Anyone been to Dubai?

[Fluffernutter]

My favorite story about Dubai was an article I read a few years ago.

The article was about how a journalist traveled to the region with an American politician. During a QandA, the journalist asked a probing question to the politician.

A local journalist thanked the visitor for asking a hard question and then stated that they are not allowed to.

That was the point of the article.

Then came the comments section.

One guy stated he worked there for a few years. He was British and talked about how mediocre his colleagues were. They sucked at their job back in the UK, so they could be "higher ranking" by going to Dubai.

Still mediocre, but with bigger paychecks, school provided for their kids, and a sense of self importance.

He said many were blind to how unremarkable they are, but since they were in Dubai, they thought they were better than they were.

 

[Joe_Armstrong]

I try to not visit any mulsim country

 

[Fox by the Sea]

i've been. there's nothing of worth over there.
you'd get a more meaningful life experience if you stumble drunk though a field somewhere, at night.

 

[BroScienceTalkatWork]

Yup.. my line of work, the money over there is just too good to turn down.

We all do things we’re not proud of.

 

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Pro: No tax. You keep 100% of what you earn.

Con: Everything is still quite expensive and theres almost pressure to live up to a high standard of life.

Pro: Crime is almost non exitent.

Con: Theres a reason crime is almost non existent. Stricter rules. More restrictions. Sharia law exists there.

Pro: Theres lots of employment

Con: Good luck finding an actually solid job, even with experience.

Pro: Its a futuristic city filled with a ton a fun things to do.

Con: If you are an outdoors person, good luck with their 50 degree celsius days. Also, everything is expensive.

Personally, id never live there. Im not a city person and i enjoy my mountains and 4 seasons life way too much.

 

[Kratos94]

I went before it was an 'influencers paradise' back in 2019. I liked it, but didn't love it. We stayed in a nice area in a 4* hotel, and the holiday was very enjoyable. We engaged in typical tourist activities and saw luxury cars on literally every street we walked.

I prefer other UAE and Middle Eastern cities.

 

[Municipal Waste]

One more comment about this modern scourge of the Internet era called "Influencer ". That aint a fucking job it's a pile of horseshit.
I have precisely zero respect for anyone who calls themselves a damn Influencer .
You can call it a consequence of modern life and I'd reluctantly have to agree but it doesn't alter my distaste for that "occupation ".

Another good thing to get rid of if we could.

Same.... especially when looking at the history of the words. I neither want to be influenced by someone in such a way social media does, nor do I want the content creators to "flow into (me)" (influere lat.). I also like the wordplay "influencer/influenza" and going viral. However, as sherdog is the only "social medium" I consume, the negative effects on me might be worse than if I was using IG and youtube instead

 

[IanEdwards]

.

One guy stated he worked there for a few years. He was British and talked about how mediocre his colleagues were. They sucked at their job back in the UK, so they could be "higher ranking" by going to Dubai.

Still mediocre, but with bigger paychecks, school provided for their kids, and a sense of self importance.

He said many were blind to how unremarkable they are, but since they were in Dubai, they thought they were better than they were.

thats has been the perception of UK 'expats' in the UK for a long, long time. back then the 'place where they could make it when they were nothing in the UK' was like Hong Kong or wherever but the principle is the same

 

[Home_Slice]

Yup.. my line of work, the money over there is just too good to turn down.

We all do things we’re not proud of.

Expand on the details?

What's your area, how is your life over there, etc?

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

No

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Back in 2011. Pre instagram era

Sister was living there. Was cool. Not planning in coming back.

 

[ChickenBrother]

thats has been the perception of UK 'expats' in the UK for a long, long time. back then the 'place where they could make it when they were nothing in the UK' was like Hong Kong or wherever but the principle is the same

I believe the term was "FILTH" (Failed In London, Try Hong kong). This was for experienced professionals in fields like engineering, nursing, teaching, etc. It's been years since I worked overseas but UK expats were common because the UK gov't didn't tax overseas income. U.S. expats were more expensive because the U.S. gov't taxes overseas income above a (relatively low) foreign earned income exemption.

In the Middle East you could make roughly double your normal salary and had to be semi-competent at your job but generally you're getting marginal performers and/or folks who hated their families. Doing a year or two as an expat is a good way to save money but isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea.

 

[IanEdwards]

I believe the term was "FILTH" (Failed In London, Try Hong kong). This was for experienced professionals in fields like engineering, nursing, teaching, etc. It's been years since I worked overseas but UK expats were common because the UK gov't didn't tax overseas income. U.S. expats were more expensive because the U.S. gov't taxes overseas income above a (relatively low) foreign earned income exemption.

In the Middle East you could make roughly double your normal salary and had to be semi-competent at your job and generally we're talking marginal performers and/or folks who hated their families. Doing a year or two as an expat is a good way to save money but isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea.

yeah thats the one!

I'm slightly surprised it would apply to Dubai nowadays, I assumed (naively perhaps) that the money on offer in Dubai would mean they are getting top-line professionals for the top-line money they pay

 

[ChickenBrother]

yeah thats the one!

I'm slightly surprised it would apply to Dubai nowadays, I assumed (naively perhaps) that the money on offer in Dubai would mean they are getting top-line professionals for the top-line money they pay

I'm out of the loop now but yeah, I suspect Dubai would be a "nicer" expat location relative to the higher paid places like Saudi Arabia, etc. Unless it's changed with all the influencers, Dubai is definitely on the moderate end as far as the Middle East goes. It’s been a port city for trading for hundreds of years so has always pitched itself as welcoming to foreigners.

 

[ShadowRun]

I've had trips there off and on since 2015 . The indoor sky slopes and penguins is cool at the mall, but it's still a Muslim country, even though if you go to a hotel bar you get bothered by working girls.

There was a story of some British chick drinking wine on a plane to Dubai. She argued with customs about something there, they said she is drunk in public which is a law and arrested here, there was some big legal court fight about it all. BS like that , you got to be careful.

 

[Home_Slice]

Bumping this for any other stories/information/hearsay.

 

[wlu.29]

I wouldn't visit even if they paid me

 

[IDGETKTFO]

How do you refer them as slaves and then saying they are paid insane amounts of money? That is like an oxymoron.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

I been hearing about this Dubai chocolate, i think i will pass.

 

[Home_Slice]

How do you refer them as slaves and then saying they are paid insane amounts of money? That is like an oxymoron.

"Insane" meaning a couple dollards per day.