Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Meant to be moving to Dubai in 4 weeks

967 replies

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:42

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:44

SeriousFaffing · 01/03/2026 22:42

@FloofBunny

’Halo-polishers’, ‘virtue signalling’.

See, here’s the thing that hasn’t occurred to you; you’re operating on a whole other plane to the rest of us. And just to be clear, I absolutely don’t mean that as a compliment.

Those buildings and infrastructure were built on the backs of dead slaves. That alone is enough for the rest of us who are not morally bereft to realise that that place is a problem. And that is without sifting through the mountain of other problematic matters about Dubai.

Your comments say an awful lot about you… But what it says you won’t begin to be able to grasp.

Edited

Ooooh yes, I'm all dark and evil and awful, aren't I! 🤣

ETA: Of course Dubai's problematic, like so many other places in the world that millions and millions of Brits travel to each year. Do you despise them all, too?

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:44

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:43

I don't know why you say "claiming to be there" in 2004. I was there. I worked for the Gov and was describing my lived experience of being there as a Gov worker. I'm sorry it blows your mind so much that you have to scoff, but foreign countries around the world do have tourism offices in London and they employ Londoners, as I was at that time.

Doesnt blow my mind at all.
Nothing does. Seen too much done too much for that to happen
And i can spot rubbish when i see it.
4 days in 2004. Give me a break.
You know trying to insult me says more about you than me ya? .

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:47

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:44

Doesnt blow my mind at all.
Nothing does. Seen too much done too much for that to happen
And i can spot rubbish when i see it.
4 days in 2004. Give me a break.
You know trying to insult me says more about you than me ya? .

Sorry, are you saying you don't believe I was there for four days in 2004? I'm not sure what your incredulity is for. And I may only have been there for four days, but I worked for the Dubai government for seven months.

Autumngirl5 · 01/03/2026 22:47

WeirdyBeardyMarrowBabyLady · 01/03/2026 15:55

Having read your last update I’m not even sure this can be genuine.

It can’t be genuine.

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:47

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:47

Sorry, are you saying you don't believe I was there for four days in 2004? I'm not sure what your incredulity is for. And I may only have been there for four days, but I worked for the Dubai government for seven months.

Do you know its 2026 love?

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:48

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:11

Nah only trash goes to Dubai.
HTH

Only trashy people describe other human being as trash.

HTH.

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:48

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:47

Do you know its 2026 love?

I do not!

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:48

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:48

Only trashy people describe other human being as trash.

HTH.

Fraid not.
Wrong again.

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:49

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:48

I do not!

Clearly.

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:49

Autumngirl5 · 01/03/2026 22:47

It can’t be genuine.

The OP?

Ginmonkeyagain · 01/03/2026 22:50

You didn't realise Dubai was close to Iran? Oh mate. It's nearer to Iran than England is to Ireland.

KindCompassion · 01/03/2026 22:51

You should go! Fabulous place. Legal to rape and beat your wife. Marvellous. Such fun. And you get your own indentured servants!

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/03/2026 23:02

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 22:23

I am not a sweet summer child; I have worked for the Government of Dubai and thus had my mind opened - see my post above. And yes, I have been to the Lake District. Stayed in a youth hotel in Cockermouth and walked round Buttermere. (I think - was decades ago.) It's absolutely gorgeous, the LD is one of my favourite places in the world.

Then why are you sneering at the Lake District holidays in a previous post?

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 23:04

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/03/2026 23:02

Then why are you sneering at the Lake District holidays in a previous post?

Because for all its loveliness, it IS a bit wet.

levitational · 01/03/2026 23:05

Namechange19960 · 01/03/2026 20:01

Don't worry OP I didn't realise how close Iran was to Dubai either. Clearly some Mumsnetters have nothing else better to do than mock others.

Were you also about to move your whole life there with your partner and children?

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/03/2026 23:06

FloofBunny · 01/03/2026 23:04

Because for all its loveliness, it IS a bit wet.

So what? I would much rather have a trip that is a bit wet (yes the Lake District has high precipitation,) than go anywhere NEAR Dubai! So many reasons not to go.

VaccineSticker · 01/03/2026 23:07

@Medesres you have my sympathy.

As for everyone else who is being sarcastic and mocking the OPs choice of moving to Dubai, or the lack of her geography knowledge. It is not funny. How many of you know what countries Russia borders in Europe? Won’t be many I guarantee you.

The conflict is very serious and whilst we are miles away from the conflict, spare a moment and think about all these innocent people who are getting injured /dying and all
these soldiers who are putting their lives in danger.

No one knows what war feels like until you’ve experienced living through one.

Stop spouting hatred and have some compassion.

Stop looking down upon other cultures and nations because you think yours is better. Such a blinkered way of viewing things.

The UAE has one of the lowest crimes in the world. Why? Everything is on CCTV, criminals are caught within hours if not minutes, whilst in the uk if you ring the police when your house had been robbed they will tell you it’s not urgent (true story happened to a friend). We have broken policing, broken nhs, broken education, people who work hard and pay their taxes get nothing back. Pot hole here, pot hole there. Pot holes everywhere! And then you wonder why people are moving abroad?

My very well travelled cousins went to the Qatar football World Cup few years and said Qataris are the most generous and welcoming community they have ever met and wouldn't mind moving there if the opportunity arises. I have teachers friends and extended family dotted all around that region ( and no they are not blingy or rich - sorry to burst your bubble) but they all love the standard of living there and would never change it for the world.

Pack it up with your hate for others will you?!
Sheer arrogance!

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/03/2026 23:07

Doteycat · 01/03/2026 22:47

Do you know its 2026 love?

😆

Woodfiresareamazing · 01/03/2026 23:07

GreenCandleWax · 01/03/2026 19:40

But presumably you are not planning to move there with your DC in less than a month from now! Is this thread genuine? It beggars belief anyone could be so passive and uninterested in the reality of where she was planning to go.

I had exactly the same thought Greencandlewax.

She's looked on Google Maps for her DH'S office, neighbourhoods and supermarkets, but not at a map of where it actually is in relation to other ME countries.

Also, this war has been a matter of when not if for some time now - it's certainly not a surprise. OP has obviously not been following political reporting.

I wonder if OP is aware of the horrendous traffic, which means going even a short distance takes forever.

And that in the summer months temperatures of 40+ are normal, no-one goes out during the day.

And there's almost no grass or trees.

And it's soulless.

But apart from that, everyone wants to move there...

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 01/03/2026 23:08

rainingsnoring · 01/03/2026 22:28

Unfortunately, you will never get anywhere with some people. They are not interested in expanding their knowledge and understanding of other people or other cultures. They have the historical Western arrogance that their way of doing things is the best and only way. No wonder we are in the state we are in currently when so many Westerners think like this.

Oooooooooookay.

ricolala · 01/03/2026 23:12

Dubai is chavtastic from an expat pov.

Plans best put on hold OP.

Mama2many73 · 01/03/2026 23:16

Medesres · 01/03/2026 15:53

I knew it was in middle east Gulf and obviously Iran is in that area too but I hadn't studied the map in great detail until today.

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

Dh going to speak to his work tomorrow. I'm sure they wouldn't send him if it escalates

I think many people wouldn't fall for the glamour hype! The glitter and gold, the lifestyle, upmarket hotels and malls,.is all a facde to entice but its not !real' its in a very unstable part of the world ( for many yrs).
Human rights and especially for women are supposedly good however look past the positive headlines and there are lots of stories proving otherwise.
Im not saying its not a place to go to work in ( i wouldn't but have family who are out there) but to go without researching what is going on in and around it. is extremely naive!

levitational · 01/03/2026 23:16

ElizabethsTailor · 01/03/2026 16:09

@Medesres did you research anything else about living there?

For example did you know that the reason we are not hearing about how bad the bombings have been in Dubai is that “law 34” prohibits people from sharing that information. If your friends have been sharing on social media they could face 10 years in jail.

Did you know that you wouldn’t be able to kiss your husband in public? A lot of people do kiss their spouses, but it is still illegal, so you do so at the whim of any police officer who might be having a bad day and want to teach a westerner a lesson.

Obviously I could go on with dozens more examples.

Yep. This is why figures like Kate Ferdinand and Luisa Zissman make statements about their faith that the Dubai government will keep them safe, even as they post about how scary the bombardments are as they shelter in their basements. There isn't full freedom of speech:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15604195/Kate-Ferdinand-Dubai-missile-strikes.html

Shaken Kate Ferdinand slept in her Dubai basement with her kids

The former TOWIE star, 34, has revealed she slept in the basement of her Dubai home with her children as missile strikes hit the city on Saturday night.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15604195/Kate-Ferdinand-Dubai-missile-strikes.html

GCAcademic · 01/03/2026 23:17

The problem is Dubai and parts of the middle east have been really glamorised now so everyone wants to move there. Then something like this happens and you get a reality check

^This is what happens when you spend your time on Instagram and TikTok rather than educating yourself about the world.

I don’t care if that sounds snobby. It’s still a factual statement.

Woodfiresareamazing · 01/03/2026 23:18

VaccineSticker · 01/03/2026 23:07

@Medesres you have my sympathy.

As for everyone else who is being sarcastic and mocking the OPs choice of moving to Dubai, or the lack of her geography knowledge. It is not funny. How many of you know what countries Russia borders in Europe? Won’t be many I guarantee you.

The conflict is very serious and whilst we are miles away from the conflict, spare a moment and think about all these innocent people who are getting injured /dying and all
these soldiers who are putting their lives in danger.

No one knows what war feels like until you’ve experienced living through one.

Stop spouting hatred and have some compassion.

Stop looking down upon other cultures and nations because you think yours is better. Such a blinkered way of viewing things.

The UAE has one of the lowest crimes in the world. Why? Everything is on CCTV, criminals are caught within hours if not minutes, whilst in the uk if you ring the police when your house had been robbed they will tell you it’s not urgent (true story happened to a friend). We have broken policing, broken nhs, broken education, people who work hard and pay their taxes get nothing back. Pot hole here, pot hole there. Pot holes everywhere! And then you wonder why people are moving abroad?

My very well travelled cousins went to the Qatar football World Cup few years and said Qataris are the most generous and welcoming community they have ever met and wouldn't mind moving there if the opportunity arises. I have teachers friends and extended family dotted all around that region ( and no they are not blingy or rich - sorry to burst your bubble) but they all love the standard of living there and would never change it for the world.

Pack it up with your hate for others will you?!
Sheer arrogance!

Edited

The Qataris might have been generous and welcoming, but all those World Cup venues were built using literal slave labour.

Our NHS might be struggling, but at least we have it and it's free. Health care in many ME countries is appalling, and expensive.

Many ME countries have a 'veneer' of Westernisation, but make no mistake - they are Muslim Arab underneath that shiny surface. There is very little freedom of speech. And woe betide you if you piss off a member of the Royal family...

And as for great policing - it can be very difficult as a westerner to bring a case against a Dubai local.

Yes the sun shines, you can earn great money tax free, but it comes at a price.

Swipe left for the next trending thread