Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Report of what it's like to live there - 07/20/12
Personal Experiences from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
I lived in Austria and the USA as an expat.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
UK is my home base. Abu Dhabi is a seven hour direct flight from Heathrow. Ethiad, Qatar and British Airways all fly daily
3. How long have you lived here?
Lived there for 3 years 2007/2010.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Educator working as anadviser to local schools.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
We were provided with new apartments on the island, about fifteen minutes from the city centre in a pleasant suburb with parks and villas for Emirati families. However, if accommodation is not provided by your employer, it is difficult and expensive to find housing. Many people were commuting in daily from Dubai where rents were lower after the financial crash.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
If you eat locally-sourced fruit and vegetables or go to the supermarkets like Lulu catering for Indian/Asian customers, which is cheaper than UK supermarkets. Fresh coriander for the equivalent of 10p a bunch; limes 10 for the equivalent of £1, Iranian saffron at £2 a box. On the other hand if you crave Stilton cheese or bacon (available in a separate section banned to Muslims) it is available in Spinneys.... but at a higher price than at home. There is a Waitrose in Dubai if you really want to splash out. M&S in Abu Dhabi has some goods like porridge and biscuits but it is not like the foodhalls at home!
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Taylors Yorkshire Tea (the Liptons varieties available locally were very weak); books and CDs are more expensive than at home; more RoC sunscreen in larger quantities.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Every variety of Western fast food in the malls, lovely Lebanese and Vietnamese outlets for healthier fast foods. Restaurants offering every variety of cuisine from 30dhms meals in Indian or Iranian cafes to 100s in the five star hotels.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Ant invasions are common. The chemicals in the insecticides used liberally in this countryare likely to do you more harm than the insects themselves.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
The national post system (Empost) could be a bit slow. In addition there are no street addresses in the UAE so you need to get a post box from the post office. If the contents were important I would use Fedex.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
I did not need this but friends who did engage domestic help found it easy to do so.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Yes. Plenty of clubs and hotels with gym facilities and pools.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
ATMs are plentiful. ADCB ones always try to lure you into making donations to the Red Crescent when you withdraw your money. I used my UK credit card without any problems and declined a UAE one. Too many people seem to end up in real difficulties if they don't pay them off in full; stories of debtors being stopped at the airport and prevented from leaving the country feature in the local media.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Yes. There is an English Language mosque; Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical churches offer English services. The Anglican church compound has about 70 different denominations using it at the weekend from Ethiopian Orthodox to Pentecostals.
6. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
The National is a reasonable newspaper with Abu Dhabi and international coverage, Gulf News and Khaleej Times have a more local and Dubai focus; TV packages include BBC, CNN and dozens of English language channels for about 2000 dhs per year
7. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
A little Arabic goes a long way and is much appreciated. English is widely understood and spoken.
8. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Curbs are steep and not all buildings have a ramp entrance.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Trains exist only in the excellent Dubai metro system although there is talk of building a Dubai/Abu Dhabi railway. Buses between the cities are cheap Within Abu Dhabi the city bus is very inexpensive, if crowded. Women in the front, men at the back. It is embarrassing, but if you are white, people will usually try to offer you their seats. The silver taxis are also relatively cheap but try to find a driver with a good sense of direction, ask for his mobile number and ring him directly for your future needs. Some drivers have limited road knowledge or uncertain temperaments especially during Ramadan.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Driving is a dangerous sport in the UAE. I got a driving licence and hired cars from time to time but chose to use public transport/taxi most of the time. As with unpaid credit card debts, car hire purchase/lease arrangements can need to be settled in full before you leave the country. The local custom is to write 24 pre-dated monthly cheques, but if you lose your job/income stream within the two years you are still responsible for making sure that the cheques don't bounce if you want to stay out of prison.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, through Etisalat. Depends on the speed/download that you want but I had change from 200dhs a month for landline and internet.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
There are two companies, Etisalat and Du, with the latter being less expensive. You need to show residence ID to buy a handset. Top-up cards are easy to purchase in shops or from street vendors.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
We lived in apartments and the lease forbade pets.
2. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Colleagues' spouses who wanted jobs all found something.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
I worked in Emirati settings so sleeves past the elbow and skirts nearer the ankle than the knee. Trousers are fine provided that they are not tight and worn with a top that covers your bottom. Male colleagues were expected to wear trousers and shirt/tie to work. Paradoxically while western women sometimes chose to wear an abaya at work and in public (because they could wear shorts and tee shirts underneath if they chose), it is very bad form for western men to wear the dishdasha.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
The traffic is dangerous, but Abu Dhabi is otherwise a safe place to live.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
There are hospitals with links for example to Imperial College and some well respected clinics. The major concern is ensuring that your employer provides an insurance policy that is accepted at the better hospitals and GP practices.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Sandstorms and the fogs in the winter are uncomfortable, but relatively uncommon, experiences.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Gorgeous from November to April when there are balmy breezes as well as sunshine with sunset much later than in a northern European winter. Scorchingly hot and unbearably humid in the summer so that much time is spent inside with the air conditioning full on.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
I inspected many of them for ADEC and standards do vary considerably so i would advise prospective parents to look beyond the marketing brochure ask about these inspection reports.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
This can be a worry for expat parents because special needs are less consistenly supported than in national systems in the West. If your child comes to the UAE with a statement of special needs you will need to probe about provision before enrolling. If your young child starts school for the first time in the UAE, the diagnosis and quality of screening will vary from school to school. Some of the British curriculum international schools offer support for pupils with dyslexia or ASD.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
There are English medium private nurseries operating in Abu Dhabi with varying philosophies of early years educaton
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, through the clubs, the international schools and an extensive summer program in the parks, although most families escape the heat and go to their home countries for the summer.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Huge. Emiratis are less than 20% of the population and you have to go to El Ain to see a city in which they are the majority.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
There is a club or society for practically every sporting and cultural interest.
3. Morale among expats:
It depends upon the expat. Indian/Pakistani workers put up with very sparse conditions as long as they are being paid. It is only when their wages stop and there is nothing to send home that they grumble. Philipina and Indonesian runaway maids in refuges have understandably fragile morale. Westerners don't, relatively, have anything to complain about... but we do.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Families say it is a good safe place to bring up children. Be aware that the local culture recognises and respects married couples, but not unmarried partners.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Discretion would be necessary.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Racial prejudice? As one charming Emirati student put it 'the UAE is not a melting pot but rather a salad bowl where the different ingredient live alongside each other but do not blend together'. Other posts identify the pecking order of Emirati, then other GCC Arabs, followed by other Arabs from the Levant and North Africa, then westerners with professional/technical expertise all supported by large numbers of workers from Asia and the Indian subcontinent doing the manual work.
Religious prejedice? It is an Islamic county. The festivals and public holidays follow the Islamic calendar. Expect to work on Christmas Day for example. Followers of other religions are tolerated, but it is against the law to proselytize or try to convert Muslims. Churches are in one limited area, many in a compound with no overt external display of crosses allowed. I can't recall seeing any temples but there are associations for the Keral, Nepali, etc., workers so I think that they celebrate their festivals and rituals within their clubhouses.
Gender prejudice? More Emirati women than men are going to university nowadays and there are women heading government departments and in leading roles in commerce. Many women that I have met seem matter of fact about polygamy. Although men and women can seem socially segregated to western eyes, for example with women and children on one side of the audience at a traditional concert, and men on the other, women wield significant influence in the family. They are proud that they have always had the right to their own property. Some female colleagues did not drive outside the town because their husbands did not want them to, but this always seemed more out of concern for safety on accident-plagued roads than outright chauvinism. It was generally understood that westerners are different and expect the sexes to work and socialize together. It was women from Asia who suffered from prejudice in that they were often assumed to be maids or prostitutes.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Good spot for holidays in places I would otherwise not have considered like Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt. Privileged, due to my work, to go beyond the 'expat bubble' and spend time within Emirati schools and homes.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Fabulous if you like natural history, camping or stargzing in the desert; sailing opportunites plentiful; horse and camel racing worth seeing; a festival of some sort be it falconry, films or food every few weeks in the splendid conference centres; arts well catered for with new Guggeneim, Louvre and classical concert series; world music festival on the corniche and easy distance to Indian Ocean or Mediterranean holiday spots for long weekends.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
prescription specs are cheaper here for 'designer' frames' jewellery made locally or in Oman is striking, camels milk chocolate is a good gift and delicious, dates and spices make nice presents, carpets, tiles from the Iranian market.
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
A wonderful opportunity to experience a different culture and meet people from all over the world while having access to most of the comforts of home.
11. Can you save money?
Yes, if accommodation and utilties are part of your package, and if you don't go retail crazy in the malls
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Umbrella (unless lined with sun repellant material and used as a parasol); preconceptions about the Gulf; sense that rules of the road are there to be followed.
3. But don't forget your:
Sun screen, sense of curiousity, willingness to learn.
4. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Don't They Know It's Friday? Cross-Cultural Considerations for Business and Life in the Gulf
is a helpful primer for adapting to life and business in the Gulf. Anything by/about Wilfred Thesinger Wilfred Thesinger
helps to gain an understanding of how much has changed so rapidly in this country.
5. Recommended movies/DVDs related to this city:
City of Life and Death
is the first Emirati made movie. It is based in Dubai rather than Abu Dhabi but much of the story of the tension between family expectations and the easy life of fast cars and faster friends is as relevant in this emirate and the Emirati kids in the audience loved it! If you get a chance to see the Freej in English - cartoon Emirati grannies like a sort of Arab French and Saunders sketch show - do so!
