how to move to Abu Dhabi like a pro
Apr. 10th, 2008 01:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aruanAnother colleague will be joining us next week, and boss Rob asked around the desk what advice us oldtimers have to offer, things we wish we'd taken care of or brought with us, etc. I made a short list. Please note that Abu Dhabi is a much more liberal and commercially open enclave (think Epcot's World Showcase) than most of the Middle East (or most of the UAE for that matter), and these tips are not all-encompassing should you, say, make the sad mistake of moving to Saudi Arabia.
- Stock up on your favorite hygiene products and sweets (especially Reese's peanut butter cups, as apparently peanut butter and chocolate is an unholy union here)
- Eat at your favorite Chinese restaurant, because you won't find anything remotely comparable. Also, have a fantastic cheeseburger, which also is impossible to come by. Also, Taco Bell, which is not franchised here. KFC is abundant and just introduced the "Wrapstar" which has chicken strips, cheese, lettuce and a disgusting sauce. Needless to say, we're bereft
- Join an online photo sharing site other than Flickr, which is blocked
- Ditto for Twitter, though not Facebook
- Buy that camera and iPod you've been thinking about, because electronics are more expensive here
- For the men, bring shorts as they are not sold here (exposing any amount of leg for a man is taboo). For ladies, um, nothing really, as there is plenty of pretty undergarments, skirts, heels, bikinis, etc. Go figure
- Buy good sneakers, they are not easy to find
- Curb your addiction to trashy magazines, as they are very expensive here. Or acquire a taste for British or Indian celebrities
- If you buy a specific brand of cigarettes, especially if they come from a smoke shop not 7-11, buy enough to feed the habit until you return because the company likely doesn't ship here
- Bring sex toys/pornography in your checked baggage, as all mail into the country is opened and filtered
- Don't have fragile things sent to you, as mail is virtually destroyed. Buy it here or live without it
- Give up coffee. Starbucks costs roughly double what you'd pay in the States
- If you're a picky eater, cancel your plane ticket. Restaurant people here freak out at concepts like "instead," "on the side," and "no olives/onions/cheese/whatever"
- Learn to love hummus, chicken, rice and pickled vegetables. You will be eating at least one of those things, but more likely all, at every meal
- Buy any obscure books Stateside, because all you'll find here are New York Times bestsellers
- Don't try to bring a dog, or try to keep one here - there are no facilities for them, and people in parks likely won't just frown at you for bringing in something against their religion
- Don't worry about learning Arabic - everyone speaks English surprisingly well
- Tone up your triceps and debate skills. You'll be hailing a lot of taxis
That's my three months' worth of wisdom. If anyone has tips on bearing with the heat, please share.
- Stock up on your favorite hygiene products and sweets (especially Reese's peanut butter cups, as apparently peanut butter and chocolate is an unholy union here)
- Eat at your favorite Chinese restaurant, because you won't find anything remotely comparable. Also, have a fantastic cheeseburger, which also is impossible to come by. Also, Taco Bell, which is not franchised here. KFC is abundant and just introduced the "Wrapstar" which has chicken strips, cheese, lettuce and a disgusting sauce. Needless to say, we're bereft
- Join an online photo sharing site other than Flickr, which is blocked
- Ditto for Twitter, though not Facebook
- Buy that camera and iPod you've been thinking about, because electronics are more expensive here
- For the men, bring shorts as they are not sold here (exposing any amount of leg for a man is taboo). For ladies, um, nothing really, as there is plenty of pretty undergarments, skirts, heels, bikinis, etc. Go figure
- Buy good sneakers, they are not easy to find
- Curb your addiction to trashy magazines, as they are very expensive here. Or acquire a taste for British or Indian celebrities
- If you buy a specific brand of cigarettes, especially if they come from a smoke shop not 7-11, buy enough to feed the habit until you return because the company likely doesn't ship here
- Bring sex toys/pornography in your checked baggage, as all mail into the country is opened and filtered
- Don't have fragile things sent to you, as mail is virtually destroyed. Buy it here or live without it
- Give up coffee. Starbucks costs roughly double what you'd pay in the States
- If you're a picky eater, cancel your plane ticket. Restaurant people here freak out at concepts like "instead," "on the side," and "no olives/onions/cheese/whatever"
- Learn to love hummus, chicken, rice and pickled vegetables. You will be eating at least one of those things, but more likely all, at every meal
- Buy any obscure books Stateside, because all you'll find here are New York Times bestsellers
- Don't try to bring a dog, or try to keep one here - there are no facilities for them, and people in parks likely won't just frown at you for bringing in something against their religion
- Don't worry about learning Arabic - everyone speaks English surprisingly well
- Tone up your triceps and debate skills. You'll be hailing a lot of taxis
That's my three months' worth of wisdom. If anyone has tips on bearing with the heat, please share.
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Date: April 12th, 2008 04:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: April 23rd, 2008 11:12 pm (UTC)We're having a great time. The air quality is awful, the food can get really monotonous, and the heat will be unimaginable from what we hear, but that honestly sums up my complaints. I love the tall buildings and busy streets and tiny eateries. I love the crazy taxi rides and opulent malls and being close to the ocean again. I love being immersed in a new culture, smoking shisha and beautiful mosques on every corner and the 4:30 a.m. call to prayer reminding me to go to bed. The stores here keep later hours than in the States, women can wear pretty much anything they would anywhere else in the world, street crime is nonexistent, and all the hotels have bars and nightclubs. I'm better here than I've been anywhere else I've ever lived.