# From UAE to Cyprus



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

Is there anybody on this forum who moved from the UAE to Cyprus with kids or is thinking about it?


----------



## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

I live in the UAE and have lived in Cyprus as a kid but have no kids - does that help ?


----------



## Cleo Shahateet (Feb 23, 2009)

I haven't but many of my customers these days are UK citizens living in UAE (and a couple other Arab countries) that are either moving to Cyprus or buying a holiday home here. I think there was actually a post on this forum recently asking about the differences and from what I remember most people said you can not compare the two places.

If you have any specific questions I'm sure people will be happy to help.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

zin said:


> I live in the UAE and have lived in Cyprus as a kid but have no kids - does that help ?


Hi Zin and Cleo

Thanks for getting in touch. I am particularly interested in families who moved from the UAE to Cyprus with kids to hear how they found it. Personally, I can fit into any society and living style but it's different being a parent with responsibilities.

So, it would be interesting to have a comparison between the two countries from a kids perspective. My kids consider the UK home as that is where we spend our summer holidays but they have done their whole schooling in the UAE (Dubai/RAK) so far. Here are some questions on my mind:

- How do schools compare to the UAE
- Which city/town in Cyprus will offer them a safe environment
- Is it easy enough for kids to use public transport
- Can kids easily use their bikes on public roads
- Is it safe and reasonable to use taxis for teenagers on their own
- Which school in Cyprus has a good reputation particularly for I/GCSE and GCE
- What would I have to watch out for in Cyprus (drugs, alcohol, violence, etc.)
- Are there any compounds in Cyprus such as The Lakes, Arabian Ranches, etc. (I am not keen on my own pool (safety) but would love to share a communal one)
- Do schools offer bus transport and how much to they charge for the service
- It appears to me that Paphos might be a good choice for us, any views

Currently, I am also searching through the forum (haven't found the one you are referring to Cleo but hopefull will) for the following answers which are not related to kids:

- Long term car rental in the UAE is reasonable (KIA Sportage - AED 3,500, Nissan Tiida - AED 2,000/monthly), how does that compare to Cyprus
- How much more expensive are cars to buy in Cyprus compared to the UAE
- How much is a liter of petrol in Cyprus
- How much more expensive are taxis
- Is it possible to get a visa for a domestic helper who is currently working for us. She is like family and we can't imagine leaving her behind as we have become too attached
- Many wives spend weeks on their own in the UAE as husband's travel, is it easy enough to be accepted into society in Cyprus if the husband is often absent
- Considering I have a British passport but my husband would not be earning money in Cyprus, can we get permission to live there long term as well as 'sponsor' (UAE term) our domestic helper
- What are the driving distances between Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca and is public transport available between all the towns/cities
- We love the multi society environment in the UAE, can we get a similar experience in Cyprus
- Winters in the UAE are mild and even though I can see what the average temperatures are in Cyprus, it feels different in each country. Does it feel considerably colder in Cyprus and for how long

As you can see, just like anyone else contemplating a move to another country, my head is buzzing with questions which I am trying to answer myself through the existing posts but if anyone can/wishes to contribute with their answers to my long list of questions, that would be tremendously useful.

I would love to hear any other pointers which might be useful to know about life in Cyprus with kids of all kinds of ages ranging from starting school to I/GCSE level regardless if someone has kids or not. All opinions count at the moment!:ranger:

Many thanks in advance already for anyone taking time to share their experiences/views.:clap2:


----------



## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

Palm Tree said:


> Hi Zin and Cleo
> 
> Thanks for getting in touch. I am particularly interested in families who moved from the UAE to Cyprus with kids to hear how they found it. Personally, I can fit into any society and living style but it's different being a parent with responsibilities.
> 
> ...


I remember the UAE/Cyprus comparison thread - the consensus was that Cyprus could not offer the same experience for families as Cyprus. Many of your questions are addressed on the Schooling Sticky thread, but here are my gut reactions to a few of them.

Children and bikes on roads - NO it is not safe
Public transport is improving but at present unreliable and erratic
Depending on location integration can be problematic 
I'm unsure, but I think visas for dometic helpers are complex related to nationality and residence status of emplyter and employee
Driving distances are reasonable as the roads are all in the process of being upgraded. It takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half to get from Limassol to the other major cities.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

kimonas said:


> I remember the UAE/Cyprus comparison thread - the consensus was that Cyprus could not offer the same experience for families as Cyprus. Many of your questions are addressed on the Schooling Sticky thread, but here are my gut reactions to a few of them.
> 
> Children and bikes on roads - NO it is not safe
> Public transport is improving but at present unreliable and erratic
> ...


Hi Kimonas
Thanks, appreciate your input. I am kind of looking for my own reassurances in regards to my own gut instincts or to see if things are still the same as posted before since many countries tend to develop. Either up or down.
So, any opinions are greatly appreciated.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

I would like to add the following just to make our position a bit clearer:

- We will stay in the UAE for at least one more year, most likely 2
- Then it will be a matter of returning to the UK or Cyprus
- I have chosen Cyprus for many reasons over other countries (similar to where we are now, expat and local community able to live side by side, we are a family made up of various nationalities/cultures, weather, reasonable crime rate, ideal job commute location for my husband and possibly myself, I have always loved the Arab and Greek culture as a child and having enjoyed learning more about the first, it's great to think I can immerse in the 2nd too)
- Therefore, my questions are not really to make up my mind about moving to Cyprus but just to be prepared and shape the kids for the move
- This is why people who made the move from the UAE with kids can relate to our situation since they know how schools and lifestyle compare
- We are currently living in RAK and no longer Dubai, so the lifestyle is probably a lot closer to the one in Cyprus and would mean a smoother transition for the kids
- My son is a football addict and is convinced he will become a football coach some day, so if there are any clubs he can help out in, he would love it
- The school websites are poorly maintained, so it's difficult to get a true feel for them without having visited yet, hence any opinions are of great value right now
- The idea of the move came on suddenly due to the massive increase in flight ticket prices making it costly to fly back 'home' (UK), having retired parents who find flying long distance a strain and 'scary', realising how quickly my kids are all growing up and coming to an important school age where packing up and moving on at a whim could be damaging for their educational path
- I would love to stay where we are, we are all very happy but sadly, circumstances are driving us to look for potential alternatives, sooner rather than later because of my kids growing up.
- Having enjoyed the carefree and sunny/warm environment in Dubai, I am not ready to think about moving to the UK full time. Cyprus could be a slow stepping stone in case things wouldn't work out long term.

I am looking forward for many more views on living in Cyprus with children as that brings it's own challenges.


----------



## Toxan (Dec 29, 2010)

Regarding distances between cities, towns and villages in Cyprus, Limassol and Nicosia offer the best options, as they are centrally located, with aprox one hour and less to most places, especially Limassol. Nicosia tends to empty in August for the summer break, have really hot summers, and be expensive. Limassol has a year round social enviroment, can be humid at times, but has a great coastline for kilometres and a nice mix of cultures.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

You are right with all your pointers and if I could, I would stay but it will not be possible for more than 2 years. My husband is not living with us and really wants us to come back to the UK but I am not keen and think that Cyprus will be a manageable compromise to see each other more often. Flight prices to the UK have doubled between the UK and UAE (AED 4,700 per person). Also, as the kids are more likely to go to Uni in the UK, maybe Cyprus will be a gentle preparation for all the riff raff as they are currently living a sheltered life. In their current school, the majority are UAE local kids and not expats, so they are already exposed to a bit more 'normal' life than they were in Dubai. If they transition from the UAE to UK Uni, they might feel a bit lost to start with. They need to become a bit more street smart and I will have to brush up on parenting skills. I am having a laugh right now, not having to deal with the usually common youngster issues. That's all great and easy but maybe not so beneficial for the kids in the long run. Me and you have probably gone through all the ups and downs of living in societies faced with various social issues and are able to face up to challenges, not sure my kids will handle things too well when they become adults who have lived a sheltered life away from social unrest.

I would have never thought about it had our circumstances not changed, so just trying to see things from a positive angle.

Language is not a problem for me, I have learnt 10 of them in my lifetime.

Shorter school days used to freak me out. One of the schools they attended in Dubai finished at 13.00, another at 16:30. I will be glad for them to have more time for their homework rather than feeling exhausted after a full day at school.

Not much to do here in RAK but they are loving riding their bikes and playing with kids within the compound, no need for me to dodge Dubai traffic to get to their friends' homes. I am a lot more relaxed now and if we want an adrenaline push, we just take on the drive to Dubai. I have grown up in boring places, so hopefully, that won't be a problem either.

I am used to living on a budget, so happy enough to shop around for bargains, rather than imported goods.

Will check out the other forums, thanks for the pointers. There is so much to find on the internet, so just trying to put it all into some little boxes.

Keep comments flowing, it's great to hear varied opinions.



Thanks for all your warnings.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Hi,

In my personal opinion the best area is Paphos as it is less hectic than Limassol. 
I live in LImassol before but would not go back there as ithas grown into such a large busy place I can't wait to get out of it when we go on business.
You wont find many gated compounds as in the UAE but there are plenty of complexes where it is safe for children to paly andr ide their bicycles. It certainly is not safe for them to ride them on the roads though as the Cypriot standard of driving is atrocious.
Paphos has plenty to offer and there is a new leisure centre in the process of being built with cinemas, bowling alleys, safe kids play areas etc which will be open within the next year at the lastest judging by how quickly it is going up.(It is just down the road from us)
For schools there is a choice of at least 3 private schools in Paphos. The International school of Paphos, St. George institute in Peyia and the new Amercian academy.
The comment that someone made on public transport is a bit out of date I would say, as the new bus company which runs around Paphos and between all the towns seems to be very efficient.


----------



## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Palm Tree said:


> - How do schools compare to the UAE


Private or public? What you want to know exactly? Level of education is GCSE, A-levels etc.. the Cyprus public school system works differently and is more hit and miss. As someone has said, this is covered in the schooling thread where you will find strong opinions. 



> - Which city/town in Cyprus will offer them a safe environment


Dubai is the safest place I've lived, a lot safer than Cyprus, that said Cyprus is a lot safer than the UK. I grew up with the front door open at all times to get some breeze in the house, you can't do that anymore as petty crime is quite common now but the serious stuff (i.e. hearing gunshots outside your window as I did regularly in London) is pretty non-existent.



> - Is it easy enough for kids to use public transport


There's school buses. The buses in Limassol have all been upgraded recently (so I suspect everywhere else too) and the routes have improved. Even as a kid I would use public transport with no issue. A lot of it though is parents dropping kids off as the distances are so small. 



> - Can kids easily use their bikes on public roads


I used to and again had no issues, in fact Limassol has a cycle route down the entire sea front now which is great (when cars aren't parked on it). 



> - Is it safe and reasonable to use taxis for teenagers on their own


Yes, but a bit dear now about 1 euro per km if not more - and the taxi drivers will try to con you as much as possible. I get it all the time and I'm Cypriot. Again usually parents of one of the kids will pick up / drop off more often than not. 



> - Which school in Cyprus has a good reputation particularly for I/GCSE and GCE


The main ones in Limassol that I know of are Foley's, Grammar School and Heritage. Probably another thread covering these better and around the island.



> - What would I have to watch out for in Cyprus (drugs, alcohol, violence, etc.)


In my opinion it's much like in the UK, if your kids go to public school then they will be exposed to any of the above a lot more. Private schools not so much. 



> - Are there any compounds in Cyprus such as The Lakes, Arabian Ranches, etc. (I am not keen on my own pool (safety) but would love to share a communal one)


There are but not many and usually top end in terms of price. 



> - Do schools offer bus transport and how much to they charge for the service


I've seen school buses, don't know details though.



> - It appears to me that Paphos might be a good choice for us, any views


Not so great for the younger generation in my view and it's the smallest town of the lot. Big expat/British community though. I've been to Paphos many times as a teenager and could not wait to get back home almost every single time. Maybe things have changed but I suspect teenagers still hang out on bar street more often than not. 



> - Long term car rental in the UAE is reasonable (KIA Sportage - AED 3,500, Nissan Tiida - AED 2,000/monthly), how does that compare to Cyprus


You can get a good deal at around 300 to 500 euros a month, depends on the time of year so it's roughly the same as Dubai.



> - How much more expensive are cars to buy in Cyprus compared to the UAE


You can find deals but the UAE is tax free, Cyprus is not. Also UAE cars tend to be higher specced as well. 



> - How much is a liter of petrol in Cyprus


Think it was 1.25 last time I was there? Dubai is about a quarter of the price I believe.



> - How much more expensive are taxis


Airport to Marina in Dubai is 40 minutes for about 70-80 dirhams ? (15-20 euros?) 
Airport to Limassol is about 40 minutes for about 70 euros.. so yeah, not so cheap.



> - Is it possible to get a visa for a domestic helper who is currently working for us. She is like family and we can't imagine leaving her behind as we have become too attached


Yes, although not sure of the process or who you need to talk to, there are companies that would sort it out for you though.



> - Many wives spend weeks on their own in the UAE as husband's travel, is it easy enough to be accepted into society in Cyprus if the husband is often absent


It would be a normal part of Cypriot culture if anything 



> - Considering I have a British passport but my husband would not be earning money in Cyprus, can we get permission to live there long term as well as 'sponsor' (UAE term) our domestic helper


Not sure on this one but you can become a resident in Cyprus fairly painlessly which would help, think this is covered quite a bit on this forum.



> - What are the driving distances between Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca and is public transport available between all the towns/cities


Someone posted a bus schedule recently between towns (think it was Veronica). Public transport between towns is a lot better than 10 years ago that's for sure. Limassol is in the middle of Paphos and Larnaca and it's about a 40 minute drive from the borders of each (max 60-70km if I recall) 



> - We love the multi society environment in the UAE, can we get a similar experience in Cyprus


You would get that more if your kids were in private school via the different nationalities attending school than by neighbours etc... the UAE is much more multi-society. 



> - Winters in the UAE are mild and even though I can see what the average temperatures are in Cyprus, it feels different in each country. Does it feel considerably colder in Cyprus and for how long


You will need to climatise for sure, when I went back a few weeks ago I was freezing and it was in the late teens in temperature, when I lived in the UK and went to Cyprus this was hot for me.


----------



## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Palm Tree said:


> - My son is a football addict and is convinced he will become a football coach some day, so if there are any clubs he can help out in, he would love it


Loads of mini-football pitches around Limassol, football is the national sport so he'll be fine. The schools always compete with each other as well.



> - The idea of the move came on suddenly due to the massive increase in flight ticket prices making it costly to fly back 'home' (UK), having retired parents who find flying long distance a strain and 'scary', realising how quickly my kids are all growing up and coming to an important school age where packing up and moving on at a whim could be damaging for their educational path


Flights from Cyprus are expensive, a lot of it has to do with the ridiculous airport taxes. It costs 600 euros return with Emirates from Cyprus to Dubai yet 400 euros for the same trip with Emirates from Dubai to Cyprus. The UK ones are a bit cheaper with Aegean and Easyjet flying there now though.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

Wow, Zin, thanks for all your input. That was more than I had bargained for. 

Schools
I wanted to know if private schools are at par with Dubai schools. Which school in Paphos or Limassol would be comparable to Dubai College?

Flights
I am more concerned about ticket prices between UK/Dubai, so UK/Cyprus will be more affordable for us as that is where my husband is based.

Safety
Shame it's going downhill around the world. Even Dubai is no longer what it used to be, like bikes being stolen. Petty stuff but still annoying.

Buses
I might have to travel at times with my job, so would need the kids to be mobile on their own.


----------



## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

I have some friends who are teachers in the UAE and grew up in Cyprus, will ask for you how both compare. 

A lot of families end up having a friend of a friend taxi driver who always picks up /drops off kids for a lower rate so once you move over you can ask around who has a cousin who has an uncle who can do this for them


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

zin said:


> I have some friends who are teachers in the UAE and grew up in Cyprus, will ask for you how both compare.
> 
> A lot of families end up having a friend of a friend taxi driver who always picks up /drops off kids for a lower rate so once you move over you can ask around who has a cousin who has an uncle who can do this for them


:thumb:


----------



## desert girl (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi there.We live in Abu Dhabi and after visitng Cyprus many times we have decided to move there.We have older kids who are doing there GCSE here so we are moving aug ready for sep to start A levels.To be honest we are moving for the kids.I find AD so restrictive for teens and always a constant worry when there at friends.Teens do silly things sometimes(i know i did) but as you know the possible punishments are scary.We have reg with International school it was 600 eu each to save place.Its less expensive than school here.We also visited the American Academy(both follow british curriculum)but decided on Inter school as we were very happy with past results for both GCSE and A levels.American is a new school so this will be first yr doing GCSE.We met people from all over and we found everybody friendy and helpful.not sure about car rental bt there's alot of used cars for sale..Have only flown into Larnica and its about 1 hr 30 min to Pathos.Lovely stress free drive.(can honestly say no one tried to kill us on the roads).I will be on my own quite bit although have 2 big lads.I am not worried about being accepted at all.Im sure there is crime everywhere but after speaking to lots of people,there wasn't anyting that stood out as big problem.I will be askng lots questions as well but I read posts here and its great.Happy to keep you updated and sure lots people will be able to give more of an informed opinion afterall Im not there yet.best wishes.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Hi desert girl.
I am pleased that you have managed to arrange schooling for your children
There are many ladies who have moved here to escape the restrictive life in the middle east whose husbands still work over there and I am sure that you will soon get to know some of them. Many of these ladies don't have children so are totally alone here when their husbands are away working.
You will be absolutely fine I am sure.

By the way you are going to be living in Paphos(Pafos) not Pathos.
Its amazing how many Brits call it pathos


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

Thank you so much, desert girl, for sharing your views with me. That's most helpful. I hope we can stay in touch. I tried to send you a PM (personal message), so I could share my contact details with you but it's not possible.

You made me laugh with your comment about nobody having tried to kill you on the road. I was on Al Sufouh Road in Dubai (near Dubai College) today, when a boat just plunged off a trailer in front of me. Managed to escape unharmed but not sure what happened to all the cars behind me. Wonder if there will be something about the incident in Gulf News. I am usually quite ok on the roads here but we do have to be grateful when being back home in one piece, that's for sure. Good to know that you don't perceive the driving in Cyprus to be as bad as here. To be fair, it's actually even worse in other countries.

Which area of Paphos do you intend to live in? Have you already chosen a place?

I hope we can keep in touch. Best wishes with the move.


----------



## desert girl (Oct 16, 2010)

Palm Tree said:


> Is there anybody on this forum who moved from the UAE to Cyprus with kids or is thinking about it?


Hi .We have registered with International School.ISOP..My teens are so looking forward to more freedom,good weather,fishing,learning to drive.It feels right..must say Im a bit crap wth computers.Thaks for sending a message direct but no idea how to reply direct.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

@ Palm tree

Desert girl needs another post before she can send or receive pms

@ desert girl. 
Once you have enough posts your status will change to active member. You can then send private messages to other active members.
Just click on the members name, a drop down box will appear. Click on send private mesage.

Veronica


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

Hi desert girl, I have sent you a personal message with my contact details, hope you will be able to access it. I think it should just come as a pop up.


----------



## Palm Tree (Apr 5, 2011)

Veronica said:


> @ Palm tree
> 
> Desert girl needs another post before she can send or receive pms
> 
> ...


Thanks, Veronica. I managed to send her PM now.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Palm Tree said:


> Thanks, Veronica. I managed to send her PM now.


Hmmm, the system must have a glitch then She is still showing as a newbie so she shouldnt be able to get pms yet


----------



## desert girl (Oct 16, 2010)

No worries .Sure it will all make sense soon.


----------

