Job Discussion Forums

[carlen]

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[bhoove]

I just bought two more floor sweeping skirts, so I'll have a full 5 days of very modest attire. Will it be easy to find second hand clothes in Madinat Zayed? I'm a thrifty shopper, but I'll need to boost my meager wardrobe when I arrive. I don't want to buy anymore than is necessary here because there are so many ambiguities in the word "modest" particularly when paired with the word "professional."
I'm not above a 5 day clothing rotation, but it can get old.

Food. I love food. What are the restaurant options in town? I love eating out (especially ethnic cuisine, I'm not one for hamburgers and chicken fingers) please say there is a delicious Indian place...mmmm naan, paneer, daal, dosa, pesserat....

[carlen]

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[veiledsentiments]

bhoove... broomstick skirts are the perfect thing. Since these have rather gone out of style now (though they can be found in many catalogs), you might be able to pick a few more up in thrift stores. They are also very light to pack... and don't wrinkle!! (my favorite!!) I left the Gulf with about 20 of them... you used to able to get them for $15-20 on sale racks for a few years... not to mention the skirts that I had the tailors make for $10 with the cotton that I would bring from home. (from shops that sell quilt fabric...)

A website for wonderful cool cotton skirts... in 32 or 35" lengths:

http://www.devalifewear.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=&Category_Code=Skirts

They are actually homemade by seamstresses in a small town in North Dakota... Deva used to be a commune in Virginia. They also make nice cool tunic tops and pants.

Did you ask about shoes? I lived in sandals all year...

VS

[Takahiwai]

@ Bhoove - VS's advice is pretty spot-on. Trousers are fine, as long as they are reasonably loose-fitting, and so are long skirts. The people in MZ are fairly accustomed to Westerners now, so jeans and t-shirts are fine for wearing to the shops etc. There is a big push on tourism in the Western Region right now, so we get a few folk coming through in tiny shorts and sleeveless tops etc., and if you go that far, you will get stared at, but you quickly learn what's acceptable and what's not. I'm actually not sure which school you will be at, if you aren't working for CfBT - I thought ADEC were only recruiting Grade 1 and 2 teachers for MZ, but I'm not high on the totem pole, so wouldn't really know what they were up to, as we are kept fairly well in the dark about most things.

@ Zoot - I've seen you post before on CfBT-related threads and imagine you must work for/have worked for the organisation, as you seem to know exactly how things stand. Sounds like your contacts are AD-based, where our outgoing CD was very much a member of the 'boys' club' and as such, highly regarded. Out in the trenches, however, opinions differ somewhat

[Takahiwai]

Hi bhoove,
There aren't second-hand clothes shops, but there are plenty of good, cheap tailors' shops, where you can take something that you like, together with the fabric (probably best bought in AD!) and have copies made. That's what I did when buying shirts, after getting sick of looking at the same ones hanging in the wardrobe.
As to restaurants, well, there aren't really any in which women are actively encouraged to sit down and eat. There are many places where you can obtain food to take away, and they all have a home delivery service. I believe there is an incredibly cheap Indian restaurant near the ADEC accommodation, but I doubt very much if you would feel welcome there, if you wanted to sit and eat your meal. That being said, City Mall has just opened - it opened on the day I went on leave - and there is a food court on the top floor, where you may well find an Indian food outlet. We're all hoping so, anyway, as the current options (Popeye's, generic pizza and various Lebanese restaurants) are all a little too tried and tested now, after several years!

[helenl]

Another good source for cheaper priced clothing is Sana - it has locations throughout the UAE (but not MZ).

[bhoove]

Taka- What do you know about the ADEC housing? oooh I'm so curious! is it an apartment block? Does it have outdoor space (I love gardening)?

I know that there is one male grade 12 teacher going as well as several grade 1 and 2 teachers. I was told there are about 25 teachers being hired for MZ through ADEC. Teachaway emphasized the primary grade teachers in recruitment, but were also hiring some grade 12 teachers.

I'm going to have to wean myself off of eating out. That will be difficult. Is there any public space where women are welcome? I hope I am not the only one who likes to entertain-- I need to get out of the house sometimes.

What about the desert? I want to go exploring! Is it safe for women to explore alone in the desert? I guess I know the answer to that--according to my mother-in-law there is no safe place for women to be alone.

VS, Carlen, and Helen-
Thanks for all the clothing advice. I need to get some decent sandals. right now I wear my chacos every moment of the day, but I assume that like here, athletic sandals are too casual to wear to work.

Are there sandal makers in MZ? I would love a handmade pair.

I'm excited about using the tailors! I think I will only have clothes made and not buy anything else. I used to make some of my own clothes, but they were always poorly constructed. my skill isn't up to my own design specifications!

[veiledsentiments]

[helenl]

I buy a lot of my shoes/sandals at Ecco - they're comfortable and long lasting - not cheap, even on sale - but they save achy backs and feet especially as everything is hard surfaced and unforgiving.

There's also Birkenstocks and other brands available - not "dressy" enough for me.

[bhoove]

I love my Ecco mary janes. There is an awesome (and VERRRY expensive) sandal maker in Asheville, NC that I might get to make me some sandals. I was hoping that there would be a less expensive version in Abu Dhabi, but alas, cheap manufacturing has put most craftsmen out of business. (and I do like cheap things)

[carlen]

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[bhoove]

Carlen-"women days" for walking? I hope that's not what I think it is. It will be difficult for me if I can't go out alone, even for a walk.

What about transportation? Do you need a car or would a bike or walking to work suffice? (I've biked a 3 mile commute in the heat before and loved it)

Also, I have many many friends who want to visit me. if I have a male friend stay at my place can I pass him off as a cousin? would that be safe?

Do any of you know about the camel festival in December? sounds like fun!

[veiledsentiments]

[carlen]

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