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[smedini]

Hey all

I've been thinking as of late to moving to a smaller Emirate, rather than to one of the larger ones. I think the 'pros' of doing so are fairly obvious and are not that different than those you find when you compare living in different sized cities anywhere in the world, even at home.

What I'd like to hear from some of you out there in the know are your 'cons' of living in one of the smaller Emirates, compared to Dubai or AD for example. What's the negative scoop on living in a smaller place? The truth, please, warts and all!

Of course you'll all have different thoughts based on the kind of people you are and the interests you have, but that's the kind of info I'm looking for.

Thanks a bunch!

[helenl]

Living in one of the smaller emirates (Fujairah, RAK, UAQ and the eastern side of Sharjah) is like living in a small town anywhere. Everyone will know who you are, where you work and your regular routine. There are fewer places to socialize - fewer restaurants, fewer fitness choices, and when you do go there, you will more often than not see people you work with.

Are these cons? I disliked it to a certain degree because there were those who felt it necessary to comment on and grill others on their doings/habits if they felt like it.

Schooling is a problem in some emirates because
(a) lack of choice
(b) lack of space
(c) lack of quality
If you are coming with kids, you'd better do YOUR homework as this can become an issue.

Shopping - especially grocery shopping can be limited to some degree. A lot more Western stuff is available than it used to be but to really get a variety trips to the larger emirates will be necessary. Spinney's usually has a lot of higher end Western products available but they're only in AD, Dubai, Sharjah and one in Ajman (I don't think there's one in Al Ain or RAK but someone else would know better than I).


Pros - less or no traffic - a big plus in my book

[like2answer]

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[globalnomad2]

I dertainly don't agree that living in a smaller emirate like RAK is similar to living in a small town anywhere! In fact, that's a preposterous notion. The quality of life in a small town in Europe or in certain areas of the US, and most other areas around the world, is LEAGUES above a place like RAK. Come on--people on this site say these ridiculous things because they know their management monitors these forums assiduously and have a good idea who each poster is.

[smedini]

Ok Global Nomad...you've said that it's not at all like living in a small town elsewhere, so can you tell me how it's not? What are the cons as you see them? I'd like to hear them...it's the good, bad and ugly I'm looking for here...sounds like you've got a little 'ugly' on your mind !

Thanks!

Smedini

[helenl]

How is the lifestyle in RAK? I'm only personally familiar with Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai and Fujairah so I'm certainly willing to become better informed about RAK.

[mishmumkin]

Years ago when I started my first gig in Sharjah one of my Irish colleagues said the regional director had offered her the choice between Sharjah and RAK. When selling RAK's finer points he said, "You can even grow your own vegetables!!"

[tmac-100]

[globalnomad2]

I am NOT in RAK and I am NOT in the Middle East any longer (after 15 long years, unfortunately), and yes, my trails are now much happier. The Nakheel side of RAK is a hideous, scraggly little dustbowl, and the rest of the town has little to offer other than dust and substandard apartments. A narrow little golf course in 45-degree heat, a substandard shopping mall and a couple of bars do not a town make. As an American, I have spent 34 of my 58 years in ten countries worldwide outside the US...not to mention visiting many others repeatedly. I think I can make reasoned judgments about the quality of life in various towns. It is not rocket science. And it is not bizarre to dislike the Middle East; most expats I know who used to live there are utterly delighted--indeed, ecstatic-- to have left, and like me, they hope they never have to return. That doesn't mean you are supposed to be unhappy there. It just means you don't have any common sense, apparently, judging by your lengthy diatribe. I am the first to admit, ignorance is bliss.

[lall]

[007]

[adorabilly]

I guess it is a different strokes for different folks kind of place.

I like it here. Yes Nakheel is dirty, and dingy, but compared to central china (where I have lived), many places in india (where I have visited) and even in the dusty small towns in southern Arizona (where I grew up) RAK is cleaner (imagine that, do you see beggars on the streets or people defecating on the sidewalk?), less polluted (again see central china india or even phoenix in the summer), and it is a small town with lots to do.

As for the substandard apartments... i wouldn't know, I have a very nice, large, comfortable villa with a garden, a pool and a huge yard. I couldn't have a house this large in the states on what we make now. Definitely not in Japan where we were before we came.

And for the rest of your diatribe, consider the following list of things to do

Gymnastics, ballet, jazz dancing, equestrian training, camel riding, taekwando, private music instruction, a sailing club, the hilton beach club(these are activities that kids can do. Adults can also)
the waterski club, scuba, snorkeling, sailing, jet skis, rowing, exploring the mountains, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, desert fun (quad runners, 4x4's), saqr park, awafi, 2 movie theaters, 2 places that sell new english books, and one large used bookstore, there is a RAK emirate football team which play a game every week or two in the stadium, there is a acting troupe, 2 golf courses, about a dozen good decent coffee shops, if you want to go out drinking there are about 8 or 10 places to imbibe. There is at least 1 disco to go dancing at (there may be more, I've only been to the one). There are 2or 3 bowling alleys, about a dozen snooker/pool halls, the HCT libraries (if you teach for HCT), Oman is about an hour away, Fuj is an hour away. I can think of about a dozen pretty good restaurants for eating out. There is a nice sized dutch expat community, a tight korean and japanese expat communities. private language lessons if you want them. I wish that when I was growing up in the dusty, dirty south western part of america I had 1/4 of a list this long to do... I didn't. And I'm sure there are TONS of other things I didn't mention.

Maybe it has to do with your POV also. If you come here directly from America, Britian, or western europe you might just think it is dingy, small, with nothing to do. I am reminded of a parent who came to RAK with their children for a "year" and left after 6 months. She couldn't handle it. Her kids didn't like it, they wanted to go "home" where they had their PS3, their friends, and the benefits of living in America.

Of course before we came we were living in central china, surrounded by farm fields, with people constantly rude, trying to scam us, living in real substandard housing where we were afraid of fires due to the poor wiring, where we had hot water for an hour a day, and you constantly washed your hands because it was sooooo dirty. So by comparision, it is a step up.

Back to the OP's original point. The issues with a small emirate is that nearly all the foreigners/westerners know you. Or know about you. You will run into your co workers all the time (or their families), and you will run into your students quite frequently. So be prepared for a bit of a fishbowl experience.

[tmac-100]

[globalnomad2]

Monosyllabic? Whose comments are monosyllabic?

I can agree, however, that RAK is no doubt an upgrade from many areas in China, and the UAE is certainly an easier place to live in than the China I last visited in 1992.

I also agree that I would not teach ESL in an English-speaking country. I am talking about comparative quality of life in general, not schoolmarm stuff. Thank God life is not just teaching ESL/EFL.

[like2answer]

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