Would you retire to a Middle Eastern playground if you could?

[GiveUsThisDayOurDailyPizza]

For example UAE, Qatar

I will probably never be a high net worth individual anyway but even if I was I can’t imagine choosing to spend my retirement years in such places.

Work and live there for a few years to get ahead financially, yes, or a long layover on the way to somewhere else but what makes so many UK expats want to retire there?

This is prompted by something that came up at work. I’d love to understand the appeal as I have to interact with people for whom this is a long term ambition or plan.

This

Oh in that case I would need more gin to cope!

Because you can vote. Because you have civil and human rights. Because it's a parliamentary democracy and a liberal society.

A more objective view...

https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/human_rights_rule_law_index/

Definition: The Human rights and rule of law indicator considers the relationship between the state and its population insofar as fundamental human rights are protected and freedoms are observed and respected. The higher the indicator's value, the less protected are the human rights and the rule of law in the country.

Gin is also very plentiful here!

I had lots of misconceptions before moving here but...

I can go the liquor store and buy as much wine, beer, and liquor as I want

I can go and drink in bars

I can go dancing at a night club

I can go lie on the beach in a bikini

There is a lot of airconditioning but being indoors all the time in airconditioning is not enjoyable. The weather however is beautiful for 7 months with sunshine every day and almost no rain or grey skys and no cold! Although it did get colder in the winter than I had first expected as there is no heat in any building and some days and many nights are in the 12-15 range.

Extremely jealous as I am here with a blanket to keep warm! Enjoy a cocktail for me! 🤗 I agree, I'm not a fan of air con either, but certainly would love 7 months of sun.

I've never been to the ME and dubai doesn't really appeal to me for a holiday destination. However since its extremely unlikely I'd be in a position to retire there, its not a dilemma I've ever thought about!

I have friends who have lived and worked in Abu Dhabi or Oman for short periods of time, I think mainly for financial reasons and seemed to enjoy the life style there.

I would also add that I do not in any way live a life of luxury here. I am not rolling in money. My life is similar to at home. There is wealth here for sure in pockets but many of us are just living regular lives. And while some on here are quite judgmental of those of us who work here, if you don't bring in different perspective, you can't address the issues. Qatar is actually very open to outside influences and allows a great deal of freedom in what their children and youth are taught and exposed to by the plethora of expats that are here. Qatari's make up only 8-10% of the country's population - they need expats for progress. Are there inequalities - yes. Are they aware of that - yes. Are they working on it - yes.

Read up on Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and the incredible influence she has had as an Arab, Muslim woman on Qatar. She is revered here.

I find it interesting that so many PP are condemning the ME and holding up Scandinavian countries as a beacon of liberalism. I know someone of Indian origin who moved to Sweden and couldn’t wait to escape. She was treated terribly by some of the locals to the point of hating the place.

In addition, I wonder how people of Middle Eastern origin, particularly in traditional dress, feel when walking around many rural parts of supposedly tolerant Western Europe including the UK?

I’m not sticking up for any particular ‘side’ but it does sound a little like ‘those in glass houses’ on this thread from some PPs.

Very good points there.

If any folks from middle eastern countries like UAE, SA, Qatar are reading this thread, they must be laughing their heads off sitting in their liberally air conditioned homes. While in Little Britain, the proud ‘youman rights’ brigade worries about the coming winter and being able to afford to heat their homes.

So because some people in the UK are struggling financially, we should all think UAE, SA and Qatar sound great, regardless of their human rights record and regardless of whether anything about those places actually appeals to us? Do you think there is something wrong with caring about human rights?

The righteous people of Mumsnet who follow stereotypes and have never themselves visited these places will obviously say no. I, however, would love to move to the Middle East. Its safer and the weather is nicer. The quality of life is much better than the UK.

I've been there, several times. Absolutely hated it. Found it horribly misogynistic and homophobic

It’s pathetic that people defending Qatar, say, ‘other countries are worse’. Talk about damning with faint praise.

And the phrase ‘expat’ is just hideous. Steeped in western privilege. Do the Indian maids coming to clean the toilets of westerners in Dubai ever get called expats? Or are they just foreign or migrant workers?

Ummm that doesn't happen unless you rape and kill young boys.

The UK?

Show them this OP, it pretty much sums up life as a woman in any ME country.

O

Have to agree with this. I'd never want to live somewhere where i was always looking over my shoulder or having to regulate my (totally normal) behaviour. Sounds awful tbh.

And 'playground' minimises the state of affairs something rotten tbh.

I mean like... You just described UK and many many countries outside of ME.
We really can't be dissing anyone while living in country where we are told to run away from male police...
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/met-police-sarah-everard-advice-criticism-b1930682.html

Women here permanently regulate their absolutely normal behaviour. Not out after dark by themselves, many don't run for that reason, many don't o to gyms, many wouldn't walk in forest by themsleves even during the day. Women don't go by themselves to pubs, plan travel so they don't end up by themselves, and so on.

I am not saying it's worse than elsewhere! Just "looking over shoulder and regulate normal behaviour" very much applies to here too.

That's true tbf. But not on the same scale, it's the exception rather than the rule (bad and all as it is). But in ME i'd be afraid to sneeze the wrong way tbh. I couldn't live like that.

But in ME i'd be afraid to sneeze the wrong way tbh

Tell me you know nothing about the Middle East without telling me you know nothing.

This thread is actually really depressing, as it seems posters have no issue sharing their racist views and prejudice towards the Middle East and Islam yet I don’t see any other religion or country / region treated the same on MN. It’s as though the herd mentality of MN encourages it. Really sad to see.

This.

I can assure you that women in ME can sneeze wrong way. They can also be doctors, successful ones actually, work in government, have women organisations for support with things such as businesses (yes they can have businesses and successful ones), get mortgage etc.

@Againstmachine , Saudi Arabia is a very different prospect from Dubai or other Gulf states.

We lived in Abu Dhabi and Oman for 13 years, and dh could easily have got a good job (same company) in Saudi, but we’d never have contemplated moving there - it was out of the question.

As for whoever it was who said they’d lived in the Middle East as a child and found it dull, you must have had a very different experience from our dds, who had a brilliant childhood - masses of playing out, pool or beach virtually every day (both swam like baby dolphins at 2).

Admittedly dds and I did return to the U.K. for 2 months every summer, when even when you were used to it, it was too hot for the pool before about 5 pm, and the beach was out of the question because the sand would burn your feet, but apart from that…

I wouldn’t want to live in either country now, but at that time of our lives, it suited us very well.