Living in Dubai was heaven for expats 10 years ago, no taxes, cheap rent, crime free, no traffic, nice people, stress free, great place to bring up your family, good salary since living expense were cheap and best of all stable.
So my question now is, these advantages seem to be diminishing, the new expats who cant compare and only know what they see , most think this is the best thing ever, Is it worth all the trouble because the salaries are good? The buying power is always diminishing? Is it still better than being back home with your respective family and friends? Or is that not as important and making the extra buck make it worth while?
07 June, 2008
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34 comments:
Dubai is probably the ONLY country in the world where Govt is 'officially' looting the public. This artificial construction and development has to drop with a major crash in real-estate. If I have 10 million I would rather not invest in a Dubai house where 80% of buyers are speculators.
No, OFFICIALLY looting the public would be a country that charges 23% in taxes. Thats a good example of official looting.
hey.................. when you pay taxes you know what you owe and you know where its going or can ask where its going........when it hits you as fees and other funny form of charges.......... you dont know how much or where is the money going.
"Is it worth all the trouble because the salaries are good?"
Who ever said the salaries are any good? There was a time when a salary of AED 10,000 was considered to be a staggering amount! Now its enough to get by with...
I've been here for five years only. I saw my income increase by 100% since I landed (It's not exceptional luck, just that I was paid peanuts at the beginning)and my expanses skyrocket by 50% plus a year. Do the math and you'll wonder, like I do, what the hell am I still doing here.
I do agree with Anon@17:30: the local government and its institutions are looting the expats' revenues anyway they can. Taxes that are called 100 other names, fees nobody can explain, agency laws to keep market prices controlled by a handfull of powerful families, on anything and everything from foodstuff to clothes through household appliances and telecoms.
Absolutely nothing is done to alleviate the pressure on the expats.
Don't get me wrong, I AM lucky enough to still be (barely)cash positive at the end of the month. I just can't stand the principle of sharing my revenu with the local govt and get nothing in return.
As much as I would like to believe that all you expats would leave one day, we all know you are here to stay otherwise you wouldnt still be here still complaining rather than go back to your crappy countries where your 50% of your crappy salaries
I just can't stand the principle of sharing my revenu with the local govt and get nothing in return.
Does that make sense?
Once again, people here, citizens and aliens, were so used to having everything subsidized, meats too expensive! govt. We need roads! govt, I need running water! govt, then subsidized by govt.
I want to live in the desert but have an airport nearby! govt. I want to fill up my SUV, the one I would NEVER be able to afford had I stayed at my shitty job in no man's land! subsidized by govt, I want blah blah blah...
Start paying for stuff. Just like every other person in every other country. When I was a resident of the US I paid my taxes... and let me tell you, Arizona's roads are NO WHERE near as decent as ours. Its one step up from Mexico. I didnt get 1/2 the subsidies that even aliens get here. this culture requires 1 day of food and 3 of hospitality. it's been 30 some odd years, Taxes are long over due.
WHat do they get in return???
well lets see...
Modern roads...traffic exists cause you do not get taxed on you cars that you wouldnt get to drive back in your home country
A police force that makes dubai one of the safest cities in the world, protecting your personal safety, your car, your house and your business...can you leave your car running or your door unlocked in any city without getting screwed?? Can you be sure the next day that no kid would go into the school cafteria and shoot everyone...can you be sure that the next day a terrorist wont bomb a public transport bus packed with innocent people
Water and electrcity is available to you 24 hours a day...what??? did you think dewa was making a profit giving you a constant flow of water in the middle of the desert
Dubai does have its problems, I admit, but its not as bad as you make it sound
Look at south africa, the U.S, the U.K which is where most of you here come from...Crime is high, unemployment is high, roads are full of pot holes and you have tolls all over the place and you also get taxed directly...that is why you are here hiding behind a screen never content and never happy cuz ur getting too comfortable and you know you have to go back to you home country one day and face reality
To the 1st poster... "Dubai is probably the ONLY country in the world "
Dubai is a country now?
Er.. Anonymous, you raise good points, but it's getting a tad hard to follow which anonymous is which here! Would you 'both' consider taking on a name pls and make it easier for everyone? Thanks :)
BIT, you're into splitting hairs then? ;)
Firstly, Dubai is not such a bad place, but if your are thinking of staying here..make sure you get a salary of 15,000a month, which will cover your food expenses, Salik, Gas, and hopefully...your housing rent, if not..GET OUT...cause this place is going to drive your crazy.
To the person who was taking about Arizona, mate the US is a far better place to live in then the UAE..your only talking about one state, US has 52 states incase you did'nt know...UAE has only 7 of which you can only live in comfort in 3 ( Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah) your Arizona in the US is your Ras Al Khaimah in UAE..lol. So stop talking about other countries, UAE has become expensive, and what took the US a life time to reach where they are today, UAE wants to do in 10 years, which is possible..but so is a downfall...imaging if dubai had to fall..do you have any idea what would happen, countries like American and the UK can live with it...UAE...I don't think so. This country is made up of Immigrants and if the UAE watches them leave...your going to be left with nothing.
Andy: The US has 52 states now? News to me! Perhaps you can tell me which ones were added after Hawaii.
To the person who was taking about Arizona, mate the US is a far better place to live in then the UAE..
Then go live there.
And as Rosh pointed out, I stopped reading after you proved your own stupidity. 52?
"BIT, you're into splitting hairs then? ;)"
Huh?
BIT,
You're a killer.
You harshly made very very good points.
I still can't understand people who stay only to complain about everything.
I am not sure if they understand either.
First expats do not come from "crappy countries": maybe poorer countries, less stable places, but definetly from places with a lot of history and culture. to the one that says expats come from "crapy countries".
Second, they will all leave one day, you can bet on that. Any other assertion is just stupid stubbornness.
I maintain that this place taxes you a zillion ways and you get nothing in return. Safety? you do not have the slightest idea about what is happening in UAE right now. My house got robbed a few months ago and I had to spend litteraly weeks at the police station begging for something to be done. Nothing was done for my case. But I saw shit that would make you think twice before calling this place safe. Safer than many other places, I'll admit that. But that's it. I don't wanna hear about that crap on the local police force. It does not apply the same rules for everyone.
No expat is asking for subsidizing stuff from the government. The government does that for the locals though. Strange...
Now let me ask you this, when an expat gets sick, like real sick, or when he loses his job, or maybe gets too old to work (after a lifetime spent here)..what happens?
Interesting points you make Anon June 11 13:48...
I like your stand - countries being referred to as 'crappy' by our friend have very rich history/ culture.
Er.. if you're not Andy, could you pls call yourself something like.. I dunno.. maybe.. Andy II? It gets a tad confusing to follow discussion threads otherwise you know. Many thanks in advance!
Now. Let me ask you this. When an expat gets sick, like real sick, or when he loses his job, or maybe gets too old to work (after a lifetime spent here)..what happens?
:p
First expats do not come from "crappy countries": maybe poorer countries, less stable places, but definetly from places with a lot of history and culture. to the one that says expats come from "crapy countries".
Let that "History and Culture" put food on your plate. Oh wait, IT CANT. Pretty sad when a person's own country cant take care of them.
And you think equality by a police force is universal? I, with my name and background, didnt get the light of day when my cars were broken into 6 times in the US. nor did the cops care.
So deal with it... or! if its THAT BAD leave, find one of those "safer" places. And let me know where they are so I can send you a post card.
This country subsidizes everything for its citizens, as a GOOD GOVERNMENT should. Again, My tuition was 12,000 USD a semester in the US while an American citizen's was 1900. Did I bitch? no, His country subsidizes his education, and he has every right to that subsidy.
You have been paying NOTHING for the whole time you've been here for EVERYTHING. I remember when Aliens only paid 50 AED a month for water, 200 a YEAR for education.
Who paid the rest? MY GOVERNMENT. So dont even, this government fixes prices every year for EVERYONE including non-citizens.
THIS HAPPENS IN NO OTHER COUNTRY ON EARTH.
What happens after babu falls ill and blah blah?
Dont know, dont care, you should ask HIS COUNTRY, not mine.
*Spongebob dance*
Now for some lighter reading, go checkout my newest project. shadowcharger.blogspot.com
Go!
Bridget got owned
"My tuition was 12,000 USD a semester in the US while an American citizen's was 1900. Did I bitch? no,"
Perhaps for another $ 1k or so they should include something on anger management
Blessing: this place would be, actually IS nothing without the expats.
And, no offense meant (truly I couldn't care less), but your arguments are badly immature, xenophobic, ignorant and ridiculous. I am telling you that for your own good.
Instead of admitting what is wrong with this place and, if at all possible, try to work on fixing it, instead of that you just defend the undefendable and shout like a spoiled child for expats to go home.
Be proud of what you should be proud of and try to change what you do have reasons to be ashamed of.
Racist!
PS: racism is bad no matter what, in case you missed that.
question: do you think expatriates complain because they're all inherently bad and came from where they came from hating this place from day one? or could there be other reasons? just a question.
Got owned? Thats immature.
Anger management? Im actually the most calm person you have ever come across. Just very vocal. and usually very right.
No, This places IS nothing without OIL, the exact reason why aliens ever gave this piece of sand ant time at all.
For my own good? Please explain that one to me. Enlighten me oh guru.
The un-defendable? I JUST defended it! that by default makes it defendable. Someone needs to brush up on their philosophy and perhaps even comprehension.
Oh no, You're putting words in my mouth, if you read my blog you will see that I do infact talk about issues that need improvement. I never said problems dont exist. that would just be silly, almost as silly as you assuming ANYONE would do so.
Silly silly 1/2 person. Even my poetry blog is full of political satire and commentary.
My point is simple. I, as a citizen of the UAE, should be vocal about issues and SHOULD thrive to make this place a better place. YOU as an ALIEN RESIDENT HAVE NO SUCH RIGHT.
I, we, will fix as we see fit, like it, stay, dont, leave.
Racist? Im 1/4 Emarati, 1/4 German, 1/4 American, and 1/4 3imi. You calling me a racist is like calling the pope a pedophile...
Oh wait... (my American side is Catholic, so I can get away with saying that stuff)
You arent going to win this argument, or any others because I can play mostly any side I wish.
Am I racist? No, Just truthful. Sometimes you will disagree and sometimes you will agree and every single time I wont care.
Cultural Pluralism, LOOK IT UP.
LOL
So what ABIT is saying is he went to study in the US because he had food on his plate while they had culture!
Sorry but 'Ignorance Is Bliss' is a famous saying not a rule one has to live by ;-)
BIT got owned
Got owned? hardly.
I went because that IS a part of who I am. I was born there and had every right to be there. a 1/4 of my family is there, you forget, they have culture? yes, and its PART OF MINE.
Who's gotten owned now? Your problem is you try to classify people (like me) without knowing anything about them.
What is wrong with an AMERICAN CITIZEN going back to the US to visit family?
Again, I, not you, can play MANY sides thanks to all the parts that make me me. I have that right. you dont.
And no, they have FAR less culture than we do here. And the education Im getting here (Continuing my post grad here) is on par with what I got there.
Here, a culture that has been around for about 1300 years. There... 200. Hum... I wonder and wonder which is more culture-filled.
Man oh man you must be the most blissful person on earth!
*Macarena Dance*
>>My tuition was 12,000 USD a semester in the US while an American citizen's was 1900. Did I bitch? no,<<
>>What is wrong with an AMERICAN CITIZEN going back to the US to visit family?<<
Both quotes from ABIT. Not exactly consistent but them what can we expect?
OUCH!
Now BIT, that must have hurt.. a bit!
Actually, if you had your highschool education abroad, you would be considered an international student. and they have a different set of procedures, guidelines and tuition rates.
an Emirati in Boston, MA.
This post is really great, I just moved from Kuwait to Dubai a month back. Life is not as simple as what we used to have in Kuwait.
Everything was in reach and you still have a piece of mind. But I'm saying this cause may be I'm just new to way of life here.
Anyhow today i got my first driving test FAILED lol , even though im driving for last 9 years in GCC and drove alot in Dubai too. But along with the brighter side of Dubai is that you have quality life style here compared to other GCC countries.
Ppl like me would like to shout alot about Dubai and its high price but then its still better than western countries, where you pay taxes over everything.
My point is that ppl like me from Kuwait will take Dubai as a hard place to live ppl from west and south east asia will take Dubai as a heaven , cause the provision of basic necessities are been provided here. back home its not the case.
Ppl who are shouting about Dubai and its living standards, well take a first flight and go back. Be thankful to what you have which for a very certainity you wont get back home , and thats why you are here.
I am confused. I visisted Dubai/UAE over 7 times .. it is a beautiful place no doubt and some people are making huge salaries .. I live in Canada for the past 22 years .. I am an Arab in origin born and raised in Kuwait .. most of my friends now live in Dubai .. yet I am still confused .. I want to go but I feel I might be making a huge mistake .. Canada is wonderful but it taxes you like crazy, and it is very expensive in Ontario no doubt .. plus the police always stops you for no reason .. when u get a ticket your car insurance goes up which is roughly 800 dirhams a month by the way and filling car with gas costs 180 every 8 days or so plus car registration, insurance , plates , and if you make a mistake with credit card payments or fall into hard times your credit is destroyed you cant lease a car, get a loan or nothing you are left to die and suffer .. I dont know I wish some one would tell me straight out .. I was offered 30,000 dirhams but refused to stay .. was I stupid ? plus being a
Muslim in the west now is not fun at all for descrimination is truly high ..
As a new expat here in Dubai, I would agree that I am finding less and less reasons to stay here, it definitely not the place of the blogs I read before I came here, check out my own views of Dubai on my blog
http://thewaywardlinguist.wordpress.com
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