Job Discussion Forums

[tmac-100]

I have a habit of speaking on what I see in a thread's "meanderings" and also only on "items" that I know something about.

I Know absolutely NOTHING about I. City and it's supposed problems with sewage, etc.... and thus have no further comment to say, except "Thank you" for getting the thread back on topic..

[MrScaramanga]

I have never heard of anyone referring to "provinces" in Dubai... That's weird. Anyway, IC is located off of Emirates Road, on the road to Hatta, otherwise known as Nouakchott Street.

Dragon Mart is definitely not a regular mall: no food court to speak of, no supermarkets; it is mostly devoted to Chinese imports and merchandise ranges from marble slabs, sinks and tubs to silk scarves and handbags!

The two malls I mentioned are very different. Mirdiff is mostly an outdoor kind of place with sidewalks, little shops and a spinneys supermarket. Festival City is a bona fide shopping center with restaurants (from Thai food to sushi etc.) and a Panda supermarket. It is located near the newest Intercontinental Hotel (that has great restaurants) and also has a gigantic Ikea store -- ideal for fixing up your place Prices are very comparable at both malls.

I am fairly confident that the low income population residing at IC does not pose a threat to your safety. Rather, as others mentioned, you will get a lot of looks. South East Asians come from "staring cultures" and you will most likely learn to ignore the stares.

Best for you if your employer agreed to house you elsewhere, like in Mirdiff or Silicon Oasis, but... Hope this helps.

MrS

[orangepeel1]

Ok forigve me if I should be starting a new thread, just let me know if I should... it's kind of related...

I'm a weakling when it comes to negotiations. I got "played" so to speak when I first came to Lebanon because I come from a "the boss is always right" type of background...I've learned alot, but I'm still really timid when it comes to asking for more. So far, I have had the following changes made to my original package, which was meager.

Instead of living on the school's campus, the director agreed to provide me with a private accomodation (I'm married).
The director came down on the initial price of the accomodation 500 dirhams...
She raised my salary 500 dirhams, and promised me, but its not on the contract, to raise it another 500 dirhams if I preform well during the first 6 months.
She changed my tickets from Lebanon where I now work, to roundtrip Dubai to America tickets each year.

I know these sound like totally reasonable requests... Should I ask her to move me out of IC before I get there? I guess the worst that could happen is that she would say no... Is it too late to ask for a change like that? Im supposed to travel on Aug. 21... I'm truly wimpy... what do you guys think I should do????

orangepeel1

[MrScaramanga]

You already got some significant changes made and I think there's absolutely no harm in asking... where is the school located?
MrS

[veiledsentiments]

It is 'your' thread, so you have the right to change the topic a little.

It looks to me like you have done pretty well in the negotiations, so you must be absorbing some negotiating skill from the air in Lebanon. One key rule though is that whatever isn't in writing - preferable on the contract - can and may evaporate.

Since you have an American passport, the fact that you are currently living in Lebanon doesn't trump the fact that you should get your tickets to the US. I don't understand what you mean by "came down on the initial price of the accommodations" - does this mean that you are paying? ...the difference between single and married accommodations perhaps?

VS
(PS... this American is shocked, yes shocked, that you have the idea that the boss is always right over here. I always felt that my job was to protect the boss from making a complete fool of himself by pointing out when he was wrong... regularly... )

[orangepeel1]

Well I have to say that most of the negotiations I made were due to advice offered by some generous contributors on this site! (mishmumkin) This site is seriously awesome in that respect!

Yeah, you are right about things not in writing sort of floating into non-existence...However, my instincts really tell me to trust my new employer. She is placing a good deal of responsibility into my hands and seems to be more education than business oriented, which is a good sign in my eyes!

I'm of mixed racial heritage, and the mix-up over the tickets has to do with that. I'm also married to a Lebanese and according to most, I look Lebanese! So I think they initially thought that I was Lebanese-American, with an American passport...which isn't the case. I'd much rather pay to visit the in-laws over the winter vacation and spend my summers back home! They were really understanding about the mix-up even though it will cost them a little more over time...

Yes about the accommodations, I have a base salary, and then extras. The base salary is what I will get paid at the end of completing my contract. As a music teacher, I will be teaching over the legal limit of hours according to the Min of Ed in Dubai, so the other part of the extras is my fixed over time payment. The housing allowance is part of the extras and they deduct this hefty amount on the basis that I want private off-campus accommodations. I had a little spat with the HR lady because at first they were asking too much for housing I felt. I admittedly didn't quite realize how expensive housing in Dubai is... After pleading my case, I have student loans kaza kaza kaza they came down a bit. Now it actually comes out to be about a third of the cost of the apartment minus the down payment.

VS -you crack me up! I had the good fortune to land a business job in the States quite unexpectedly while I was in my last year of college. I was promoted right away, and without a firm business background, I relied on my boss for direction. This is where I got that boss is always right mentality! I should have left it in the states, but as a travel virgin, I didn't have the good sense. Now I'm learning though, with a lot of help from you guys!

About the apartment in the IC, it is near to my work, which is as somebody asked, in Al Waqaa <sp? I'm traveling on the 21st and I think I will wait to see how it goes. If I hate it right off the bat, I will throw a fit. If I can handle it, based on how I feel about my boss which is good, I think I will stick it out at least until I prove myself worthy of better. I will keep y'all posted! Thanks for all the feedback MrS! I can't wait to try out those malls! And I took a look at the IKEA. IKEA has this interactive online catalog. They've got some snazzy stuff! You can turn the catalog pages with your mouse hehe! Oh, how I missed technology... to be able to shop online!

orangepeel1

[holbrook]

as other posters have said IC depends on the area. The Central Business district is the best as all buildings there have underground parking, pools, gyms and the like. The real downside is that so much is still under construction and as of yet unfiished. Taxis are hard to come by so you'd want a car. large Grocery stores and the like can also be a long walk, but there are small minimarkets everywhere.

However, I would disagree that IC is out in the middle of nowhere. In fact, being right off of 44 and 311 it is quite well connected to the main arteries of the city. If you work for Zayed or Dubai Men's College then you are in the perfect place as it is just minutes from work.

[MrScaramanga]

A central business district in IC? Supermarkets you can walk to? When did that happen? In your dreams...

Yes, the high-rises are a little nicer in terms of architecture and facilities, but they are still located very close to the stinky plant and are not exempt from the smelly smog clouds that hang over IC at night.

IC is a 10-15 minute drive away from any decent supermarket and shopping in general. The fact that it is off of Emirates road only means that you can get to Academic City in a jiffy, that's all. A car is an absolute must and walking anywhere - except to Dragon Mart - is impossible.

The real downside to living in IC is not the construction; it is the stench, the substandard construction, the lack of nearby decent shopping and the total lack of transportation.

MrS