kitten67 | ExpatWoman.com
 

kitten67

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Latest post on 03 December 2014 - 11:43
Thanks Chewit - you are touching on a lot of the concerns that we have. I do believe that children need to learn to stand on their own 2 feet. Whilst Dubai is a great lifestyle and has amazing facilities I do feel that it is more difficult to give your children freedom and encourage responsibility here. The consequences if things go "wrong" can be a lot more serious in this environment. e.g. underage drinking, stranger danger etc But the UK is also far from perfect and I am sure we would face different challenges there.....
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Latest post on 03 December 2014 - 10:28
Thanks for that! we will definitely go there ;)
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Latest post on 03 December 2014 - 10:12
Hi March In terms of schools - standard would be fairly similar back in Scotland. Location is 20 mins from city with plenty of local facilities and transportation. Daughter is currently quite keen to move as she hates heat here and loves outdoors but she is still young and may change her mind. Grandparents would be 5 mins away. I think it is a big debate for us as parents too. We have both spent more of our adult working life here than in UK (15 years +) so will be a big change for us probably more than her. (Especially for my Lebanese husband who I met here in Dubai!) We both have senior level jobs with MNCs so work wont be an issue as we have options with current employers. However, delaying relocation too long worries me as reestablishing your career in a new environment becomes harder as you get older. Lots to consider.... We will take our time and make the decision when the time is right
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Latest post on 03 December 2014 - 10:04
Highly recommend Circuit Factory Amazing classes and trainers I think Meadows would be nearest location for you www.circuitfactory.ae
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Latest post on 01 December 2014 - 18:37
Michele Soudi eyebrowsdubai.com She is very very good and makes natural looking brows I have recommended her to a few people and all were very happy with results Check out the website
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Latest post on 01 December 2014 - 18:14
Thanks for all the comments so far. It is a really difficult decision for us.... We have some time to plan ahead. We will either move in Year 6 or will stay here until school finishes. I wouldn't move her in middle of secondary. Keeping an open mind for now..... :)
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Latest post on 01 December 2014 - 12:48
Hi Just to clarify - she wouldn't be boarding. The whole family would be moving home and she would be attending a local (very good) comprehensive.
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Latest post on 01 December 2014 - 11:05
Hi Is there a Christmas pantomime on anywhere this year? Last year we went to DUCTAC which was excellent but cant find anything in the listings this year.......
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Latest post on 27 November 2014 - 16:06
I like the chocolate cake from Cocos Chocoa also do a lovely one
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Latest post on 24 November 2014 - 17:38
I got married in Italy. I just looked at the websites and didnt visit in advance All went really well - even hair, make up, photographers etc. Good luck!
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Latest post on 24 November 2014 - 10:05
Could you order it through a Shop and Ship account? I have used mine for loads of such things and its very quick from UK - usually about 5-7 days
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Latest post on 03 November 2014 - 11:28
I checked linkedin this morning: Synergy recruitment in Abu Dhabi have an FC role EMAAR are looking for FC There are another 3 or 4 good roles on there today good luck!
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Latest post on 03 November 2014 - 10:33
I am also a CA from the UK. I believe that the market has really picked up in the last month or so - I am sure he can find something if he focuses his efforts in the right places. (I recently spoke to a friend who relocated here from Europe last month, also working in Finance. He got 3 interviews in 2 weeks!) But he was super pushy and networked like crazy. Your husband needs a standout CV and linked in profile (good summary of experience, key technical and commercial highlights, professional pic). There are thousands of qualified accountants in the market so he has to invest some time for this. There will be people in the market with more ME experience, multilingual and willing to work for less money so he needs to promote himself. I would advise him to try and get a good contact within Michael Page or Robert Half as they typically have the premium Finance jobs. He should still check gulftalent every day too. I would advise him to apply directly to Emirates group, Visa (big finance team in Media city), DWTC - recruiting for Expo 2020 roles. Also tell him to check the FT recruitment pages for Dubai jobs - www.execappointments Also, if he has contact through his accountancy institute here - ICAEW or ICAS or ACCA etc - tell him to attend their group networking evenings, linked in groups etc and ty to find an opportunity through contacts. Hope this helps! Good luck.
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Latest post on 22 October 2014 - 13:20
Seriously??? Im sorry butI think it's YOUR mistake. They are not obliged to provide you with another lesson. They already have slots allocated for other kids who are organised to turn up. I cant believe you are complaining when you are the one who wasted the lesson time by not turning up. Honestly - some people in Dubai have such a sense of entitlement! I find it bizarre.....
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Latest post on 15 October 2014 - 10:25
Its at MediaCity I think? Great venue..... I wouldnt go there until 8pm or so as there is lots of hanging around and it is a standing gig so you can just have a mooch around. They have bars, food outlets etc and there should be a support act and DJ before he comes on. Normally main act would come on around 9pm ish and play 2 hours. I am sure you will have a great time. Radisson Media City is just opposite and could be good option for pre or post concert drinks :)
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Latest post on 14 October 2014 - 10:01
Hi It would help if you told us how many beds etc they are looking for and if they have any area preference. Money wise, they will probably need between AED500k to AED1m for deposit and fees as mortgage is usually about 75% of the value so they need to take that into consideration
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Latest post on 01 October 2014 - 07:30
I had one before and it didn't last very long as I give my hairdryer heavy use. I recommend going to Nazih on SZR and buying one of the salon hairdryers. They are not so expensive and have long cables and designed for heavy use. I bought one of the more expensive ones there (an italian brand) and its the best one I have ever used. They have a decent selection. Prices are in the range 200 - 500 AED
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Latest post on 24 September 2014 - 15:07
100% its illegal - sorry to tell you. I think the fine for you would be AED50,000. And spot checks on maids are becoming more frequent so its not worth the risk. In terms of finding a good live out maid - check the classifieds here or the supermarket noticeboards as a starting point. If you are lucky you may find someone where the family is leaving Dubai and you can talk to them and get a reference Good luck. Other option could be to conside nursery and a part time agency cleaner. I put my LO in nursery when I went back to work as felt more comfortable with that controlled environment when she was very small. In the end its a personal choice. There are some good ladies out there so i hope you find one :)
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Latest post on 24 September 2014 - 14:33
You will need to sponsor her or else it is illegal. Alternatively you could get a maid from an agency who is picked up each evening but this can be expensive and there is no guarantee she will stay with that agency long term so you may end up with different people. Seriously, if you are going to leave your child in the care of a maid/nanny you want to be sure that you know her well and have everything arranged legally. God forbid anything went wrong.....if you dont sponsor her, YOU would be liable for a big fine if you went to the police and she stole from you or mistreated your child. It is well worth going down the sponsorship route for security and peace of mind and having more control over the working arrangements
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Latest post on 24 September 2014 - 13:56
I pay my live out AED4000 and think I am getting a good deal. My nanny lives in Satwa. She works Sun - Thu 730-6pm plus ad hoc babysitting as required at weekends. (Maybe a couple fo times a month). If she babysits, we pay her taxi home. AED3,500 seems fair.
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Latest post on 24 September 2014 - 11:31
I can highly recommend roadrunnersports.com - I buy all my shoes and sportswear from them with my shop and ship account. It is so much cheaper and amazing selection. They have all the good brands, loads of online reviews and will suggest shoes for you based on your existing choices/gait/stability requirements/size. The selection is far superior to what you can find here. (The Asics here are oftern 2 seasons behind and have limited colours available). Worth a look..................
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Latest post on 23 September 2014 - 09:51
I am really sorry to hear you had to put up with all that drama and hope your daughter is okay but i would like to make a couple of points for future reference: Why is your cat not spayed? It is really irresponsible to allow your cat to get pregnant - there are already so many homeless and abandoned kittens. Please do this ASAP to avoid further heartache. When homing these kittens - please find a responsible experienced cat owner if possible. They are not toys to be given out at school and you should be more selective. I know you are keen to find them homes but please dont rush. Put an ad on Dubizzle or Bin Kitty and let people come and see kittens with their mum so you can check them out and make sure they are serious about adopting the cat, know what food to give it, will take it to vet for vaccinations (and neutering once old enough). Bin kitty can give you advice about what questions to ask when someone wants to take the kittens. Good luck! edited by kitten67 on 23/09/2014 <em>edited by kitten67 on 23/09/2014</em>
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Latest post on 15 September 2014 - 13:00
Try Executrain for Excel http://www.executrain.com/pages/Courses
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Latest post on 15 September 2014 - 12:58
I would have a look in Paperchase as they sometimes have some quirky ones. (They are in Debenhams or Borders in MOE) But yes - card selection here is very poor. I find Spinneys supermarket sometimes have better cards than Gulf Greetings too
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Latest post on 11 September 2014 - 16:58
Hard Rock Cafe? You can get private room and brign your own music, decorations, games etc. Or you can sit in the restaurant - there is a band on a Sat afternoon. You can get cake, tshirt gift etc
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Latest post on 02 September 2014 - 09:49
Hi A diploma is not a professional qualification. If you are looking for accounting roles you would be competing against people with ACCA, CIMA, CPA, CA etc. You would most likely only be able to get more junior roles which would pay less. AED5000- 10000 a month is not enough to live on for 2 people, especially at the beginning due to set up expenses, even if you get company accommodation. Dubai is very expensive,. Please take care as you dont want to end up using your savings or getting into debt to live here.
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Latest post on 02 September 2014 - 09:44
Last year we did Meydan after doing he previous 2 years at the Ritz (which we liked). Meydan was better value for sure. For kids there was the usual bouncy castle, Santa, face painting, and some craft activities but I think best for smaller kids. Food was really good and the band and DJ on the terrace were fantastic. Really relaxed atmosphere to sit outside after brunch and have a few drinks. If you were underwhelmed by the Ritz......mmmm....I think maybe Meydan wont be that exciting for you. We thought it was great. What about Al Qasr or JBH? However, we are also looking to try something different this year so I would be interested to hear some recommendations...........
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Latest post on 27 August 2014 - 11:51
Park & Shop Al Wasl I got some there last week
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Latest post on 26 August 2014 - 10:00
I know what you mean about Pajero. They are great cars - reliable, easy to drive on and off road and you get great deals on them (insurance, servicing etc). A couple of years ago I put my sensible head on and bought one - sold it within 9 months as just didnt get attached to the car. You dont get excited when you see it in the car park ,lol! I now have a Jeep Grand Cherokee which I much prefer - safe and strong car but loads of nice gadgets inside and nicer looks too. (This is probably a bit bigger than you were considering). If I were you I would look at: Jeep Wrangler or Compass/Patriot Nissan Murano or Pathfinder Prado - better than Pajero Ford Explorer VW Touareg or Tiguan Some of the GMC and Chevrolets are great value second hand too as they will already have taken much of their depreciation hit. Mini is a cute car if you dont do a lot of driving on SZR etc. But if you are on the highway a lot, i would recommend a larger car for safety. I would stongly advise against Range Rover - service is extortionate (big risk if you are going for 2nd hand). I have been in Dubai many years and had loads of cars. The best car I ever had was an Infinity FX. However, if you are after something more offroad, I dont think you can go wrong with Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi or Jeep. (Service from all these companies is great too for maintenance). Happy car shopping. :) <em>edited by kitten67 on 26/08/2014</em>
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Latest post on 21 August 2014 - 15:05
Forgot to add - dont take anyone on "öwn visa" - this is illegal and you would face AED50,000 fine. More importantly, why would you not want to sponsor someone who is taking care of your child and your home. You need some security. good luck!
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Latest post on 21 August 2014 - 15:02
I have also heard the same that ND acts more like a broker - getting CVs for you but in the end you have to sponsor etc. You are far better finding and sponsoring someone yourself. Check here on EW or on noticeboards in Spinneys etc for family leaving who can give you reference for their maid. Other posters on here recommend Howdra agency for finding maids so that could be an option Good luck!
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Latest post on 21 August 2014 - 11:34
Hi I think majority of the "nanny" agenices here are very poor and dont actually deal with the level of qualified nanny you would want. However, I will let other posters comment on their experience. When I went back to work, I placed my daughter in Blossom Nursery and was very impressed with the standard of care. I would recommend you check them out. I felt more secure leaving my daughter in a secure environement with qualified staff. There are lots of other similar good daycare facilities if you check what is good location for your work/home journey. The only downside of nursery is that if the child is sick you will have to keep them home so you will need a flexible employer. When my daughter was older (3 years) we hired an experienced maid/nanny and cut down the days at nursery but when she was small I was more comfortable with the structured nursery environment. There are some really good ones out there these days! In the end, it is your personal choice. I hope you find a good solution :)
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Latest post on 17 August 2014 - 11:23
Okay - here goes..... I have had Mirena and then switched to copper IUD. Both were fitted during menstruation - about day 5 as that is when it is least painful to fit apparently. I had Mirena removed as the hormones didnt agree with me at all - made me feel very down, lacking energy etc but they made period very light which was the only advantage for me. (In the past I could only take old school combined pill as newer mini pills Depo provera etc just dont agree with me. If you are okay with DP etc Mirena may work for you. I switched to Copper IUD and yes the flow is heavier first day or 2 of period but feel a million times better knowing no hormones in my body! I would highly recommend copper IUD. As for the fitting experience - takes 2 minutes and then its like a period cramp for an hour or 2 after but nothing worse than that. I had my child via c section and have a very small cervix and had no issue. I had both fitted at HealthBay. Hope this helps......... Good luck with your decision.
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Latest post on 15 July 2014 - 12:24
This happened to me before. I realised it was due to sitting with my head down reading for a long period in the plane - I didnt take enough oxygen. It was a full flight and a bit stuffy too which didnt help. I also hadnt eaten much and had low blood sugar and was a bit dehydrated - it was horrible. Now I make sure to eat before flight and drink lots of water. I have also limited my reading and took some breaks. That time they made me go to medical centre at DXB on landing - gave me a Mars bar and rehydrate sachets and made me rest before they would let me go home! Hope you get sorted out!
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Latest post on 25 June 2014 - 11:48
My husband would take my daughter to the separate disabled toilet rather than sending her to the ladies alone. (Obviously only if it was vacant and there were no disabled people waiting). This si the safest option. Some people dont mean any harm but I dont like my DD talking to strangers....
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Latest post on 25 June 2014 - 10:50
They have them in Ibn Battuta - not in the main central shopping street. There is a shoe shop down the side alley between Hello Kitty store and Sun and Sand. Also a good shop there for Segbago shoes if any husbands like those!
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Latest post on 25 June 2014 - 09:06
Really dont go down the surgery route if you can avoid. Sort out your head and your overall lifestyle seriously first. Re Sharry below - from her previous threads I believe she lost all that weight and astounded her doctors through Circuit Factory. I go there too and love the people, the support system and have completely changed my attitude to having a healthy lifestyle as a result of this. its not a gimick or a diet - just eating clean unprocessed food regularly (chicken, fish, veggies, fruit, quality carbs like brown rice,pasta and quinoa) and doing effective workouts (instead of faffing in the gym thinking you are doing some cardio when you really are not!) There are people at CF who have lost 100lbs, look 10 years younger and have defied all their doctors expectations at their latest medical check ups. Even better, they really help to fix your head! I now understand much better what my body NEEDs rather than eating from stress, boredom, tiredness etc. It is honestly life changing if you commit Really worth a shot....... Join the FB group or check out their website
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Latest post on 18 June 2014 - 10:16
I have a live out maid. The process was exactly the same as for a live in. We just explained to the immigration officer that we were paying here a higher salary to cover accommodation and transportation. I dont know about the 1 bedroom apartment issue - maybe someone else can advise as we have a villa but just preferred a live out maid.
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Latest post on 17 June 2014 - 16:42
HORRIFIED at OP post! In a WAR ZONE??? Would never be off the phone!! How selfish and insensitive! My DH calls his Mum for 5 mins a day every day just to check she is okay and in case she needs anything. I think this is very caring attitude and normal. OP is the weirdo no the guy
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Latest post on 17 June 2014 - 16:39
Is there a wedding list at all? Most Lebanese weddings I know of, there has been a bank account on the invitation and people donate money! If you want to give a token gift you could look in Villeroy and Boch for some nice glassware/crystal/ candleholders or Tanagra for photo frames or something. Even THE One could have something appropriate..... Good luck!
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Latest post on 16 June 2014 - 16:23
No issue seeing the docs if unmarried for gynae issues. I have never had an issue. I would recommend Dr Liliana Skorski @ Healthbay Polyclinic or Dr Suzanne Salihi below. Both are very pleasant and straightforward to deal with.
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Latest post on 16 June 2014 - 15:43
Did you try Claire's accessories? In the UK they sell loads of different varieties but havent checked their stores here. If not, I would try amazon
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Latest post on 16 June 2014 - 15:42
Dr Johnny Haddad @ Cooper Dermatology He did an amazing job. Really nice guy, relaxed clinic and does really natural looking veneers. I was delighted with his work
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 12:53
Our company reviews the IATA fares from travel agent each year. We get a cash payout to cover ticket allowance as company doesnt want the hassle of booking for people. The cash allowance is based on an average fare (not hte highest or lowest). This is fair and avoids issues of people who always want a christmas or Eid ticket etc. We get our allowance paid out each spring and can then choose how to use it.
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 10:15
I think you are on the wrong forum for serious topics! If you want to discuss ECB interest rates, Serbia, Ukraine, Qatar FIFA investigation or anything remotely topical - I log on elsewhere ;) You should know the EW typical topics by now surely :)
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 10:12
No - I think most people use them. I have now fitted them in my house in UK too! It is much more hygienic to wash before using tissues etc. My daughter really protests if she cant wash her bottom with the hose when we are travelling - she is so used to it here. No i don't think most people use them. Perhaps not - but I think that many people once they have tried them will use them regularly.
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 10:11
Virgin have a good selection
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Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 10:09
No - I think most people use them. I have now fitted them in my house in UK too! It is much more hygienic to wash before using tissues etc. My daughter really protests if she cant wash her bottom with the hose when we are travelling - she is so used to it here.
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Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 15:12
What is this 1950? Stepford Wives? I am sure lots of ladies can give you the answer to that. Loads of good tyre places around Al Quoz and behind Oasis Centre.
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Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 10:20
Honestly I think you are probably just a bit stressed about your arrangements. If your DH has a UK multiple entry visa - thats all you need. You have created a bit of a drama for yourself by making an unnecessary application - cancel it and relax :) I am from UK but married to an Arab. We didnt get married in UK but went there afterwards and had a small wedding party etc with relatives. TBH its nobody's business what you do on your trip to UK and whether you are having a blessing or not wont impact on your legal status. A blessing has no legal meaning if you are already married. As long as his visa and passport are up to date just relax and enjoy your time. Please also be aware that you cannot register your wedding/marriage in the UK - we tried to do this. Legally, your marriage can only be registered where it took place (in our case Italy). However, the marriage certificate is valid for use here, UK and elsewhere as evidence of your marital status. Hope this helps - chill out and dont worry!