shamat | ExpatWoman.com
 

shamat

shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 31 August 2016 - 18:26
While we were in Dubai we rented out our house in Surrey, and we were very happy to rent to people with animals, as we are animal lovers ourselves. As bingo12 has said, it is possible. However, you may have to look at renting a house rather than a flat, as quite often the service agreements you have to sign up to when you buy a flat don't allow pets. Therefore this is not something that the person renting out their flat will be able to change as s/he will have to abide by that rule too even if she lets his/her property to you.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 May 2016 - 17:54
We transported our cats back to the UK from Dubai 4 years ago ourselves and it was much easier than we expected and so much cheaper. I don't want to give you advice about the exact process as things have probably changed in the intervening 4 years, but start by looking at the information from Emirates Cargo which was very helpful. We had to ensure that they had the necessary paperwork to enter the UK and leave the UAE and they had to visit the municipality vet based at Cargo village 24 hours before travelling. Emirates were great as they let us wait with the cats before they were loaded onto the plane, making for a much less stressful experience for them and us! We arranged for a handling agent to meet them in London then they went into kennels for a few nights in the UK before we arrived.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 April 2016 - 00:04
This year seems to have been just one long unexpected death in the celebrity world, kicking off with David Bowie in January. Very surprised at today's news
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 31 March 2016 - 12:13
Live every day as if its going to be your last in the country. Seize every available opportunity that comes your way because thats when you will start to do things that make all the upheaval worthwhile.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 29 March 2016 - 20:11
I agree with livelytrish. I no longer live in Dubai but I miss it the way I used to miss my country of origin when I lived in Dubai! For me it is all about the relationships you form with people; this could be family but it also extends to adopted ex pat families too
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2015 - 19:43
I don't think it's selfish in the slightest to choose not to have children. What I do find extremely selfish is people who choose to have children then don't give them the love and support they deserve. Smartee, I have a number of friends who at 30 were undecided or thought they might not want children. 35 was a turning point and many of them started trying for children then. The only couple I know who were always 100 % adamant they didn't want children are now in their mid forties, child free and very happy. Well said! I am now in my mid forties and have absolutely no regrets about making a very conscious decision not to have children many years ago. Parenting is not something I would want to get wrong and I am happy with my life the way it is. I totally respect women who make the opposite decision, although this is not always two way; I get lots of challenges from friends who are parents who don't respect my decision!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2015 - 15:03
We also did our pet relocation ourselves (2 cats back to the UK) and I would highly recommend it. It seemed daunting at first, but it was actually nice being in control of the whole process ourselves. When we dropped them off at Sky Cargo we were even allowed to wait with them before they were loaded onto the plane which I thought was a really nice touch (not that the cats appreciated it of course, they were too busy sulking!)
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 22 March 2015 - 14:58
As an expat who has returned to live in England, I can confirm that the atmosphere here is very flat in comparison with Dubai. When I look round at my friends in England, they are being crushed by so many major issues it is actually quite hard to keep positive. I do believe the weather makes a huge difference.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 August 2012 - 17:30
Hi, this post may help you: http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=161230
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 August 2012 - 20:15
Hi, it was moved to the pets forum, its still there.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 August 2012 - 21:30
Hi Kaba, I don't know if you noticed, but for some reason this thread has been dragged up from 3 years ago! So if you are referring to the craft fair "tomorrow" I suspect you've missed it by about 3 years!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 August 2012 - 16:30
Have you considered Homely Petz, who will care for your cats in your home? Its not a cheap option by any means, but your cats don't have to be uprooted from their surroundings or undergo a car journey (which if your cats are like mine, has to be a bonus!). I had a look at many, many catteries before choosing Homely Petz and I've never regretted my decision.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 August 2012 - 10:24
We are in the process of using Writer Relocations for an international move and they've been fantastic so far. Our stuff is now safely bobbing its way on a ship to our home country! The guys all turned up when they said they would, from quotation to packing, the standard of English was good and they were easy to contact when I needed additional info. Their packing was superb as well.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 August 2012 - 10:22
Thanks so much for the info Tartiflette! I think we'll just risk showing up this evening and hoping for the best. I hope its as good as its predecessor!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 August 2012 - 14:42
Check out the broccolli soup on the Good Food website. I'm having that today myself! Its very yummy and you feel really virtuous when you are eating it because it is so healthy!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 August 2012 - 12:56
Do you mean its in the same building but inside on ground floor? Yes, that's right. Its in the unit that used to be taken by Ruby Tuesdays, just underneath the newly opened Fitness First. We were devastated when it closed down as we used it frequently. I know EXACTLY what potato dish you are referring to because we loved that one too, but in fact all their food was good!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 August 2012 - 09:41
We love our Pajero, it hasn't given us a moment's bother since we bought it. (and, adding cheekily!) We are actually about to advertise it for sale as we are leaving Dubai, so let me know if you are interested! ;-)
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 17:34
I'm an English curriculum teacher and I think that level 2b is a bit low. Its not unusual, but it does indicate that she is falling behind a little bit, so you are right to be addressing this now. However, it is not so low that it suggests dyscalculia but its not a bad idea to get this checked out by a professional. It probably just means that Maths is a subject that she's always going to have to work hard at - lots of overlearning and constant repetition will be necessary for her to progress.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 14:24
If they haven't already done the work, cancel them and book with Churchill. If they have already done the work, then I don't think there's much you can do except challenge them, but they may say that you should have checked the price before they did it. I think I was charged 25aed per metre if you want a comparison. Poor you, its not nice to feel you have been ripped off.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 13:56
That sounds like a lot to me. We've just used Churchill Cleaners to clean ours and it was nowhere near that price and they came to the house and did it on site. However, our carpets were wool, not silk, so I suppose it may be more expensive if yours are made from silk.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 10:30
Another vote for Spectrum on one here. It is never disappointing!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 August 2012 - 10:28
When we went, our tours were arranged for us by Dnata - we went to their travel offices on SZR. They aren't the cheapest, but the quality was superb, and the whole trip went really smoothly. Tours and guides were available at every point and we had the same driver for the whole trip. I agree with Expatriate though - 10 days would be a long time. We did our trip in 5 days.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 19:15
I'm not sure what sort of food you want, but we used Gazebo, the Indian restaurant, last weekend, and they were absolutely brilliant, I really couldn't fault them. They brought a tandoor oven to set up in the garden and bake bread all evening and provided all the food, cutlery, crockery and even furniture for our do. Let me know if you want their details.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 18:33
Thanks! Hope you get what you are looking for
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 18:00
This is brilliant thank you. And you sound sufficiently qualified to do my project for me :D LOL! Thanks for the offer, but I'm working on my own project at the moment - my repatriation to my home country!! I've no idea about pricing, I think it varies according to the design you opt for, and as usual with Union Co-op the pricing isn't always entirely clear. Also some designs are available in both small and large rolls and others only come in large rolls, which obviously also affects the price. Dare we ask what the project is?
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 17:57
I had a lot of success with the Flat Tummy Club diet by Kate Adams (available on Kindle). I lost over a stone during a 3 month period and 3 months on I've lost another 7lbs, just because it got me into good eating habits. Its based on the principles of good healthy eating, no fads and ingredients that are readily available out here, plus trying to do something active, even if its only walking, for 30 minutes a day. To be honest, its not rocket science but I can't recommend it more highly. And you can still have the odd square of choc and the odd grape beverage as well, which has to be a bonus!!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 17:52
Its proper wallpapery size - like the rolls of sticky back plastic you get. I'm guessing the rolls are about 50cm in width. To give you an idea, I've used it before to create fake paths for children to follow, and it was plenty wide enough for both children and adults to walk down.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 17:46
It's great fun to start going YES! YES! YES! etc and when they start asking for details you just keep shouting YES I"M SO EXCITED etc, - they get really irritated and eventually hang up. LOL! Love it! I'm going to remember this one next time I win a fortune!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 16:09
Re the booster. Why is the vet we're using here saying that we need the rabies booster yearly, when our vet back in the UK says every 2 years?? We have been told that it is a local requirement that all animals are innoculated annually in the UAE for rabies. If you let it lapse, then if you do want to take your pet back to your home country, you will have to get the rabies vaccination and the blood tests done all over again.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 16:06
Hi BM, Union Co-op in Safa Park sells the "sticky back plastic" sort in a range of different patterns.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 August 2012 - 09:31
After reading lots of favourable reports on here about houseboys, I decided to give one a try through an agency and I've been delighted with him. No dramas, he comes in, he does his job, he leaves again. Its a proper professional relationship. He doesn't expect me to sort out his problems or be his best friend. I do wonder if some of the problems we encounter with female maids are to do with gender, not nationality. Women know how to pull other women's strings and manipulate a situation to get what they want.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 August 2012 - 19:49
Thanks everyone. Are they collecting spectacles this year, does anyone know? I've found loads of old ones!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 August 2012 - 18:12
I've done a search but I haven't found anything relevant except from my post about the same thing last year! Can anyone tell me whether Mall of the Emirates is doing its usual collections for Ramadan, and if so, what they are collecting. Last year they were collecting glasses and electrical items amongst other things. Is the same thing happening this year? I've been out of Dubai for the last few weeks so haven't been there to investigate. Thanks in advance!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 05 August 2012 - 18:19
If you bought a post-paid number in another country, you would have to provide proof of address/ID etc, would you not? Of course - at the point of sale. Which is exactly what we've all already done here, so it seems to be a duplication to have to do it again! If the original cumbersome process for applying for a SIM card here hasn't done the trick in terms of ensuring numbers don't get into unauthorised users hands, I can't see how repeating the process will help really.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 05 August 2012 - 14:16
In response to the original question: An ethical maid agency, that treats its workers with respect and doesn't expect 8 maids to share one bedroom and be paid 800aed per month while each client pays over that for a month's work.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 05 August 2012 - 13:46
Hi Keano, welcome! Sport is a huge focus of most primary schools out here, so you will probably be OK to choose any! All of them have dedicated PE departments - the larger the school, the larger the department. This means that even at primary age, children are taught by specialist PE teachers who also offer a variety of after school sports clubs. Schools often publicise their after school clubs on their website, or its a question you can ask when you go to view the school. The other thing to check out on school visits is what the outside areas are like. Some schools are on small plots, which limits the amount of football that can be played at breaktimes, and it sounds like this would be important to your son. A bigger problem than finding a good sports department is finding a school which has spaces in a location that's convenient for you. You will see from other threads on this forum that its best to start off by deciding what your location will be, then basing your school search around that, or starting the other way round and finding a school with places, then finding a living area that suits both that and the location of your workplace. You don't want to find yourself having to do a lengthy school run twice a day. Good luck with your search!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 01 August 2012 - 16:30
We have a Volvo C30 and have had no issues whatsoever - its a great car to drive. However, we are about to leave the UAE and we cannot believe how much the value has dropped in just 3 years - we won't even make half of what we paid for it. We've been told by 3 different garages that European cars do not hold their price when it comes to resale. If you are likely to need to resell it in the next few years, this might influence your choice. (However, for the record, we would still have bought the C30 had we known this, as its still a great car!)
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 01 August 2012 - 16:09
I would be curious to know whether the people who are having problems are on Du or Etisalat. I have had tons of problems over the years with people not getting my texts in the UK and I have always put it down to being with Du, as pretty frequently I don't get messages that have been sent or generated by me within the UAE either! Also a recent problem that I've been experiencing is that if my handset is off, even for a few hours, Du does not deliver messages to me sent during that time. Because its an intermittent problem I have not managed to challenge it with Du.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 26 July 2012 - 11:12
Hi DP, I'm certain that what you are trying to do is fairly common, with people enlisting the help for relatives, so I suspect many of the larger maid agencies will be able to meet your request. This isn't a recommendation, because I haven't used a maid agency in the London area, but I know that my friend in North London used Molly Maids, and when I looked into it they were based where I live in the South of London as well, so they are clearly pretty large.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 July 2012 - 17:18
Thank you both very much for the ideas.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 July 2012 - 15:26
Thanks Suze63. We love Reem al Bawadi, but it doesn't seem like they do outside catering. We're catering for 50 people, and will need crockery etc as well. Have you had them for outside catering, or just for take aways? Thanks for the warning about Eat and Drink! Maybe its lucky they are impossible to contact!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 July 2012 - 15:03
What about Kaleidoscope at Atlantis? There are Family Entertainer vouchers for this one that bring it down to below 100AED per person and the food is amazing (its a buffet, along similar lines to a brunch, with live cooking stations). However, you would have to check how many vouchers you could use per booking - sometimes its 4, which would only be enough for 8 people to eat half price.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 05 July 2012 - 10:38
Another recommendation for Dial a Maid from here. We started using them 8 weeks ago and we've been so pleased with their service.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 04 July 2012 - 10:47
Is a compromise possible? I don't think your husband has the right to dictate what you do and don't do in your career because he wants you to be available for him all the time - I think that's a dangerous position for any woman to find herself in - but is there some middle ground? For instance, could you agree to continue working longer hours during the weekdays, but not at weekends? That way, you still get your quality time with your husband at the weekend, and he just has to learn to accept that during the week, you will be working, as late as you need to, to ensure that the work doesn't leak into the weekend.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 July 2012 - 09:44
What a nightmare. A crime has been committed therefore logic would suggest that you should report it to any police station here. I know this is a pain in the neck, but have you tried going to different police stations to see if the answer changes according to who you speak to? The only other course of action you have I guess is to physically go to an AD police station and demand some attention, preferably with an Arabic speaker in tow. I don't think you will receive any response from email or phone contact - I'm guessing they'll just want you to go away! So sorry to hear about this situation and I don't envy you trying to sort it out.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 July 2012 - 08:20
I got mine from Azores in Satwa, which is on Plant Street.
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 26 June 2012 - 09:20
Great minds think alike!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 26 June 2012 - 09:19
The perfect place would be Abdul Wahab in Souk al Bahar. If they can bear the heat they can sit outside for views over the fountains, and allow a lovely Lebanese meal to be washed down with a drop of lovely Lebanese grape juice as well!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 15:54
Thanks hiccups! Nice to know I won't get squashed on my way to and from the mall!
shamat
624
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 15:49
Brilliant, thanks Di!
 
 
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