# On my way to Al Ain



## Carny6457

I have been reading the forums for awhile now. Taking a job at the airport. No start date yet. Soon... In shallah. Can anyone recommend neighborhoods to live. We are from the US, and will have my 17 year old daughter with me for a year, so it would be nice to have her near kids nearby in relative age bracket. I am unable to commute to AD or Dubai due to my work schedule.  

Minimum two bedroom in the 70-80k range, if it helps in the neighborhood suggestions. 

Sincerely, 
David


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## busybee2

Carny6457 said:


> I have been reading the forums for awhile now. Taking a job at the airport. No start date yet. Soon... In shallah. Can anyone recommend neighborhoods to live. We are from the US, and will have my 17 year old daughter with me for a year, so it would be nice to have her near kids nearby in relative age bracket. I am unable to commute to AD or Dubai due to my work schedule.
> 
> Minimum two bedroom in the 70-80k range, if it helps in the neighborhood suggestions.
> 
> Sincerely,
> David


somewhere close to your daughters school perhaps?


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## Carny6457

busybee2 said:


> somewhere close to your daughters school perhaps?


She will not be attending school there. She is just going to do some online coursework prior to enter college in 2015. Going to open her eyes to the world.


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## busybee2

Carny6457 said:


> She will not be attending school there. She is just going to do some online coursework prior to enter college in 2015. Going to open her eyes to the world.


what online coursework, will you be able to sponsor as adec get very funny if kids not in sch, they allow k9 coursework as the only home schooling.


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## Carny6457

busybee2 said:


> what online coursework, will you be able to sponsor as adec get very funny if kids not in sch, they allow k9 coursework as the only home schooling.


She is finishing American HS in May, and she is joining me. She is going to take online courses at Pensylvania State University through their Worldwide online campus to stay on track to gain her Masters degree in 4 years. She is joining me to gain knowledge of the world through travel, and experiencing different cultures. She is 17, and unmarried. Even if she was not going to be on my visa, she would come, and we would do border runs every month.

I would like for her to have families, and children near her to possibly go to the mall, or other "teen" activities. I would like to know what neighborhoods an American family would be comfortable living in Al Ain based on the knowledge my job is going to be at the Airport.

David


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## VWCefiro

Carny6457 said:


> She is finishing American HS in May, and she is joining me. She is going to take online courses at Pensylvania State University through their Worldwide online campus to stay on track to gain her Masters degree in 4 years. She is joining me to gain knowledge of the world through travel, and experiencing different cultures. She is 17, and unmarried. Even if she was not going to be on my visa, she would come, and we would do border runs every month.
> 
> I would like for her to have families, and children near her to possibly go to the mall, or other "teen" activities. I would like to know what neighborhoods an American family would be comfortable living in Al Ain based on the knowledge my job is going to be at the Airport.
> 
> David


Hello for the lounging I don't have much of solid advice as I live in Abu Dhabi and not familier in Al Ain, but you can check Dubbizzle as you probably seen as your best solution. 

but for sponsor terms for your daugher. She can be sponsored by you even if she goes over 18 19, cause she is a girl related to you it's only a must for Males. If you do end up sponsoring her in favor of not doing border runs every month she has to have Health insurance, I don't know if it applies in Al Ain mostly run by Abu Dhabi side on things or else you will be fined every month.

Socially she might be a bit isolated as not many Expats or families in general live there. I myself and my siblings find it difficult finding friends or associates in Abu Dhabi alone, unless you have a school or job network or luckily a good group then she'll be fine. Even in Al Ain's vast suburb landscape has a bit or so things to do just like Abu dhabi & Dubai with the malls and stuff.


Education is no problem to study, it's better here as you have plenty of time to get that masters done lol Home School wise, both my brother and sister are home schooled accredited in the state specifically in Pennsylvania. For me I'm currently in my third semester studying at a local college here, but due to some issues I'm leaving back to the states to finish my Associates or do online course accredited though my community college instead.

Hope this helps and if you have any questions let me know.


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## Carny6457

We will do the best we can. Probably try to find gym/club membership, and see if there are any coffee/tea groups that meet where I can network with parents etc. I will also find a cab driver, or two, that she can call for a ride to the mall etc.

Was hoping for suggestions on neighborhoods, but I can wait until I get there. 

David


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## VWCefiro

Carny6457 said:


> We will do the best we can. Probably try to find gym/club membership, and see if there are any coffee/tea groups that meet where I can network with parents etc. I will also find a cab driver, or two, that she can call for a ride to the mall etc.
> 
> Was hoping for suggestions on neighborhoods, but I can wait until I get there.
> 
> David


Gym and club membership is good to spend time I do it myself at the place I live 

You can try meetup.com and other groups online, maybe a book club or some sort taken place at a libary or university might be a good idea. 

cabs are pretty much everywhere or there mostly on the main streets, you can hire a separate driver as well. If you'll are able to get a car and she has her license you can get it transferred easily once she is sponsored, but I think the driving age limit is 18 so that might wait 

as far as Neighborhoods you can try somewhere near the Al Ain mall radius it's a best bet as she might spend time in the inner city and it's safe 


here's a few websites devoted to the Al Ain Emirate that might help you

Residential Areas | Al Ain Expat

Choosing where to live | Al Ain Enthusiast


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## nonoa

Carny6457 said:


> I have been reading the forums for awhile now. Taking a job at the airport. No start date yet. Soon... In shallah. Can anyone recommend neighborhoods to live. We are from the US, and will have my 17 year old daughter with me for a year, so it would be nice to have her near kids nearby in relative age bracket. I am unable to commute to AD or Dubai due to my work schedule.
> 
> Minimum two bedroom in the 70-80k range, if it helps in the neighborhood suggestions.
> 
> Sincerely,
> David



In Al Ain, people are relatively spread out as it's quite small and there's not really one housing area that has amenities like you'd find in bigger cities.

But growing up there, most of my friends (Amazingly, I have no arab or local friends, all westerners) lived in the *Markhania* area near to Tawam Hospital since most of their parents worked there. It's close enough to Jimi Mall, close enough to the airport... there's a good supermarket (Called ABELA) for expats to go to with a local cafe next to it. Like I said, things are a little spread out. Sometimes you just have to go to a hotel to get a good swim, or there's a sports club opposite the Tawam hospital complex. Some newer malls are a little further out, in the town centre, but again, it's not like driving through Dubai. Al Ain has gotten more crowded over the years but still it's calmer with the occasional traffic jam at busy junctions.

Other areas are near the schools like someone said, and you are SOOOO lucky your daughter is going to college. School zone in Al Ain is way too crowded, I don't know why they didn't spread them out. But the *Majlood* area is popular with expats too. It is located across the International School of Choueifat.

Just to get you started....


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## Carny6457

Very good information. Thank you. You are correct that Al Ain is not very spread out. Never thought about that when considering a place to live. 

I am familiar with the school zone traffic bottleneck. I did a couple trips to the airport and back to Zayed Mosque town/Zoo District where I was staying with a friend. Not very well thought out. 

David


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## mgb

I'd be looking along the E22 at Al Muwaji - there are some great apartments next to the block that Choitrams is in. (Can't remember the name though!) 

Find your way round al ain with the help of google earth -http://thedesertdiva.com/2012/08/02/life-in-al-ain-part-1-shopping/ - you'll see where all the hotels and malls are from my earlier blog post.

Good luck!


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## moman

Al Ain is awesome for young families. My wife, 2 1/2 year old daughter and son to be born son, (his due date is this week) love it here. We've been here since 2012 and we love it. We have some friends with teenage kids as well and sometimes they love it here and some times they feel a little isolated. It's a lot about personality types. Good luck!


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## Carny6457

moman said:


> Al Ain is awesome for young families. My wife, 2 1/2 year old daughter and son to be born son, (his due date is this week) love it here. We've been here since 2012 and we love it. We have some friends with teenage kids as well and sometimes they love it here and some times they feel a little isolated. It's a lot about personality types. Good luck!


In country now. I will be there Friday looking at places to live. My family will follow in a couple months. Thank you all for the suggestions.


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