# Hoping to come to Dubai with 2 small children



## RT666 (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi everyone! Been reading the forum for a while now - some really helpful advice so big thanks to everyone who's posted.

We'd really like to move to Dubai in a year's time but are just working out all the logistics, figures etc to make sure it will work out for us. Sorry if these questions have been answered previously (feel free to link to previous threads if that's the case). 

We have two small boys (currently just-turned-3 and 15 months). Have been looking at school options for the eldest who will be going into KG2/FS2 in September 2013. My concern is that so many of them seem to be full already for 2013/14. Are the ones that have spaces going to be less good? Or is it just some are more popular than others?

This may be a really daft question, but where are the main businesses based? My husband commutes 5 hours a day (from South Coast to London) and one of our main reasons for the move is so that he can see the boys during the week, rather than just at weekends, We therefore want to look at areas to live/schools with a relatively easy commute. He's currently in Finance/IT. Are there areas that tend to have alot of the 'city' type jobs? 

I'm mainly a stay-at-home Mum but also teach private singing lessons from home. Is that sort of thing possible in Dubai or would I need to go through the registering as a business process I've seen mentioned?

Thanks for your help everyone!


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## md000 (Dec 16, 2008)

RT666 said:


> Hi everyone! Been reading the forum for a while now - some really helpful advice so big thanks to everyone who's posted.


Welcome to the forum



RT666 said:


> This may be a really daft question, but where are the main businesses based? My husband commutes 5 hours a day (from South Coast to London) and one of our main reasons for the move is so that he can see the boys during the week, rather than just at weekends, We therefore want to look at areas to live/schools with a relatively easy commute. He's currently in Finance/IT. Are there areas that tend to have alot of the 'city' type jobs?


Dubai is relatively small. The hardest commute - assuming full on rush hour - from one end of Dubai to the other is no more than 1 hour each way. There is no set business district - they are spread out through the city. So, it really depends upon where his job is.



RT666 said:


> I'm mainly a stay-at-home Mum but also teach private singing lessons from home. Is that sort of thing possible in Dubai or would I need to go through the registering as a business process I've seen mentioned?


Technically, you have to register as a business and have a commercial space rented for this purpose. Many people don't - but this is technically illegal. I haven't heard of the police busting down doors for this, but you never know.

Good luck

-md000/Mike


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## Confiture (Jan 9, 2011)

If your son has just turned 3, he'll be in FS-1.


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## nikkisizer (Aug 20, 2011)

RT666 said:


> This may be a really daft question, but where are the main businesses based? My husband commutes 5 hours a day (from South Coast to London) and one of our main reasons for the move is so that he can see the boys during the week, rather than just at weekends, We therefore want to look at areas to live/schools with a relatively easy commute. He's currently in Finance/IT. Are there areas that tend to have alot of the 'city' type jobs?


Hello RT666,

A good area for Finance/IT city type jobs would be the financial district known as DIFC - Dubai International Financial Centre but obviously there are Finance/IT jobs in all areas of Dubai.


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## RT666 (Jun 30, 2012)

md000 said:


> Welcome to the forum
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks - really helpful! :thumb:


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## RT666 (Jun 30, 2012)

nikkisizer said:


> Hello RT666,
> 
> A good area for Finance/IT city type jobs would be the financial district known as DIFC - Dubai International Financial Centre but obviously there are Finance/IT jobs in all areas of Dubai.


That's great - thank you! Looking like Jumeirah could be a good (but expensive) area for us to be looking at


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## the the the (Jul 3, 2011)

Dubai is great, travelling is easy so you can be rest assured he will have a short journey home. We have moved to Jumeirah village triangle from Arabian ranches. The size of the villa's made it a no brainer though a lot of building works are still going on. The villa's are 2500 sq ft and with huge gardens, the biggest of any estate in Dubai.

We are 15 minutes from the mall of the emirates and I have a job at festival city and can be home in 30 minutes from there.

Well worth looking at, they are all new builds so nice condition. We have a pool coming this afternoon! 

Good luck with the move

MH


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## RT666 (Jun 30, 2012)

the the the said:


> Dubai is great, travelling is easy so you can be rest assured he will have a short journey home. We have moved to Jumeirah village triangle from Arabian ranches. The size of the villa's made it a no brainer though a lot of building works are still going on. The villa's are 2500 sq ft and with huge gardens, the biggest of any estate in Dubai.
> 
> We are 15 minutes from the mall of the emirates and I have a job at festival city and can be home in 30 minutes from there.
> 
> ...


Thank you! Sounds amazing! We're keeping on our house at home so looking at apartments rather than Villas. The Greens/The Views or Jumeirah is looking good so far. Arabian Springs and Emirates Hills look gorgeous for Villas though  Not looked at Jumeriah Village triangle so will check that out - thank you!


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## cupcake3 (Jun 18, 2012)

Hi I came to Dubai about 4 weeks ago and spent the first 3 weeks looking at villas and apartments for me and my family, I think Ive more or less looked everywhere. I have a 4 year old daughter and a 19 year old who isnt here yet, will come after Ramadan! So me and my daughter (4 year old) have been all over looking for houses and school, it was a bit daunting in the first week because lots of the British school are full and have closed waiting lists and I did think we werent going to find anything. As for villas Ive looked all over from as far out as Dubailand (cause you can get an amazing villa there for much less money) to Jumeriah, even the Palms, all areas really but finally decided on a villa in the Lakes Community and I think we will love it there, seems great for the kids and very close to the school we found Regents International which wasnt our first choice or even second but after visiting it several times they did actually make me and my daughter feel so welcome and managed to impress me in may ways. So we re not doing too badly, one month in and we have school for September and are moving into our home next week. This is all probably too much info but I just want you to feel reassured that nothing is really too difficult here and there are loads of expats who seem very eager to help and advise you cause they too have felt the same as you. I am already in love with Dubai, no doubt there ll be some teething problems along the way but there would be anywhere but I love it already and feel really welcomed here, and thats me not knowing anyone. Hope you take the step and if theres anything I can do to help when you do I will make myself available to help !


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## cupcake3 (Jun 18, 2012)

Also wanted to say, my husband works in jebel Ali and it takes him half hour in peak traffic to get home, probably less actually, no where is far to be honest, we only just got a car yesterday so we ve been travelling everywhere by taxi and they are much cheaper than England. we are staying in The Grand Millenium hotel in TCOM area and thats very close to everywhere! When I was looking for the house I saw many lovely villas but I took the advice of my friend who has lived in AD for 4 years, she said that when you first come to Dubai its better for the children to live in a Community and having looked everywhere in and out of community living I found myself agreeing. I have lived in Lebanon in the past and was there for almost 3 years and never met any British people and it was hard cause sometimes whatever nationality you are you just need you own kind. In my first week of being here, feeling a bit daunted by the whole experience of not knowing where i will live or the kids go to school I met for coffee with my husbands bosses wife, from Durham UK and she just helped me so much, she knew how I felt and what we were going through and going to go through and sometimes this experience is priceless. What im saying is its important to have other expats around you so community living might be your best choice at first thats why we went for Lakes as opposed to other independent villas in Jumeirah and other locations where I found you are mostly surrounded by locals and other nationalities not European.


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## cupcake3 (Jun 18, 2012)

sorry i just read you are looking at apartments, The Greens is very nice!!!!!close to everything, I was tempted by them but really wanted a villa.


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## RT666 (Jun 30, 2012)

cupcake3 said:


> sorry i just read you are looking at apartments, The Greens is very nice!!!!!close to everything, I was tempted by them but really wanted a villa.


Thanks so much for your lovely long reply. Definitely very reassuring and good to have our choice of looking for a community to live in confirmed. We've been to Dubai very recently and found it do friendly and welcoming. One of the main reasons we'd like to relocate there. Really hope it all works out (*just* need to find a job now..!). 

Thanks again for all your advice and support :thumb:


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## cupcake3 (Jun 18, 2012)

RT666 said:


> Thanks so much for your lovely long reply. Definitely very reassuring and good to have our choice of looking for a community to live in confirmed. We've been to Dubai very recently and found it do friendly and welcoming. One of the main reasons we'd like to relocate there. Really hope it all works out (*just* need to find a job now..!).
> 
> Thanks again for all your advice and support :thumb:


you are welcome, good luck with everything, wishing you and your family all the best


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