# scared but excited! Looking for other soon to be newbies and some info!!?



## jillod (May 31, 2010)

Hi all,

I am 20, 21 in November and will be moving to UAE at the end of August.
I will be living is Sharjah, working for a school there, as an English teacher. I am looking for some info to help clear up my doubts and allow me to get excited!!

I like a good party, what are my options, with alcohol and my age?? Both in Dubai and Sharjah?I understand Sharjah is dry so what are the usual procedures?

How far is it to travel to Dubai and what are the best transport options?

What is the story with smoking in public in Sharjah?

Any info on beaches where I can sunbath comfortably, bikinis??

Pork...I am a lover of rashers for breakfast? I know the country is Muslim but is it possible to buy pork anywhere?

Does anyone have any info on the Wanders Club in Sharjah?

Anyone in the same position??New or soon to be living around sharjah or Dubai??Irish/young?/working in a school over there? How are you finding it?

Cheers to all in advance!!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

jillod said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am 20, 21 in November and will be moving to UAE at the end of August.
> I will be living is Sharjah, working for a school there, as an English teacher. I am looking for some info to help clear up my doubts and allow me to get excited!!
> ...


Answers above, and welcome, don't be scared, you'll have a blast!


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

Andy your a star!! 
I have some more questions...hope you dont mind!!
Do you know of private beaches where i can sunbathe more comfortably??
Are there many young people around?? Irish accents?
What is the deal with alcohol licenses?? Am I allowed to bring alcohol from the airport to sharjah?
Is it possible to get english/american tv chanels? is it expensive??
are there many expat nights out??chances to meet similar people-tho i am all up for new experiences!

Im getting really excited now, and looking forward to the sunshine!! 
Everyone seems to have mainly positive reports!!! 

Thanks again!!

Also id love to get to get some young teachers experiences??


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

one or two more questions..if people dont mind..Despite the millions of forum threads Ive read I am still confused about certain things..
what is the Sharjah terrain like??
Could I rollerblade on the footpaths??
Cycle along the roads?
In terms of keeping fit I like to jog..can i do this along the roads or beaches? and what is acceptable clothes for working out?
Cheers!!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

If you have Sharjah residency you cannot obtain an alcohol licence as it is a dry emirate. Legally, you cannot keep booze in the house or consume it there.

The emirates join each other so if you are at the Dubai end of Sharjah you just a hop away. Which school will you be at?

Best not to sunbathe in a bikini in Sharjah (go to Ajman instead) . It is very conservative (unlike most of Dubai). Ditto jogging in shorts. You should be covered to your knees and not wear anything tight. I'd advise you not to cycle as roads are dangerous.

Fo TV - you can get UK and US channels in a package. Not that pricey, depending on what you want. 

Do your research, plan well and be prepared for it all to seem very weird. Then it'll be fine 
-


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

jillod said:


> Andy your a star!!
> I have some more questions...hope you dont mind!!
> Do you know of private beaches where i can sunbathe more comfortably??
> Not in Sharjah, hotels in Dubai or Ajman, cost from AED50/day (Ajman Beach Hotel, popular with Russians in thongs (and that's just the men!)
> ...


Hope that helps....

Hotels in Ajman are Kempinski and Ajman Beach hotel (with beaches), Radisson SAS and Coral Beach in Sharjah.


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## LiverpoolMan (Jun 2, 2010)

Hey, am moving to Dubai in July, when are you? ive just graduated form uni and no nobody there also...so if ur up for a drink pm me...


ps. no irish accent! but scouse so close?


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## $ammy (May 15, 2010)

HI Jillod,

Just to add to some of the useful tips already provided by the other users here,

First of all, welcome to Dubai, lots of expats and Im sure u'll blende in well... Being a teacher is one of the best professions out here and the fact that you are in Sharjah gives you an advantage of a slightly lower cost of living.

Party options - Barely anything at all happens in Sharjah. A large number of people People here dont have the time to party and a smaller lot head to Dubai. 
Dubai is very happening and there are hell a lot of europeans and expats liek you who party hard. Partying options are close to nil in sharjah and teh exact opposite can be said about Dubai. Events are never far from Sharjah in Dubai however traffic can get you stuck for hours. Initial excitement will pul you through these snarls and make you head to events but eventually some people give up and some others use smart means to get to destinations. It will take you a while to learn to avoid teh traffic from Sharjah to Dubai and vice versa through shortcuts and some smart time management.

Transport options - You have lot of taxis to take you across to Dubai and once in Dubai you have a transport system that is slowly becoming more efficient with a network of buses, taxis and the metro. Teh Sharjah transport system sucks. Your initial period here would see you taking a lot of taxis. A lot of Shrajah taxis smell really bad. Dubai taxis are way better. If you wanna head to Dubai you can catch Shrjah taxis only and vice versa. That is really annoying. Imagine getting stuck in trafiic in that. But it all depends on how lucky you are. There are well maintained cabs as well. TAxi fares could get expensive considering the party locations that I know primarily due to teh fact that cabs charge an additional 20Dhs for an inter emirate trip. To keep it economical people travelling inter emirate generally switch cabs at the border which is cheaper and skips teh 20Dhs inter emirate charge. If you manage your time and leave early, you can avail this . (I am sure a lot of european expats donno about this). If you feel the fares are well within your budget everything should be fine.
Some time back there was a problem faced by peopel where by cabbies were selective to picking up passengers. They always preferred white skinned people over the others but that is not much of a problem now what with government crackdowns on cabbies who do that.
Ultimately, having your own vehicle here is a great great advantage.It is absolutely important so I suggest you get working on your license as soon as you get here. Without my car I felt like my hands were tied. Now its total freedom (especially when the transport system is under developed in Sharjah)
To answer your question straight , your transp option from Sharjah to anywhere is just cabs ( or the bus which I bet you'd not use which is why i haven't mentioned anything abt it here). Within Dubai you have lots of efficient options - cabs, buses, metro, the water taxis.... 

In Sharjah, regarding sunbathing and dressing I suggest you read the comments in the other post once again. I back every word there. There are no proper places for women to sunbathe in Sharjah but I've seen a lot of people at the palm and beaches in Dubai. So you could go to Dubai over the weekend for that and trafic is not bad at all. Lots of places in Dubai to make you comfortable in your bikini. (Well, summer is kicking in and you'll start frying anyway!!)
As mentioned avoid tights and clothes that reveal too much as there will be a lot of people staring at you. 
Regarding Rollerblading, I suggest you avoid the Sharjah corniche although the atmosphere is great there. It could get crowded quickly. There is a nice strip after the Sharjah creek along the road by the beach that connects Sharjah and Ajman. This is located right after the radisson hotel in Sharjah towards Ajman. There is barely a crowd there and few or absolutely no rollerbladers. 

Pork as you said is hard to find but I heard that it is available in Spinneys and more popularly at wakerose in Marina Mall. Anytime you get to Dubai you could get your supply from there.

Alcohol as mentioned is really cheap in Ajman. However it is illegal to transport it or consume it at your home unless you have a license. As long as you take the risk and ensure that you can have it safely at home its not a problem. If you find getting alcohol difficult from Ajman, You can get it at low rates from the Seamen's clubs around dubai. However, you got to have a seamen's book which is not applicable in your case. So if you have a friend with a Seamen's book you can ask him/her.
Yes, you can carry alcohol from the airport but at your own risk. I dont think they will stop you at teh gate and ask you not to take teh alcohol out od the airport.

Irish accents?? There are a lot of tehm in Dubai. I work with some. But you shoudl get used to the other accents as well.

Lot of TV service providers. Rates are higher for differnt packages . Its something you got to choose from once you get here. There are different packages. 

I am sure you can meet a lot of people - irish accents and ones without. Lots of differnt experiences here. 

The expat forum gives you a lot of info on social activities and chances to meet people. You can always contact us.

Welcome to Dubai!!








jillod said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am 20, 21 in November and will be moving to UAE at the end of August.
> I will be living is Sharjah, working for a school there, as an English teacher. I am looking for some info to help clear up my doubts and allow me to get excited!!
> ...


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## emsems (Apr 22, 2010)

jillod said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am 20, 21 in November and will be moving to UAE at the end of August.
> I will be living is Sharjah, working for a school there, as an English teacher. I am looking for some info to help clear up my doubts and allow me to get excited!!
> ...


Hi,

I'll be moving out towards the end of August, I'll also be working as a teacher in a school in Dubai. I'm 27 and come from London.


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## marc (Mar 10, 2008)

I was 19, and used a fake ID, worked a treat and even at the strictest clubs and bars it always worked.

Just in case I would get one it costs about 10 GBP for a good one.


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## emdark (May 4, 2010)

jillod said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am 20, 21 in November and will be moving to UAE at the end of August.
> I will be living is Sharjah, working for a school there, as an English teacher. I am looking for some info to help clear up my doubts and allow me to get excited!!
> ...




Hey Jillod, we are a little bit like in the same boat, though I will be moving to Dubai, and I don't have Irish accent . I am 21 and I plan to be in the Emirates at the end of June or 1st week of July. My friends that work in Dubai says that Sharjah is very strict with Alcohol and parties etc.. in fact there are none. Dubai is much more free, when I was there as a tourist a couple of months ago there was a pork section in the supermarket so you won't have any problems, but I think to be able to buy alcohol you need a license.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

I don't know about this "No parties in Sharjah" bit, I've been to many a piss up in the villas there, and bbqs outside too, no one has a real problem with it. A little respect - don't do it during Ramadam or play loud music until all hours - goes a long way.


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

LiverpoolMan said:


> Hey, am moving to Dubai in July, when are you? ive just graduated form uni and no nobody there also...so if ur up for a drink pm me...
> 
> 
> ps. no irish accent! but scouse so close?


Oh fab!! I've just graduated too! That fine, I can mix it up with the accents! IM?I'm not too sure how too yet! Ive been neglecting the forum! bold me! Im going to look for a thread on IMing and ill get back to you! Cheers!


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## thedevil007 (Jun 6, 2010)

Welcome in advance

U'll get to used to the place n its culture real fast n easily. So have no worries.


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

emdark said:


> Hey Jillod, we are a little bit like in the same boat, though I will be moving to Dubai, and I don't have Irish accent . I am 21 and I plan to be in the Emirates at the end of June or 1st week of July. My friends that work in Dubai says that Sharjah is very strict with Alcohol and parties etc.. in fact there are none. Dubai is much more free, when I was there as a tourist a couple of months ago there was a pork section in the supermarket so you won't have any problems, but I think to be able to buy alcohol you need a license.


Oh, this is great! I'm so glad to find people in the same situation as me, My friends think im crazy coming over on my own, But im pretty confident ill be fine! This forum is helping alot!! we must get a few meetings going when were all over in DUbai! As explained by Sunny(thank you) Ill have no problem getting taxis to come party!! ps, my name is just jill, or Jillian to my parents!!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

jillod said:


> Oh, this is great! I'm so glad to find people in the same situation as me, My friends think im crazy coming over on my own, But im pretty confident ill be fine! This forum is helping alot!! we must get a few meetings going when were all over in DUbai! As explained by Sunny(thank you) Ill have no problem getting taxis to come party!! ps, my name is just jill, or Jillian to my parents!!


I left home at the age of 20 and have been country hopping since then. In the beginning, it can be a bit daunting and it can be a little bit lonely but give it a few months and allow yourself to find your feet, and it will turn out to be one of the best decisions you've made.

I moved out to Dubai 2 years ago on my own from the UK, where I'd been for about 6 years. Didn't know a soul but quickly made a lot of new friends, most of whom I met through this forum. I don't think Dubai is the best place that I've been to but it's also not the worse and ultimately, there are so many great things here that you wouldn't find elsewhere.

There are always new people arriving and in the same boat as you, so you'll quickly make friends. The expats who have been here for a while are also very friendly and will most certainly welcome you in their circle.


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## marcez (Jun 8, 2010)

Hey jillod,
Im heading over in the next four weeks and same as yourself excited and nervous ! Have you organised shipping your stuff from ireland? Im gonna google a few companies but if you can recommend any let us know 

cheers

mark


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

marcez said:


> Hey jillod,
> Im heading over in the next four weeks and same as yourself excited and nervous ! Have you organised shipping your stuff from ireland? Im gonna google a few companies but if you can recommend any let us know
> 
> cheers
> ...


Hey mark, 
yah, the excited nerves are building!! 
Im quite lucky as the school i'm with as provided furnished accommodation for me, in an apartment with another girl, so all i really need are my basic electronics, hair-dryer, GHD, ipod speakers, so the school has given me an allowance for extra baggage.
I assume my things will work as they use the same three pin plugs as us??
What are you coming over to do??where about's in Ireland You from?? 

This forum is amazing! thanks to everyone for the help!


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## marcez (Jun 8, 2010)

Hey jillod, 

Fair play to ya... I did hear to teachers get the accomodation sorted which is well handy ! I get temporary acomodation or the 1st 3 weeks and then im gonna look for an apt to share with other expats !

They use the same plugs and voltage as ourselves which will make things easier for the ipod speakers !

I just got accepted a position in a reinsurance company. Its pretty handy as it'll involve travelling to clients in the far east a fair bit. A chance to see the world ! 

Im from Dublin "the big smoke" Where abouts are you from?


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## jillod (May 31, 2010)

marcez said:


> Hey jillod,
> 
> Fair play to ya... I did hear to teachers get the accomodation sorted which is well handy ! I get temporary acomodation or the 1st 3 weeks and then im gonna look for an apt to share with other expats !
> 
> ...


Ah, lovley, Im from Meath, so not too far!I was living in Dublin for the last three years, south side!was in UCD till i finished a few weeks ago! 

Oh wow, that willl be amazing!I hope to do a bit of travel while i'm over there, make the most of my weekends, hopefully! If I can handle the heat!!
Delighted theres so many people in the same boat! 

Im heading over the end of August, around the 25th! i cant wait to get there now! tho by all accounts Im lucky to miss the middle of the summer in terms of heat! 
We'll have to arrange a night out when were all over!!


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## Ruquaya (Jun 8, 2010)

LiverpoolMan said:


> Hey, am moving to Dubai in July, when are you? ive just graduated form uni and no nobody there also...so if ur up for a drink pm me...
> 
> 
> ps. no irish accent! but scouse so close?


HI Liverpool Man,

I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind giving me so advice.
I am desperate to get out to Dubai asap and I have also just graduated.
I was wondering how did you get your job.
I.e what channels did you go through?

Any advice would seriously make my day.

Name's Ruth btw..


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## LiverpoolMan (Jun 2, 2010)

Ruquaya said:


> HI Liverpool Man,
> 
> I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind giving me so advice.
> I am desperate to get out to Dubai asap and I have also just graduated.
> ...


Hey! ill try and make your day!! I had no intention of moving to dubai to be honest, but i saw a job with a bank i really liked, and saw they had a vacancy in Dubai, so i applied. In the end i ended up applying for two jobs in dubai and did the interviews, and here i am.

If you are interested in working in dubai, the only adbvice i can give is basically find a firm or company you like which has a presence in dubai and apply for that post. go to dubizzle.com aswell, there are LOADS of job offers there!

which uni/what did u study at uni btw?

hope this helps, let me know!

x


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## Ruquaya (Jun 8, 2010)

Oh thank you thank you for replying!
I totally appreciate it.

I studied in Birmingham University, reading Anthropology and Political Science.

So, all of what you applied for was online?

Does it pay well? with housing benefits etc?

Thanks again for the advice. 

Have a nice day


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## Tommo88 (Sep 11, 2010)

Hey Jill and Liverpoolman,

Ive just graduated from uni too, from Liverpool infact. I moved out here at the end of august and live in the marina. If you fancy catching up some time would be cool.. sounds like we are all in the same boat pretty much.

How long have u been out here?

How are you finding your new job jill?

Tommo. x


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## x_beans_x (Apr 14, 2010)

jillod said:


> Oh, this is great! I'm so glad to find people in the same situation as me, My friends think im crazy coming over on my own, But im pretty confident ill be fine! This forum is helping alot!! we must get a few meetings going when were all over in DUbai! As explained by Sunny(thank you) Ill have no problem getting taxis to come party!! ps, my name is just jill, or Jillian to my parents!!



Hello! i am in a similar situation to you well im turning 20 and from the Uk! moved to Dubai 2 months or so ago and love it so far! how are you finding it here so far? I am also a Party Girl in the Uk and starting to miss it! haha how are you finding Sharjah?


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## Tommo88 (Sep 11, 2010)

x_beans_x said:


> Hello! i am in a similar situation to you well im turning 20 and from the Uk! moved to Dubai 2 months or so ago and love it so far! how are you finding it here so far? I am also a Party Girl in the Uk and starting to miss it! haha how are you finding Sharjah?


Sorry to nosey in, where do all u guys go out? I haven't really met anyone my age yet (22)...just people who are late 20's, no1 just out of uni age though! Where in the uk are u from? What do u do out here?


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## x_beans_x (Apr 14, 2010)

Tommo88 said:


> Sorry to nosey in, where do all u guys go out? I haven't really met anyone my age yet (22)...just people who are late 20's, no1 just out of uni age though! Where in the uk are u from? What do u do out here?




Hello  at the moment i haven't been going out regularly as i don't have that many friends here yet but when i have been out i have found a few places to be quite cool like Barasti bar, Locker room, Trader vics i have heard is quite cool and haven't been to the Irish village yet but heard its good! close by where i live in Al barsha there's the cheapest bar in Dubai called Spirals but doesn't get very busy!
I'm from down South in Bournemouth  how about you?


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## ChloeB1984 (Sep 2, 2010)

Hi Jillod,

I'm moving to Sharjah at the end of next week, will be working for a company over there. Are you there now? How are you finding it??

Chloe


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

There is a sticky thread at the top for general newbie chit-chat. Please post in there.

Thanks 
-


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