# Moving to Dubai in January! Need words of wisdom!



## Cknilsson (Nov 13, 2013)

I'm moving to Dubai this coming January. I am here now visiting with my husband and 17 month old daughter so we can check out places to live and just see what to expect. He has been here many times for business but this is my first time here. I am completely overwhelmed. My husband job just let us know 3 weeks ago so I am still in shock. I work full time and will be taking a new roll as a stay at home mom when we do move. I am also 4 month pregnant. We new that moving here was an option but didn't know it would be so soon! I am so nervous about this whole situation, not working, being in a new place with out family or friends. I was looking to make some new friends I. The same situation before I moved here. It would be great if they had children the same age as my little one. She loves other kids. Worried that I won't be entertaining enough. If anyone could offer me any adivice I would greatly appreciate it. Tips of what place to loom for apartments I. Dubai marina? What to bring? Should I stock up on medicines you can't find here? I am a nurse so I am used to being able to make an easy phone call to get antibiotics and such. Need all the advice I can get, or better yet set up some play dates or coffee dates with other moms that can offer advice! 
Thanks!


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## Mehdialia (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello! Your story seems almost similar to mine. I am moving to dubai in January as well, coming from Morocco. I have two kids, a 5 year old boy who will be attending an a,Ervin school and a 13 month old girl. I have been an elementary school teacher for ten years, but now I will be sitting at home with my daughter. If you need to chat, am here. Take care and good luck


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## Cknilsson (Nov 13, 2013)

Mehdialia said:


> Hello! Your story seems almost similar to mine. I am moving to dubai in January as well, coming from Morocco. I have two kids, a 5 year old boy who will be attending an a,Ervin school and a 13 month old girl. I have been an elementary school teacher for ten years, but now I will be sitting at home with my daughter. If you need to chat, am here. Take care and good luck


Thanks for replying! Yes I will definitely do so. Maybe we can meet for coffee once we both get settled in. Do you know what area you will be living in?


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## Mehdialia (Jan 28, 2013)

Yes, I will be living in jumerah lake towers, as my husband job is close by. How about you? I was there in September looking for rent and schools. I am waiting back home for my son to finish first semester so he can start second semester in dubai. Cheers


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## Cknilsson (Nov 13, 2013)

Mehdialia said:


> Yes, I will be living in jumerah lake towers, as my husband job is close by. How about you? I was there in September looking for rent and schools. I am waiting back home for my son to finish first semester so he can start second semester in dubai. Cheers


Well not too sure, definitely somewhere in the Marina area. We will be close! Looking forward to meeting you you in the future. Our girls are close in age also!


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Cknilsson said:


> I'm moving to Dubai this coming January. I am here now visiting with my husband and 17 month old daughter so we can check out places to live and just see what to expect. He has been here many times for business but this is my first time here. I am completely overwhelmed. My husband job just let us know 3 weeks ago so I am still in shock. I work full time and will be taking a new roll as a stay at home mom when we do move. I am also 4 month pregnant. We new that moving here was an option but didn't know it would be so soon! I am so nervous about this whole situation, not working, being in a new place with out family or friends. I was looking to make some new friends I. The same situation before I moved here. It would be great if they had children the same age as my little one. She loves other kids. Worried that I won't be entertaining enough. If anyone could offer me any adivice I would greatly appreciate it. Tips of what place to loom for apartments I. Dubai marina? What to bring? Should I stock up on medicines you can't find here? I am a nurse so I am used to being able to make an easy phone call to get antibiotics and such. Need all the advice I can get, or better yet set up some play dates or coffee dates with other moms that can offer advice!
> Thanks!


Hi
The best advice that I can give you is not to come to Dubai until after you have had the baby that you are expecting.
Do some serious research on delivery costs here - as you wont normally qualify to have this covered on a new local medical insurance policy.
If you arrive here in January then you will be near the time when airlines wont let you fly - if you needed to leave the country.
Self pay medical costs are very expensive here and it is not unusual to face a bill of 100,000 AED for delivery - especially if not straightforward and need a c-section, for instance or SCBU for newborn.
Regarding medicines - you can buy most normal things over the counter.
Best of Luck
Cheers
Steve


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## ficklemiss (Apr 22, 2013)

Steve is right - you need to check that your husbands company will pay all medical expenses, preferably direct - having been in the situation where I was all prepped for a c-section and then told to find 8500 euro or it wouldn't go ahead, you really do need to get the medical details confirmed!

There are plenty of young families in Dubai and all the activities you could ask for, most areas have a Facebook page e.g. Marina Mums that organise playdates and have good advice. There are also plenty of nurseries if you feel your daughter misses her social life from home, she'll make new friends quickly and you might too!


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

There's not a huge amount you can't find here. You can even buy antibiotics over the counter here from some pharmacies.


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## nicegalmemi (Nov 17, 2013)

It's a good place, safe, clean, lots of shopping malls, but very hot.
The only thing I don't like here is that I can't make friends with people, friendship doesn't last, people move, change, nice when they need something.. Kind of disappointing..other than that it's a nice country.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

nicegalmemi said:


> The only thing I don't like here is that I can't make friends with people, friendship doesn't last, people move, change, nice when they need something.. Kind of disappointing..other than that it's a nice country.


OP, please don't asume it's all like this.....
It's not hard to make real friends.
They aren't all after something!

people do move on, though...


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Cknilsson said:


> I'm moving to Dubai this coming January. I am here now visiting with my husband and 17 month old daughter so we can check out places to live and just see what to expect. He has been here many times for business but this is my first time here. I am completely overwhelmed. My husband job just let us know 3 weeks ago so I am still in shock. I work full time and will be taking a new roll as a stay at home mom when we do move. I am also 4 month pregnant. We new that moving here was an option but didn't know it would be so soon! I am so nervous about this whole situation, not working, being in a new place with out family or friends. I was looking to make some new friends I. The same situation before I moved here. It would be great if they had children the same age as my little one. She loves other kids. Worried that I won't be entertaining enough. If anyone could offer me any adivice I would greatly appreciate it. Tips of what place to loom for apartments I. Dubai marina? What to bring? Should I stock up on medicines you can't find here? I am a nurse so I am used to being able to make an easy phone call to get antibiotics and such. Need all the advice I can get, or better yet set up some play dates or coffee dates with other moms that can offer advice!
> Thanks!


1. Don't move till your second baby is born. All the paperwork after the birth of a child in Dubai can be quite tedious and for someone that would have only recently moved to Dubai, it will be very overwhelming too.
2. Depending on where you live and how quickly you set up a socal circle, you should be able to entertain enough. I'm presuming by entertaining, you mean inviting people over for dinner, etc and not doing Broadway shows or stand up comedy.
3. Look for residential areas that have a higher concentration of Western expats only because as much as it is great to immerse yourself into a multicultural environment, Americans seem to have the biggest problem adjusting to life here. So better to be among familiar faces.
4. Being a stay at home mum with 2 kids in Dubai is not such a bad thing. There are plenty of groups online for stay at home mums; play dates, coffee mornings, etc. Depending on how good you are at socialising, you will soon find yourself surrounded by other mums in similar situations.
5. As a medical professional, shouldn't you be staying away from antibiotics and not worrying about stocking them up? That's the advice you guys give us commoners, isn't it?


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## Bec2014 (Feb 8, 2014)

Hi, I have been out here since August. Slightly different situation as I am a single mother working full time. Came out with my partner but find myself in this situation now. My daughter is 5.


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## Daveandamyusdubai (Feb 8, 2014)

We r 3 months in and can give you as much advice as possible. Contact us and we can fill you in


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## Bec2014 (Feb 8, 2014)

Thanks for the reply... Just looking for places to go and things to do to meet people as it's hard with my daughter. I work full time as a teacher and luckily she comes to school with me. Just hard knowing where to go etc


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## kcgirl (Sep 9, 2013)

We've recently moved here and live in JBR (between beach and dubai Marina). I have a 25 month old daughter - would be happy to meet for a okay date and fill you in on what I've learned!


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## laura1305 (Feb 9, 2014)

Hi, 

How are you finding it in Dubai?


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