The Dubai Expat Diaries

Grand Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport is set to open on 14th Oct! Dubai has set another record with the soon to open massive Terminal 3 at the Dubai International Airport. This magnificent project with world-class facilities such as spas, hotels, swimming pools, designer lounges, and even two indoor Zen gardens, will be the [...]

In the latest in a stream of policy changes, Dubai has deemed that all expats living and working in the emirate of Dubai must have compulsory health insurance cover. The plan is to roll out the changes in phases, with the first phase in place by January 2009. Subsequent phases will roll out other categories [...]

Some great tips from a Director of Human Resources for people considering moving to Dubai to take up a job. The video is from the hotel industry but the information is quite valid for most industries and countries here in the Middle East…watch the short of the long version below.
Long version:

Experts from Investment Bank Morgan Stanley claim that research indicates the new flood of apartments to hit Dubai may cause prices to plunge by upto 10% by as early as 2010.
The National also included this in it’s news report:
Dubai property prices have soared 79 per cent since January last year, fuelled by a growing population [...]

There has been plenty of media outcry and reports in international media about the recent arrest of tourists claimed to be engaging in intercourse on a public beach. Dubai is also taking strong measures to police the city to target and eradicate other so-called immoral behaviour. See CNN report below:

 
This is a dilemma indeed for [...]

Everyone living in Dubai / the UAE or the Middle East have probably wished they could get their hands on great products from the UK or US… be it books, music, movies, games or electronics. But very few people shop online with Amazon or other online retailers and auction sites due to the shipping [...]

So, I know I won’t be running the streets in the buff shouting about womens’ liberation, but I’m curious to know how repressed women are in Dubai.
My husband has landed a job on an oil rig and we will be living in Dubai.  He is going to train here in the US, and then spend a [...]

With the alcohol restrictions in UAE, can anybody advise if there is a policy on “Home Brew”?  It is all the rage Downunder (Alice Springs).  There are some really fantastic brews getting about for home brewers that are better than mainstream beers from the major suppliers.  Can you brew your own ?  Import the ingredients [...]

I am about to move to Dubai and thinking about travelling a little beforehand…however, I am little worried because obviously I will need some savings to start off while looking for a job in Dubai.  However, I also think that once I start working in Dubai, there will be little time to travel.
Therefore I have [...]

 
I came across this post called “The Top 20 Reasons Not to Move to Dubai (in no particular order!)” on the Net and felt that it did a pretty-good job of Dubai-bashing without necessarily substantiating everything objectively and looking at the pros. It’s a given that Dubai also has its weaknesses and flaws, but doesn’t [...]