# Possible move to Dubai



## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Considering a move to Dubai in the next 6 months. We are Americans living in Germany. We have been to Dubai twice and loved it. We do have a job offer on the table.

What schools do your American kids go to? I am finding two two largest are full, but there are some smaller schools with space. I have a 10 year old daughter.

Will I be able to watch my TV shows....not porn, lol on my computer, from entertainment website?

Will our Apple Tv work?

Where do US expats live, or most expats?

What is traffic like and is it hard to get around? I hear there is no mail delivery service to homes, which sort of shocked me.

I have a pretty new Mercedes that I am thinking of taking, or should I sell it and buy something else?

Thanks so much any advice appreciated....we need to decide soon what we will do. The main 3 reasons we are considering are the money, the opportunity to get back to an American school (NONE IN GERMANY!!!), and getting away from the crappy German weather.

Volleygurl


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

Get on the waitlist for ASD and DAA, there are tons of people that move both during the school year and over the summer. You might be surprised at your possibility of getting your daughter in. My kids attended ASD and we all were happy. People live in lots of diff areas, depending if you want villa, apartment, gated, not gated, etc. it's nice not being too far from school. I found once we got used to the driving it was easy enough getting around. We didn't bring our car with us because the warranty wouldn't have been valid, so we got a car there. Hope this helps!


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

And yes, you can figure out how to set up for computer and TV to watch your shows, and Apple TV works! No mail was fine with me - you can always get A PO box if you need one!


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks , I was hearing mixed stuff on the Tv! And do most expats have drivers? I don't really need a live-in maid but I would love an driver on call.


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Oh and since I only have one kid and we are American it might help get us into one of the big schools, I do hate the thought of moving her twice though she gets attached to her friends.


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

I would say about half the people picking up at school were drivers, rest were moms. But don't underestimate how great the maid is... Lots of sand being dragged through the house, deliveries that you have to stay at home all day and wait for, etc. and if you have a dog it's cheaper to have a maid them pay for quality pet care when you travel.


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## terdubai (Feb 15, 2012)

Oh, and you'd have to sponsor the driver - you can't just have one on call. Just use taxis for that.


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Thanks. How long have you lived there?


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

Dubai is an easy place to live in so I wouldn't worry too much.

Try to get into either ASD or DAA. The rest of the American curriculum schools are inferior to those two. You may need to start out at one school and then move after a year, but it's commonly done out here. 

The US expat community is small but growing, but you will be vastly outnumbered by the British/Australian/South African communities. But it's not exclusive as everyone mingles and live in the same areas. Choices for where to live seem to be endless and it comes down to budget and proximity to schools but a general rule of thumb is that anywhere south of World Trade Centre to the Marina is where most western expats live, with the exception of Mirdiff which is near the airport. 

Sell the car. Buy a new one here. The warranty won't work here and repair/servicing expenses are very high, especially for European cars. 

By the way there is an American school in Germany - one in Berlin.


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

Like the weather isn't more crappy here during the summer 


volleygurl said:


> Considering a move to Dubai in the next 6 months. We are Americans living in Germany. We have been to Dubai twice and loved it. We do have a job offer on the table.
> 
> What schools do your American kids go to? I am finding two two largest are full, but there are some smaller schools with space. I have a 10 year old daughter.
> 
> ...


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## Desert_Fever (Apr 13, 2013)

We are are moving from DC in August. My son who is 8 applied at DAA, ASD and GWA. He is in a gifted program now, but regardless, the assessment were straightforward and he was admitted to all three. GWA is an IB program which is not great if you want to live back in the US soon but great if you are moving around internationally a lot. Our choices were focused on ASD and DAA. ASD had a 25 children waiting list (all with North American passports) for 3rd grade, and they eventually offered him a seat. DAA is a good school and I'd call them now. This is a place you have to go and lobby people in person which is annoying. I started the assessment process months in advance.

As for the car, I'm bringing one of my cars (which is a late model Mercedes) because that same exact car is TWICE as expensive locally - I went to the dealership and talked to the sales folks myself. As for repairs, you can immediately go to the dealer and get your evaluated, and they do offer a full coverage warranty for purchase which is about 4K US. Considering the car transport and that same car was twice as expensive, I opted for bringing this one in.

As for the places to live, be wary of the real estate agents in Dubai.. it's a very mixed bag and they just want their commission and instant price inflation is normal. I went to all the different areas if you want to drop me a note I can share more insights, but we opted to stay in an apartment (brand new) near Burj. It has a connected skywalk to the Dubai Mall which allows kids and family to go eat, chill and do things in the hotter months. Everything else can be driven to easily and traffic was generally better in this area. I evaluated traffic in different preferred areas at different times of the day.

I am going to try to make my apple tv work.. I might buy a hardware VPN device.

CHeck this out:

/snip

Hope this helps!


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

Please don't name or link to VPNs. To start with you aren't allowed to, but it also makes it easier for the authorities to block them and spoil it for those using them.


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Berlin school in news to me.....we live in Dusseldorf and not one to be found there or Cologne or Bonn. Germany is 80 mill people. There were 4 American schools in Holland but they like us a whole lot better there.

We will be leaving for summers like we always do and go back to our Michigan home. One year in Germany (or ten in Holland) and you'd be begging for the Dubai weather.


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## Desert_Fever (Apr 13, 2013)

m1key said:


> Please don't name or link to VPNs. To start with you aren't allowed to, but it also makes it easier for the authorities to block them and spoil it for those using them.


Sorry guys!! Learning the new rules..


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Desert fever, just seeing your post now. Good advice...we need to make a trip visit soon. Company will pay for it. If I have to hound the schools I will....


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## XDoodlebugger (Jan 24, 2012)

volleygurl said:


> Desert fever, just seeing your post now. Good advice...we need to make a trip visit soon. Company will pay for it. If I have to hound the schools I will....


THE worst time to visit right now, but at least you will know what that feels like!


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

John F Kennedy is the big American school in Berlin.

By the way isn't the International School of Dusseldorf a de facto American school? 



volleygurl said:


> Berlin school in news to me.....we live in Dusseldorf and not one to be found there or Cologne or Bonn. Germany is 80 mill people. There were 4 American schools in Holland but they like us a whole lot better there.
> 
> We will be leaving for summers like we always do and go back to our Michigan home. One year in Germany (or ten in Holland) and you'd be begging for the Dubai weather.


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Nope. The large school is PYP and we go to the second largest. Not American or British. Academics are OK but 50% German and German little boys are mean and bully.


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## Berliner (Jul 18, 2013)

From the three reasons you mentioned, the only one that seems valid to me is the extra money...if it really is a lot more than what you make in Germany. As far as education is concerned, if i had kids i woild rather have them go to a FREE German school in Germany (where the govt. actually cares about the education of ALL kids), than to an "American" school in Dubai (where you will pay a big load of money for a substandard education, because private schools out here are all about making money).

Yeah the weather is good out here, at least in the "winter" it is, but after 4 years in Dubai , i badly miss the 4 seasons. And trees and grass which have a vibrant green color.


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## Berliner (Jul 18, 2013)

TallyHo said:


> John F Kennedy is the big American school in Berlin.
> 
> By the way isn't the International School of Dusseldorf a de facto American school?


How come you know about JFKS?


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## Desert_Fever (Apr 13, 2013)

Everything I have seen, experienced thus far, doesn't tell me that schools like ASD in Dubai are just about money. Their alumni seem to do well. However, yea, they are expensive on par with American private schools. There is a huge debate about public vs private anyways.


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

Germany is not horrible, but the language is difficult and I am not throwing my daughter into a German school. Like I said we are having problems with the German boys and bullying. The school cannot will not control it to an acceptable level. No school is perfect, but we are not talking about small misbehaviors here. I do not hear many good things about the schools in Germany, but it is a big country. My friend in Munich is not happy with them, and several of my friends that cannot afford it don't like the Dusseldorf schools.

We love the four seasons too, we are from Michigan and get back 2-3 times per year. All summer, Christmas and sometimes Spring break. My husband likes to ski.

Our new assignnment will pay for any school we choose, The school now is about 13,000 Euros which is cheap, our other American school was closer to 25,000.

They will pay for our move entirely. We will go back to an expat package.

The language won't be an issue if we move to Dubai. So that is really 4 good reasons to move.


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## Berliner (Jul 18, 2013)

volleygurl said:


> Germany is not horrible, but the language is difficult and I am not throwing my daughter into a German school. Like I said we are having problems with the German boys and bullying. The school cannot will not control it to an acceptable level. No school is perfect, but we are not talking about small misbehaviors here. I do not hear many good things about the schools in Germany, but it is a big country. My friend in Munich is not happy with them, and several of my friends that cannot afford it don't like the Dusseldorf schools.
> 
> We love the four seasons too, we are from Michigan and get back 2-3 times per year. All summer, Christmas and sometimes Spring break. My husband likes to ski.
> 
> ...


How old are your children? I was 14 when I moved to Berlin and I picked up German in less than 6 months. There is nothing wrong with learning a new language, and if you are under 20 then it is really very easy. I think it is about integrating into the culture and making friends. The beginning can be tough, esp. if you don't speak the language, but if you make an effort then you will come to see that Germans are great people. Yeah they can be "cold", but they are most definitely not fake. Some of my best friends (who are almost like family to me) are Germans. 

Anyways, if the pay in Dubai is twice of what you are making in Germany, then I'd say move. Otherwise I would rather stay in Germany. Job security, unemployment money (should you lose your job), a state sponsored pension fund, a stable system (laws don't change by the minute) are somethings that you will not find in Dubai. Not to mention the German govt. doesn't discriminate between Germans and foreigners living in Germany!


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## volleygurl (Jul 16, 2013)

She is 10 and got a C in German last year, her Dutch is better actually. We lived there for nine years.
The language issue is a bigger issue for me and my husband, German is a tough language.

The best part of the German experience has been the Americans we have met. Not many of them, but enough to have a nice social life, some of them have German spouses and they are harder to get to know and interact with. By the way, I am 50% German, my father is 100% German. But our family has been in the States for a couple generations. I thought the Dutch were rigid and cold, now the German people call them laid-back and relaxed. The German moms at our school are cold.All the expat moms say hello in the halls, not them. It's an US and THEM mentality. And the US make up many different cultures and backgrounds.

The pay including expat perks is over 50% increase. We plan to retire in 3-4 years, back to the US. If husband lost job in Germany (he has a six month window to keep working if he wants to) it would be back to the US. We own a house the free and clear, we don't have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. We are almost retired. We thought Germany would be our last hurrah, but fate is intervening at the perfect time.


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## Desert_Fever (Apr 13, 2013)

You need to move.. You would love the exposure. We need more Americans in Dubai


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

ASD is the only non-profit American school in Dubai so it's genuinely independent, along with 3-4 other British non-profit schools. The rest are owned by companies. 

From what I can gather back in the late 1980s at the urgings of the oil companies who realised a good American school was essential to bring American oil workers to Dubai, the school was able to get a charter from the previous Sheikh that granted the school full independence including exemption from having to follow the local educational ministry's regulations and oversight. This explains why ASD has never received top marks from the KHDA despite having stellar academics. KHDA only gives outstanding scores to schools that put a lot of weight on Arabic and Islamic studies and ASD has chosen not to focus on Islamic studies, choosing instead to incorporate Islamic history and culture within the regular history and social studies classes. 



Desert_Fever said:


> Everything I have seen, experienced thus far, doesn't tell me that schools like ASD in Dubai are just about money. Their alumni seem to do well. However, yea, they are expensive on par with American private schools. There is a huge debate about public vs private anyways.


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