Job Discussion Forums

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

You must learn to read more carefully. I never said that one could not get toothpaste or shampoo in the UAE or the Gulf in general. This has nothing to do with 1990 or 2010... in the US or the UAE. In fact, your example proved exactly what I was saying. But, while you may be very flexible, not everyone is (or are you so young you haven't learned this yet?).

What I said was that if you have a favorite that you just MUST have, you better bring it. Especially for newbies... it allows them to have certain constants when everything else in their life is changing. But, perhaps you have been overseas to long to remember this.

VS
(Thanks helen1... I thought that my hearing might have been going... perhaps it depends on the nationality of the person hissing it at us)

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 3:57 pm Post subject:

I get VS's meaning, but it's only for "sticklers"...such as myself. For example, it is IMPOSSIBLE to buy pre-shave lotion in the pan-Gulf region, So, if you want those whiskers to stand up before an electric shave...bring it. Luckily, a little goes a long way. The same goes with Coast� soap. It's jes' sumpin' I gotsta have. So, the lil' missus makes sure that we have an adequate supply for me to be in all of my soapy glory.

If you can do without those certain individual items, then there's a lot to chose from. Back in the day, a Winston would suffice for a Marlboro...but there are some things that some folk won't substitute if they can help it...

NCTBA

Iamherebecause · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:13 am Post subject:

On dress: I heard of one person who was criticised for letting midrif show at work. Or maybe she was fired? Speaking for myself I have sometimes worn clothes with short sleeves to work (middle of upper arm, not to elbow) since I arrived in the last century. No problem, no criticism. The only time I've heard of students complaining about teachers' appearance in feedback it was about a male teacher's hair.

On key products - there's nothing I can't find here these days although when I arrived (1999) there was plenty of stuff you couldn't get: sea salt for a salt mill, comfortable footwear, plain notepaper, greetings cards that weren't hideous. Available at the malls in Dubai maybe but not country-wide. I still buy most of my footwear at home. If you can't live without product X and it's also hard to get at home then bring it. If you can't live without products A, B, C, X, T and M etc - then maybe you are too set in your ways to live outside your home country.

ummimraan · Joined: 26 Feb 2005 Posts: 13 Location: Abu Dhabi

best work attire. . .if you are work for an international school regulair western judgment is fine. If you are working for one of the public schools it is either a skirt past the mid-calf, or pants with a shirt that covers the butt. Sleaves should be to the elbow. If you are a woman working in a boy's school they may require longer clothing, but I think this is the safest option. Many western teachers at my school (public school for girls) wear their normal clothes and purchase one or two abayas here that they use during school to throw on. This keeps them from having to buy a whole new wardrobe. I agree with veiledsentiments. . .as far as the dress code is concerned. I KNOW my principal is very particular about these things. Wink

Neutrino Girl · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 128

Neutrino Girl · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 128

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

I think I may have confused the drugstore.com shipment cost with some other shipment via the US Mail express service for $29. With drugstore.com I ordered quite a bit of stuff including the four boxes of EmergenC, so it becomes worth it if you do need a lot of things. I don't remember what I paid for shipping. Don't they have a USPS option?

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

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

The $57 would be a Fedex charge. As I said, if you order a lot of stuff, the Fedex charge becomes worth it. The fees don't go up much more than another $50 for a nice Care package.

Opti · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 47

Hey Neutrino Girl - Here's a good company to use for shipping: http://www.myus.com/

As usual, it's more economical the more you ship. You will have to pay some duty because the duty guys always inspect couriered shipments (unlike the postal service), but you get your stuff FAST and reliably.

Neutrino Girl · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 128

Neutrino Girl · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 128

Neutrino Girl · Joined: 01 Apr 2010 Posts: 128

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

alien-resurrection · Joined: 30 Jun 2010 Posts: 16 Location: UAE

Look everyone, the fact of the matter is that in the Gulf, there really is no such thing as a "straight answer". Rules, regulations and even laws here, ARE ALL NEGOTIABLE. If you are the sort of person who needs "Straight answers", then perhaps you shouldn't be here. This is part and parcel of living in Shari'ah land.
Part of the confusion and inconsistency, not just with clothing, but with so much else, is that basically, this part of the world was ruled by traditions, the whims of an emir and religious law. It is only recently that "laws and regulations" as we have come to know them in the West, have actually been instigated and so, are often haphazardly and inconsistently applied.