To not get why people hate Dubai so much?

[Cutitup]

What is there to hate?

I think it's a great place to have a holiday. Great restaurants, great service, fab shopping and spa treatments.

I do understand the problems of domestic and construction staff being exploited but this is not a problem unique to Dubai. I just don't get the vitriol, the 'it has no culture' etc.. I say get out of the bitter farm and play with the hay!

Yes BlingBang I realise that you were sneering at me - my post said why the sneering 'about' DH's family member not 'at' them. Although calling them 'ethical expats' and making penis jokes strikes me as sneering at them now I come to think of it.

I think I might ask them if they consider themselves 'ethical expats' next time we chat. I suspect they will reply something like 'um, no just normal ones'. Actually only one of them is an expat - the other is a national.

'Some places are built, and run, on slavery' just like Europe eh caramelwaffle?

Nope, still just sneering at you Beach, your husbands family members aren't on here pontificating and banging on. Don't your hands get sore from all that hand wringing?

Indeed - I am sitting in a large flat which was built on money invested in tobacco and slavery by rich Scots in Victorian times. Our banks were built on slavery, and so were our industrial cities.

But I still wouldn't go to Dubai. The conspicuous consumption, the acceptance that poor workers will be exploited, the lack of unionised labour and rights for workers would kinda take the edge off my enjoyment.

I gave travelled through Egypt, Israel, Syria and Turkey and none if these countries has a fabulous human rights record but they did give you a chance to see and experience different cultures, not just a global bling culture.

I suppose if I had limitless funds I might go to Dubai out of curiosity but I wouldn't expect to enjoy it all that much.

Dubai really is a place for people who cant make a good life for themselves in the UK, that`s why they all sound sooo smug...... until they have to return home LOL

FellatioNelson - thanks. So the minimum is that the employer pay for a ticket home after two years at the end of a contract and that ticket will be a return if a new contract is being signed.

So in a way the system is a form of immigration control that the state offloads onto employers. Hence the holding of passports. It is a very cunning system.

Poppy - I take it you are exempt from all that criticism your dishing out to your fellow expats , considering you were an expat there yourself.

Ok, got it, expats are the spawn of the devil and personally responsible for all laws and/or the absence of all laws.

Noone must stay in any country outside Europe and the Anglosphere, because 'other' places have similar or worse conditions for some workers as the UAE. We must all stay nicely at home. In the nice places. Otherwise the tut tut tuts and bold text will be fired at us. Or no! no! not the [hmmm].

!

If you can accept what goes on there then thats up to you, I couldnt which is why I returned to civilization.

Lasted 6 years though so you couldn't have found it that shocking or awful. What kind of shallow corrupt expat you must have been after 6 years.

I don't think all expats are smug and in my experience people work in Dubai because they work in an industry where more work is available there than at home, or because they are posted there. I think it is perceived as better than some countries (e.g. countries where it wouldn't be safe to bring your family ever), but certainly not a top posting.

I completely understand the reasoning behind having domestic employees to spread wealth, and do not doubt that many employers of domestic staff are very concerned with their employees wellbeing. I don't have enough knowledge of Dubai to know whether it is more or less common for domestic staff to be treated well.

However, the thing that I find a little confusing is that if employing domestic staff is so angst ridden, why not just have no domestic staff?

You only ever hear about the dramas and angst though. There are many, many people happy with the person they employ. We had an amazing maid, one of the loveliest people I've met.

We were backwards and forwards between the UK and UAE.

We have live in staff here as do most of my friends none of us ever have any problems because we treat them fairly. They have 2 days off a week paid in line with UK wages, we dont keep their passports, they eat the same food we eat, we dont make them come to the supermarket with us just so they can push the trolly, they have a proper bedroom with en suit not a cupboard or kitchen floor with a mattress.

Ah the trolley and buggy pushing maids while madam walks without a care, this often crops up on forums or such. Our maid rarely came anywhere with us, I preferred to do shopping, deal with the kids on my own when out and about. The few times she did come (usually just to get her out of the house or she get her favourite coffee) she used to push me out of the way to push the trolley or the buggy. She wanted to or she would have felt like a nob. Instead I felt like a nob tagging along knowing some folk were thinking 'hark at her, thinks she to good to push her own trolley/buggy or pushy thing.

I think when you live in a place like Dubai, you get used to a lot of luxury and it's hard to leave.

Never mind having a high, tax free salary, a huge house and your house cleaned every day. Of course, they are all nice things to have.

Personally, I prefer to live in England because I like it better here. I still love to visit Dubai though and relish in my sister's massive house, ensuite bedroom, huge living room and the pool in the back garden. It's a little bit of luxury and I enjoy it. I love to go and have a Moroccan bath and have every inch of me scrubbed to death. I can take or leave dining out as I think it's just as good here. I just like being there, being warm and getting good customer service. I tip well and I think a better footprint after my visit.

Nah Cutitup. You have to realise the errors of your ways... I have just just seen the light and am going to write to my former maid and ask her for the money back for her relatives' house. What the fuck do they need a house for anyway, it's bloody hot in Sri Lanka.

So don't tip the greedy bastards either, after all, it's you who has to pay full price for saffron now you are back in England.

Here are the wages for staff in the UAE

Bangladeshi: 750 AED
Indonesian: 800 AED
Sri Lankan: 825 AED
Indian: 1,100 AED
Filipina: 1,400 AED thats £ 238 A month for a 12 hour day, 6 days a week.

But if you get an ugly one it's less

I take it Bangladeshis are considered ugly in the UAE then?

depends if they wax

I had food poisoning almost every time I ate out (5 HOTELS)*

What a remarkable constitution you must have to have survived 6 years of food poisoning.

Carry on, as you were, this thread is HILARIOUS, me and my poor enslavened Filipina colleague have had hours of fun on it. What a hoot.

Starwars, saddly that is also another side to the trade!