuff but even still you will have 30k left over for other stuff. Unless you go mental and go to AED650 brunches every single weekend and out every night of the week you will be fine. It is a fun place i am never stuck for things to do.

Grimps

I’ve always spent quite a lot more on nights out when I’ve been in Dubai but I guess when you’re only there for a few days you probably go a bit mad , I’d need to buy a car too but I’d guess I’d still save a bit and as long as I don’t go into my own savings and I’m having a good time it should be ok

Grimps

Chinese ?

reddiva

I am not sure if he is referring to the people you may work with or the ladies

reddiva

The first year i was here i went mental but i reigned it in. There are so many happy hours and apps for food and drink now so it is easy to save a bit
Will your company give a bonus as most oil companies here do

Millhouse

Doesn’t sound like you have a lot to lose. You can always go back to rotations if it doesn’t work out.

Grimps

No bonus As I’d be working for a contractor , my current employer pays two 25% bonuses twice a year so I’ll miss that .
I guess as long as I’m enjoying myself I’m not really bothered what I spend

Grimps

Yeah that’s what I’m thinking , what’s the worst that could happen eh ?
I guess most the people I work with are in differnt positions to me , they have family’s or goals that they’re saving for , I’ve just reached the stage where I need a blow out somewhere half decent

Millhouse

Exactly. Give it a year or two. You might save more than you think and if not, it was a good experience and you’ll have a few notches on the bed.

scrubbedexpat141

All you're sacrificing is the danger money.

The offer in the UAE is probably what the job is worth but the extra comes from having to enjoy the Congolese condom and possibly having your head put on a spike.

I'd do it in a heartbeat, sounds like your life is well set financially, why not enjoy it for a bit. Guys who do those sorts of rotations for their entire working lives can be spotted a mile off, for bad reasons.

mission

i concur with everyone above....i think you should go for it...plenty of ladies of the night to keep you company

mission

me too...i actually went mental for probably the first few years i was here....i've now 'calmed' down over the last couple of years.

Grimps

Yeah I’ve met a fair few of those types on my travels .
I remember my first week in Equatorial Guinea one of the old Texan Cowboys I was working with said to me ‘Son , be careful when you go into town, 3 out of 5 of those girls have HIV ‘
I use a condom 3 out of 5 times just to be safe ‘

I can hand on heart say I never slept with anyone during all the years I spent in West africa , most of the old guys I worked with wouldn’t be able to say the same.
To be honest I’d much rather meet a nice girl than have to pay for it , I’m still looking good for my age and reckon I’ve still got a bit of patter left in me.
I said to myself a long time ago I didn’t want to end up with a house in Thailand like most of them