Job Discussion Forums

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

I've read a lot of the postings and still have lots of questions, mostly about day to day life in the UAE.

1. I've read about some dress codes and basically my understanding is:
no crucifixes
clothing to the knees
tops covering shoulders, or is it the elbows?
loose clothing
don't show cleavage
what about footwear?

2. I've also read about skype, some saying they CAN use it, others saying it is illegal and you CAN'T use it. If not using skype how much are international calling cards?

3. How does Ramadan affect you? No eating from sunrise to sunset, but what if you're at a school? Does this apply to teacher's as well or is there tolerance for Westerners?

4. Smoking/drinking, i've heard you need a license to buy alcohol, does that mean that you can only drink at home and bars? Not restaurants? What about smoking?

5. Western products....anything you wish you could have but can't find in UAE. In Korea we had problems with deodorant, advil, tampons, toothpaste, razors, etc.

6. I've also heard it's hard to get prescription products into the country, such as pain killers, birth control pills, inhalers for asthma etc. Anyone have problems buying these things in UAE? Are the same brands available?

7. English books and magazines?

8. English TV or DVD rentals?

9. Dating? I've heard that public affection is a definite no-no.

10. Buying clothing? Is there a wide range of sizes and styles?

11. Censorship? How extensive is this?

12. Apartments? Are they a good size? Ovens, dyers, dishwashers etc?

13. Traveling within the country?

I know this is a lot of questions and I'll keep reading the threads to try to get answers but any information on any of these subjects would be appreciated. AND any information about your day to day life that I haven't thought about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to change and adapt, I just want to know the extent of adapting I'll need to do.

Thanx.

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

If you had a few hours to slog through old threads, most of these have been answered. Laughing

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Goodness gracious, what have you been reading? Shocked

Some, like VS like the to the floor skirts= and skirts are cooler than pants/trousers. However, mine are below the knee - there are any number of expats (how I yearn for Spandex police - there should be an age and a weight limit world wide) who scorn (and i honestly believe they scorn) local culture and societal norms wearing clothing that even at home (in North America) most people would look askance at.

Publicly eating and drinking during Ramadan is against the law. Most schools have rooms where you can have your lunch (and indeed, students who are exempt from Ramadan because of medical or biological issues can have lunch) available.

If you can't get soft porn on free to air channels in the Gulf, you're not trying. And you don't have to try very hard - just turn on the TV.

Most "public" places to drink alcohol are attached to hotels. There are some exceptions. All emirates, except Sharjah, have an alcohol outlet. It is highly recommended you have an alcohol permit (even in Sharjah) that legally allows you to purchase alcoholic beverages in hotels and the myriad of bottle shops (yes, if you are resident, you should have an alcohol permit even if you imbibe at hotels). There is zero tolerance to dui and drunk and disorderly in public if a complaint is filed. You will not win, you will be arrested, you will go to jail and you will be deported.

Smoking is a little more "whimsical" in terms of enforcement but becoming stricter by the day.

Check the websites for drugs that are allowed to be imported into the UAE (the minsitry of Health has a comprehensive one) and be aware if YOU are tested and found positive for any prohibited drug you may be subject to arrest, jailtime and deportation - some UK lady got caught behaving badly as did a Canadian in tranist (drunk) at the airport and both were arrested and faced legal proceedings.

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject:

meggiebea: I know that you didn't ask specifically about this, but you should know that public sex on Jumeirah Beach in Dubai has been known to be frowned upon! Laughing

NCTBA

MrScaramanga · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 221

As far as I know, if you get DU (the Dubai phone company) you can download and use Skype.

Birth control pills are widely available and without a prescription. The one you favor may be sold under a different name. Just bring yours to the pharmacist and he/she will help you find the same dosage. They are also much cheaper than in the states!

Tampons and all that are sold in all supermarkets, no problem.

Smoking is allowed on campus for male teachers usually (at least it was the case at UAEU when I was there a few years back). Female teachers smoking on campus may be more iffy... Outside campus, you can smoke in areas where it is permitted.

See the "home brew" topic in this forum for more info on alcohol purchase and consumption Wink

And don't freak out! Life in the UAE is pretty darn good overall.

MrS

007 · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 6:16 pm Post subject:

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

1. I've read about some dress codes and basically my understanding is:
no crucifixes
clothing to the knees
tops covering shoulders, or is it the elbows?
loose clothing
don't show cleavage
what about footwear?

From what my wife and our female friends tell us, you should dress conservately. sleeves down to the elbow or below. skirts below the knee, loose tops, and make sure the top is long enough to cover the rear end.

2. I've also read about skype, some saying they CAN use it, others saying it is illegal and you CAN'T use it. If not using skype how much are international calling cards?

To the best of my knowledge it is still illegal, but there are many ways around it and if you have it and a VPN you can still use it.
3. How does Ramadan affect you? No eating from sunrise to sunset, but what if you're at a school? Does this apply to teacher's as well or is there tolerance for Westerners?

This gets tricky. The hardest part is that teachers who have arrived over the last couple of years (and for the next few years) will arrive during Ramadan. So when you first get here, you won't be able to buy food during the day, which is incredibly frustrating and hard to deal with when you are first arriving.

once you have been here though, you look forward and just make sure you plan your day. Carry abottle of water with you in a purse/backpack and if you are thirsty go into a bathroom and have a drink. Same with a snack.
anywhere you teach should have a staff room/teachers lounge where you can eat during the day.

4. Smoking/drinking, i've heard you need a license to buy alcohol, does that mean that you can only drink at home and bars? Not restaurants? What about smoking?

There are bars in most of the emirates (besides Sharjah which is dry). You can go out, or you can buy your own and drink at home. Just understand there is a ZERO tolerance policy for drunk driving.
5. Western products....anything you wish you could have but can't find in UAE. In Korea we had problems with deodorant, advil, tampons, toothpaste, razors, etc.

This really depends on the emirate you are in. We live in RAK so sometimes the local grocery runs out of some products and there is a 3 to 6 week wait for them to get back in stock. But there really isn't anything you can't find rather easily (except for cinnamon flavored candy for some reason)

6. I've also heard it's hard to get prescription products into the country, such as pain killers, birth control pills, inhalers for asthma etc. Anyone have problems buying these things in UAE? Are the same brands available?

It depends on the perscription. Some are easy to find some are hard. My biggest problem is that NONE of the items have the same brand name or generic name from North america. (I have no idea what panadol is other than a pain killer...)

7. English books and magazines?

YOu can find them. Again depending on which emirate you are in, you will either have great resources (dubai has several mcgrudies and a kinokinea (sp). Here in RAK we have more limited options but they are still there.

8. English TV or DVD rentals?
You can english tv, satelite, or do the DVD rental method. Not hard to do.
9. Dating? I've heard that public affection is a definite no-no.

Again it depends on the emirate. In dubai things like hand holding are ok, just show some public decency.
this whole culture seems to have a big "don't ask, don't tell, don't do it in public" mentality. So if you aren't dry humping in the mall, it should be ok. Smile

10. Buying clothing? Is there a wide range of sizes and styles?
YOU can get anythign here you could in your home country. And tailors are cheap here (not as cheap as china/korea, but still very affordable)
11. Censorship? How extensive is this?
it is there. After a bit you can find ways around it. But it isn't like they are redacting books sent to you in the mail. (well not unless they are VERY racy, or support certain governments, and even then usually they will just send it back)

12. Apartments? Are they a good size? Ovens, dyers, dishwashers etc?
again depends on the emirate and your employer.

13. Traveling within the country?
is easy. The biggest issue is that many of the folks here drive WORSE than korea/china. MUCH worse.

but once you get the hang of it, it isn't that big of a problem.

meggiebea · Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 25

wow, great answers guys, thanx.

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

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

Hey VS.

I was being thick on purpose.

In the US and Canada it is acetomeniphin... not the other name. Same with ibuprofen.

So when I go in and ask for either one at the pharmacy, they look at me like I have a hole in my head.

The point I was making is to find out what the international name for the med is, because they may not recognize it when you ask for a US name brand, or even the name of the medicine used in the states.

Splitting Hairs · Joined: 20 Sep 2007 Posts: 99

Dress Code
VS does not represent the norm with most teachers. Most buy from shops and wear knee length - though it depends on the emirate and the level in which you teach. Many women prefer to wear the abaya but this is again out of choice. Many more women are wearing trousers, if you want to wear pants then I suggest you get a sperman cape as well as wearing on your pants on the outside would be considered strange here.

If you are working in an all women environment then the rules are relaxed a bit more.

If women want to smoke to go outside like the men. Many women smoke here of all nationalities though it frowned on for Emirati women to smoke.

During Ramadan, you can buy food at the supermarkets as usual but just dont eat or drink in view of anyone. If you have young kids (say under 6) then they are permitted but they are also quite aware of the norms to follow. At international school (western kids eat as normal at lunch)
During Ramadan the working day and study day is shortened. Avoid driving an hour before dusk as you can imagine many are by then very irritable and many accidents happen. The very best time to shop by the way - supermarkets are deserted!!

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Also, crucifixes are not usually worn - some students may complain if you do so. However, outside the school I have seen some wearing them - don't know if anyone has ever been accosted about it.

In nearly all tertiary level and international/private schools, women who are not muslim do not wear abayas. I believe it varies from place to place if you are employed in a government or perhaps a muslim/private school whether or not non-muslims wear abayas.

Nearly all tertiary institutions (including the all female ones) have a smoking room or a designated outdoor area (at the male campuses) where any teacher can go and smoke.

Emirati women may not smoke in public but it is not uncommon for them to do so within the privacy of their own homes.

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

Zoot · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 408

You're asking about the UAE, not Saudi! Granted, sex on the beach is not allowed, but everything else is though not sure about the alcohol thing in Sharjah. Definitely don't go to work drunk over there. People wear crufixes around their necks. I've even seen women of the Catholic church in their garb and wearing their very large crucifixes in public.

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

I too often see nuns on the beach in Fujairah in "clerical" garb. However, they do not teach at HCT UAEU or ZU - students have complained and management has asked teachers to refrain from wearing crucifixes.

One teacher had a snowflake on a chain - a student thought it was the star of david (it wasn't but it was small and the student wasn't all that familiar with snoflakes Very Happy

) - they were called into the director's office (not their supervisor) to "explain" themselves. Once the issue of snowflake vs star was cleared up, she was asked not to wear it at college again.

Male students have complained about male teachers wearing gold earrings - it generally dies down and is ignored after a while - but it does happen. Perhaps other workplaces where the student body is not 100% Emirati are more liberal in how they deal with these issues.

Heard from a friend in Doha that the latest rumour is that up to 20 families were given 3 days to leave for (a) being an "unregistered" regligious congregation and (b) prosyletizing - which, if the rumour is true, is probably the real reason. Scuttlebutt is that they were visiting various labour camps looking for converts and even managed to snag a muslim for their ranks.

As I say, I don't know if it's true. Threads have been yanked from various Qatari forums and of course there's nothing in the newspapers.