Meant to be moving to Dubai in 4 weeks

[Medesres]

We've been planning a move to Dubai for a while now. Dh's work has an office out there and it seemed like great opportunity to live abroad and experience sth different. I've got a couple of friends out there already too who love the lifestyle.

Watching the news for the past 24 hours and I'm really starting to question things. I had no idea how close to Iran it was and who knows what might happen next. Part of me is hoping it will all be resolved soon but hard to believe.

My friend who already lives there has spent the night sleeping in one room with her dh and kids scared of all the missile noises.

I don't believe a WORD of all the halo-polishers here doing down Dubai! Not a word of it! I reckon if they had the chance to escape dreary Britain for a bit and live at the crossroads of a continent, they'd grab it with both hands! Dubai is much more than its dodgy royal family's bad deeds, and it's a great base from which to explore the ME. (Not at the moment, obvs.) Plus, how many of the halo-polishers have never holidayed in a place with problems? I bet they're all sitting there in glass houses! That's the trouble with throwing stones - you have to be spotless, and I bet they're not!

Sitting in the West and judging on high does nothing to open one's mind to aspects of a country other than its bad stuff.

But you enjoy your holidays to the Lake District!

It comes to something when its considered snobby or 'mocking others' to point out that its not that bright and not very sensible to be planning to move somewhere and know so little about the place and where it is.

I fancy moving to Stoke on Trent. Ive started packing. I wonder where it is?

Hopefully the sat nav will just get me there.

They’ve got a pretty good water park, if that’s any help!

Do you know, you’re exactly right. I’ve always fancied “exploring” Iraq.

I may well cancel my holiday for this year, and go and have a look at Syria instead.

Been to Dubai once. Got a friend who used to live there with her family. No way would I live there.

After reading the above, expecting anyone who moves to Dubai to read a map is just...

wishful thinking.

Yes we've made sure to be clear on the no PDA. If my DC were gay (which they are not) I'd tell them to refrain during our trip (obviously).

I've visited these places, liked them. Met my family who liked it and enjoyed our time there. Summers there are unbearable though and you'd need to stay indoors.

so what re your cousin? My cousin was headmaster of a Christian boarding school in south India (his kids got the same education), I’m not sure if he went based on human rights in India, it was more about a good career move and educating his kids.

Refrain from… being gay?

Yeah. PP is correct, maps are out of the question if you think you can just “refrain” from your sexuality.

Forgetting everything else, I would hate to live somewhere without woodlands and rivers. It's in the top 10 of the most polluted cities in the world. Climate change is making temp intolerable for much of the year. Water has to be manufactured from seawater. The carbon footprint per person is more than double the UK. Absolutely massive amounts of costal habitat destroyed. One of the most environmentally destructive places in the world.

We could absolutely afford to move there. Which is partially why I think this post is very dubious.

Not all of us are so shallow and value human rights over sunshine.

Same here. Most people I know who go there have money or like money and they like the hedonistic lifestyle there. Drugs, booze, heat, luxury and so on. If that’s what they like then fine by them but like me and many others on this thread we don’t like that plus their human rights record. There’s more to life than poncing about a shopping mall buying designer gear.

It’s like a sparkling ring, or TikTok trend .
It’s looks good and flash and everyone who’s anyone is doing it.
Id say op got caught up in it all.

America!!!! I hate Trump as much as anyone, but no way would I let that get in the way of going there, if I wanted to! Absolutely crazy. Picking destinations on these bases means that you remain in your echo chamber and you don't have your mind opened. Many states in America have much, much better welfare benefits for the poor than Britain does, did you know that? And thanks to Obamacare, many people of limited means have great healthcare thanks to huge state subsidies, depending on where you are. Women on Massachusetts who are uninsured or underinsured get breast cancer treatment at the best hospitals for free. But you sit on that comfy throne in the clouds, judging upon high! Keep that mind firmly shut!

Everyone going on about women's rights.... you are probably correct if we are talking 10-20 years ago, but there's been a mass push for liberalisation and westernisation. Even in Saudi Arabia, women now go there for solo travelling.

Regarding the migrants workers issues, yes there have been issues in the past, but the governments are working to improve things and protect them.

Modern day slavery and human trafficking is in the UK as well.

As soon as my Muslim friend’s kids finished their education she moved straight back to London. She was there years mostly for her husband’s career and told me it tested their marriage.

You can refrain from acting on it and engaging in PDA/affectionate acts in public.

Keep drinking the kool aid.

The halo-polishers are determined to keep their minds firmly shut. The polishing gives 'em the warm and fuzzies. You won't get anywhere!

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there

Umm, nobody with a brain tbh

Yeah just don’t hold hands or else you’ll get put in jail.

Can I ask where have you been in the ME and what your favourite country/city is?

Oh my gosh. 😆 You sweet summer child!

Not all of us are so narrow-minded as to reject whole countries and its culture, history, food, and people because of a government that said people didn't choose.