Packing Packing Packing

You would think that after my first emmigrating experience it would be much easier to pack...It is so difficult to pack up a house, trying to work out what to bring and what not to bring! I think it would be much easier if we knew what our place was going to look like. When we went out in February they gave us a tour of one of the many buildings we might be in but thats it! Luckily I do know that wherever we will be there will be LOADS of space, unlike here in the UK. So this weekend was packing/cleaning weekend. The plan is to move out of our flat this coming weekend and into hubby's parents house for the last month we are here. Saves us money and gives us more time to organize and pack.
This past weekend I started the sorting process: one pile for keeping/bringing with, one pile for giving away/selling, one for throwing away, one for his parents to keep. It's been hard to wrap my head around. For the most part its been easy to decide what we are bringing and not, but there are things that are difficult to know. I have to keep reminding myself that we have a good shipping allowance!! Thankfully!
The other big decision we made was a sad one. We decided to leave our cat here. We did ask the company to put us in a pet-friendly apartment but after a lot of thinking we decided it was not fair for the cat. He loves going outside and it would be cruel to keep him locked up in a high-rise apartment. We are going to re-think it once we are in a villa hopefully in a few years (if all goes well!)
Wish us good luck! Moving day is April 29!

Highs and lows

A big part of any decision is the roller coaster of emotions you go through:
Is this the right decision?
I can't wait!
What was I thinking?!
This is going to be the Best decision of my life!!
How do I get out of this?!

We've definitely been having our mis-givings followed by the insane urge to start packing at 11pm. I even had a weekend where the enormity of the decision hit me like a brick and I was in a fuzzy haze for 72 hours..not sad, not angry, just deep in thought. But luckily I snapped out of it and things got exciting again! As I said, it's a very weird feeling and both of us have had and still have our highs and lows.
I personally go from "wow there are so many new opportunities out there, it's like a fresh start!" to "yep, I'm definitely not going to be able to find a job and this will suck"...Thinking positively is the hard part for sure. The second I hear a horror story I put myself in the situation. Sure, I'm not a Malaysian prostitute/house cleaner that got caught and thrown in prison..."but what if it happens to me?!" Got to love the brain and it's complexities!

Basically, keep thinking positive thoughts, but also be prepared when you get the shock that it's not exactly how you thought it would be.


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A Few FAQs...

I understand that for a good many of people, this news has been a bit of a shock. "You are moving to the Middle East?!?" followed by concerned gazes or looks of "you idiot!" I get that unless you have been to Dubai or have heard a lot about it then yes, it is a scary concept, especially for us Westerners! But believe me when I say we have put a LOT of thought, research and prayer into this decision. So I thought my next post should be the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions and comments we've been getting...

1.)  Are you going to have to cover up and wear a burqa??

    NO. While is it respectful to cover up your shoulders (t-shirts) and down to your knees in the more conservative areas, Dubai is full of westerners wearing their normal attire. It is a touristy place where people wear what they want. Yes, there are people from the US and UK who get into trouble for dress code (example: A woman wore a bikini top to a mall during Ramadan...HELLO?! Use common sense and respect. Its their most religious time of year and that is an overt showing of disrespect.) I think I will definitely cover myself up in the more conservative areas for respect and to avoid some uncomfortable staring. I think of it this way, if we ask them to uncover their faces in our countries, then we should follow their dress code in their country.

2.) Why would you want to move out into a hut in the middle of the desert? (My favorite!)

   Dubai is a very cosmopolitan city that is continuing to develop. In fact it develops so quickly that GPS and Sat Navs are pretty useless out there! (Not looking forward to driving!!)  Our company will be putting us up in very nice accomodation and paying our expenses (many companies do this for their foreign workers). If you were to move to Dubai on your own and then look for a job, accomodation and everything can be very expensive. One of the most exciting things about Dubai is that it is constantly growing and changing and looking to be better. Think of it as the Las Vegas of the Middle East.

3.) Can you drink out there?

   Yes. Non-Muslims can get a license that allows you to buy liquor at special stores. There are also many bars and clubs in hotels that cater to the non-Muslim population. With so many expats living there and so many western businesses setting up shop there, the country realizes it has to allow some exceptions. But there are also strict rules to follow. They do not tolerate public drunkeness at all. If you want to act like a drunk moron, do it in your house or IN the bar. Don't take it to the streets. Also, ZERO TOLERANCE drunk driving. The blood alcohol limit is ZERO percent. There are such cheap cabs and public transport that there really isn't a reason to drink and drive.

4.) Did you hear they take your passport and don't let you leave??

   Oh dear....Not even going to comment on that one! But the answer is NO...

5.) Can you get pork there?

   Surprisingly, Yes! There are certain grocery stores (Waitrose, etc.) that have a pork section. To make it even more special, it is usually tucked in a back room, hidden from any Muslim customers. It makes you feel like you are in the naughty section of the video store!

6.) With it being close to all the countries with conflict, do you see it getting bad there?

   So far, NO. Only time can tell what will happen, however, the UAE is a very safe place. They have very little crime and the natives are very well taken care of. I think the statistic is that only 20% of Dubai's population are Emiratis (natives). The citizens of Dubai and the UAE are looked after very well by their Sheiks (leaders of the Emirates). IF there were to be any trouble it would be by the foreign workers who are not necessarily treated the best, but I think the government would just send them back home. That being said, the Sheik of Dubai seems to be a very forward-thinking and intelligent man. A few years ago it came to light that the foreign construction workers were not being treated very well. After complaints and riots by the workers and some pressure from Human Rights groups, the Sheik allowed the workers to form unions to make conditions better. It may be a monarchy and yes, he can change the laws at his convenience, but if it were too drastic of a change then it would definitely have a knock-on effect on tourism and business.

7.) Can you celebrate Christmas?

   YES. While Islam  is the main religion there are many other churches and religions present. One of our tour guides actually praised Dubai on its cultural tolerance. He told us that people from all over the world, different religions, countries, etc. come together and celebrate each others holidays with respect and curiosity. I also heard that one of the hotels in Dubai had the world's most expensive Christmas Tree this past year. So yes, it is celebrated there. I guess we will see just how its done in a few months!

8.) It's HOT there...
No shit, Sherlock! It will be like Phoenix (my home town) but with the added humidity! OUCH!! Plus we are moving in the middle of June! This will be fun....

9.) But its filled with a bunch of Muslims!
Really?! I had no idea....(really people, get out more!) No they don't hate "the west" in Dubai. We are "Habibi" or friends because we bring them money and tourism! Money makes the world go round...However it will be interesting to experience being "second class" there. We've read that if you are in line at a restaurant and have ordered, if an Arab (local) arrives and wants to be served before you, you have to wait until they are done. Learning Arabic will hopefully be very beneficial! Plus the ratio last I looked was that locals make up 20% of the population while ex-pats make up the final 80%. Foreigners are the majority.

10.) Are you gonna work out there?
Yes, that is the plan. There are many companies looking to hire English speakers. We heard a story that one of my husband's colleagues went out there with his wife who hadn't worked much before and she ended up getting a job with Microsoft out there making more than him! The opportunities are there, just need to find them!

I must stress though that a lot of the concerned looks have come from Americans and people who don't know much about Dubai. I don't blame them! I was nervous when I first went there. But if you tell the Brits, jealousy takes over the conversation. "Wow you will have such an amazing time!" "My son and daughter-in-law have lived there for 9 years and LOVE it!" "Oh man, I just had my holiday there! I loved it..." So I get the good with the bad. Hopefully my blog can help change some minds about life over there.