Job Discussion Forums

Boen · Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

Just about to decide if I�ll accept a teaching post in Abu Dhabi. I guess my final concerns are mainly about lifestyle. I currently live in Latin America and the level of freedom is amazing. It sounds like there are many rules that restrict freedom in Abu Dhabi. Gambling websites are blocked. Drinking is confined to hotels and is expensive. The dating scene seems dismal. Also my salary would be 30,000 US with housing included. It seems like an expensive city so I might not save too much on that. Any ideas or advice you have over my concerns would be great. Thanks

Kaspar Hauser · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 83

My advice? Quit whining. You'll cry all the way to the bank in Abu Dhabi. By some estimates, there are over a million people in Abu Dhabi, so even though the dating scene may not be what it is in Latin America, you'll manage. With a liquor license and sometimes without one, you can shop at any of the many well-stocked liquor stores. If blocked gambling sites are a concern, then maybe you should consider whether you have a gambling problem and whether that is why you can't save money.

You may be having a great time with the mamacitas in Latin America, but you're probably making about 20 pesos a day. If you have a chance to make real money here in the UAE, you'd be a blockhead not to go for it.

Boen · Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

Kasper thanks for the pointed advice. Question for you since you mentioned the money thing. With 30,000US a year (housing included) will I actually be able to save cash (cry all the way to the bank) or just get by and have a nice lifestyle?

ghost · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 1693 Location: Saudi Arabia

Kaspar Hauser · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 83

It all depends, of course, on how much you spend and how much you save. If you live on beans and rice, don�t buy a car, don�t pay for an internet connection or satellite TV, don�t join a club, don�t go out at night, don�t have a girlfriend or ever rent one for the night, you could save most of your salary.

Everyone has a different idea of how cheap or expensive things are here compared to back home (wherever that might be), but in my opinion prices for the kind of stuff you buy in stores are comparable to the USA�supermarket stuff is about the same, clothes the same or often cheaper, books generally more, electronic stuff around the same. Services are a lot cheaper here�taxis cost next to nothing, barbers, tailors, etc. are really cheap. Can you imagine an ESL teacher in the states or the UK having a maid and routinely taking taxis?

Thirty thousand is kind of a mid-range salary over here�you could do a lot worse�and if you�re a young guy without a lot of experience, coming over here is probably a good career move. If you�re smart you�ll use the opportunity to save some money for the inevitable day when you wake up and find yourself married to one of you girlfriends. Wives, children, diapers, strollers, Xmas presents, braces, kids� clothes and shoes, the kind of nice furniture that wives tend to insist on�it all adds up man.

Boen · Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

Karspar and Ghost thanks for your advice. Karspar, you mentioned girlfriends. I just read an article that said in Abu Dhabi unless you are married you can�t have women stay overnight in your apartment. Is this true? If I have a girlfriend or a one night stand can I bring her home? I also have a friend in Dubai. Can she come down for a weekend and crash at my place? Thanks.

NadiaK · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 206

Legally, no you can't.

In practice, unless your neighbour is out to get you or you need the police in your flat for some reason or another, you shouldn't have any problems. Just don't flaunt it, and be aware that technically it is illegal.

Kaspar Hauser · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 83

Yep, NadiaK is right. It may be technically illegal, but you would have to do something incredibly stupid or outlandish to get in trouble for this sort of thing. This country is not like Saudi Arabia, which is what I suspect you're imagining. There's plenty of nightlife here, plenty of bars with plenty of single gals, many of whom charge a fee. You�ll be amazed at how much more wide open the UAE really is than what you think it is. This is not going to be a problem.

At this point what you ought to be giving some thought to is the lowdown on your potential employer�are they honest, do they pay on time, are the students horrible, is the supervisor insane�that sort of thing. If you post a little info on the employer and the terms they�ve offered, you might get some useful advice.

Boen · Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

Kaspar and Nadik thanks fort the info. Sounds okay. I couldn�t imagine a year without being bale to bring home a lady.

Kaspar as far as my situation with my employer. It�s a quote on quote international school. I have spoken to some teachers and they seem to like it there. They are offering me a one year contract, round trip airfare, $500 shipping allowance, furnished apartemnt with basic utilities (not cable or internet), and transportation to and from school. The work day is 8:30 to 3:00 five days a week. We do have over two and a half months of holiday. Basically, July and August are off and some other holidays. Like I said the pay is $30,000 with one month�s bonus at the end of the yaer. Does that sound good?

Boen · Joined: 09 Oct 2006 Posts: 9

Forgot to mention the actual job. I will be teaching ESL. From my understanding I don�t have an actual class but work with individual, or small groups of students, that have been sent to me by other teachers because they feel these students need extra help in ESL.
Boen

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

It sounds a decent package to me unless you have a CV packed with degrees and years and years of experience.

I'm not sure if it was made clear above, but drinking is not restricted to bars and hotels. Expats are able to get a liquor license and buy a certain amount of booze per month based on your salary. Unless you're an alcoholic, the amount should be enough.

As to women, the big difference is that you are restricted from the local women, but there are expat females of varying availability and possible cost. But as has been said, be aware of your neighbors and that it is illegal. The reality is that most people tend to mind their own business as long as people are discreet.

I'd say that you should have an interesting year or two and save a bit of money!

VS

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123