Meow

The behaviour of the local is just bullying. I am totally disgusted that someone can behave like this for a perceived minor slight.

seven seas

Nobody can prove the existence - or the non-existence - of an obscene hand gesture.

The police should be more concerned with tailgating, which is a deadly game played at all hours by thousands.

It makes me think that if anyone annoys me on the road, I'd better get on the phone to the police with MY made-up story before they do it to me.

And that's not good.

lullabelle

things like this throughly depress me these days. Its been a trying week (final settlement still not paid in over a month, school fees are due and the boy's got a birthday next week) and reading this just makes me question the decision to stay on here. WTF is WRONG with these people? I have a five year old and she is more mature in her actions.

Can I ask a question? And don't shoot me down in flames - I'm a bit sensitive at the mo - is anyone truly happy here?

I ask this because there seems to be such a split in opinion. Not necessarily on this site - a ladies forum in Abu Dhabi seems to be a mix of "we love it, we get to have...(insert recreation or shopping treats here) and it is sunny every day" and those for whom being here is a means to an end and they put up with it but are pretty horrified at the racism/driving/insert all other negatives etc Some actively hate it...

Nearly all the people I've met who love it are women who don't work. Almost all of my friends only tolerate it and rage at things like the above article or the ikea couple or the racism and see the place very much as a temporary measure.

Me - I'm going to enjoy the positives (like going to Mussandam- just brilliant) and tolerate the negatives for a while longer. My reasons being i want some stability for my kids for a bit and to try to make something from all the hassle of coming out and the hassle of the first few months. But i can't help feeling somewhat grubby for doing so. I don't find living here a breeze and am always a bit astonished and perplexed by those who say they do. The dark side of this place can really drag me down. I suppose I never really knew what i was getting myself into and my feelings for this place have certainly been tainted by my previous company's behaviour. I have to tell you though, I never expected it to be so... exhausting and demoralising.

On the bright side, I haven't been arrested, yet.

lullabelle

and i see that my question is pretty much being answered on the "Dubai.. changing" thread.

seven seas

That's exactly what I keep telling myself, every morning.

Chris_m

I was in the force for 7yrs, @ home. And been here for 2yrs+ and until January this year had, had no dealings with police here. I came out my apt 1 morning to find my car had been side swiped during the night. I wasn't in the wrong all my documents were in order. And still from picking up the call to the moment the officers left i was anxious and uneasy due to the stories i'd heard about police in Dubai.

I like it here but i've only been here 2yrs and work on average a 25hr week with no stress and now with my current contract has just decreased to an 18hr week. The hardest decision i face each day is do i go to the beach the pool or the gym. Some days i spoil myself and do all 3 .

I have no definitive plan for the future but as soon as i stop liking it i'll move on!

Blue Cat

you have a cushy number for most it is bloody hard work working here, long hours, alot of stress etc.

Millhouse

I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Anyone who compromises happiness for money is living a sad existence.

Will I stay here forever, certainly not. Then again, staying in the UK forever was never on my list of things to do either.

Meow

Even if you like your life here there are bound to be things that annoy or irritate, but you will get that everywhere. Britain certainly isn't paradise on earth either.

co durham boy

I like the moral stance and it could be the right thing to do in an ideal world but in reality it's off the mark .

People in everyday life and on every monetary scale do things that they're not happy with for money and financial gain , it's how the world works . The trick is to make enough early on so you can give yourself better choices in life , so in rudimentary terms instead of mopping the shithouse floor you get to tell someone else to mop the shithouse floor.

The millions of sub-continental labourers in this region don't like it but happiness isn't on the top of their agenda.

Norm_uk

Indeed but how many of us here feel as relaxed and comfortable about life as we did back home or anywhere for that matter?

I have several good friends leaving this year - all very well paid but all saying the same things, especially about the locals and how business is done.

N.

Hello.Kitty

It all boils down to the good old pyramid of need - what good is the stuff at the top when the foundation's a bit rickety?

Autonomy

The whole thing stinks. The whole proof of flipping the finger is ridiculous.

As for the tailgating - it's getting worse I think.

Yesterday on the 311 on the way back from RAK - I go to over take the idiot in the second to fastest lane so I move to the outside lane. He speeds up a little and we're now both doing about 120kms. He catches up with the car in from so now I'm kinda stuck in the outside lane... oh and who is this now behind me, about 5mm off my bumper - yes Al Twunt the Emirati in a big hurry.

Nowhere to move left or right, can't slow down as he's up my ass. Flashing like a maniac.

Have to floor the jeep to get it to about 140kms to get past and start to move over. This idiot as he goes past tries to hit me, I swear, he swerved at me at 140kms...

Did I flip the bird - very, very close, but I know the rules... made me so goddam angry - putting our lives at risk for what? A 20 second delay?

Off he went zig zagging left and right to get past cars... what a total asshole.

lionheart

Many of us on here (and back home) would be curious to know what line of work you are in and if it pays well. Nothing too specific, just a rough idea will suffice.

Ethos83

My last day in Dubai - actually on the way to the airport, we're on Business Bay.

Friend is driving me to the airport. We're in the middle lane. An Indian bloke is doing 80 and so we merge to the left lane to go around him.

All of a sudden, an Emirati in a white Land Cruiser (what else?) comes flying up behind us, probably doing 140 (speed limit is 100).

But we can't immediately move over because there's cars in the middle lane.

So what the ****wit did....

He drove onto the the road shoulder and went around us. On our left. And we were in the left lane.

I was very glad to be leaving Dubai.