US or Dubai?
May 4th 2008, 5:29 pm
#46
Queen of my house
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 5,043
Re: US or Dubai?
There is more in life then booze and money.Its better to have a non working wife then the wife developing relationship with boss and ending into bed with him..Its very common here in US.There is no family life and no family support from govt. in tax,medical,education,single parents etc. for single earning families in US.On top of this these is a law for everything even sitting on a toilet seat have a law.
...wife developing relationship with boss and ending into bed with him... It's not that easy to seduce your boss, esp. if the boss is not a lesbian.
..no family support from govt. False. It's called welfare, food stamps, medicaid, free public education, WICA, etc.
May 5th 2008, 3:04 pm
#47
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Lake County IL
Posts: 1,953
Re: US or Dubai?
There is more in life then booze and money.Its better to have a non working wife then the wife developing relationship with boss and ending into bed with him..Its very common here in US.There is no family life and no family support from govt. in tax,medical,education,single parents etc. for single earning families in US.On top of this these is a law for everything even sitting on a toilet seat have a law.
And you'd better give me some more info on this toilet seat law.
May 5th 2008, 4:51 pm
#48
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 3,338
Re: US or Dubai?
Thats exactly what I was thinking. Dubai, maid to do all the work, plenty of disposable income, loads of non working rich locals around......
Its all moot given that this whole thread is some kind of bizarre windup, anyway; but yet another completely ridiculous statement by the OP.
Its all moot given that this whole thread is some kind of bizarre windup, anyway; but yet another completely ridiculous statement by the OP.
May 5th 2008, 6:56 pm
#49
Queen of my house
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Ohio
Posts: 5,043
Re: US or Dubai?
Thats exactly what I was thinking. Dubai, maid to do all the work, plenty of disposable income, loads of non working rich locals around......
Its all moot given that this whole thread is some kind of bizarre windup, anyway; but yet another completely ridiculous statement by the OP.
Its all moot given that this whole thread is some kind of bizarre windup, anyway; but yet another completely ridiculous statement by the OP.
May 5th 2008, 7:01 pm
#50
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Lake County IL
Posts: 1,953
Re: US or Dubai?
You would be surprised to see how some people still live and think this way in this day and age. It could easily be completely legit.
May 26th 2008, 8:58 am
#51
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,376
Re: US or Dubai?
As someone who spent 9 years living in Sharjah and Dubai prior to moving to the US18 months ago I guess I could offer some personal advice on this subject.
If you don’t care about your fellow members of the human race then Dubai is the place, all the sci-fi construction is built by people who are paid less than $200 a month (if they get paid on time). Can you imagine the quality and pride that goes into building a multi-million dollar home or apartment tower when you haven’t been paid for 3 to 6 months? So many villas are simply photocopies of their neighbors yet cost more than many people make in a lifetime, there is no character from one to the next lump of concrete. Many people who are currently resident are now questioning if Dubai is worth it any more, inflation is unofficially above 20%, service sector workers are being squeezed between rising housing, food and schooling costs matched with limited salary increases. Families are being separated as husbands are sending family’s home, the gap between the ‘use to have’ and the ‘have not’ laborers who live in concentration camps is narrowing. Single bedroom apartments costing $10,000 a year are now being shared by 6-8 bachelors (male or female) or even 2 families with kids as a way try to make ends meet.
When I first went to Dubai it was possible to save money and have a satisfactory lifestyle, presently people are spending all they earn (and more) just trying to maintain what they think is practical.
All I can say if you still want to make the move is make sure you get
· At least 2 months salary moving in allowance if moving from the US as all appliances are 240v 50hz, nothing from the US will work.
· a watertight foreign assignment contract with a multinational company with lots of money, tax free is ok but remember your wife will almost surely not work in Dubai so you have to count on loosing that income,
· your housing allowance has to be in excess of 50% of annual salary ($75,000 is a minimum at today’s market rate),
· children’s schooling must be fully funded, if you can get them into a school, all the good ones have waiting lists into next year,
· at least business class travel home for the family at least once if not twice per year, summer time highs in excess of 45C force the wife and kids home for 2 months, sure everywhere is air-conditioned but you still have to park the car at the mall and walk in it unless you are the Sheik
· a fully funded company car, insurance is high and accidents are frequent, car values for expats are like leaky buckets.
· Full repatriation at the end of your contract.
I know this may sound like doom and gloom but I think you have to be there for more than a passing business trip to see the reality underneath the façade that is often seen as modern Dubai.
I initially I enjoyed my time there but now I never want to go back and work there again.
If you don’t care about your fellow members of the human race then Dubai is the place, all the sci-fi construction is built by people who are paid less than $200 a month (if they get paid on time). Can you imagine the quality and pride that goes into building a multi-million dollar home or apartment tower when you haven’t been paid for 3 to 6 months? So many villas are simply photocopies of their neighbors yet cost more than many people make in a lifetime, there is no character from one to the next lump of concrete. Many people who are currently resident are now questioning if Dubai is worth it any more, inflation is unofficially above 20%, service sector workers are being squeezed between rising housing, food and schooling costs matched with limited salary increases. Families are being separated as husbands are sending family’s home, the gap between the ‘use to have’ and the ‘have not’ laborers who live in concentration camps is narrowing. Single bedroom apartments costing $10,000 a year are now being shared by 6-8 bachelors (male or female) or even 2 families with kids as a way try to make ends meet.
When I first went to Dubai it was possible to save money and have a satisfactory lifestyle, presently people are spending all they earn (and more) just trying to maintain what they think is practical.
All I can say if you still want to make the move is make sure you get
· At least 2 months salary moving in allowance if moving from the US as all appliances are 240v 50hz, nothing from the US will work.
· a watertight foreign assignment contract with a multinational company with lots of money, tax free is ok but remember your wife will almost surely not work in Dubai so you have to count on loosing that income,
· your housing allowance has to be in excess of 50% of annual salary ($75,000 is a minimum at today’s market rate),
· children’s schooling must be fully funded, if you can get them into a school, all the good ones have waiting lists into next year,
· at least business class travel home for the family at least once if not twice per year, summer time highs in excess of 45C force the wife and kids home for 2 months, sure everywhere is air-conditioned but you still have to park the car at the mall and walk in it unless you are the Sheik
· a fully funded company car, insurance is high and accidents are frequent, car values for expats are like leaky buckets.
· Full repatriation at the end of your contract.
I know this may sound like doom and gloom but I think you have to be there for more than a passing business trip to see the reality underneath the façade that is often seen as modern Dubai.
I initially I enjoyed my time there but now I never want to go back and work there again.
May 27th 2008, 3:17 am
#52
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 43
Re: US or Dubai?
There is more in life then booze and money.Its better to have a non working wife then the wife developing relationship with boss and ending into bed with him..Its very common here in US.There is no family life and no family support from govt. in tax,medical,education,single parents etc. for single earning families in US.On top of this these is a law for everything even sitting on a toilet seat have a law.
May 27th 2008, 7:59 am
#54
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,376
Re: US or Dubai?
One of the most accidentally hilarious posters BE has ever seen methinks!
May 28th 2008, 12:50 am
#57
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: US or Dubai?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust
So are you all set with your Dubai plans now?
May 28th 2008, 1:06 am
#58
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: US or Dubai?
It's "In GOD we trust", not "On GOD we trust" by the way ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust
So are you all set with your Dubai plans now?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust
So are you all set with your Dubai plans now?
May 28th 2008, 1:08 am
#59
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
May 28th 2008, 1:45 am
#60
Arrogant ****
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Re: US or Dubai?
Hey, Smurtaza, I'll sponsor you as an employer to come to the US.
Like the 18th century aristocrats had resident hermits who were paid to live in ramshackle little cottages on the grounds of grand stately homes, you can be my resident twat, and live in a small garden shed that I'm prepared to build out by the pool.
...on second thoughts, the Department of Labor may not be happy approving my H1-B sponsorship of this role, given that there is no current shortage of Americans who are fully qualified to take the position!
Like the 18th century aristocrats had resident hermits who were paid to live in ramshackle little cottages on the grounds of grand stately homes, you can be my resident twat, and live in a small garden shed that I'm prepared to build out by the pool.
...on second thoughts, the Department of Labor may not be happy approving my H1-B sponsorship of this role, given that there is no current shortage of Americans who are fully qualified to take the position!