simpleasabc | ExpatWoman.com
 

simpleasabc

simpleasabc
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Latest post on 07 March 2012 - 12:28
Also, schools such as WIS, DAA, DIA, UAS whose children are doing the IB Diploma course and need Service hours for CAS.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 07 March 2012 - 08:51
Haven't they "streamlined" various processes by farming them out to external companies? Certainly what has happened to passport renewal for UK nationals abroad - some Irish company is running it now and charging huge sums of money for the privilege of calling them to find out what has happened to passport renewals. I would do what GoodMorning suggests. There is also a complaints section on the website. http://ukinuae.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/our-embassy/contact-us/making-complaint
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 07 March 2012 - 07:50
Got on to the front page of 7 Days quite quickly, this time.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 06 March 2012 - 08:06
Come round for a coffee and watch me take the maid for a walk on a tight leash and boss the dog around?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 March 2012 - 08:03
Fullymine, please listen to the wise advice you've been given by these experienced ladies. If you are afraid of giving birth in a strange country and hospital, be assured that some of the maternity hospitals and the doctors working in them here are much better than many NHS maternity wards nowadays and probably on a par with private maternity hospitals in the UK. Ask on the bumps and babes forum about people's experiences giving birth here! My advice would be not to risk the flight late in your pregnancy, and I would suggest that you spend the flight money on getting a member of your family over here, rather than vice versa, unless you can afford to take an extra two months off work to fly in your seventh month.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 22:26
Live-out maids, full or part time, reliable, well-trained, full of initiative, sponsored by your agency, at a reasonable price to us, the "Madams".
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 21:24
Part of our problem is that we have a rescue dog, who has been abused and who is territorial and terrified of people who are not white and/or who are men. So having a different maid/houseboy every time is a nightmare as the dog refuses to let them come upstairs and the maids are equally terrified of her so will only stay downstairs.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 21:08
With this one, I'm pretty sure she does it to wind me up :D. I'm looking for a live-in now - I've had it with agency maids. I pay 900-odd a month for two ladies, two hours, twice a week so for about double that I can get something like ten times the work with a live-in. It's a no-brainer. Sure, no-brainer price-wise, but at the expense of your privacy (and maybe your sanity, from what one reads here ;) )?
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 20:55
I like having the same people for the same reasons but this one, I tell her the way I like things done and she does it her way regardless! Even something as basic as 'Please start upstairs' is completely ignored :\:. Yes, I know - is that because they don't understand, or they persist in doing it their way anyway? (I've spent the day (again) trying to find someone good, not too expensive and legal. Nobody calls back:( )
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 20:53
When I didn't have a maid, I had an agency maid come in once a week and I did the rest by myself the other days. It is very expensive to have an agency maid everyday so you may just have to do things yourself while she's gone. Need a few times a week Anon, probably for a few hours each time. Have had loads of offers from the other maids in the compound as soon as they found out she was going, but don't want to go that way at all. The part time agency I used before for ages would give me a fixed rate a month (slightly lower cost than the per hour rate x number of hours). Probably only because I used them regularly though. Is the hourly rate around 30 still, would you know? Called a couple and thats what they had so just checking :) I was paying AED35 for a not particularly good clean a few weeks ago. They then raised their rates to AED40 an hour, so I stopped using them. Have not found anyone equivalent or better though. The ones who used to be AED30ph have gone up to AED35. You can always discuss if you use them for a certain number of hours a week/month, but what's the point if they still don't do the job well? You can tell my gruntle is dissed about this :)
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 20:38
When I didn't have a maid, I had an agency maid come in once a week and I did the rest by myself the other days. It is very expensive to have an agency maid everyday so you may just have to do things yourself while she's gone. Not just expensive, but well nigh impossible to get the same maid every time and have some consistency. When you find you have the same maid every time, you realize pdq it's because they're not v good and nobody else wants them. I've stopped counting the number of maids I've had from different agencies. Still don't want someone to live with us, though in a way, it would be the simplest and cheapest option.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 20:33
I'm just interested to know what proportion of the legal residents of Dubai speak Arabic as a first or second language as opposed to the proportion who speak English as a first or second language?
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 11:39
Have just tried them and they say they have no more maids willing to clean villas as they are working in schools now and get 3 months holiday in the summer. Can't say I blame the maids :)
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 05 March 2012 - 11:32
Brilliant, many thanks, cchipuk4.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 16:02
So sorry to hear what you are going through, Mami. Why not start a thread putting out a call for Blue Camel - I'm not sure if she's still around these parts.
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 15:50
noooo i've got 3 years to catch up. Hopefully wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a huge mistake. :/: Into the shower with you, girl :) isn't' this sort of thing illegal here? Get your mind out of the gutter :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 15:49
Are you from Dallas by any chance, Wiggywig? ;)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 15:37
noooo i've got 3 years to catch up. Hopefully wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a huge mistake. :/: Into the shower with you, girl :) (Oh, you're probably too young to know what I'm talking about :( )
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 15:36
Don't get your hopes up, MB, I've a feeling that there are just epi recaps, not actual videos of the episodes.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 15:21
I was trying to find a way for you to catch up on line, but can't find epis which go back as far as 3 years ago. Found this in the meantime, don't know when it dates from, but fab: http://www.ovguide.com/tv/coronation_street.htm
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 12:31
Erme - Kaba is the original poster on this thread, AQ was offering advice. That is true. I bet she did not realize how many would have the same problem as her, ey? I'm not even beginning to go into detail here as I know my parenting has been bad and I don't need to be told so again by people who don't know me.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 12:27
As long as they are only on your head, I wouldn't worry ;) I can't get past my belly to look :( Don't give me that c***, woman, remember, I'm one of your minions ;)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 12:21
As long as they are only on your head, I wouldn't worry ;)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 10:16
Just read an article that some parents are calling for schools closures. How ridiculous! They should turn the aircon off, though :)
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 10:04
Erme - Kaba is the original poster on this thread, AQ was offering advice.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 March 2012 - 07:23
Nice one, NIP :)
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 03 March 2012 - 21:05
Yep, looks like it to me (but I don't have one, myself, so I could be wrong!).
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 03 March 2012 - 21:04
I can't stand the secretiveness. My sweet, open, laughing, friendly, helpful child has turned into Frankenstein's monster.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 03 March 2012 - 12:33
Dr Sabina at the Dubai London Clinic. Only talked to her on the phone but she sounds warm and kind and I would go to her in a heartbeat if I needed to. http://www.dubailondonclinic.com/clinical_psychologist.php
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 03 March 2012 - 01:00
Has anyone tried Pizza Express here? American hot is our favourite but apparently they don't deliver to our area.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 03 March 2012 - 00:40
I flew BA Club from LHR last night and having chosen my seat online but being unable to print the boarding pass, I went to Club World assisted check-in and was done in less than two minutes. That might be a perk of Club? PS Virgin Atlantic Upper Class London-Dubai much better and cheaper if you know how. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 03/03/2012</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 01 March 2012 - 02:30
No. Living in Dubai is a holiday.
simpleasabc
5400
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 01 March 2012 - 00:20
Dr Jennifer, Welcare.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 February 2012 - 20:15
Thanks, Irooni. Interesting thread about the very subject on the Pilots' rumour network :)
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 February 2012 - 20:10
I'm sorry, I've a feeling I've asked this before, but I have the memory of a fruit fly. What is a DEC in the context of Emirates and why might it engender ill-feeling?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 February 2012 - 19:59
Thanks for the reassurance, Chocs. It would serve her right if they took her phone off her, she's far too dependent on it. For use only in emergencies, my foot ;) <em>edited by simpleasabc on 29/02/2012</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 February 2012 - 19:57
Love it, Gingercat! Congrats to your sis and her fiance!
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 28 February 2012 - 01:23
Group of 6 of my friends employ each other's children for gardening, car washing, taking out younger siblings, baby sitting, dog walking etc. The older kids are then working for their money and not just doing chores in the house that they should do for free. The adults get things done, the kids have jobs and pocket money and everyone is happy. Spongemonkey, you should maybe try a little creative thought. Friends? You have friends? You have group of 6 friends???? What am I doing wrong? Oh, dorter doesn't get pocket money, we work on the same principles as NotMyRealName's family. She has known no means no since she was a baby and she gets a yes for reasonable requests. She is very keen to earn her own money to go to concerts in Europe in the summer.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 18:14
Shortening is 'fat' - usually lard. That's what I had thought. Haven't seen that in Dubai, even in the non-Muslim section. Also, don't think of putting it in cakes.. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 27/02/2012</em>
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 18:09
I make this one and it is amazingly moist and delicious. The icing is very light and whip-creamy which I think is a great complement to the richness of the cake, but you could do a cream cheese if you preferred. Last time I made it for the in-laws they ate it all after we left and we had none the next day! http://www.food.com/recipe/waldorf-astoria-red-velvet-cake-8972 What do you understand by "shortening"? Is it butter or marge or combination of the two or something completely different?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 00:59
My sis out law started working in a school a couple of years ago and that has made a difference for them. No idea when compulsory schooling starts. Can not tell you how happy they are in Vancouver, finances aside. Go for it!
simpleasabc
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Latest post on 27 February 2012 - 00:04
I will be contacting them, this is ridiculous! How dare they print something that they have absolutely no idea about!!!! I am so angry!!!!! Alison, I know I'm not the only one here who's not stopped thinking about your original post since reading it. Don't let these idiots bother y9u, the important thing is to lay your mother to rest and to come to terms with her death as a family. Hugs.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 February 2012 - 23:58
Why in heaven's name don't they at least have warning flags flying on public beaches, even if they refuse to have lifeguards? It's shameful.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 February 2012 - 23:51
Hi, Gabsgirl. My bro moved from Twickers in London to West Van in BC some years ago. His lads were 3 and 6 when they went and they're thriving. They sold their London flat to buy a house on Marine Drive West Van which is the most expensive place in the country, but with excellent free state (public) schools locally. My brother is in IT and found a permanent job with good hours in the government sector and they are now Canadian citizens. They are really happy there, loads of sports for the lads, good quality of life for families. They're not going back to London in a hurry. However, they are struggling financially because of where they chose to live, as they have a massive mortgage. In their place, I'd have bought in a less salubrious area and sent the children to not as good schools, which would still have been good, and free. I think Vancouver is a wonderful place, it regularly tops the list of world best places to live, but you need to have your financial ducks in a row before you go there. Can't help you about construction, but would so happily move there if we had the opportunity. Good luck.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 24 February 2012 - 00:38
Oh, Alison, sincere condolences to you and your family.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 February 2012 - 22:05
WIS is the same as yours, Sue62. I've got friends who are unhappy with the timings at the DIA - I seem to remember last year we didn't even get Easter Sunday off. This time, they have a week's Spring break, returning on Monday9th. I believe.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 February 2012 - 17:20
I knew someone who left their sleeping baby in the car seat with the engine running whilst they dashed in to their office to pick up some papers. Just a few minutes. The baby got entangled in the seat-belt. The parent was arrested for manslaughter, though not taken to court in the end.
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 February 2012 - 15:04
Did you not bother to read the link, AQ?
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 February 2012 - 10:58
Lemon and sugar only :-) Don't forget the pancakes on Jif lemon day ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXoNouNT3fY
simpleasabc
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 21 February 2012 - 10:43
Whats 'choc ice'? Deelish ;) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choc_ice
 
 
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