domesticdivawannabe | ExpatWoman.com
 

domesticdivawannabe

26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 February 2013 - 10:54
Jag, Thanks for your input. Good to get feedback from a happy Star parent. Which year level/grade is your daughter in (if you don't mind). Am trying to get feedback on the academics of the upper primary years. I know they use Abacus Evolve for Maths and the ORT program for literacy. I have no experience in either of the two. Any feedback will be highly appreciated. I hope the class size of 22 does not increase as the years go by, but you are right...that still is better that the class size of the other schools.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 February 2013 - 15:00
Hi little crocodile, Am on their wait list. Hoping I could get a slot for next school year! :) Thanks for your reply.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 February 2013 - 13:35
Thanks ladies for all your replies!
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 November 2012 - 10:21
Our travel agent told us if we could get the pink slip, the visa run via Muscat is the easiest to do. An interval of 45 minutes should be fine as I am told those doing a visa run are immediately whisked off to the transfer desk (without the need to go through Omani immigration) and departure gates in a jiffy. Good luck on your nanny/maid's visa run :)
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 November 2012 - 08:09
Hi Lutzkk, Apparently, if you have Dubai visas and are sponsoring a maid, you should not have any problems getting the pink entry permit which will come in handy when the maid does a visa run. She can fly to Muscat (as what the other ladies have suggested), pink entry form in hand, and just board the plane back to Dubai (without having to go through Omani Immigration -- therefore, no need for an Omani visa). Doing the run via driving across the border is not recommended as the maid WILL NEED a tourist visa to enter Omani territory. It is only possible to get an Omani tourist visa for your maid if you go through a travel and tours agency (found one!). If only we could get our hands on that pink entry permit, I would book our nanny on a flydubai flight to Muscat and back again in a few hours....easy peasy! Why oh why are the rules so different from one emirate to another :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 November 2012 - 00:12
Mone75, I am in EXACTLY the same predicament as you used to be. We have AD visas and just last week applied for an employment entry permit for a nanny who is on tourist visa. AD immigration refused to give my husband the pink visa entry form and told him that the nanny MUST exit the country first before the pink slip may be issued (we need to wait 1 hour after the nanny passes through immigration before they can print the pink slip!). PLEASE, can you tell me how things turned out with your maid? Did you end up sending her to Kish (which I really do not want to do in the case of our nanny)? Do you have the answers to your own questions? Really need your help. Found an agency who offered to get an Omani tourist visa for our nanny so she can cross the border via bus, spend a night or two in Oman (while waiting for the original pink visa entry permit to be hand delivered to her by the agency's driver), then re-enter Dubai via bus as well. Don't know if this will work :( <em>edited by domesticdivawannabe on 02/11/2012</em>
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 November 2012 - 23:20
Hi lutzkk! Will you be able to get the original work visa (pink slip) before the housemaid actually does a visa run via Oman? We tried to get the pink slip visa (via Abu Dhabi), but they refused to issue the original (or even a copy) until AFTER (one hour after to be exact) the nanny exits the country :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 October 2012 - 22:24
Try FRICO INTERNATIONAL. A friend who has returned to the Philippines used this company to ship all their belongings and only has good things to say about their service. Try this number...050 4515790.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 May 2012 - 20:52
Ladies, my apologies for acknowledging your replies so late, but I am sincerely grateful to all who responded. I have been extremely busy soon after I posted my question (what with my baby's 1st birthday celeb, my 8 year old's exams in school coupled with his after school activities, etc.). I brought my baby to a new pediatrician today who said my baby's weight is actually proportionate to his height (both 3rd percentile). She is not too worried as he appears to be hitting his milestones, but she gave us vitamins (he appears to have some iron and Vit. D deficiency). Likewise suggested that we try Promil Gold PE specifically made for picky eaters. I was given a feeding schedule and a diet rich in calories for my son. Hopefully, with the doctor's suggestions combined with all the advice I got from EW (believe me, I literally copied all of your suggestions into a notebook that I keep to allow me to refer to them as and when needed), my baby will gain weight and will grow taller sooner than later. Thanks again ladies! BTW, I have been allowing my son to eat on his own lately. He makes an absolute mess, but he seems to be enjoying meal times a whole lot better. Still not eating as much as I hope he would, but at least he appears to be willing to try other stuff apart from bread :)
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 May 2012 - 14:21
don't worry too much - each child is different. My children are quite thin and small as well and we worry (my little girls is 31/2 and only weighs about 26 lbs.) but I think they take after my MIL and SIL. I was advised by a nurse once to decrease the milk they were getting so they would be hungry enough to eat solids. you might want to give that a try but as long as everything else is developing fine, don't stress to much. I suppose I can try that too....decreasing the amount of milk that I give him. I've always been afraid to cut down his milk intake since he refuses to eat solids (ergo, he will end up not getting much of anything at all), but maybe getting less milk will encourage him to ask for more solids too...I'll give it a go...fingers crossed!
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 May 2012 - 14:13
Thanks for your reply Mrs. Mopp. All our pediatricians (and we have seen 3!) say he is not where he should be on the growth charts (at least in terms of weight as they say he is only at the 3rd percentile). All of them advised me to try to feed my baby more solids. Thing is, he just refuses to take more than a spoonful most of the time (actually, I consider myself lucky if he even agrees to eat a spoonful!). I will try giving him food without actually forcing him to eat...hope being allowed to feed himself will encourage him to eat more :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 May 2012 - 13:44
Ladies, can anyone recommend a pediatrician who can help me out with my baby who is underweight? He is turning 1 year old tomorrow and only weighs 17.2 pounds! He is a tiny little man, but is quite active. Still, I am worried as he has not gained enough weight to put him where he should be on the growth charts :( He loves his milk, but absolutely abhors solids! Takes just a measly amount of whatever I prepare for him. Loves bread though! Oh he can eat that all day.....but, that can't be a good thing, right? Am so stressed, depressed and confused! None of the pediatricians we've seen ordered any tests to see if there is a real medical problem....Is anyone out there in the same situation as I am? Help.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 March 2012 - 22:31
Does anyone know of an IB school (or any good school for that matter) that actually uses textbooks and workbooks which the children can use to review lessons learned, at home? My dilemma with my DS's school now is that I do not think they are given enough practice in Maths and Language to enable them to fully understand the concepts taught in class. DS has never brought home a practice worksheet which should enable me to determine what he is expected to know by the end of the day or week. They do not use textbooks or workbooks either :( Feel DS is not getting enough "instruction" in school :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 March 2012 - 11:45
Hey thanks ladies! Will try to book an appointment with the doctor soonest. Haven't tried yoga before, but I really am willing to try anything to feel better :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 March 2012 - 11:36
I reiterate that we do not intend to use martial arts to beat up or hurt anyone. I do not think that is what any form of martial arts teaches. Confidence in oneself is what we are after.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 March 2012 - 11:16
Thank you ladies for your insights and for information on where I can send my son to train in martial arts. I want him to learn AKD or TKD not to beat up other kids, but for him to gain confidence in himself. In so doing, I am hoping he will truly understand that no one has the right to bully him and thus be able to stand up for himself. He is only 8 and we have raised him to think that the right way to deal with bullies is to simply walk away. We learned the hard way that THAT does not work (I deserve a whack on the head for that!). In several instances he was bullied physically, he just stood there and neither said or did anything. My son is actually quite popular in school and has loads of friends. The school thinks that he is being targeted by another student (yes, we have a problem with just one particular kid) simply because he has more friends and the other kid just wants to grab "power" and attention from him. Anyway, fingers crossed everything will work out well for my DS. Thanks again for your help! <em>edited by domesticdivawannabe on 06/03/2012</em>
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 February 2012 - 21:56
Inglesilla, per experience, it is necessary for your would-be-helper to have the original visa with her or there is a chance that she will not be allowed to board the plane by Philippine Immigration officers. See, at the airport, they actually scan the original UAE visa to determine if it is valid or not. A mere copy of the visa is not a guarantee that she will in fact be allowed to leave the country. I could be wrong, but even if you book her on a flight via any other country, her final destination will still be the UAE. Thus, she will be subject to the same documentary requirements. I am assuming you got her a working visa and not just a tourist visa (with the intent of fixing her papers when she arrives here), right? As for the OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate), she needs to get this from the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Agency), and is a requirement as well for her to be allowed to leave the country. If she has her original visa and the OEC, her trip going to the UAE should be problem free.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 October 2011 - 18:50
Thank you ladies for replying to my post! It is a relief to know that there are people out there who went through/are going through what we are going through now. I will definitely try your suggestions. Our doctor has given us Locoid Cream to use when the rashes really get bad, but I have used up about 2 big tubes and still the rashes come back :( I really hope we can figure out what is causing the flare ups. I've taken note of the prescription creams mentioned below, and will discuss with our doctor. If you guys think of any more tips/advise you can give to help us manage eczema, please let me know. I would really really appreciate it!
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 October 2011 - 21:32
Try Dr. Yuliya Mikhael at Cooper Clinic along Al Wasl. She used to practice in City Hospital, but moved to Cooper last June. She is FANTASTIC!
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 October 2011 - 20:48
Depends on where you will live. We lived in Dammam, Eastern Province for 3 years. It wasn't all that bad. In retrospect, it was quite fun for my family. Moved there when my child was 3, so he was oblivious to the major differences in culture. Sure, you will be forced to wear the abaya (I did not wear the headscarf unless the muttawa asks my husband to have me "cover my hair"), but that will prove quite useful especially during days when you just do not feel like putting your best clothes on (ha ha!). Since Bahrain is just an hour's drive away, we spent a lot of weekends there to watch a movie, unwind, eat food that we oh so love, and occasionally have a drink with friends. Everything is so cheap, so you can save a lot more money in much less time. I would not move if I will have to live in Riyadh though.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 October 2011 - 18:15
Hi Turnip! Thanks anyway. Yes, we actually found some at Life Pharmacy along Al Wasl. Now, am trying to convince our insurance company to shoulder the expenses associated with the purchase of Neocate for my baby. Oh how expensive it is! :(
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 September 2011 - 22:02
Hi twinbutterfly I have 13 cans of Neocate that have an expiry date of 02/2012. DS could not tolerate any cow's milk or soy-based formula so the paediatrician advised us to give him Neocate. We brought a big supply back to Dubai as I wasn't sure if we could regularly find Neocate here. Now DS seems to have outgrown the soy intolerance and no longer takes Neocate (although still cow's milk intolerant). And yes, as lemondrops said, it tastes awful, especially for DS who was coming off being EBF. It took him a while to get used to it. Let me know if you are interested. Turnip, would you by any chance still have the 13 cans of Neocate formula?
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 September 2011 - 21:55
Dr. Yuliya Mikhail is an excellent doctor! You will never feel rushed during appointments and she explains everything in detail. She used to be with City Hospital, but she moved to Cooper Clinic along Al Wasl last June 2011.
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 September 2011 - 21:49
Oh I've had loads of experiences with rude people here! I was once trying to cross the pedestrian lane at The Greens with my 3 month old baby (in his pram) and a lady driver just refused to stop despite my son and I actually being on the road already. I gestured to her to make her try to understand that she has to stop to let pedestrians cross and she just ignored me completely! There was also one time I was grocery shopping at Choitrtams (again with my baby in tow) and this guy just rams my baby's pram with his shopping cart! My instinct was to shout stop! stop! and what does he do? he just ignored me as if we did not exist and nothing happened. I moved on to the vegetables section and I find him there again with his shopping cart right smack in the middle of the aisle. I asked him to please move the cart so I can pass with my baby's pram and he muttered something in his local language and did nothing! absolutely nothing! I told him in a very loud voice that he should show respect to people around him. Why oh why oh why have they not learned basic courtesy at home or in school? Is it a culture thing?
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 September 2011 - 08:14
Thanks MirdifIngrid! Will give Good Baby a call :)
26
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 September 2011 - 03:53
Thanks a whole bunch nicedaynat! :))