amibrissy

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 12 July 2017 - 23:59

Hi guys. I just moved here from Australia following my husband. I finished my PhD in ecology at Uni of Queensland just prior to leaving Australia and have since been frantically trying to find a preferably university and/or research related job here in Dubai. Unfortunately to my knowledge only the American Uni of Sharjah has an established biology faculty- I couldn't for the life of me find any other good universities with similar faculty. Sadly none of the academics I emailed for expression of interest replied, and my job application was not entertained. I am so excited to start working in Dubai and join the wildlife conservation bandwagon but I don't think there is much work going on here on that matter? If you are, or know anyone who is an ecologist, pretty please introduce me. I am keen for a chat over a cuppa, as I kinda miss interacting with like-minded people. Thanks!

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:57

Definitely sheets and towels! I miss a lot of Aussie foods like Gravox, Keens curry powder, all Allens lollies..oh I cld make a looong list!! We brought a lot of furniture over with us and regretted it because it's too big for our apartment. We lived in a large double story in Aust and now we are in a 2 bed apartment so things like our dining room table are way too big but we have nowhere to store it. We have been here just over 2yrs and it's a big adjustment, I had a baby here so not having my family around is hard. Like others have said join lots of groups because it gets freaking lonely sometimes!! Thank you for your reply. Fortunately we don't have many furnitures to bring along- I would've cried if I had to choose which special piece I can bring!

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:56

We came from Brisbane with 20kgs, in addition to our luggage and we have been able to buy pretty much everything we need, including a Tempur bed. We have one in storage at home. I did bring with me sheets and towels, Sheridan and Country Road. I haven't been able to find anything that is comparable to Sheridan in thread count and towels I have managed to source some decent ones but I paid a fortune for them. All of the appliances I have managed to get here. But you will find that the water here is really hard on your steam iron. I am on my second one in 3 years. The must haves that I always buy when I am home is Maggi powdered chicken stock, those kitchen brushes with the sponge on the end and 12 months supply of the little sponges. Beef oxo cubes, for some reason they have vanished off the shelves here. DH buys bonds undies and singlets for under his business suits. Vanilla extract, the real stuff! Oh Sheridan and Country Road.... yes I can see a friendship already forming here! I am loyal to those brands as well. But I hope I get to find other brands there which as parallel in quality. A lot of people seem to only drink bottled water there. Is that true? Can't we just boil the tap water? I'm certainly taking notes on Bonds stuff!!! They're the best :D

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:53

Thanks for shedding a bit more light on things. I wouldn't worry too much about electrical goods as you can buy the same or very similar goods ( this is all dependant on your budget). I'd say bring a few things that make you feel happy ie pictures, small nick knacks , etc.. Try looking up second hand Dubai (UAE), dubizzle is a great site too, also have a look in the classifieds here. I loved my time here in the UAE both Dubai & Abu Dhabi, each emirate to me had a different feel (sorry I can't comment about Sharjah only that it's a dry emirate no grape) If this is your first expat posting, you'll find things different. My advice is patience, things at time happen very slowly. I've found you have to be direct asking questions (not in a rude way) and sometimes hubby will have to do simple things for you (frustrating yes). Bring a usb stick with passport pics and also a few printed (10 should be heaps). Get every certificate you have attested you'll need your full marriage certificate. Make sure your wills are upto date make sure you get it sharia compliment. Always have an emergency file (grab file important documents) and a good cash stash for emergencies if possible. The main thing I can offer as advice is don't shut yourself off from the world, it will be a shock to the system. Join coffee groups, look up different fb groups get out and explore. Hope this post helps, enjoy the journey :cool: Thanks Missy Moo- again, very useful insight :) I have heard that things take a while to kick start here, and that i shouldn't be expecting Australian level of customer service. These might take a while to get used to....

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 11:16

Hi comp99, Thanks for your reply. The only reason we are bringing Tempur mattress is because we paid good bucks for it. And also because they have the brand there. We are just planning to buy one of those base beds only with no frame. Hopefully that would be easy to find later. Thanks for the link. We sure will check it out ?

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 04:32

Hi Missy Moo, Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate it ? My husband secured a permanent job there but we are only allocated 250 kg worth of personal items to bring over from Brisbane. Which is why I have to really be picky on what to bring. At the same time I am also very choosy when it comes to home decor because I want so much for us to feel at home, as you said. We have secured a one bedroom apartment in Sharjah with a spacious living room. We won't be bringing any big furniture, but just one Tempur queen mattress. May I know what the fb page names are? My husband doesn't really have the time to browse through second hand items but I personally think it's not necessary to buy everything new from IKEA as well. Would really like to know where expats normally sell their furniture online. My last question would be how was your time in UAE? Did you like it? And what are the other things you had wished someone would have told you to bring before moving to UAE? Instead of having to buy them there? As for food I think we will be fine. It's more of the electrical appliances that I'm worried because I'd like to make sure what I buy is of good quality :) Thank you!!!

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 August 2016 - 17:41

Hi everyone. My name is Ami and I'll be moving to Dubai by the end of November from Brisbane, Australia. I have searched high and low for any thread that discusses this matter but I couldn't for the life of me found one. What are the things I really should consider bringing over from Australia? Personal, sentimental value things aside, what are the electrical appliances that are cheaper and have higher quality purchased from Australia? I am loyal to some good brands. Here's what I have so far: 1) Philip Airfryer 2) Tefal steam iron (the big one with separate water tank) 3) Some nice 1000 threads sheet sets, and Laura Ashley quilt covers (I take my sleeping comfort seriously....) 4) Good pots 5) High quality towels What else shall I REALLY bring that might otherwise be expensive to buy in Dubai? What I think I should buy before leaving: 1) Miele vacuum cleaner 2) Nespresso machine 3) Corelle dining set I know they are available there but boy are they 3 to 4 times more expensive..... Please help me out here as I don't want to have flown there, only to realize that I should have bought a and b and c in Australia before moving. I'm also a Kmart addict and have seen their interior/living items to have improved significantly in design and quality over the years whilst still keeping the price low and affordable. Does Dubai have anything similar? I'd really love to decorate my house using contemporary design and wonder if I can do it there with a small budget. Thank you!

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