harrimayne1965 | ExpatWoman.com
 

harrimayne1965

harrimayne1965
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Latest post on 11 October 2017 - 07:44
JC isn't a patch on DC in terms of environment, pastoral care, facilities, results. As a parent of LOs who have gone through both, I can say that DC is the best school in Dubai for a reason.
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 03 June 2017 - 10:57
This time seems very different to 2008-9, as the oil price slump is affecting so many other sectors. The roads seem busier but with lower income residents who spend much less than before. The sale last month was an indication of how bad things are getting. A friend working for a government uni here has just had their salary cut but by 20%, just before the summer holiday. This article too gives a fair idea of how things are in the restaurant sector: [url='>http://www.thenational.ae/business/retail/glee-hospitality-executive-reveals-how-uae-restaurants-are-coping-with-tough-times[/url'> The party is most definitely over. People are now weighing up whether Dubai is worth it if you re not saving. Is there really any other reason to be here?
harrimayne1965
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Latest post on 11 May 2016 - 14:12
We're in a very similar boat on 38K and we manage just fine. Not saving much, mind, and your set up costs will be high, but eminently doable. Good luck
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 09 March 2016 - 10:39
DESS has just announced they're closing early.
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 09 February 2016 - 20:20
I think you're absolutely right to try. Who cares about other people in this situation? What you're trying to do is protect your child from the upheaval of moving school, changing friends, disruption to studies. It's heartbreaking. We may be in this position soon ourselves and I'll be asking the school to consider a discount. The very best of luck to you.
harrimayne1965
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Latest post on 07 November 2015 - 15:10
Here's something to bear in mind when applying. A friend applied to work with a large education group in Dubai (no names) and wanted to know the same as you're asking. She was told yes, but her son would have to be assessed before acceptance. She was given the impression that this was a formality. After signing a contract, she was told her son was not accepted for the school. Since this was the main reason for taking the job, she then wanted to pull out, only to be threatened with legal action for breaking a contract.
harrimayne1965
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Latest post on 03 November 2015 - 12:52
I've had experience of both and I can tell you that the ethos of non-profit schools comes through in their communication with parents, facilities and general manner towards education. I would not want to go back to a for-profit any time soon. GEMS schools, in particular :)
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 03 November 2015 - 12:23
I wonder if anyone knows a good place to get kilims washed. We have quite a few and it's long overdue :) Somewhere in the old Dubai area would be ideal. TIA
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 27 October 2015 - 13:03
We've used SC Titanium card for a few years and it has been great, plenty of savings. Unfortunately, some busybody at SCB noticed and changed the conditions. For one, there's a new 2% processing fee for the payment plan. The other kicker is that you now have to spend 7500 to get 5% back (used to be 5000), and 15000 to get 10% back (used to be 10000). So there will still be savings, but they could be negligible.
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 October 2015 - 07:15
From 120K upwards. Mind you, at 120K you're looking at the outer edge at Al Khail Rd and very small. Good luck
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 14 April 2015 - 07:46
Does anyone have up to date info on expat kids' eligibility for unemployment benefit when they return to the UK as adults? I read something about having to reside for six months before claiming. Is this still true? TIA Wouldnt it be better to encourage them to get a job !!! Or further education ? :angry::angry: edited by ladymary on 13/04/2015 Wow. A lot of assumptions are being made on this thread. Thanks for the constructive responses, sorry to the rest.
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 31 January 2015 - 15:29
We moved from Al Reem 2 a year ago due to a horrible landlord who played every trick in the book to get us out of his house. We could have persued it but we were just exhausted with the whole thing and we wanted to move anyway. Husbands company paid the rent and they never got the deposit back despite us leaving the house in same condition if not better than when we moved in. We did regret not persuing it as he has probably gone on to treat his next tenants the same. If it is you I apologise but we had such an awful time we were just glad to be out of there. Care to post the villa number so others don't experience the same stress?
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2015 - 18:17
Hi, A great place for wooden furniture at affordable prices is Lucky Novelties and Gifts in Sharjah. They have an amazing range in distressed furniture, industrial furniture, rosewood etc. Directions are a bit tricky. Its always best to call the owner who gives excellent directions (0506327051). My entire house is furnished from here. I couldn't be more happier by my purchases from Luckys. I second that, Rosy. Lucky's is an absolute treasure trove. I find it good for the soul to wander around their dusty warehouse! http://luckyfurnitureuae.com/
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 12 January 2015 - 11:09
Good question. I'm happy if I can save 2000AED a month. It's been a while since I could that tho!
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 13 December 2014 - 13:28
North of 3000 AED on average, probably closer to 4000 AED in the summer months.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 December 2014 - 13:53
http://www.thenational.ae/business/personal-finance/why-making-ends-meet-simply-isnt-enough-for-uae-expats-struggling-with-rising-costs I'm keeping this thread alive as it helps to know we aren't alone! Chin up.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 November 2014 - 11:05
Lovely reply Tattie Bogle. :cool: We've had a horrible week so forgive me if my post doesn't live up to my username! Hopefully, I'll be back to my 'rainbows and unicorns' self tomorrow! After approximately 15 years here, we feel quite 'broken' by the current state of affairs. To start with, we have to move again and the process has been a nightmare-agents that never reply to calls or texts and make us wonder what they get paid for. Online property ads not updated or containing incorrect information. And I don't even want to get started on the hikes in rent: 95 thousand for 300 sq. feet????? To quote TV's [i'>Miranda[/i'>, "Even the notion!" Apologies for my w'end rant. We generally believe that the spirit of gratitude does wonders and we do count our blessings in many ways. It just seems like we're 'stuck' here for the foreseeable future when we would dearly love to be able to return to Europe. Where once we could reassure family and friends in the UK that we would be closer to home one day soon, we're not saving any money these days and have had to place such things as basic dental treatment much further down the list of priorities than we would like. We can't afford to have children here. My inlaws were here in the 70's and the difference between their standard of living then and ours now, is incredible. With the increasing difficulty in terms of getting from A to B we are struggling to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Yesterday we went to look at properties in Bur Dubai. It wouldn't be our preferred area-we lived there for 8 years when we first arrived, but DH works on SZR close to WTC and we are determined to minimise his commuting time. I was shocked to see the amount of construction and destruction that had taken place and so many of these new residential buildings looked small and ugly. The air was thick with dust and the traffic was horrendous. DH is owed a great deal of money from his last employer and this not the first time we have found ourselves in this predicament-it took 2 years and a court case to fight for the last lot. As I said earlier, no doubt I'll be ready to take on the world again soon but to refer back to the OP, 'new' Dubai isn't really working out for us so far - we much preferred things how they were and will miss the parts of Dubai that seem to be rapidly disappearing. VP, your post and experience rings true with us too. Dubai used to be manageable and affordable. When it becomes neither, it really isn't a fun place to be anymore. It's not a place worth staying when you're going backwards, but what other options are there? Few for us, sadly.
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 18 November 2014 - 16:47
Just seen a bunch advertised on dubizzle.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 November 2014 - 15:15
Who would really stay here if they weren't making decent savings? We were, but now with the prospect of digging deeper into our own pockets to cover rent increases, that's threatened. When you're losing money and have no job prospects at home, THAT'S depressing.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 October 2014 - 10:31
The best seems to be RakBank's 2% FastSaver. Although we tried opening the account and found so much chaos and misunderstanding in the branch that it put us off depositing any money with them. Shame, decent rate. After that, it's UNB and ENDB, both from 1.5 to 1.65% HTH
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 24 August 2014 - 21:15
All good ideas, thanks. Food for thought!
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 July 2014 - 13:18
Applied for a new mobile number from Etisalat yesterday and still not activated. Call center tells me there's a general technical problem in processing new applications. First world problems, eh!? Anyone else experiencing the same?
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 July 2014 - 14:07
There's very little incentive for LLs to do anything in the current market, sadly. We gave up ages ago. Just look after your own little corner, all you can do!
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 July 2014 - 14:04
Went to Souk al Bahar for inspiration...great minds! Thanks so much.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 July 2014 - 23:45
Sounds familiar. You aren't in Al Badaa, are you? :)
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 June 2014 - 08:03
Definitely a wander through Raffles Hotel, then pop upstairs to the Long Bar for a drink and monkey nuts. Shells are thrown on the floor, it's a tradition!
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 13:32
I was given 3rd party this year for my old banger as it's now ten years old. That's their rule, the broker told me. I haven't claimed much, so that might have helped.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 May 2014 - 07:31
Try Miss Liu at mandarinmatters dot com I've worked with her and she is very professional.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 April 2014 - 18:16
A little surprised that certain schools got "Outstanding": the GEMS schools in particular. JC has deep problems in terms of facilities, JPS has poor facilities and staff/management woes (ask a few parents about the head), and Wellington is where they dump kids that look likely to make the averages dip in JC. JAPS, on the other hand, receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents. I guess it depends on how well you prepare for inspections...
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 16 April 2014 - 07:24
Thanks ladies, good info. We tried going through HSBC as we have an account in the UK with them, but were told that they wouldn't give us a BTL mortgage if it as to be let to students, only families. A family of students, maybe? :)
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 April 2014 - 20:34
Had never heard of them, many thanks for that.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 April 2014 - 21:53
Try all black Reeboks or similar. They last much longer and your boy can freely play football at lunchtime in them! We've done that for years. Outlet Mall is the place to find them. GL
harrimayne1965
87
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 April 2014 - 20:17
Psychiatry and family medicine.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 April 2014 - 18:54
A good start would be Gregor Kowal in CHMC In Healthcare City. Very helpful and sympathetic. Good luck.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 March 2014 - 07:54
I passed her yesterday in the car so she is still around. Sorry, don't have a contact.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 February 2014 - 12:31
I pay my CC bill at the UAE Exchange or Al Ansari exchange. There's a list of the places you can pay on the site, I think.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 January 2014 - 16:33
Anyone know what's happened to Da Shi Dai in the Marina? Went there today to find it closed down! One of few reasonable Chinese eateries in Dubai. :(
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 January 2014 - 08:53
Agree 100%. We're so glad to be out of there. Was a fantastic school many moons ago.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 December 2013 - 20:20
Thanks for all your replies. I think I might send off the form and wait for the response, then call them up, like Yorky suggested.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 December 2013 - 14:28
Hi ladies. Hopefully there's someone out there who's been through this. I've been abroad for most of my adult life, basically since leaving uni. I'm now looking into topping up my NI contributions and maintaining payments to qualify for a basic pension. What I can't figure out (and don't want to call the UK just yet to find out!) is whether I need to pay 52 weeks' worth of Class 1 contributions before switching to Class 2. Or can I just start paying Class 2? The amounts are quite different! Any help much appreciated. TIA I take it you are nearly 50 years old, you have never paid TAX in the UK.......yet you want to claim a UK pension!!!! What a joke. Thank god they are clamping down on things like this. Not sure who spat in your porridge this morning, but thanks for your contribution. I never said I hadn't paid tax in the UK, ever heard of property tax? I am trying to make contributions for a basic state pension, not getting something for nothing. Thanks to plum and yorky for their constructive comments.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 December 2013 - 09:49
Is this one of these English "entre nous" things again. Not for us lower creatures to partake in? ? Quite. Many of the British curriculum schools here behave in the same way. The days of empire are over! Identify yourself properly!
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 December 2013 - 13:49
That's a real shame but confirms what I suspected. Took my car for catalytic converter replacement (dealer quoted 8000 AED), A2B did it for 1200 AED. However, this was when it was in the old location and managed by a couple of brothers. The new owner raised his eyebrows when I told him this...indicating that they would now have charged a lot more. Plus they over charged me for steering issues.
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 23 November 2013 - 16:24
Thanks Sugarbeach. Still trying to work out what this Raspberry Pi thingy is!
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 November 2013 - 13:31
HK by a mile! Setting is much nicer and there are no Parisians!
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 November 2013 - 20:50
We have the Standard Chartered Titanium Card - it is up to a maximum amount which is very low. But something is better than nothing. They base it on paying the school fees monthly! Good info so far! Mich25, have you changed your fee payments into a six or twelve month plan? The example the bank gives is they issue a cheque to the school and then convert it into six months repayment at 0%. Example: term fees are 18,000 Dh - bank pays school and you repay bank 3000 Dh over six months. But you get 10% cashback per month = 300 Dh, total 1,800 Dh cashback for the six months. Sounds good but there is an annual fee. What I'm not sure about is to qualify for cashback they talk about a minimum spend (could be the catch!). It's either 1,000 Dh on other spends or 10,000 Dh (not so good).
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 15 November 2013 - 07:39
At the risk of turning this site into souqalmal, can I ask for recommendations on the best credit cards for cashbacks and discounts on school fees. The reason I ask is I've been using mashreq's smart saver until now, but am now looking into standard chartered's titanium card, with 10% discount on school fees. Sounds good but is there a catch? BTW, I know about the GEMS card but my LO doesn't attend a GEMS school. TIA
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 14 November 2013 - 13:20
why would anyone want to do this??? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2506990/Rift-real-life-Ken-Barbie-grows-look-alike-spent-150-000-plastic-surgery-dresses-drag-queen-version-branding-female-rival-total-fake.html You mean, read the Daily Mail? :)
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 06 November 2013 - 21:00
Phew! Topped up now. Thanks for putting my mind at ease, ladies.
harrimayne1965
87
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Latest post on 30 October 2013 - 15:02
Long shot but does anyone know where I can find one of these: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=yangqin&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=g-ZwUpbAA8G2hQe3soG4Cg&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=775 It's a traditional Chinese stringed instrument played with reeds. TIA <em>edited by harrimayne1965 on 30/10/2013</em>
harrimayne1965
87
Posts
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Latest post on 20 October 2013 - 21:10
Dr Gregor Kowal at CHMC in Healthcare City. 044574240
 
 
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