Aug 7, 2014 - Abudhabiwoman.com connecting women moving to or living in Abu Dhabi It's a fashionable and sometimes hard-to-pack for place because of certain local customs, so we've put together a list with what to wear in Abu Dhabi, what NOT to bring, seasons, answers to top FAQs, and more. Another thing I’d recommend is to be patient. Created by, Christmas in Spain: Popular Traditions & How to…, Moving to Spain as an American: What I Wish I Knew, 6 Reasons Why Moving Abroad is Such a Valuable Experience, 10 Crazy and Interesting Facts About Dubai, Things to Do in Dubai & the Best Day Trips From Dubai. Kayaking here makes for a very nice day-trip. “Propertyfinder – You can start looking for apartments before you arrive, but it’s unlikely to yield any results. Therefore I was very excited to interview Nick and Kia about their experiences living in Abu Dhabi. Author: Sanne WesselmanA traveler, wanderer, digital nomad, and entrepreneur. Nick and Kia run travel blog The Danish Nomads to help others live a life of adventure and to share their experiences traveling the world. It’s a place where you can live a very comfortable life, feel like you are on holiday each day of the year, and quickly save up for the future. But number one would have to be going to the desert. To take an example, there is the weather we praised earlier. Though it’s been a few years of living back in the States, the questions never stop. That was excellent because it allowed us to explore one of the only pieces of nature the country holds. Some links on this website are affiliate links. In reality, the UAE is often considered the safest region of the Middle East and is home to thriving expat communities, drawn to its unrivalled career opportunities and laid back lifestyle. There is great opportunity for career advancement combined with the perks of a tax-free income, making the prospect of working in Dubai even more appealing. It was an opportunity that came up, and we took it. Dubai is one of the most liberal cities in the Middle East region and hence, a popular destination for men and women from all across the globe. Public displays of affection such as kissing or hugging are frowned upon and in some suburban towns, locals consider it suspicious if a woman is in the company of an unrelated male who is also not her husband. Living in Abu Dhabi taught me more about myself in a way I would have never experienced in the States.. Below are some of the questions I received. Before that, she hadn’t thought about living in Abu Dhabi until an opportunity opened up for her husband. It can make it a little hard for expats to keep in touch, but where there is a will, there is a way. The city features large gardens and parks, sophisticated high-rise buildings, international luxury hotel chains, and large shopping malls. Spoiler alert: You don’t have to wear a niqab and, yes, women are allowed to drive.”. I spend most of my time living and working abroad and use this website to share "the good, the bad and the ugly" of traveling and living abroad. Here are 12 things that have surprised her about being a mom in Abu Dhabi… Kera’s background: At 18 years old, Kera was living in Utah when she met a cute guy at a party. There are no rules restricting women on where they can go or what they can do, although men and women are expected to take part in some activities separately, such as schooling and prayer. Our sixth Motherhood Around the World interview features Kera Thompson, who lives in Abu Dhabi with her husband, McSean, and three kids, Owen, 6, Asher, 4, and Elena, 1. Today, Abu Dhabi is the country’s center of political and industrial activities and a major cultural and commercial center. Abu Dhabi is perfectly safe for women although I would say it is slightly more conservative than the neighboring Dubai. Find out what these are and what it is like to live in this truly diverse city. If you’re a teacher looking to make extra money on the side or... Online teaching is taking off, but for teachers who are used t... HQ: 343-2927 Lakeshore Blvd W.Toronto, Ontario M8V 1J3, 8 amazing companies that let you teach English online from home, 13 jobs that teachers can do from home to earn extra cash, 8 ways to make lessons fun and engaging in an online classroom, Teach Away Online International Schools Job Fair - February, Vocational Teacher - Mechanical Engineering, Vocational Teacher - Electrical Engineering, Teacher Talks Podcast: Getting started teaching English online, Teaching kids English online: a look behind the scenes. Also Read: 6 Reasons Why Moving Abroad is Such a Valuable Experience. Although our candidates are always excited to teach in the UAE, many do have concerns about safety and cultural differences in this diverse Middle Eastern region. Living in Abu Dhabi Skip Sidebar. Yas Marina Circuit. Dubai is a completely different city, and as an expat living in Abu Dhabi, you may find yourself going to Dubai very often. It’s unlike anything we’d ever experienced. What we mean by this is that most services you sign up for will bind you for 12 months. We’ve seen rain perhaps a handful of times here in 2.5 years. for you to join. The bank, the utility services, the phone company, the rental office, and your car seller, are all very likely to test your patience. Etisalat – For your phone services, you will need to start out on a tourist sim card while your visa is being finalized. This must be the most beautiful mosque in the world and also one of the largest. It’s not bad. Universities and Colleges. A Muslim woman living with a non-Muslim boyfriend, or 2 unmarried Muslims living together, are more at risk of legal problems than a Muslim man living with a non-Muslim girlfriend. Coming from a country where we paid more than half of our salaries in taxes, that’s a big plus. Complainant said woman had called him 'impolite and shameless' in public and there is so much to do. If you have been imagining a place where your rights as a womanare few and far between, you can breathe a sigh of relief. I have no bad comments regarding living in Al Bandar. Light coloured, loose fitting shirts, kimono or kaftan style tops and maxi dresses are great options. “First of all, you should keep an open mind. You’ll probably also like to stay in contact with friends and family back home. After School Activities. Then there is the question of income tax. Not being able to go for a walk, almost anywhere, can get tiring mentally as well. It is completely safe (for couples, solo women, etc.) Women living in Dubai also enjoy the social scene in Dubai quite a bit, not to mention the amazing shopping experience in Dubai that is second to none. The only other significant piece of nature you can see in Abu Dhabi is the mangroves. It was exciting that the culture was so significantly different from back home, the weather was supposedly a lot better, and of course, we were a little enticed about the tax-free salaries as well. Sonja - Migrating Miss Sonja is from New Zealand but now lives in Scotland with her husband and little boy, after having lived in 5 other countries along the way including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Spain. People back home had some strong opinions, and prejudices, about the region and about life in Abu Dhabi, and we were excited to see how they’d hold up. Nick had gained 12 kilos of weight, in as many months. Several times. Its amazing here! Back home, we used to take a walk in the park every other day, and that just isn’t possible in Abu Dhabi. The beautiful, sunny climate enjoyed by the UAE makes it an excellent location to take advantage of the outdoors all year round. I can see the perks (i.e. Imagine you have errands to run. When the wind blows from a particular direction, fine dust particles will pollute the air, even though you may not be able to see them. But there are many other cool things to do while you are living in Abu Dhabi. You can drive, you can drink, and you can move around the country alone without much trouble. Then they’d immediately fog up because they came straight from air-condition temperatures into a furnace. When we walk out of the office, we put on our sunglasses to shield our eyes from the scorching sun. We have lived in Abu Dhabi for over four years and it is an amazing city! You need to pick u… The UAE is a liberal Muslim nation, and although many religious sites, such as mosques and temples, will require you to cover your hair in order to enter, this is not necessary in most public spaces, events, malls, restaurants or bars. It’s mostly good for figuring out which area of Abu Dhabi you would prefer to live in, and the price range. Why teach English online? American Women In Abu Dhabi. Expat Exchange: 10 Tips for Living in Abu Dhabi Expats in Abu Dhabi enjoy a unique lifestyle in the Middle East, but the requirements for moving there are very specific. Will it be difficult or troublesome to do so? Problem solved. If you’re a single lady, dating is definitely possible and fairly accessible in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, although there are some considerations to be taken into account. They needn’t be in any way. Other times the pollution is very visible, in which case it’s referred to as a sandstorm. Meet Helen Debrah-Ampofo, a Blogger Based in Abu Dhabi. However, in Abu Dhabi, the issue stems from the desert. Digital literacy skills for teachers: are you digitally literate? Abu Dhabi global economy maryann reid UAE United Arab Emirates Let me explain. Apart from these restrictions, living in Abu Dhabi as a woman – or almost any other emirate, for that matter – is much the same as life in the west. Then check out this interview with a Danish couple about moving to and living in Abu Dhabi. Anne Marie McQueen has been here since 2008 and absolutely loves the capital. “As soon as we were nearing the end of our university studies, we looked abroad for job opportunities. Are you able to rent accommodation in AD with a Dubai visa?2. It feels exactly like a hairdryer and we really aren’t exaggerating. That includes apartments! But it’s not just about physical deterioration. Select the size of … Cost of living in Abu Dhabi is high, the city is ranked 40th out of 209 in cities Mercer's Cost of Living Survey for 2018 and it’s the second most expensive place to live in the Middle East along with Dubai. You’ll also find some of the world’s most extravagant restaurants here. Abu Dhabi is a Muslim city, so you have to respect the customs. Laura Brennan, originally from Toberteascain and daughter of Martin and Cora, is the vice chairperson of the voluntary group Darkness Into Light Abu Dhabi. It’s not a fancy place, but we somehow always end up there for our date nights. Apart from these restrictions, living in Abu Dhabi as a woman – or almost any other emirate, for that matter – is much the same as life in the west. We have covered quite a few more tips about the country in our guide to the United Arab Emirates. In general, anything with water is great due to the amazing weather. But don’t be mistaken, even though there are so many expats living in Abu Dhabi, there is definitely a culture shock for many people. When we arrived, it was the first time we ever set foot in the Middle East. A debt-ridden woman in Abu Dhabi who has been living in a car for more than two years is hoping her ordeal will soon come to an end. Any form of harassment to a woman….even a minor one, especially a Muslim one will usually be a one-way ticket to jail followed by deportation. Abu Dhabi Woman | Helping People Living in and Moving to Abu Dhabi FACEBOOK:/atAbuDhabiWoman & Savvy Woman Abu Dhabi TWITTER:@atAbuDhabiWoman We just got a dog, can we take him with us? Well, money isn’t everything, and we want to be honest with you. You will be expected to dress modestly in the classroom and in public. The ones that visited us quickly realized this and had their perspectives broadened. Then you pay only for the first hotel night, with the second being free. Home town: Copenhagen, Denmark. Otherwise, the housing market is pretty fluid, so if you grab hold of a real estate agent once you are in Abu Dhabi, you will quickly find a place. So as you can hear, living in Abu Dhabi in summer is not particularly pleasant. Name: Nick & Kia Those are definitely some major benefits of the country, and they really are true. We simply had to get away from Denmark, out in the big wide world to get some new perspectives. Abu Dhabi attracts expats from all over the world. Prepare a list of emergency and essential contacts for when you arrive, for example, for medical care, your national embassy and your employer, as well as the details for your bank, doctor and relatives back home. WhatsOn – This keeps you updated about what’s going on in Abu Dhabi. The charm about good weather is that you can sit outside and enjoy your dinner, maybe kick back a cold beer or go for a walk along the beach. Woman in Abu Dhabi ordered to pay Dh15,000 fine for insulting man in a mall. Dangerous situations can often be avoided by being responsible about your personal safety and being aware of what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. To take an example, there is the weather we praised earlier. We did find the expat community to be great though, with lots of Facebook groups, meet up groups, sports clubs etc. We were open to anything honestly, we just wanted to see and do something else. Navigating the mix and mayhem can be one of the best things about living in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, as one can only learn and grow amid so many influences. I have a well stocked small supermarket on my doorstep, plenty of coffee shops, a restaurant with great ladies nights, a nail salon for the vital mani/pedi, fantastic doctors and dentists. And possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity. The Top 5 Questions I Got As A Black Woman Living in Abu Dhabi. The UAE is a family-orientated country where husbands and wives are actively encouraged to enjoy each others’ company and spend time with their children. Almost all of the teaching programs Teach Away recruit on behalf of in the UAE offer comfortable private accommodation as part of the employment package. These are basically boozy, poolside, all-you-can-eat, food and drink extravaganzas which is what everyone seems to do on a Friday afternoon. The Entertainer – This is a money-saving app that everyone should use, even tourists visiting Abu Dhabi. The UAE is a safe, peaceful, and very welcoming region in the Middle East. It seems the culture sometimes dictates that you speak up and firmly put forward your demands. We found our accommodation the same way we would back home — selecting the neighborhood we wanted to be in, and then picking out a few buildings … It gives buy-1-get-1-free offers and is therefore very useful in an otherwise expensive country. With its vast number of employment opportunities, Abu Dhabi attracts people from all over the world. Spending a day at a beach club is probably the main way we spend our weekends. On those nights, ladies drink for free, which is obviously a big money-saver. Rachel Pether, however, feels that moving to Abu Dhabi gave her career a real chance to blossom. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the headquarters of numerous oil companies and embassies. Owner of marketing company A to Z Marketing. This interview is part of the Ask an Expat series. Hi everyone. I´m a newlywed, my husband just got a job in Abu Dhabi, we have to move in August but I´m really nervous about living in such a conservative country. Teach Away has successfully placed hundreds of female teachers in schools across the UAE over the past 10 years. The media is quite harsh on this region in general, and when we moved to Abu Dhabi, many of our friends and family members were concerned for our safety. Drawn by its tax-free salaries, year-round warm weather and safe, family-friendly culture, Abu Dhabi is a viable option if you’re looking for a change and open to living internationally. This is especially true for women traveling to this city. In Abu Dhabi, I learned to take pleasure in self-care, too. Their Black Cod and Chicken Katzu Curry dishes are absolutely outstanding. The Formula 1 track where you can walk, run or bike around twice a week. Capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is the political and industrial center of the country. So only a few weeks after accepting the position, we took off on a one-way ticket. So if you want to have a drink you might want to check the restaurant before you go there, to avoid disappointment.”. Don’t get me wrong, there is some form of discrimination against women in Dubai, or should I say, discrimination forwomen in Dubai. Our past experience of city living made it easy for us to identify what parts of Abu Dhabi were desirable for us. We’ve tried to be honest and transparent about what you can expect, but remember, everyone is different. In recent years, there have been several high profile cases of women being attacked and then blamed, or even prosecuted, for their own assault. There are plenty of empty flats. I drive, work, take care of my errands, shop, party, travel, and more. You have a stretch along the waterfront, called the Corniche, which is nice for walking but that’s about it. It can often be too good. Visit the About Me page for more info. There are even free bikes.”. For the most part, it’s just like being a single woman in the USA. A second problem in Abu Dhabi is walking. We were excited to see what we would find here. You might just want to sign up for a pricy phone subscription and think of that as a small sort of tax to pay. We don’t feel that air pollution is a thing that the expat community in Abu Dhabi really talks about, let alone the government, so if this is a big concern to you, you should do some research yourself.”. You can drive, you can drink, and you can move around the country alone without much trouble. You absolutely need to sign up for a gym, or the lack of natural exercise will take its toll quickly. Please can you share any information or knowledge you have of what the consequences are if you are on a Dubai visa living in Abu Dhabi?1. Things are changing a little bit, so there are exceptions to this, but do expect the worst. The biggest benefit of living in Dubai is cheap labor in the form of a house helper or a nanny for your kids. So although the majority of expats are from non-Western countries, if you are from a Western country you will probably end up surrounded largely by other Westerners. To be honest, I LOVE teaching English online . Can I walk next to him or should I walk behind him? If you like cheap drinks, get used to looking for Happy Hour and Ladies Night offers. It just ticked off all the right boxes and is by far our favorite steakhouse in the country.”. So yes, it gets HOT! Although the weather will make you desperate to reach for your cami tops and short summer dresses, these are generally no nos, unfortunately. “We hope we haven’t scared anyone away from moving to Abu Dhabi. Select the size of your move to get free quotes. You can find anything here from upcoming events to lists of happy hour timings and outlets with ladies nights across town. The nightlife is plentiful and alcohol is easily available in licensed places (nearly all hotel bars and restaurants). “There is a Japanese restaurant called Toki that we quickly fell in love with. Age: 27 Abu Dhabi is home to a hodgepodge of different nationalities, each contributing to the jumble of languages and dress, not to mention food and cultures. We love walking, but Abu Dhabi is not made for it. Single women and groups of women are welcome to socialize everywhere. In the summer, between May and September, the sun and the humidity combine to form an almost unreal sauna effect. Going solo in the Gulf – what single women need to know. In fact, it has some of the lowest crime rates in the world. It can often be too good. It’s a lifestyle that any black woman can benefit from, if she dares. Invest in a new wardrobe! We absolutely love this city. However, while being patient, it also pays off to be firm. A close second place is JW Steakhouse at Mariott Downtown. There’s a lot to see and do in Dubai, it’s only 1.5 hours away, and you can even grab a taxi there without it getting too expensive. It’s also traditional for women in the UAE to socialize without men over an activity such as arts, crafts or cookery classes, which are all excellent ways to meet and connect with both expats and locals. Staff Living in Abu Dhabi Located on the southern coast of the Arabian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. If you don’t know anyone directly, online forums such as the Teach Away discussion boards are good places to connect with people for information and advice. We had so many questions, and there were so many new things to see and experience. Just like back home, such incidents are very rare. The Black Expat: Living In Abu Dhabi As A Black Woman Has Been ‘Amazing’. The weather is absolutely sublime. It NEVER rains. I was privileged to meet a few exceptional women during my brief visit and gained tremendous insight about life in the gulf region. Abu Dhabi is a large, international Gulf city of 1.6 million that hosts theatre, cinema, fine dining, water sports, and world-class public and private beaches. We’ll never forget the weekends we camped under the stars, amongst the red dunes of Liwa desert. Dressing inappropriately is also likely to attract negative attention. [Quiz], How to teach English online full-time like a pro, 11 platforms where you can teach English online with no experience. Friday Brunches. Compare the Cost of Living in Abu Dhabi with any other city in the world. There are no shortages of social sports clubs, including everything from tennis, to horse-riding to ice-skating (yes, ice-skating), which are great places to make friends while keeping fit. Make your expat project in Abu Dhabi successful. Are you able to register your cars in AD with a Dubai visa?3. This is very important. But, we take the majority of our holidays during those months and go back home to Europe. Or do you just want to know what life here is really like for an expat? For a while, I wrote an advice column for a UAE magazine helping new arrivals adjust to the culture, new jobs and their new lives.. She was born in London to Ghanaians and has been adventuring in the Middle East with her husband since 2016. AN ENNIS woman is among a group of expats living in Abu Dhabi who have been honoured for their work in raising awareness of mental health. “There are two main draws attracting expats to Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates: the weather and the lack of personal income taxes. I have had friends living in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai and have visited both Emirates several times. For a long time, Abu Dhabi was seen as a dull, bureaucratic outpost entirely lacking in neighboring Dubai’s pizazz. Similarly to most countries, you can drink in licensed clubs or bars and in your own home, but never in public as it’s illegal. Teachers will have ample opportunity to explore Abu Dhabi and the surrounding areas during their time in the UAE. But to be able to live a comfortable lifestyle you must keep in mind the cost of living in Abu Dhabi. We didn’t know just how big of an impact that would have on us, until after about a year. Abu Dhabi is, in fact, so close to Dubai that it would be a real shame not to visit. On those days, you and all your belongings turn completely wet the instant you walk outside. We hope our answers in this interview can help you make an informed decision about what you want for yourself and whether moving to Abu Dhabi is the right thing for you. Living in Abu Dhabi isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Teach Away’s top tips for women moving to the UAE: Chat with someone who is already living and teaching abroad in the UAE to find out about their experiences. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, located right next to the internationally better-known city of Dubai. Do your research on the expectations of the area you’ll be living in and start picking up clothes which cover your shoulders and knees. Modern metropolis, it attracts large numbers of expatriates.Foreign professionals will have to demonstrate high skills to be able to find a job within the assigned quotas. 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