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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 18 June 2015 - 16:51
Are you generally happy with your maid? Does your household run well with your maid at the helm? Are your children happy? Can you go to work worry free? If you answer yes to most of these questions, a few messy cupboards are not even worth a second thought. Your are a very lucky lady.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 16:53
I am just being bitter and twisted as I went last June for an employment test. It was a farce, and they made me wait outside the security gate for 20 minutes as I arrived early. As we all know there are loads of air conditioned cafés to hang out at around there whilst you are all suited and booted - not. The salaries are laughable too, but that is possibly why the same jobs keep being advertised.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 14 May 2015 - 15:19
I have been and looked a these two places and they are doable. It's quite a walk to my building from both of them, but needs must. Roll on winter. Thanks for your replies ladies. If anyone out there is looking for an expert expat admin angel, who works hard and doesn't expect pop star wages - give me a shout? Especially if the job comes with parking lol!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 May 2015 - 22:27
Jumeirah park pavillion has three nail salons. Sasha is the least glamourous salon but the technicians are excellent and they are very reasonably priced. You get a genuine welcome and there is a mixed bag of nationalities which is great if you like a good natter whilst having your hair and nails done. If you go on a Sunday or a Tuesday, you can expect a discount on your final bill if over AED 200. And blonde ladies, you can have a PROPER root colour for AED 175. I have selfishly been keeping this a secret since last September, but I cannot believe how much some of you are being ripped off. I will not go anywhere else now, especially after so many disasters elsewhere.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 May 2015 - 18:56
I am so glad Sarahlou that it is not just me who confronts people, politely, when they think it's OK to make rude gestures from the safety of their cars. I am ashamed to say that I was not so polite when a lady blocked me in whilst she went into Starbucks and bought a football teams worth of drinks! I wouldn't have minded but the car park had loads of free spaces. Of course that meant an extra 50 metre walk. Shocking.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 02 May 2015 - 10:45
You are going to think me a real misery, but we moved from brisbane to dubai for exactly the same reason - DH made redundant and the lure of the dollars. What we did not even consider, is that you can be made redundant in the UAE too. But unlike home, you lose your sponsor visa, and all those lovely allowances that keep you in a home and let your kids have a half decent education. 30 days is not long to find a new job, or go back home and start again. Saying all that, your children are not in need of schooling yet,so you have time to give it a go. In hindsight, I wish we had never left Australia, as it is a real gamble. Whatever you decide, good luck to you and your family.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 April 2015 - 16:54
Please do think it is your nationality, it is the same for everyone here. The job market is so saturated with applicants that HR departments do not have the time to read every single CV they receive. Also, I believe that not all recruitment companies are legit. I will go out on a limb here and say that some, not all, are registered as such to obtain a trade licence but it is for show. As long as they look like there is some activity around what they are supposed to be doing, then they are left unchecked. Result - made up jobs for made up clients. You can send your CV until the cows come home and never get a reply. From experience, I know that if you use the larger of the recruitment facilitators, bayt, gulf talent etc, your application will be one of literally thousands that are automatically sent by job seekers who have certain pre-determined default settings. 80 percent of those will not reside in Dubai, and most will not even know what they have applied for. You will be told time and time again that networking is the way ahead. It's a true fact, but not an easy way to go when you are just starting your job search. My advice, find a company you would like to work for, look on their websites to see if they have vacancies and apply direct. Make an effort with your application and make sure it fits what you are applying for. I was lucky to find my job on Expatwoman. Always worth a look everyday. If there are any budding entrepreneurs out there. Please open an honest, well run, respectful recruitment agency just for serious job seeking women who are bright, experienced and willing to work, and who are not necessarily eye candy between the ages of 21 and 30! You will make a mint.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 April 2015 - 12:10
Unfortunately, there are so many crooks here in dubai just waiting to take money off you. Of course, being a landlord/rental agent are two of the best ways of doing this! A huge proportion of expats have to rent somewhere to live, which therefore gives ample opportunity for these crooks to pounce. We are, on the surface, protected by RERA but not all cases receive the full attention they deserve. The main problem I believe is that most of us have fallen into the 1 or 2 cheque trap. How can you negotiate with someone who has already got most of your money. Why bother fixing anything if the rent is in their bank accounts. Most landlords do not even live in Dubai and can only be contacted when the next rental payment/contract is due. My biggest gripe and one that will definitely see me leaving the UAE, at the earliest opportunity. Minus my rent deposit no doubt, as a thank you for cleaning up the dirty filthy villa that I took over straight from Nakheel, paying for a garden to be put in out of my own pocket as the stingy g#* felt a garden unnecessary and for paying for all the repairs with the promise that it would be deducted from next year's rent - but not without a huge upsetting fight and a threat of eviction. Splendid. PostScript: For all the wonderful, helpful, professional and morally sound landlords and rental agents out there - this, of course, is not aimed at you!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 February 2015 - 22:04
Hey, I live in a 3 bed villa in Jumeirah Park. We have lived here for a year and our DEWA bills range from 2400 in the summer and 1500 in the winter. We do not have a pool but do have a garden. Not ideal but what can you do?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 January 2015 - 18:11
Bless you. It must have been very difficult to end your relationship after such a long time. I would guess that you are feeling guilty because you are now so happy, and your ex is still struggling with the break up. Understandable as he was a huge part of your life for such a long time. Now that you have moved on, keep your distance and let him know that there is absolutely no chance of you going back. This will make it easier for you both to start again.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 November 2014 - 21:31
First of all I am so so sorry to hear that you have lost your Dad. Nothing anyone can say will ease your pain, but know that you must grieve in your own way and in your own time. When I was very young, my mum's Dad died. My grandfather had not been ill and was still working full time. We lived hundreds of miles away at the time, and a policeman knocked on the door in the early hours to tell my parents. We, of course, had to go immediately to my Grandmother. My mother is a strong, independent lady and I remember being so shocked to see her crying hopelessly as we made that long awful journey. I had never seen her cry before - not once. What followed was a blur really, as I said, I was very young. My brother is a sensitive sole and he did not cope with the situation well at all. He became withdrawn, would not eat and hardly slept. When we returned home, my parents - bless them - tried to do everything they could to try and get through to him that everything was fine. Then my Dad had a brilliant idea. He told my Mum to pack a picnic, bundled us all in the car and took us to our favourite place - Richmond Park. We always had so much fun at this park and it showed us kids, especially my brother, that things were back to normal. We ate our picnic, played games and ran around until we got back in the car where my brother fell into an exhausted sleep. After a few days, he came good again. Now that I am an adult myself, I can only imagine how difficult a day that must of been for my mum. It was probably the last thing she felt like doing, but I can remember her being our smiley mum again and we must have known that she was not gone, she just went missing for a bit. Some forty odd years later, my brother remembers that day very well. He remembers it for all the right reasons and mostly talks about feeding squirrels out if his hand. With my crisps, I might add. What I am trying to say, not very eloquently I am sure, is don't be too hard on yourself. Take a break from your feelings for a while and show that little one and yourself that you are still there. You just went missing for a bit. My story may not help, but I just wanted to share it with you. X
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 November 2014 - 20:51
On my way to a medical appointment: Phone rings Hello ma'am - can we change your appointment time to an hour later? That is not convenient as it am on the way to you and have another commitment later that I cannot move. But the doctor is not available to take your appointment. Well I cannot take the later time as I will not be available. Can we move the appointment to another day when we will both be available. Yes ma'am, that is possible. Arranged a new date and time - lovely, until.... Sorry ma'am I will have to charge you AED 200 cancellation fee for today! Genius.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 November 2014 - 12:22
Just wanted to share that I have been to Jumeirah Beach this morning to try out the new corniche track for walking. It was brilliant. I was there quite early so managed to park easily enough and was very surprised how many people were already there. Runners, walkers, kids on little tricycles - very good to see. There are plenty of bathroom facilities, water points and even a coffee shop on the beach front. There were also lots of fitness classes going on with an open invitation for anyone to join in. As I was walking back towards kite beach, I stopped and spoke to the mobile food retailers and found that they will open at 11am and close at 11 pm. Fish and chips by the sea! Bliss. I am letting you know about this, as I know many of us were disappointed that the beaches have closed further down, taking with it our beloved walking and cycle track. Go and check the corniche out - it's free too.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 November 2014 - 18:50
I did my whole villa from dragon mart - 3 bedrooms,living room, dining room, with 3 sets of patio windows for AED 3,800. All made to measure with tie backs and they even sent a guy to put the poles up and hang all the curtains. All I had to do was take the measurements in and choose the fabric. Absolute bargain and they look great. I am sure you will not be able to beat that anywhere. Good luck
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 October 2014 - 18:47
Please do not stress. We came here last year from Australia. My DD had completed grade 10 and we faced the same issues of finding a school that would allow her to complete the OP curriculum that she had worked towards. Like you, travelling to another emirate was not an option as kids need to be schooled close to home and live near their friends, Our DD was accepted into a GEMS IB school and even had to go back into Grade 10 for 6 months due to the change over of hemisphere related school terms. This has been the best decision we have made as a family. It is is fantastic curriculum and one that is easily recognised all over the World. Your children are still young, they will adapt. Should you have to move again to a different country or go back to Australia, they can continue their studies easily. This is just my view. I understand fully your dilemma but do some research into other curriculums and you will find your choices will increase. Good luck.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 September 2014 - 16:00
I have lived at Jumeirah Park since April, my villa is near the new community centre and can confirm that we have no issue with sewerage, yes, there are still sewerage pipes above ground at the moment due to ongoing construction work - there has never been any issues though. Large trucks come everyday to suck the sewerage out of the tanks but I have not noticed a smell. I am sure it will all be fixed correctly in time, one bit of advice though if you are moving into a villa previously unoccupied - turn all the showers on! A few of us have had problems with drainage because of the building debris left in the shower drains. You will know immediately as the water will not run away. The on site Nakheel guys will soon have it cleared for you. Good luck anyway as you will enjoy Jumeirah Park villas are nicely located and there is plenty of living space, especially for a family.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 September 2014 - 21:00
Don't pay too much attention to the negative posts. There are quite a few women in Dubai who have very little to do all day. If you want to work, you will find a job here. Yes, it may take you some time and yes, in the beginning you may not be earning the fantastic tax free salary that you thought would be on offer! However, give it your best shot and you may be surprised at what you can achieve. You sound like you have made up your mind anyway, and you seem to have a very clever boyfriend. My one piece of advice from someone who has been around the expat block a few times; come with the attitude that this is where you need to be. If you tell yourself that it's OK, you can always go home if it doesn't work out, can really mess your head up. Of course, you will always have that safety net but set a target and stick to it. When life gives you lemons, chop them up and have a G&T.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 September 2014 - 20:13
There has been at least one accident everyday this week on Hessa Street heading towards GWA school. Horrendous amount of bad tempered drivers all trying to get a nano second ahead in a bumper to bumper traffic jam! Horrified to now realise that the police sit in this area ever morning, not as a deterrent for dangerous driving, but to be close by to give out the inevitable accident reports. Why not put an ambulance and a tow truck in the same lay-by and be done with it.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2014 - 20:45
I have posted this before, but again I would highly recommend the American centre for psychiatry and neurology on the Jumeirah Beach Road. They have a great clinical psychologist there called Mario Auon who helped my daughter through a very bad patch. Give him a try - he is a but pricey but worth every penny. Best wishes to you and your teen.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 August 2014 - 19:12
Myself and my husband have a fitness first community membership - platinum. We use the springs, meadows and Lakes. We love it! Obviously, like an awful lot of people, we are on a budget but this is our luxury. We enjoy the gym facilities, the inclusive fitness classes and of course the pools. My husband negotiated a fantastic price for an 18 month membership and that was at the beginning of the summer! Now they are giving new members three months free as the weather is cooling and the chance to train outside is getting ever closer. You cannot get a couples membership, but that works to your advantage as you are negotiating for two new members. I do understand that they have tariff thresholds that they cannot go under, but go in hard and I am sure you will not be disappointed. It is not cheap I know, and we thought very long and hard about it. Just remember that you can go everyday - I go twice sometimes on a weekend - all the centres are clean, welcoming and you know you are in safe hands. I sound like a rep! I am not, just a big fan.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 August 2014 - 17:55
My daughter also had a part time job before coming to Dubai, and she learned so many life lessons from it. It's a real shame that the the large food and beverage chains will not make the effort to employ expat teenagers. I really miss the cheerful banter, up to date music and the mix of accents you would normally get due to the kids working in starbucks and Gloria Jeans back home. I am also sure that the fashion outlets for the younger population would be a much better draw for the shoppers they were aimed at too. I know that kids can only commit part time hours because of school, but many other countries manage it quite easily. C'mon Dubai!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 16 July 2014 - 21:28
I am so sorry that your step daughter is going through such a hard time at the moment. It is such great news that your step daughter is seeking help, and that you as a family are supporting her. I would definitely recommend finding a counsellor that she can trust and one who becomes a constant in her recovery. My daughter is a patient of the American Centre of Psychiatry and Neurology on the Jumeirah Beach Road - although she sees a Psycologist and not a psychiatrist. His name is Mario Aoun, and my daughter says that he 'gets it' - and although I never interfere, that is a good enough endorsement for me. You can choose who you see and you stay with that person. There is also no pressure to go weekly, fortnightly etc as the service is offered if and when your step daughter needs it. My girl has struggled from time to time, and I do not pretend to understand why, what I do know is that seeing a counsellor has been a tremendous help. Could I also suggest that you let her school know. Of course, your step daughter has to be in agreement, but it has been a great relief for us to know that a careful eye is always looking out for her welfare.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 July 2014 - 12:01
For some people, the Baby on Board sticker should have the following added to it: .......... So keep out of my way as I am texting whilst driving and I obviously won't see you and because I am a complete idiot I need to rely on all other drivers to give me a wide berth to keep my children safe. Also I paid a flipping fortune for this massive posh car and didn't want to spoil the illusion of grandeur by putting in car seats for my kids so they are on the loose in the back and will most certainly fly through the windscreen like projectiles and therefore ruin my day. Saying that, my kids are not as important to me as the person I am texting right now. Rant over.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 01 July 2014 - 08:47
There are not really 60 vacancies - are there? A large proportion of the advertised jobs have either been there for a few weeks, or the 'apply by' date has expired. Also, as an active job seeker, how do I know if a job is still available if it has been advertised for 4 weeks but has no closing date? It is frustrating enough trying to find work in Dubai, without spending time tailoring a CV and covering letter for a job that may not exist anymore. Would it be possible for Admin to do a little housekeeping and remove those vacancies that are clearly not available? This would really help us newcomers make proper use of the site.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 June 2014 - 20:03
I am also staying for the whole Summer, and very much looking forward to the promised peace and quiet. I am on the hunt for work though, and hope that more positions soon become vacant as people begin to leave Dubai. Fingers crossed!
 
 
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