admon

Hotel figures for Dubai state that 600,000 americans visited the UAE in 2007, although managers I know at a couple of hotel chains have said they see very few..

Discussing some business with a company in the US, they say that there are 'around' 50,000 american expats living in the UAE.

Having been here for 4 years, I rarely meet americans here, making me think I can't believe either of these figures to be true, or maybe I am truly blinkered!
Can anyone enlighten me further..

commander

to be fair, there are quite a lot in the oil industry.

I know many americans here..

admon

that may explain it, if they are mostly connected to an industry I have zero to do with.

Nic1

There are hundreds in Jumeira 1 behind the zoo area, as that's where the American School is (the original one). We lived there during our time in Dubai - it was brilliant at Halloween and Christmas as they all decorated their houses so well and did great trick or treating. Unfortunately that all came to an end after 9/11, when they started doing it in the school hall.

Our neighbours were American - had great parties. Guess they might all move when the ASD moves, plus their low level housing might be up for demolition along with everything else in Dubai.

N

Madam Medusa

yeah, and they were out in force at the oil barons ball...as were the scots, mind you...

MM, xx

Madam Medusa

most of those single storey villas in jumeirah 1 have gone...or have been vacated waiting for demolition...

MM, xx

Fairydust

I know quite a lot of american pilots here too

Nic1

What ? Including all the cute ones behind the zoo ? Saw they'd all gone on the Wasl Road . . . Shame. Gllad we've moved as no doubt whatever they build will be f'ugly.

N

Madam Medusa

right by the school they've all gone, haven't driven at the back of the zoo for a while...it's a shame, and it doesn't look like anything is being done to replace them...such a pointless exercise...

MM, xx

admon

think they were to be part of the first phase of the Jumeirah Garden City project.. now likely to be slowed down to a snails pace over the next few years.
even the bulldozers have gone into slo mo..

Blue Cat

I have met quite a few American ladies some of them are lovely whilst others are just plain in your face. Sadly all the nice ones I have met have left the UAE. Just one left now and she is going back to the States end of January.

commander

yea jocks and yanks, pretty much sums up the oil industry here..

Nickel

I truly doubt that it is true. Maybe when my parents lived here (the '80's), but I don't think it is true now. Back then, there were loads of Americans here, plus mainly British with a smitherin' of Canadians. And, yes, my Dad was with Arco Oil.

Now, when I am here, I rarely hear an "American" accent. Lots of other accents, though. (just a tad lonely to meet another American!! )

Blue Cat

the majority of Americans left post 9/11, no one was really that sad to see them leave to be honest with you. Not all of them are the same but there was a large amount of big mouthed Texans here who really did just inflame relations with the locals.

Kim67

I have americans living next door to me. There's also an american couple at my kids' school that I'm quite friendly with. They're really nice people (which was surprising for me who had previously had a dim view of Americans based on the one's I'd met in Australia and America). But they're the only two american families I've met in Dubai. The majority of people I've met here seem to be British, Australian, Dutch, German and South African.