georgiapeach2 | ExpatWoman.com
 

georgiapeach2

54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 July 2017 - 19:19
I have heard it only takes 2-3 days.
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 July 2017 - 19:17
Hi, Yes, I would suggest to get a hotel or hotel apartment first while looking for places to live. There are so many areas to chose from and it is important to really see which one fits your family. Some people like living further out from the traffic and congestion and some like living in the middle of it all. So you really have to see which area fits your family the best. Here is my take on some areas. Each area pretty much has it's own shopping center for groceries and restaurants so that's never a problem. The most "going out" places is the Marina and Downtown Dubai. Motor City- Great community with lots of families. You will need a car as it is a little further from the malls, etc. But they also have there own shopping centers with restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Arabian Ranches- Also great community with families, but again you will need a car as it is right next to motor city. They also have shopping center close. The good thing is that taxi's are really cheap here so even if you don't get a car you can still afford to get around. The Greens- a little closer to the busy areas with great community. Just be careful not to get too far out as you will isolate yourself. Expat woman has some great meet ups to meet people and they list them on this website. Ikea is the best place to buy furniture, especially if you are here only a short time. There are facebook pages in each area that people do sell second hand furniture. There are a lot of expats coming and going. I live in Motor City. It is just myself and my husband but we like it because it is easy to get to as traffic in Dubai is crazy. Also, we have a dog so it's a great green area. We have everything we need here. But the mall is about 15 mins away. So no big deal. And when we do go out we just take a taxi and it is easy. Honestly you just have to come and explore each area to see what is best for you. Hope this helps a little. Oh and don't bother with postage. You will never get your mail. If you want to order stuff online I suggest stop and ship. Make sure your husband gets a good contract. You will need at least 170,000dhs for a villa and make sure they cover your kids school as that can be very expensive. Dubai is very expensive and only worth it if the company pays for your rent and kids school.
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 July 2017 - 13:55
Hi, Has anyone been or going to LifeWorks? If so, could you give me the feedback as I am considering going. (Are the counselors good? Do you know the prices? Did they help you? Etc.....) I don't need to know what your going for just some feedback on the establishment. Thanks
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 July 2017 - 13:07
I am an American new to Dubai - and my husband is one of the few Americans in his company so we thought we'd throw a little 4th of July gathering to share some American cheer with his colleagues. Having a heck of a time finding American flags, 4th of July decorations, anything to decorate! Does anyone have any ideas? (Keep in mind we must be able to PICK IT UP - no time to order anything!) Thanks! And how many other Americans are out here in ExpatWoman land? Hi, I am American. There is a party store in Motor City that might have American flags. They seem to have a good variety for every holiday. It's called Party World. Happy 4th!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 June 2017 - 10:55
Hi, You do have to be extra careful when driving here in Dubai but it is not that bad once you get used to it and know your way around. I live next door in Motor City and often visit Arabian Ranches and it is not hard to get in and out. The problem with Dubai roads that I found is that the exits can be tricky and usually there is no turn around point so you really have to know your way around as google maps is not always correct here. I think living out this way is much better than the traffic from Marina or downtown, that is why we like it out here and it is easy to get in and out of. Just keep an extra eye out for other drivers as they are rude and won't let you pass or merge over but soon you will be one of them. No one is nice and let's you merge in or slows down. And watch the roundabouts as those are pretty dangerous, especially the one going into motor city and arabian ranches. Just take your time and always have your signal on when turning. You will be fine. Also taxis are really cheap here so if you are really worried then just call a taxi. I still take a taxi when going to areas that I don't know or I know are difficult with traffic. (I usually take a taxi when going to downtown, marina, bur dubai, deira) these areas are so congested and confusing with google maps. I hope this helps you...
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 May 2017 - 11:21
There is a party store in Motor City that has lots of supplies.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 April 2017 - 12:26
Target.... I WISH... I have to agree that Carefour is the closest but that is more like a super Walmart. Don't go to the one in the MOE. It's always mad crazy packed and people with no respect. If you live near the Sports City mall then go there, it is much more civilized. It's called City Centre Me’aisem. Or Mirdif Mall, try to stay away from the tourist malls and go to the local ones. Home Centre is a nice store for furniture. We bought a couple pieces from there but most of our furniture is from Ikea. It's cheap and looks nice. But when we bought it we knew Dubai was temporary so it was perfect as we are now trying to sell it. Trolly.ae is good for online delivery for food. You will notice that you will go to all the stores to try to find the food and products you are use to or want. It's funny because most of the stores don't always carry the same products so if you find something you want one week, the next week it will be gone. So stock up.... Park and Shop is good for American products. But again I go from Carrefour to Spinneys to Park and Shop to find what I want. It's annoying.
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 April 2017 - 12:15
Coffee mornings are a great start. I found a couple good friends through them.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 March 2017 - 13:09
Thank you as I will look into both of these options. sarahlou123 -----Where is the dog park in The Greens? I would like to go check it out. Thanks..
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 March 2017 - 12:58
Hi, Does anyone know of an apartment building that allows pets? I am looking for a monthly lease. I only have one small dog. Thanks for any information......
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 October 2016 - 06:33
The Lime Tree Cafe has a new Gluten Free Bakery. They have breads and a whole range of GF items. You can order online. And they have a pop up shop at their SZR cafe Thursday- Saturday so you can go in there and buy the GF products.
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 June 2016 - 06:50
Hi, We shipped our car here from Miami and had no problems. It took about 4 weeks to get here. Yes, you need a car living in sports city. I live next door in Motor City and work in the Al Quoz area. We actually bought a second car here when I got a job. It is easy to buy a car here. But taxis are cheap here so you could just take a taxi to work until you get a car. But I would suggest having a car. Just watch out driving here. People aren't that great at driving and rude. Way different than the states!!! Hope this helps.
54
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 May 2016 - 07:14
Hi, I live just behind foxhill in Barton House. We also looked at both foxhill and newbridge before deciding on Barton House. These are the reasons we decided not to live there. 1. Parking is awful and since they share parking with retail it is always full or packed. 2. Yes, the buildings are run down and felt as we would be living in a dorm. However we loved the size. 3. The noise from the race track is very loud during the winter. My husband works at night sometimes so we couldn't risk the noise during the day. We like living in the community but the apartments behind are better in my opinion and I still can walk to the stores. Hopes this helps!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 March 2016 - 08:33
Hi, First, you should negotiate with your husband's company to include housing on top of his monthly income. Housing here is so expensive especially for a family like yours where you need at least 3 bedrooms. You are looking about 140,000 - 200,000 a year on rent on a villa. I don't think you will be happy trying to make it on 24,000 aed a month here. I have heard that school is also very expensive. If my husband's company did not give us the housing allowance on top of his salary there is no way we would have moved here because housing is just so expensive. We live in motor city, which is really nice and just for a one bedroom it is 85,000 a year. We looked at villas when we moved here but one bedrooms started at 125,000 and we did not want to pay that much. The areas that are nice and not downtown are Silicon Oasis, Mirdif City, Motor City, Arabian Ranches, JVT (new but up and coming). But if you live in these areas then you need a car. But these areas are more family orientated. Food is also expensive here. This includes grocery stores and going out to eat. I feel that living here is much more expensive even than the states, where I am from. You have to watch your money or you will spend it all just to entertain yourself. Part time jobs here are impossible to find. I tried for almost a year and no one wanted part time workers. So I had to work full time and still not making as much as I would like. I just think you should look at your husband's contract again and see if you can get that housing allowance on top of his salary. It will make the move worth it. I hope this helps somewhat.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 March 2016 - 13:16
Working helps. It took me about a year to finally realized that I lived here and this was my home for now. But when I got a job that seemed to help. Meeting people also helps. Especially if they are from your home country. Hang in there. ;)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 March 2016 - 11:24
Nope. I have been here 2 years and always have searched for it and have not found it. I use the coffee mate flavor creamer which spinneys seems to always have. I miss half and half.. :(
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 March 2016 - 11:57
Hi, I have been and love it. Try not to go during hurricane season (June 1-Nov 30th) just because you never know about the weather and you want sunny skies. It is expensive but try to stay on the 7 mile beach. George Town is also a nice area to stay in. You must try the rum cake if you go. yummmm Swimming with the sting rays is also a must. Scary but fun!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 13:28
Hi, Does anyone know if it is legal for a company to charge you if you end your contract with a 30 days notice? And if it is legal how much can they charge? I would love to get out of my 1 year limited contract with my company who I have been with for 8 months. I do not have a visa with them just a labor card. Any advice? Thanks.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 January 2016 - 08:40
Is it not safe? I haven't heard of anything going on there to be worried about. Should I be worried???
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 January 2016 - 17:16
Sell them in Dubai and buy new in the states. They are not that expensive there
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 December 2015 - 10:26
Hi, We shipped our dog from the states. We used Lufthansa airlines out of Miami. There was a lot of paper work on both ends but we didn't have any problems. I was in Miami and my husband was in Dubai so that made it more easier. As I handled the part in Miami and he was there to pick her up and handle the paper work in Dubai. But I do know that some dogs can't be shipped because of the health issues with that breed. You might want to check to see if that is the hold up. I know Yorkie's have heart issues. But it should have been easy and for sure not taking so long. I would go with the other suggestion about using Dubai Cattery and Kennels or DKC Vet Clinic in Motor City Dubai. They also do relocation's. Hope this helps.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 December 2015 - 11:13
They have dog food at all grocery stores here. They also have dog stores where you can find toys, dog bed,etc. But yes it is more expensive here.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 December 2015 - 11:11
The Lime Tree Cafe. Go to the one on Sheikh Zayed Road opposite Gold and Diamond Park, they have a lot of pre-made hampers or you can make your own hamper. Very nice stuff.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 October 2015 - 12:46
Nope, but I heard Lime Tree Cafe has good catering.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 October 2015 - 12:44
The Lime Tree Cafe has kids cakes. They have a cafe in Al Quoz, not far from MOE.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 October 2015 - 15:19
Woof is the best. It is in Al Quoz also. They have a nice outdoor play area that my dog loves. Of course when the weather gets cooler. :) http://woofdubai.ae/
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 September 2015 - 14:32
Hi, I am also from Georgia. I moved here a little over a year ago. We brought one dog with us, but a good place to reach out to about the cats is DKC veterinary clinic. They handle relocation of pets and they are a great vet to have here. My advise on the job offer - make sure the housing is at least 125,000 DHS a year or more. A 2-bedroom will run you about this much and even more depending on where you want to live. Of course make sure they give medical and make sure the pay is worth the move out here. Dubai is an expensive city to live in and your money can go fast. The round trip ticket and vacation days are pretty standard here. The vacation days also depend if you work for a public or private company. Get your documents attested in the USA. It will be much cheaper and easier. Dealing with service people here is a nightmare. Big language barrier. But make sure you do this at least 2-3 months before you have your move date. It takes time to send them to each place to get stamped. Living - It just depends on what you like. If you like the hustle and bussel of downtown living, then downtown and the Marina is nice. (But there is always traffic) If you like to be away from all that, then I would suggest Mirdif, Motor City, Sports City, Arabian Ranches, Silicon Oasis, Falcon City. They are all about 20 mins from downtown but minus the traffic and easy to get in and out of. Hope this helps a little. Oh and don't expect any southern hospitality here.. :(
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 August 2015 - 12:45
That is my favorite place to eat!!!! Everything is really good there. The menu is like a book, so there are lot's to please all appetites. The food does come in large portions. So sharing is always good there, plus you will have room for cheese cake. Yummmm If you are watching calories, they have a skinny menu that is very good. But no sharing on that menu. ;) The chicken madeira is very good. I don't think I have had a bad dish there. Enjoy!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 August 2015 - 14:12
The Lime Tree Cafe catering is awesome!! They have nice canapes including mini rolls, sandwiches, mini quiches, salads, mini carrot cakes, mini burgers, etc..(Yummy) There is something for everyone. Also there food can be served room temperature so no cooker needed!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 August 2015 - 14:44
Optimal Fitness is nice. They have a good variety of classes.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 August 2015 - 08:34
Hi Mamie, 100K is not enough for a 3 bedroom. See if you can negotiate the housing allowance with your husbands company. In order for your move to be worth it financially, you shouldn't be paying from your pocket housing. We also sold everything to move here or put it in storage back in the states. We just bought everything from Ikea, as far as furniture for our apartment. I feel that it is expensive to live in Dubai compared to the states. From grocery's to clothes to going out to dinner. Dragon Mart is a good place to get good deals on household stuff. You can bargain with them there. It will take some time to get used to living here, it took me about 8 months. And finding a job was difficult for me, it took me about 3 months and that was with only about 3 interviews in that time. There is no discrimination laws here, so they can hire you based on anything pretty much. And they do know what nationality they want to work for the company. So don't get discourage on that. I know I did. Also, expat woman has some great coffee morning get together's with ladies that you can meet some friends. That really helped me too. Good luck!! I would be happy to meet up with you once you get here.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 August 2015 - 09:46
Well I guess it depends on your housing budget/allowance. (3 bedrooms are expensive here) If you need to be close to Academic City, then I would look in Silicon Oasis, Mirdif, Arabian Ranches, and Motor City. Those are all pretty close and easy to get to and from Academic City. And all of these areas have grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, and public transportation. My suggestion is to come here and actually drive and look at the areas. It is so hard to figure out where you want to live from the computer. You really need to just come here and see what area you like best. When my husband and I first came we rented a studio at Silicon Oasis for 3 months while we looked for our apartment and it took about 2 months to find one. We live in Motor City and love it. We choose Motor City because it was not downtown or the Marina, so no traffic, it is very easy to get to/from places (this is important in Dubai because of the roads here), we have a dog and Motor City has a lot of green space, plus we have grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, etc all walking distance. I hope this helps you.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 August 2015 - 08:43
Hi, I am also from US. :) I personally wouldn't recommend Queue Point. It is not fully developed and no public transportation. If you want to be in that area, I would suggest Silicon Oasis. But there are much more better communities in Dubai. What are you exactly looking for?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 August 2015 - 09:15
Hi, I made some friends through expat woman coffee mornings. You should go. It is easy to make friends there.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 July 2015 - 10:29
Hi, I live in Motor City and just love it. It is a great community with kids, dogs, grass, pools, grocery stores and cafes/restaurants. It is easy accessibility from/to DIFC and Internet City. It is not congested and we have easy access to 3 major highways that will get you easy to Marina, Downtown, Airport in a timely manner. The rent is very affordable and the apartments are very spacious. If you're looking for serenity and away from the madness of traffic, this is the place. Arabian Ranches is next door to Motor City. It is also a nice neighborhood with villas. Some of the villas are a little older and doesn't come with a stove or refrigerator so you have to buy them yourself. But do go look at them and compare them to Motor City. You really just have to get out and look at everything here. But it is a big advantage that you atleast have your neighborhood narrowed down. I hope this helps. Good luck.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 29 June 2015 - 10:43
Don't use conditioner. Try one day to just use shampoo and see if that works. If you need to use conditioner then only put it on the ends of your hair not the entire head. This has worked for me. Since moving to Dubai I noticed the same thing happened to me, greesey hair. Now I only use conditioner maybe twice a week. I hope this helps.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 13 June 2015 - 21:21
Yes, get married. Also, get the marriage certificate attested before coming over here. It will make things much easier. It is true, that he can not sponsor you unless you are married. That means you will only have a tourist visa and will have to go out of the country and back in every 30 days. (Not Fun)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 June 2015 - 12:25
Hi, Is anyone doing Weight Watchers online here in Dubai? If so, any feedback, good or bad would be much appreciated. Thanks
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 09:28
Agree, they all get booked for summer. But you can try - Woof and My Second Home.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 May 2015 - 15:15
It's a great airline and yes it is safe.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 May 2015 - 15:01
Hi, I am visiting Ireland soon for a friend's wedding at The Crom Castle. We are going a day ahead and would like a nice town to visit that is in between the Dublin airport and Crom Castle and stay the night on our way up to the castle. We will have a car, so driving is not a problem. Can anyone suggest a nice town to go to? Thanks
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 April 2015 - 16:51
Dragon Mart or Ikea.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 07:58
Yes, the landlord should contact you within 3 months of the lease end date. Our landlord already contacted us and our lease is up in August.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 April 2015 - 07:56
Try http://www.circuitfactory.ae/ It's fun and challenging. They have a class downtown. Good luck!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 April 2015 - 14:43
I found mine at Ace hardware. There is a store in festival city and one in Al Barsha.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 April 2015 - 09:13
I would pay the extra money to come during the winter months. (Nov-Feb) It is so much nicer here during those months, especially for any outdoor activities. I had visitors visit me during November and it was the best! I tell my visitors NOT to come during June-Sept. Hope this helps.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 April 2015 - 09:11
Hi, I have lived in Motor City for almost a year now. My apartment is in Uptown and behind the Spinneys. (not Foxhill) Yes, you can hear the cars, but only if you are outside on your balcony. When you are home inside and have the tv on, you can not hear them. It has not bothered me or my husband. If you live in foxhill and new bridge, then it will be louder, especially if you have a balcony facing the street. There are so many apartment buildings here that you can find the one farthest away from the track/street. We love motor city. We have a dog, so the green spaces are so nice. It is more like a community here. The shops are nice and walking distance from any apartment in uptown motor city. There is a carrefour market just down the street, so you don't have to shop at the spinneys. Feel free to contact me with more questions.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 13:22
You can buy a dryer in Dubai but it is very expensive. The best thing is to hang your clothes outside. Now that it is getting hot, it doesn't take long for the clothes to dry.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 13:17
Thanks EW for considering having coffee mornings this way. I simply just wanted to meet other ladies in my area. I will still try to make it to your coffee mornings as I do enjoy them and have met great ladies there. Cece25- Yes, contact me when you get back and we can meet up.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2015 - 09:58
Nope, no dryers here! It is very annoying not having one but you will get used to it. It is so hot here that once you hang your clothes outside they dry fast. But the sun will fade your clothes. I miss a dryer. Make sure your new place has a balcony or backyard to dry to clothes. Doing it inside takes a long time. Yes, you have to file US taxes. Now, we didn't have to pay this year but we have only worked here half the year. So we will see next year what the damage is. Yes, it is hot during the summer and not very pleasant. And Ramadan is during the summer which makes things even worst. No food or drinks in public during the day. (Ughhh) Most people take their vacations during this time.