Millhouse

So... lifers (includes me in this) - are you planning on staying or going when the flights reopen? Did you manage to keep your jobs/companies alive etc?

On another group I sometimes look at, they all seem to be dropping like flies. My job seems secure for another year and so I plan to stay on, hunker down and work on the exit over the next 3 years. (This was always my plan really anyway). I expect Mrs Millhouse to lose her job next month with little prospect of finding a new one for a year (not helped by her being 5 months pregnant).

csdf

As always, it depends on the work. If the work's there, I'll stay, though I have a similar exit horizon as you.

weasel decentral

My choice is to stay abroad - as mentioned once the work is available and well paid then I don't see a reason to return. I wouldn't be keen to be a foreign returning candidate into the EU job market - versus locally available guys.
My exit is based primarily on a money target, I can see that on the horizon in 2 years. However, I do wonder if I need people constantly throwing hand grenades at me to stave off the boredom of first world work.

weasel decentral

You make enough money, let her give up work you heartless sod

csdf

By the lack of activity on this board, it looks like most have already gone.

DXBtoDOH

I'm predicting five years of hard times. Severe recession, bordering Depression level unemployment hovering between 10-20% for a while. And that's the developed countries.

School/university leavers and people in their 20s are going to suffer the most.

Collapse in oil prices will be around for a while, and collapse in tourism will also be around for a while. UAE will suffer greatly from both.

scot47

Friends teaching at KFUPM in Dhahran have a dilemma. Go on summer holiday, and risk not getting back. Or spend the summer in Dhahran ! If I were stll there I would stay for the summer. I miss that nice tax-free salary - and the joys of living and working in Al-saudiya !

Millhouse

I’m way more optimistic. I think this will all be forgotten in 18 months and the economy will roar ahead off the back of the massive stimulus packages. But it’s going to be super miserable for many in the short term, and many will be left behind in the medium.

Mistushie

I agree too. Governments will rally to revive economies and so will citizens, wanting to get their daily lives back to some resemblance of normalcy. Oil prices will go up as industries and factories are revived to match the government stimulus. Oil is a necessary raw material in many production processes and economic recovery will be pegged on getting production up and running. Shale in the US has been thoroughly rocked. Arab and Russian oil stocks will be very attractive in 18 months or so. People also now have a new appreciation of family and travel and they are going to make any minute count. Procrastination is out the door. YOLO. Personally I can't wait to check off my bucketlist of things I have put on hold for far too long. I can't wait to drive and fly around. See places I've never seen and see people I really miss.

weasel decentral

Probably a reflection on the state of a lot of BB style forums, dying off slowly. I'd imagine they are used mostly by the older internet generations these days.

clergy

Reminds me a bit of the old 4x4 forums like dubai4x4 and me4x4. The marshalls of a certain vintage on the GN fun drive were part of these groups. All gone now, it seems. Transient society as it is, I think it's a mistake to ever consider anything more than a cash cow, mercenary as that sounds. Anyone who thinks of Dubai as home is deluding themselves.

scrubbedexpat141

Staying put.
Moving apartments next month, taking advantage of the drop in prices to move more upmarket. New life goal - be the poorest person in the best location instead of the gleaming superstar lords in a ****ing slum.

Irishbeekeeper

Economy will remain buggered as it is right now with a downward trend till and when a vaccine is invented AND available to the masses on an affordable non-septic price.

Forums are so 2009, Facebook is so 2012, even whatsapp groups are loosing their appeal. The next guy who invents something similar to whatsapp but with more features will make a lot of money. Something like Weibo, which is bloody brilliant if used to its full capacity, but will lesser features to see you naked when you dont want it to you know.

Took the kids out of school for the foreseeable future, atlteast till the vaccine is here or till the company starts showing a profit. It hasnt for the past 2 months and I dont see it doing so for the next 6 months either. Winter 2020 might bring some respite...again...IF there is a vaccine, otherwise dont expect anyone to travel too much

fth

My concern was that there were quite a few economic alarm bells ringing prior to Covid, remember the inverted yield curve panic?

HiHo

I agree, I thought Dubia was a failing state propped up with Abu Dhabi and Saudi money prior to covid 19. I don't know how much longer those states can afford to do it.