WhiteOrchid | ExpatWoman.com
 

WhiteOrchid

WhiteOrchid
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Latest post on 24 April 2014 - 09:47
Lucky you! That's a step up from Rotherhithe ;-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 24 April 2014 - 09:46
Rotherhithe (that tunnel brings back memories!) I lived for 5 years on Evelyn Street (just down the road from Greenwich) and although not us, our neighbours were burgled twice apiece. Funny you should mention the tunnel... I met my dh at a bus stop late at night on the Limehouse side. I wasn't wearing my glasses as I'd been out partying so hadn't seen that the tunnel was actually closed. He kindly approached me and informed me that the bus I was waiting for would never come. I reached into my handbag for my spectacles only to realise that the road was totally blocked off with large signs reading 'roadworks - tunnel closed after midnight'. Very embarrassing. We ended up sharing a cab home and the rest is history.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 22:59
I agree re: European cities... crime has definitely got worse. Two weeks ago in Paris, my mum's flat was broken into and she was beaten up and held at knifepoint. Luckily the neighbours heard her screams and called the police. Admittedly, it was someone she knew (tenant refusing to repay her money) but still. In Brussels, both my stepmum and stepsis were subjected to armed assault in exactly the same spot at the same time of day, a couple of years apart. They had stopped their cars at a traffic light in a nice area and two balaclava-clad youths smashed their car windows and grabbed their handbags, then ran off. In my dad's dept at work (Eur commission), several people were carjacked i.e. had their cars stolen at gunpoint. Funnily enough, I lived in a high-crime area of London (Rotherhithe) for several years and never had any problems. I later found out that this was possibly due to the fact that a notorious criminal lived around the corner from me. Lol.
WhiteOrchid
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 17:42
Leylandii are great for privacy, but not sure they would cope with the heat. Fast growing aswell. And they are even more hated in UK than Damas trees in UAE! And they wouldn't grow in the soil, let alone the heat. Best to stick to Neem trees or treliised climbers, Just curious, why are Leylandii hated? Because they cause a lot of conflict between neighbours... there is even an association in the UK representing 'victims' of malicious planting! I saw a documentary once showing how some ppl had deliberately placed leylandii trees around neighours' homes to block their view. http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15018807
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 17:36
Hi I just had a response back from assist.ae: "The charges are usually based per trip. So it is 100 AED per trip per day that is if you call us one day before asking for one time pickup and delivery. If it is per week, then it is 800 AED (so you get one day free) and if it is per month then it is 3,000 AED (so you get one week free) so the cost per trip would be AED 75. If we were to include the nanny for both morning and afternoon trips the fees would be AED 5000, so the cost per trip would be AED 62.5." I'm not sure how much it would cost for one trip a day - either AED2000, AED1,500 or a different amount. I have emailed them this query.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 12:58
Morning. VIP Club in Oud Metha has had a refurb and now have swimming lessons (050 556 0890) and Tennis Lessons (050 685 8304) by outside providers. My kids are having tennis there and loving it. Give them a ring Sounds interesting. Where is the VIP club located?
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 12:57
Hello - there is this? http://assist.ae/school-shuttle/ Thanks pollydxb. I have contacted them.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 12:51
Does anyone know of a reputable business which could provide a driver to collect three children from school, respecting safety standards, e.g. providing car seats? Currently I do the school runs but if I go back to work I will need someone to do pickups for me. TIA x is the school bus service not an option ? Yes it is but at nearly AED1k per child per month it's a bit steep. And ds will be in FS1 so quite young to catch the bus imo.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 23 April 2014 - 12:17
What a shame for both UAE families... very sad. Also not great for tourism to London!
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 22 April 2014 - 10:54
Hi I haven't been there for a while, but at one point Turning Pointe were running classes at Loulou AL Dugong's (now Fun City I think) in Lamcy Plaza. But they have refurbished the place so not sure whether they still have an activity room for classes... Active Sports also run activities out of DESS which are open to children from other schools. If you speak French, there are arts & crafts classes run at the Alliance Francaise on Canadian Specialist hospital roundabout. Al Nasr sports club have swimming lessons in their olympic pool. They also run summer camps. I think their is a music school on the top floor in Wafi City. Hth x
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:37
Hw many posters on this thread have usernames that are related to the title ? FairyDust, WhiteOrchid, Sunlight - random observation :D Lol! Actually I was at a loss for a username and looked up across the room when I tried to think of one. White orchids on my dining table were the first thing I saw... et voila. It just so happens that I am also v white and constantly get asked why I am not tanned when I return to my home country.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:35
Check out how white this bollywood celeb is... in this pic she looks as fair as me - and I get my pasty complexion from my Irish heritage! http://www.indiamarks.com/top-10-googled-indian-bollywood-celebrities/ she is not indian national. Katrina Kaif is one of eight siblings, from a mother who is a Caucasian of British Nationality, and a father who was formerly from Kashmir, India edited by sunlight on 21/04/2014 Thanks for filling me in! Interesting that she figures in the main picture of an article on the top 10 googled 'Indian' celebs though... something Indian women would definitely aspire to emulate.
WhiteOrchid
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Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:17
In fact I know someone who did a lot of modelling for Indian clients despite the fact that she is 100% British (and white)... they just put lots of jewellery on her and passed her off as a 'fair' Indian beauty.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:15
Probably photoshop... but problem is message they are sending out to ppl who then try to emulate the look!
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:11
Check out how white this bollywood celeb is... in this pic she looks as fair as me - and I get my pasty complexion from my Irish heritage! http://www.indiamarks.com/top-10-googled-indian-bollywood-celebrities/
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 21 April 2014 - 09:04
I too am *very* offended by these ads. In India the issue has got out of hand.. a year ago they were advertising an intimate shower gel to lighten women's private parts! Of course the couple portrayed saw their marriage from ice-cold to exciting and passionate as a result. Unfortunately they *do* work though... hence their astronomical sales :-(
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 20 April 2014 - 15:17
. However you paint it, the worker will always regard the one who stays at home as having an easier ride - having been on maternity leave I can corroborate this. . You might change your mind once you've got more than one child TDB ;) My husband has a big stressful job with long hours and a lot of pressure. However, he is the first to say that he thinks my job (SAHM with four children) is a lot harder than his job and if it's been a particularly full on weekend then going to back work is bit of a relief. It is of course a time of life thing. Our children are still young, once they are a bit older I will get a bit of time to myself which will make my job easier. I hope :) edited by Daza on 20/04/2014 Couldn't agree more Daza... my dh has escaped to the office today even though he officially has the day off as he finds it easier to get work done there. Lol. TDB - believe me, I have had a stressful job in the past and I can tell you I had far more time on my hands then than I do now, with 3 kids at home, no help and squeezing in part-time work when they are at school. If my dh dared to suggest I have the 'easier ride' he would have another thing coming! As for suggesting that women who go back to their home country in the summer 'for a jolly'... well, that's not what I would call squatting at relatives' houses with several kids in tow. Having said that, personally I don't go back to Europe on my own as I find it too hard being away from my dh and I miss our family life in Dubai. But I definitely agree with Miss Issipi about the sexist tone of this thread... very 1950s! Happy Easter everyone :-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 20 April 2014 - 15:05
Hi Tecom is v close to Media City and also quite cheap. There are restrictions linked to sharing villas and apts so you may find it easier just to rent a small apt or studio...
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 19 April 2014 - 09:16
I am equally offended by questions about nationality. To me it is just not relevant. But as with many issues here in Dubai... it is often cultural. As a rule, westerners (esp English speakers) seem to find this sort of enquiry inappropriate. But others (e.g. ppl from the middle east and south asia) are not offended at all. I apologise for the generalization - it's just a trend I have noticed. I have heard from friends working in schools that parents from these backgrounds have even been known to complain to mgt if their child is not being taught by a teacher of the 'right' nationality or even ethnic background. Incredible! Some would even rather have a less qualified person from background X than more qualified one from background Y. I guess that for some ppl it's just an 'easy' box to tick when they don't really understand the ins and outs of the services being offered... shame though for very competent staff from 'wrong' backgrounds :-(
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:38
Great, thanks ladies :-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:37
Oh yes, the Repton car park catwalk is similar to where the children go to school, albeit no false lashes at 7:30 am thankfully. Its understandable, having a maid do everything, being a working mum, in a rush with lunch boxes, children and getting out the door (to be presentable at work after drop off). Or those who aren't working but use a maid to take care of *some* errands while they get the kids ready etc. But having a maid take care of everything so that you can put on a ton of makeup and look glam having a catch up post drop off? Actually I would say that to some women, that is the highlight of their day and the only opportunity they get to interact with their peers... so yes, they would take advantage of a helper's services to ensure that they are 'appropriately' turned out. And many take the maid with them so that they are not inconvenienced with lunchboxes, schoolbags etc.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:18
[ Never mind the money, goodness knows what time they get up in order to look catwalk ready at 7.30am! Hmmmm... maids? On reflection, it's not *that* hard if a maid gets your kids ready for you, you have a twice-weekly blow-dry and weekly manicure. Then all you have to do is shower, dress and apply make-up.
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:15
No... as long as they are being pleasant towards me.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:07
[ Never mind the money, goodness knows what time they get up in order to look catwalk ready at 7.30am! Hmmmm... maids?
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 15:01
Hi I need to get ID photos taken of my 2 younger kids (ages 2 and 5). Can anyone recommend a place in Jumeira 1 or Satwa? Our local Kodak store has closed down. TIA x
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 14:57
Ladies, stop molly-coddling your men. The more you do for them, the less they do. Best strategy imo is to leave them high and dry to fend for themselves while you are away. That way they will learn to appreciate all you do for them and may *even* learn how to switch on a washing machine.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 14:52
Don't be fooled... in certain communities, appearance of wealth is of utmost importance. Expensive schools go with other status symbols such as big cars, maids, fancy hair etc but are not necessarily an indicator of financial stability. What does being fooled have to do with anything? There are a lot of women at Repton who spend a large amount of time and money on their appearance. Whether they are up to their eyeballs in debt or rolling in cash is beside the point. True. I guess some people are just consistent in spending across all areas, regardless of whether they can afford it. Lol.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 14:50
Yes I did book it! Paid under 10k for a family of 5 to fly to Paris, stopping off in Bahrain. Risk is that we might miss our connection but never mind... we'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed lol!! I read a few reviews of Gulf Air and to be fair they sound fine. Not EK but we'll just load up on distractions for the kids and hope for the best :-) <em>edited by WhiteOrchid on 18/04/2014</em>
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 14:43
I wonder about this too, just yesterday I was at the zoo also known as Zara at the checkout and everyone was so gussied up like they were attending a glam event, glossy hair, fake eyelashes (!), sky high stilettos, it all looked very expensive and high maintenance. They don't have kids and school fees! Have you ever been to Repton at school run time?! Don't be fooled... in certain communities, appearance of wealth is of utmost importance. Expensive schools go with other status symbols such as big cars, maids, fancy hair etc but are not necessarily an indicator of financial stability.
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 18 April 2014 - 14:34
Blowdry: about AED100 Eyebrows: AED40 Haircut: AED140 (once every couple of months, on top of blowdry) Nails: Do myself Waxing: about AED100
WhiteOrchid
493
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 16 April 2014 - 19:57
Local acct with ENBD: fine. Offshore accts with Lloyds, HSBC and BNP: all awful.
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 16 April 2014 - 19:40
I agree re: Ekaterina & Maria... in Mazaya Centre, Lamcy and a couple of other places. I got a fantastic prom dress there (could have been worn as wedding dress only it was pale green lol) for only AED490.
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 16 April 2014 - 19:38
At least it's quite affordable (FS1 is 33k) which is good news for some families.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 13 April 2014 - 11:30
Hi my kids did E-sports summer camps held at JBS last year and they were great. Active Sports are also good, but JBS just happened to be a more convenient location for us. Suggest you check out both websites: http://www.esportsuae.com/page/holiday-camps-03 http://www.activeuae.com/holiday-activity-camps/ They may seem expensive but tbh during Ramadan in the middle of summer it's worth every penny. Good luck x
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 13 April 2014 - 11:25
I agree, very sad... I loved Adrian Mole, including the later installments like the Cappucino and Prostrate years. RIP Sue x
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 13 April 2014 - 09:47
Hi I agree edible arrangements are lovely - a friend once sent me one for my bday and I loved it :-). But if you're watching costs, it's actually easy to make small ones - just get some tooth picks, put 3 pieces of fruit on each (e.g. kiwi, strawberry and melon) and then prick them on half of an overturned melon. I did this at the weekend for my dd's party and it worked well. I got the idea from an Annabel Karmel book. Here are some pics of edible displays: https://www.google.com/search?q=creative+fruit+skewer+display&client=firefox-a&hs=KwE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=mSRKU7SZGOaK0AX15IGADg&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=674 Good luck - it's not that difficult :-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 12 April 2014 - 22:59
Toys R Us in the Festival City had them a few weeks ago. You should call them before going there because the Frozen stock seems to sell out fast... edited by AnonDubai on 05/04/2014 edited by AnonDubai on 05/04/2014 Thanks a lot... I found the Anna dress there and my dd was thrilled to wear it for her birthday. Thankfully her sister received an Elsa costume back in November before the film came out.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 12 April 2014 - 22:35
I deleted my earlier post as it was actually meant tongue-in-cheek but I think ppl took it too seriously. I agree it sounded quite 1980s (lol!) but unfortunately the Dubai market is different to the west... which I know reasonably well as I am European and worked in London for 10 years before coming here :-) When I first came out to Dubai I was struck by how less specialised ppl were and how necessary it was to almost 'dumb down' my experience to make it saleable. I also couldn't believe how much employers would favour someone they had met socially over a better-qualified person they didn't know. And agents knew *very* little about the world of banking as it was so limited here. That has improved over the past few years, but I would still favour contacting ppl directly as opposed to going via an agent or HR dept. As for BS, I would never suggest that anyone does that - if anything I am very pedantic about detail, and key to passing an interview is knowing your subject area as well as possible. Best of luck to anyone out there job-hunting. It *is* hard work, but you will get there eventually :-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 07 April 2014 - 21:49
Omg. How awful... and eerily reminiscent of her mother's death.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 05 April 2014 - 09:02
Great thanks Anon!
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 05 April 2014 - 08:47
Hi does anyone know where I can find a dress-up costume similar to that worn by 'Anna' (Elsa's sister) in the film Frozen? It's for a 5 yo girl. TIA x
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 22:10
If someone is dumb enough to buy suits from the back of a car they deserve to get scammed! Lol! My boss actually got sucked into it and we spent months laughing at his ill-fitting suits.
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 22:09
Yesterday I was walking behind the Lime Tree Cafe in Jumeira 1 and a man caught my attention. He was of south Asian appearance, tall and slightly overweight. He addressed me as 'sister', in a slightly distressed tone, then proceeded to say something about medicine at the pharmacy. He then pulled up his shirt sleeve to show me a very unsightly open wound on his arm. Had I not heard about this scam I think I would have been quite shocked. As it happened, I even noticed that it was a 'fake' wound made of plastic and stuck onto his arm. So I just replied 'sorry' and walked off. Around an hour later, I was walking out of Magrudy's mall nearby. An arabic lady wearing an abaya, niqab and gloves attracted my attention. She was standing outside the new 'Hermione' boutique opposite Spinneys. She spoke in a thick arabic accent and seemed very earnest and religious. She shook my hand and then showed me an empty blister pack of tablets and said something about a pharmacy. I responded "no, sorry, there was a man over there asking the same thing earlier" and walked off. Please note that these are *not* genuine beggars but people involved in some sort of professional ring. Like the Armani suits trick, this scam has been going on for years.
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 16:22
HI thanks for all your comments. I have to say I am tempted to fly with them as it saves us 10k! Just checked and they retired the Embraer last year so all remaining aircraft are Airbuses. Also spoke to my bro who works in the industry (supplies Boeing and Airbus) and he says all airlines need to comply with the same safety standards, so as long as the planes are not too old then the difference mainly come down to in-flight service etc which I can live with. Touch wood. Lol! Just need to check there is enough time to change flights in BAH...
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 12:59
Ok thanks AshKash. Have you flown with them? Also, does anyone know whether we are likely to get bulkhead seats? Thanks x
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 12:45
Oh dear... we're actually flying with 3 kids in tow! CrashingWaves... could you pls expand on how they 'differ' from other airlines?
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 01 April 2014 - 12:26
Hi has anyone flown with Gulf Air? Normally we stick with EK but GA are half the price for a trip to Paris this summer (stopping off in BAH of course). Are they really that bad? TIA x
WhiteOrchid
493
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Latest post on 26 February 2014 - 12:06
Hi your dd sounds like mine :-). Have you tried ballet or rhythmic gymnastics? Mine likes both of those (although now she only does RG), at the ballet centre in jumeira. Plenty of options available :-)
WhiteOrchid
493
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 25 February 2014 - 23:01
Hi I agree it would be better to get your own place - much less stressful. Just had a look and there are some studios in DG for 45k. Hth x
 
 
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