Working in Abu Dhabi? pros and cons please

[seagull_special]

Wife has interview for job in Abu Dhabi, any insights into life out there?


Thank you in advance

 

[goldstone]

My company is based there although I am working in the USA. In addition to visiting Abu Dhabi I have been to Bahrain, Dubai and Muscat many times and lived and worked in Doha for 10 months.

Personally I am not a big fan of the region. Weather is apalling. Most of the region with the exception of Oman is as ugly as hell ... unless you like concrete and sand. Not a lot of time for the people. Never known as much hypocricy as the Muslims display.

I know lots of Brits living and working in Abu Dhabi and mixed opinions of the place. Some bored to death and hate the expat lifestyle. Others get into it, make the best of it, and have a reasonably good time. Most are doing it for the money.

Unlike Bahrain and Qatar, al least you can visit other places without getting on an aeroplane. Dubai is an hour and a half away. Al Ain is a couple of hours and all the other Emirates are accessible. Muscat is only a four hour drive and great for a long weekend.

 

[seagull_special]

Thank you - all I have heard is the positives and I really would like a more balanced picture

 

[severnside gull]

It'll be a long way to Falmer

 

[cpfc remf captain]

Makesure you join The Club as its called. Very good for social life and meeting fellow Brits/Europeans.

 

[nicko31]

You'll be restricted to listen to the Albion on the internet, it will truely be a football desert...

 

[seagull_special]

My wife has been offered the job - decision time - all opinions welcome

 

[Gazwag]

You can't have sex on the beach

 

[seagull_special]

You can't have sex on the beach

or call your cat mohahmed

 

[sydney]

you will have to take the word "f***" out of you vocabulary or risk being "BLITZED"

 

[Lady Bracknell]

It's not a place where - as a woman - I'd be overly keen on working. Not least because I would want to enjoy the culture of any other country I lived and worked in, rather than be restricted to work and the ex-pat community! Has your wife checked out the rules she will be expected to observe?

 

[disgruntled h blocker]

Make sure you get paid! Unlike most civil engineering firms who worked out there!

 

[folkestonesgull]

Are they offering big money? If not I wouldn't go.

 

[seagull_special]

you will have to take the word "f***" out of you vocabulary or risk being "BLITZED"

oh f***......... I mean oh shit................. I mean oh dear

 

[John Dorian]

DO IT. I say this with no experience of working in another country, nor have I ever been to Abu Dhabi. However, it is a life experience, you won't get another chance and if you don't have any ties to this country ie: children/school apart from family which can be contacted easily nowadays, i think you will sorely regret not doing it. At the end of the day, if it turns out to be rubbish, you can surely just move back. If I was offered, I would jump at the opportunity. Good Luck.

 

[seagull_special]

Are they offering big money? If not I wouldn't go.

She has a friend who already works out there for the same company, who is very happy, the financial package is excellent , with free accommodation, 3 flights home a year and tax free salary. It will be a new world for us and obviously there is a chance we may hate it but you could always find a reason for not doing things in life.


Have you been to Abu Dhabi?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

How long is the contract for? What ties do you have to keep you in England? If it's a short contract(say a year) and htere's nothing particularly tying you to England then I say do it. It's a new experience and all that. Nothing venture nothing gained, I say.

 

[seagull_special]

It's not a place where - as a woman - I'd be overly keen on working. Not least because I would want to enjoy the culture of any other country I lived and worked in, rather than be restricted to work and the ex-pat community! Has your wife checked out the rules she will be expected to observe?

That is something we have considered, it seems that the 2 cultures live side by side and it is a question of respecting your host country, work and leisure are separate things and I would anticipate enjoying the culture outside of the work environment

 

[seagull_special]

How long is the contract for? What ties do you have to keep you in England? If it's a short contract(say a year) and htere's nothing particularly tying you to England then I say do it. It's a new experience and all that. Nothing venture nothing gained, I say.

2 year contract - I take it you are based in Tokyo, how long have you been there? and do you enjoy it out there? Its one of the places in the world I would love to visit

 

[brighton_girl87]

DO IT. I say this with no experience of working in another country, nor have I ever been to Abu Dhabi. However, it is a life experience, you won't get another chance and if you don't have any ties to this country ie: children/school apart from family which can be contacted easily nowadays, i think you will sorely regret not doing it. At the end of the day, if it turns out to be rubbish, you can surely just move back. If I was offered, I would jump at the opportunity. Good Luck.

I agree, I was offered a job there last year as part of an Industrial Placement year and the University made me turn it down because I had verbally accepted another job. The job I was FORCED to go to turned out to be horrendous and I deeply regret that I didn't just take the Abu Dhabi job. It turns out that loads of people verbally accepted one job and then bailed when a better job offer came along without any consequences from the University