simpleasabc | ExpatWoman.com
 

simpleasabc

simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 10 September 2013 - 09:08
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter, chickenpox can be really nasty. I don't know about neem leaves, but we found calamine lotion was quite good to relieve the itching of chickenpox blisters. I should think you can get the lotion in Boots the Chemist, if not other chemists here, though I don't know for sure. Also, I have heard suggested a cool bath with porridge oats in it helps; failing porridge oats, apparently you can use bicarbonate of soda. Good luck, I hope she feels better soon.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 September 2013 - 23:25
Madge has made it clear they're on a winner financially here and the minute they're on a loser, they'll head home. Of course, whether it will be to well-paying jobs is another matter.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 September 2013 - 22:40
Cushion, TDB said it pretty clearly - you need a 25% deposit to even think about buying a property here and I believe it is far riskier and more expensive for ex-pat Brits to buy here than to buy to let in the UK on an offshore mortgage.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 September 2013 - 11:25
If the property is in a Du area then you must have an Ejari contract to sign up for the service and get connected. You will also need it to sponsor family/maids. It is a contract renew and our visas wont expire till 2015. I understand what you say about not wanting more hassle, but why not gently start trying to get it in motion at your own pace so that it will be done by 2015? I believe that if the LL doesn't register it himself, you the tenant are allowed to if you have a copy of the title deeds, so it might be worth trying to put it in place as soon as you are able so you don't have a mad scramble or problems in 2015 if you are still here to renew your visas.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 September 2013 - 10:40
We're in the desert. Lucky to have as much as we do, considering that just 42 years ago there was "nothing" , relatively speaking, here at all.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 September 2013 - 11:25
Congratulations, TDB :) In your shoes, I wouldn't do it, not because of the actual flying, but just in case problems arose with my pregnancy during the travel and holiday and my insurance didn't cover me and I was in a country where I wasn't too sure that the care I might receive would be of the highest order. Could you not defer it till after you'd given birth, or wouldn't the visit to HK work then?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 06 September 2013 - 11:19
Opposite here, several friends moved back and regretted it. None of them made the decision to move back themselves though, I think that is the difference in how well you settle back, all were happy here but were either moved by their company or had to move due to circumstances. All of them, without exception, are trying their best to find opportunities back in Dubai. I think what you're saying is spot on, Mum2girls. It is the sense of being in charge of one's own destiny which matters. We know we will be staying here for a few years until we retire back to Europe, and unless something major and not work-related arises, it will be our own decision when and where to go, and not job-dependent.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 17:02
This article can't be trusted at all. Read this: "The British woman has been detained in the United Arab Emirates for more than seven weeks after being stopped at Dubai airport as she was returning from a holiday. Traces of codeine, a narcotic analgesic used to treat moderate-to-severe pain and also taken to combat coughs and diarrhoea, were found in her bloodstream. Al-Sha’ali said she had been taking medicines prescribed by a doctor and had been in Dubai for less than four days before she was arrested." Was she on holiday or already in Dubai? Why was she stopped in the first place? Was she behaving erratically? The person who wrote this article was writing from rumours - same as you. She was stopped and her urine tested because of a passport irregularity. Read this scaremongering from the BBC, which mentions her case, amongst others: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7234786.stm <em>edited by simpleasabc on 02/09/2013</em>
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 16:43
Oops, sorry to have misled you, I didn't keep up with things after I became Swiss :)
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 16:34
This site should help you: http://www.cagi.ch/en/service-ong/permis-de-travail.php
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 15:59
I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that you will need to check out whether you need to get a specific permit to work in Geneva. It took 5 years for me as a British citizen to be allowed a work permit in Geneva. I think it varies from nationality to nationality, but if you have a French frontalier passport, you should be OK, I think.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 13:33
When I was living there, it was estimated that 30% of the working population were foreigners working for the UN or international companies. Procter & Gamble has its European HQ in Geneva, for example. Lots of people came over the border from France to work in Geneva as salaries were so much better than in France. What field are you in? If worst came to worst, you could try to get a job in the secretariat of one of the English schools in the area, or as a teaching assistant or teacher if that appeals. The turnover of teachers in the English system is massive as most are trailing spouses. I knew a couple of people who had lived and worked in Geneva for 20 years and only spoke French when shopping, running to "Bonjour" and "Merci" if pressed.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 13:11
So, Faded Blue Jeans, care to give us your definition of "central" in Dubai? :-" (That's supposed to be a whistling emoticon ;) )
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 11:49
Sorry for that, housing and transport is included in the package. However, we get 40.000 to 60.000 per year per kid up to 3 kids and premium medical and insurance. At that rate, I think you should be fine. You also need to bear in mind your start-up costs here - we spent our first two years paying back the initial outlay. I don't know how EK works, will they pay your 1 year rental cheque and your deposit up-front for you? Will they pay to ship your home furnishings here and/or to equip your kitchen with fridge, freezer, stove, dishwasher, washing machine? ETA: Sorry, I misread you and misunderstood. I thought you meant that housing and transport were included in the package on top of the 30,000 per month. If that is not the case, then as Meagle says above, you'll have a hard time finding somewhere large enough to live, within your budget. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 02/09/2013</em>
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 11:37
The worse that will happen is that they will make you discard it when you get here - but that is seriously unlikely. If it happens, you just say sorry and move on. Honestly, how do you all get through life paranoid like this? Sadly that definitely is NOT the worst that can happen and people are paranoid, because people have been jailed here for less!!!! It simply is not worth taking the risk. edited by FairyDust on 02/09/2013 No they haven't! Name one instance where someone has been jailed for bringing in a small quantity of a prescription cough syrup? This is precisely the paranoia that people get when they don't understand where they live. Did you not read the link Tattie Bogle gave? The woman wasn't even carrying codeine, but had it in her bloodstream and she was kept in jail in Dubai for 8 weeks until it was proved that she had a prescription from the UK. She wasn't jailed long-term, but who needs that kind of hassle anyhow? It does happen from time to time and people should be made aware of it and then they can decide to take a calculated risk, if they think it's worth it.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 02 September 2013 - 10:47
France is not a happy place to live any more unless you are loaded, according to my French friends. Language aside, good, well-paying jobs are scarce, particularly for young people, unemployment amongst school-leavers is getting higher and higher and the cost of living is also high. I'm not sure if you will be living with your father-in-law or if there is a family flat going begging? Would this be in Paris or elsewhere? Honestly, if your husband has a good, secure, job here and you like it here and see a future for yourself here, I would sit down and discuss it with him properly. Your husband sounds like my father, who lived in England for about 45 years until his death there, and was always hankering to go back to live in France. We endured month-long family holidays camping out in deserted French farmhouses he was doing up every year till we left school. When he retired, my father travelled a couple of times a year to stay for a few months at a time in his house in the Pyrenees, but never managed to get my mother to retire there with him and by the end of his life, he realised that he'd been seeing greener grass than there was. He would never have been happy, wherever he was, it was in his character, not in the place.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 31 August 2013 - 14:58
Who is her sponsor?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 31 August 2013 - 12:21
I'm sorry, I don't know about groups for Emirates cabin crew, but maybe she will find this article of interest: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/fashion-beauty/425007/Sky-high-glamour-Cabin-crew-share-their-top-tips-for-looking-good-on-a-plane
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 31 August 2013 - 00:43
What a paradox - Dubai systems don't cater for failure, yet are inbuilt for failure :(
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 18:27
OMG, and thought you were being even more cryptic when you wrote that UO was UK :)
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 18:16
AA82, that's the second time you've used "UO" on here recently, and I have no idea what you mean by it. At one point, you wrote "UO is UK", and I still have no idea what "UO" stands for, even though I'm from the UK! Google seems to think it's the University of Oregon, but in the context, I doubt it! or just a typo maybe? Typo for what, though, Izzy? I can't work it out. Probably obvious, but not to me :(
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 18:04
AA82, that's the second time you've used "UO" on here recently, and I have no idea what you mean by it. At one point, you wrote "UO is UK", and I still have no idea what "UO" stands for, even though I'm from the UK! Google seems to think it's the University of Oregon, but in the context, I doubt it!
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 18:00
I've just found this article from a while back, might be of interest: http://gulfnews.com/life-style/parenting/adoption-in-the-uae-1.954911
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 17:30
I think a lot of people living in the UAE in your circumstances look to adopt from Ethiopian orphanages. You might want to investigate that. Good luck.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 30 August 2013 - 13:33
Dubai is open 366/365 :D
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 August 2013 - 13:11
Presumably you will have a nanny or a maid waiting at home for your daughter's arrival, so why don't you get that same person to pick your daughter up from school and bring her home? ETA: In a taxi or with a regular driver, if necessary. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 29/08/2013</em>
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 August 2013 - 08:38
Thanks for all the info, Norak. I think I will try Nsure, recommended by Sharaf, first. They do Acer, Dell, hp, Fujitsu and Lenovo, apparently, and their number is: 600 52 5559. They are in the Al Khaleej Center, £Bur Dubai.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 August 2013 - 11:23
From what I gather, it is probably best for you to take yourself down to the Rent Committee one morning, with all the relevant documents in hand, and ask for advice in person. Not sure if you go to their offices and take a ticket or whether you can make an appointment by phone. Good luck!
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 August 2013 - 11:20
I use aramex shop and ship for amazon and yes they will deliver anywhere.. they will actually call you when they receive your package.. and you can confirm with them where to get it delivered :) edited by Singarosa on 27/08/2013 That's not Amazon, though, it's Aramex :D
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 August 2013 - 10:49
I'm sorry, I have no one to recommend, but if you are given any names, I would advise you to check that they are listed here under either their name or the company's name: http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/find-a-solicitor/
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 August 2013 - 09:35
Congratulations on your marriage! I don't think you can do anything much nowadays via the British Embassy here, everything is now getting sent back to the UK. Have a look here, it should help you: https://www.gov.uk/changing-passport-information/marriage-and-civil-partnership ETA: You'll need to travel with both your old and new passports until your residence visa comes up for renewal, I think. <em>edited by simpleasabc on 26/08/2013</em>
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 25 August 2013 - 13:53
TDB, why didn't your father get fired?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 25 August 2013 - 11:38
If you're paying for shipping yourself, then I would suggest you sell. If the company's paying, you might want to take some stuff. I've been in the Middle East for 8 years, will probably be here for another 2, and I don't intend taking any furniture back to Scotland when we eventually move back. Fed up of it now, and it doesn't owe me anything! I'm going to have open house and let the workers/maids come and take what they want. Really! What a great and kind idea!
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 25 August 2013 - 11:32
In your circumstances, I definitely would take it up with the airline, as they have broken a promise they made to you, which is clearly important to you. Personally, it has never occurred to me to ask that question when my own daughter was travelling as an unaccompanied minor, nor even to ask her where she was seated and next to whom. But I'm obviously of a different calibre ;)
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 24 August 2013 - 16:14
I'm not sure, but once you're in Dubai, I don't think you can access VPN sites, free or otherwise, to download and use them. Daily Motion is quite good for some things and you don't need a VPN for it; ditto You Tube. As Feefmick said, you can watch live British channels using the Filmon app. Lots of the apps to watch free US or UK TV only work if you have a VPN for that country, unfortunately.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 23 August 2013 - 13:32
Esports are definitely still on, at least at Wellington International School and I think at other locations as well, next week.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 20 August 2013 - 14:19
The stuff probably doesn't have to all go at once, so I would suggest you don't do it at exactly the same time, stagger it and get two separate quotes, maybe even use different companies! Then get your labelling sorted!
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 19 August 2013 - 16:31
I've never been to Toronto, but a friend of mine lived there years ago and hated it, describing it as "plastic city". (She now deals in French antiques and alternates living on a restored narrow-boat at Regent's Canal with living in a cottage in the Cotswolds - just so you get an idea of her values!) My brother lives in West Vancouver with his family, having emigrated there from a "nice" London suburb about 10 years ago, for a better life for them all - and there's no way they'll be returning to England to live. I've only visited once, but really enjoyed the city, particularly Granville Island. My brother went to Vancouver because it's a good place to bring up children, his two were 3 and 6 when they left and they are all very happy there. Outdoor life and sports great. Good luck with your decision and move!
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 19 August 2013 - 15:02
Have you got a bank account of your own here, Taniaa? You could try this: http://www.unb.com/english/inner.aspx?p=2&mid=339 so that you can look after your own finances separately. You don't need an NOC from your husband to allow you to open it and you only need a minimum of AED100, I think, with which to open it and after that there is no minimum balance.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 15 August 2013 - 16:49
Better the teen you know :D
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 15 August 2013 - 16:08
E sports camps go to 29th August, as well. http://www.esportsuae.com/page/camp-information
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 August 2013 - 22:26
OP, just so you know, and I'm sorry, this isn't going to help you, but we found out to our surprise, very late in the day, that a lot of the children studying for the IB had had coaching outside of school for the whole two years of the IB diploma, particularly those studying the Sciences. One of the students in my daughter's year who got a very good mark hardly turned up for school at all, but was having tuition in their Higher Level subjects at home, I believe. The others who got high marks in Sciences and Maths in particular also had extra-school tuition to improve their grades. I understand this doesn't only happen in Dubai. It's a sad indictment of teaching in a lot of private schools, though :(
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 August 2013 - 12:41
Where I come from, it is the number of marks obtained for the IB Diploma exams which matter, not the school at which the exams were taken.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 20:18
When I googled "When is Eid Al Fitr?", I got this: Eid al-Fitr 2013 begins in the evening of Wednesday, August 7 and ends in the evening of Thursday, August 8 Dates may vary.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 20:13
Scruffles, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably do that too. Fingers crossed either you or your husband or both find a more rewarding job here soon..
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 19:14
The IB programme is only on offer for free in extremely few state schools in the UK, and I believe it is the same the world over. It may be intended for those whos families travel a lot, as international educational currency, but is only affordable to the wealthy or those ex-pats who have school fees paid for by their company.
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 16:03
Scruffles, what a terrible position the company has put you in - it does indeed amount to a gigantic cut in salary for your husband, and without warning, too, it's disgraceful. I suppose there is no grievance process or way you could appeal against this decision after the promises they have broken?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 15:49
Have you tried Ginnee's famous Umm Ali recipe? Or is that just for Ramadan, not for Eid?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 15:47
Is your son about to go into the last two years of the IB Diploma, or about to go into the last year of the Middle Years programme? If the former, then I'm afraid for his sake, you're going to have to bite the bullet and dig deep/get a loan to pay for him to complete his education here; if the latter, I would seriously contemplate putting him back a year so he can sit GCSE's or your home country's equivalent, if there is such a thing, and take him back home to study now for free, if the UK is where you're from. Either way, your younger child needs to be taken out of the IB system as it is so expensive. Sorry if that doesn't make sense and sorry you have only just found out you are in such a difficult position. Did the company not make it clear its policy when you moved here?
simpleasabc
5400
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 07 August 2013 - 15:36
I'm sorry, I've lost the site I was thinking of, it's probably in a folder on my dead computer and I can't find it on this one, which is also in the throes of dying.. You might try this site, for both Geneva and France Voisine: http://www.expatriates.com/ There is quite a friendly expats site in Switzerland, but it is peopled more by Brits who live in the Swiss-German part. Then, as I said, there is Anglo Info for Geneva and for Ain: http://geneva.angloinfo.com/af/16/geneva-property-and-real-estate.html, http://frenchalps.angloinfo.com/af/16/french-alps-property-and-real-estate.html
 
 
How expats in Germany can get German pension refund

Bye Bye Germany - Hello German Pension Refund?

UAE Emirati Lawyer Awatif Khouri in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Meet the Emirati Woman Breaking Grounds in UAE Law: Awatif Khouri

Mashreq NEO NXT Account | Why Kids and Teens Need Financial Education

Why Teens Need Real-World Financial Education?

International university transition tips

How to Make the Transition to University Life Easier

How to apply for Germany VBL Pension Refund as an expatriate | Germany Pension Refund

Bye Bye German Public Service Job - Hello VBL Pension Refund

Tourist SIM cards in Dubai guide

Tourist SIM Cards in Dubai: Where to Get One and Package Prices

World's most expensive cities to live in 2024

These Are the World's Most Expensive Cities To Live in 2024

Dubai ranked as one of the best cities to work in 2024

Dubai Ranked Among Top 5 Cities in the World to Work In

What are the signs that your online date is a fraud

8 Warning Signs Your Online Date is a Scammer

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Repatriation

10 Expat Experiences You Should Check Off Before Leaving For Good

Best and Worst Countries to Get Started Abroad for New Expats

Best and Worst Countries for New Expats to Get Started Abroad

Under the Mango Tree by Robyn Fok | Expat Books

Expat Author Robyn Fok's 'Under the Mango Tree' Deals With Pet Grief & Loss

Expat Wife, Happy Life: Interview With Expat Author Florence Reisch

(Images: Supplied)

Expat Interview: Meet Florence Reisch, Author of 'Expat Wife, Happy Life!'

Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: A Tribute by UAE Expats

Remembering an Extraordinary Woman: A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

10 reasons why expat women love the UAE

10 Reasons Why the UAE is a Popular Choice for Expat Women

6 Common Fears of Moving Abroad By Yourself and How to Overcome Them

Moving to the UAE Alone: 6 Common Fears and How to Overcome Them

Ultimate Babyshop Baby and Toddler Travel Packing List

These Baby Travel Essentials Are Must-Haves For Your Next Family Getaway

Requirements to apply for a UAE Golden Visa

How Do I Obtain a UAE Golden Visa? Requirements, Eligibility, and Process Explained

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

5 Tip for Expats to Survive Long-Distance Relationships

Opening a bank account in the UAE

A Newcomer to the UAE? What to Consider When Choosing a Bank for Opening an Account

Culture shock in the United Arab Emirates for expats

14 Ways You Will Experience Culture Shock in the UAE

Why you shouldn't upload your resume on your LinkedIn profile

5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Upload a Resume to Your LinkedIn Profile

10 Secrets to Happiness as an Expat

10 Secrets to Finding Happiness as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

4 Ways to Network as an Expat

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

8 Expat Problems That Are Just Too Real

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

How to Make New Friends in a Foreign Country

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

Top 10 Countries with the Best Quality of Life

The best European cities for new expats

Pictured: Prague

The Best Cities in Europe for Expat Arrivals

House in Husavik

10 Amazing Things To Do In Iceland

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

How to Make Your Own Life as an Expat and Why It’s Important

The Labriz eforea spa location

Why Seychelles is One of the Best Holiday Destinations

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose

The Real Expat: Chasing Your Dreams to Find Your True Purpose

6 Annoying Things Expats Hate Hearing

6 Annoying Things Expats Hate Hearing