# What do you wish you knew before you came over? What should I have brought with me?



## FlGJAM (Sep 30, 2011)

Looking to come over in about 6 weeks and I am looking for your collective wisdom. 

What information do you look back now and wish you would have known when you came to Dubai originally? (ie. I wish I had known that living in _______ was going to be a bad idea. or perhaps I wish I would have known that you can't ______ here.)

What items do you wish you had brought from home? 

What conveniences of home do you miss most?

I have a wife and 2 small kids making the move with me. I will come out and they will be behind me by about 8 weeks because of visas etc. I want to make this transition as fun as possible and take some of the stress off of my wife as we head down this path.

We haven't stopped doing research on everything from housing, schooling, transportation, play groups and the like since the offer came through. And the helpfulness of the members of this community have been invaluable throughout the process. 

Thank you in advance! (And for my Australian friends, I do know what my screen name means; it's funny to me)


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi and welcome

I think nearly everyone who is coming over asks this very same question.
I am sure people will answer but have a look through past posts for idea as well as those people may no longer being posting.


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## Guest (Jan 7, 2012)

I'm sure I'll think of more things, but 2 come to mind right away - 1) wish I'd brought my gas grill; and 2) more warm clothes - evenings in Dubai are a little cooler than I had expected


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## AB-Fit (Oct 10, 2011)

More clothes, a working lap top...not much, they have everything you need here.

Miss decent tv, friends, family.


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## LONGGOOD BYE (Dec 26, 2011)

Warm Clothes ? Its in the 70s here right now in January and if you are coming from the states you should have no problems with the weather.I would say bring any special foods you may like,becasue if they are here they are more expensive.

If you want American TV look into getting a sling box[look at best buy].

If you are into traveling to other countries with mosquitoes good bug spray .

This is the land of a million malls so you can find pretty much anything you need,no problem.


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## NeoPhoenix (Oct 17, 2011)

I wish i had brought more suits! not because it cant be found here, but it was a lot cheaper back home.

Oh and i wish i brought my SLR, bagged it pretty cheap due to an offer back home, and the prices here aren't that great imo.




nola said:


> I'm sure I'll think of more things, but 2 come to mind right away - 1) wish I'd brought my gas grill; and 2) more warm clothes - evenings in Dubai are a little cooler than I had expected



its is surprising to see someone from Canada say this!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Clothes - expensive. If your wife has big boobs, tell her to get lots of bras before coming. Bring a light jacket/long sleeves if your going to be out and about in the evening. It is down to around 60 in the evenings for like two months of the year. Shoes. Bring Extra pairs. 

New electronics. - double expensive. New unlocked phone, new laptop, new camera, etc. Anything you think you might need, get it there. Hand carry your electronics, as everything read, the mail is quite bad to try and use.


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## Shirin (May 9, 2011)

My post is too late to help the person who asked originally, but maybe it will help others who are planning a move to the UAE.

*I wish I had brought: * 


More bras. Large-busted woman will be hard-pressed to find quality bras that aren't hideous looking.
More family photos (in frames) or personal items to make my apt. feel more like home.
Special cosmetics or toiletries (things that you really depend upon and that you are particular about)
An unlocked mobile phone (coming from the U.S.)

*Things I brought that I wish I had not*:

I did not bring anything I now regret.

I arrived with 3 suitcases full of clothes, DVDs, my laptop, and a few personal items. I did not ship anything else to the UAE. Honestly, everything you want is here. There are tons of products and brands familiar to a Westerner, but there are also many wonderful new things to try in the UAE. I have enjoyed browsing the stores for different products. 

While I wish I had brought the above items, but they are not deal breakers. When I return home for annual leave, I'll pick up those items to bring back (too late for the phone as I had to buy one here $$$).

There will always be those little things that you miss (for me it is Triscuits), but no big deal. There is so much here in the UAE. 








FlGJAM said:


> Looking to come over in about 6 weeks and I am looking for your collective wisdom.
> 
> What information do you look back now and wish you would have known when you came to Dubai originally? (ie. I wish I had known that living in _______ was going to be a bad idea. or perhaps I wish I would have known that you can't ______ here.)
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2012)

Shirin said:


> My post is too late to help the person who asked originally, but maybe it will help others who are planning a move to the UAE.
> 
> *I wish I had brought: *
> 
> ...


*More family photos (in frames) or personal items to make my apt. feel more like home

*

Yes - I second that. I also wish I had brought more. I think it's even more important if you have kids. It's a big adjustment for them & having lots of family photos & familiar items around can be reassuring.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

For the photos. If you dont have access to a way to send them here as only have so much luggage space, buy a good printer once you arrive here. Bring lots of photos in digital format. And pester your familiy to death to send you monthly pictures of them. It makes me so happy to walk in my door and see brothers and sisters and extended family.  I havent tried to source out printing here but have found that having a printer that prints wide formats, so big photos, has been quite nice.


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## gemsy62 (Dec 23, 2011)

Jynxgirl said:


> For the photos. If you dont have access to a way to send them here as only have so much luggage space, buy a good printer once you arrive here. Bring lots of photos in digital format. And pester your familiy to death to send you monthly pictures of them. It makes me so happy to walk in my door and see brothers and sisters and extended family.  I havent tried to source out printing here but have found that having a printer that prints wide formats, so big photos, has been quite nice.


Thats a really good point, I hadn't thought about bringing out a photo printer. I love to surround myself with recent photos of family and friends so this will be a must for me. Going to spend today hunting for a good photo printer, thank you!


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## FlGJAM (Sep 30, 2011)

Great suggestions keep them coming. I have browsed other similar threads and seem to see reoccurring themes.


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## Steve2622 (Aug 10, 2011)

Haribo Starmix! Sorry but can't seem to find them out here and if your kids are as addicted as my wife it might cause a few tears...


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## Red_Nosed (Nov 30, 2011)

Remember to bring sense of humour (lots of it), moving into the middle-east, for when your patience are tested


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