Working in Abu Dhabi? pros and cons please

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I agree, I was offered a job there last year as part of an Industrial Placement year and the University made me turn it down because I had verbally accepted another job. The job I was FORCED to go to turned out to be horrendous and I deeply regret that I didn't just take the Abu Dhabi job. It turns out that loads of people verbally accepted one job and then bailed when a better job offer came along without any consequences from the University

Nevermind, you've always got your street corner job? x

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

2 year contract - I take it you are based in Tokyo, how long have you been there? and do you enjoy it out there? Its one of the places in the world I would love to visit

I've been here about 6 years now. I love it out here, it's a great city(Japan's alright too!).

As for Abu Dhabi, I think you should go for it if there's nothing keeping you in England. Two years isn't so long even if it turns out not to be all you hoped for. However, I think you generally get out what you put in so as long as you're prepared to actually live in a foreign country and follow their rules and customs(as much as possible) you should have a pretty good experience. Try not to compare things to back home all the time and you'll have a much better two years. Having said that, as an ex-pat you'll be able to live in a world- if you choose to- that has all the familiarity of home. Go for it!

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Just make sure you don’t run up any unpaid debts under the dreaded Sharia law– ex pats in Dubai have had to do a midnight runner.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/the_gulf/article5663618.ece

 

[seagull_special]

I've been here about 6 years now. I love it out here, it's a great city(Japan's alright too!).

As for Abu Dhabi, I think you should go for it if there's nothing keeping you in England. Two years isn't so long even if it turns out not to be all you hoped for. However, I think you generally get out what you put in so as long as you're prepared to actually live in a foreign country and follow their rules and customs(as much as possible) you should have a pretty good experience. Try not to compare things to back home all the time and you'll have a much better two years. Having said that, as an ex-pat you'll be able to live in a world- if you choose to- that has all the familiarity of home. Go for it!

 

[Storer68]

You can't have sex on the beach

I think you'll find you can.

That was the problem - they did!

 

[seagull_special]

We will be moving to Abu Dhabi in September -


Nervous and excited in equal measures

 

[Marshy]

A mate of mine has just finished a year there and has now moved to Beirut Lebanon !...which he prefers more amazingly !

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

A mate of mine has just finished a year there and has now moved to Beirut Lebanon !...which he prefers more amazingly !

Back in the 50s and 60's Beirut was the playboy destination of choice. Full of bars and hot women. Maybe things are getting back to the old ways!

 

[bhaexpress]

I would be more than happy to work in Abu Dhabi. I have no issues with the Arabs there, all of the ones I met there were very friendly and helpful. Granted there's a fairly fixed pecking order. Firstly it's Arabs, very cloise behind are Westerners and a way behind them are Filipinos. Bringing up the rear are people from the Asian sub continent who are not so popular with the arabs as they are not too good with personal hygene (fact not racism). Yes the weather is damned hot but unlike many very hot countries everywhere has air conditioning. There is a very British flavour there mainly as the vast majority of the construction was and is by British firms. 13amp plugs are the norm.

As far as hypocracy goes I would say that Arabs in the UAE are no worse than any of us. What is surprising is the number of prostitues there. However bear in mind that the migrant workers outnumber the indigenous population four to one. There are no shortage of Western and most definately British shops there. Food is the same. There's very little crime as well. I even know of a Britsh Pub styled bar in one of the hotels.

Abu Dhabi differs from Dubai in so far as it's not all that artificial. It's the capital of the UAE and has a lot more history. It also has a dirty great cricket/football stadium right by the airport. Given a choice of Croydon or Abu Dhabi it's a no contest, I can take the heat.

 

[seagull_special]

I am handing my notice in today and telling everyone that we are off to Abu Dhabi 1st September. After England's performance I am wondering how good the UAE's team are?