Working in the Abu Dhabi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound bad, but you need to know.

Are you white? Then go for it.

Are you brown/black/Asian? I’d advise against it.

There’s a very clear racial hierarchy there:

1. Gulf Arabs
2. White expats
3. Non-gulf Arabs
4. Filipinos/Asians
5. Indians/blacks

I lived there for many years. I’m white: my best friend was an Australian woman of Asian descent. She was treated like trash.

So I am of Asian descent and my wife is white. So does this matter than I am male?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound bad, but you need to know.

Are you white? Then go for it.

Are you brown/black/Asian? I’d advise against it.

There’s a very clear racial hierarchy there:

1. Gulf Arabs
2. White expats
3. Non-gulf Arabs
4. Filipinos/Asians
5. Indians/blacks

I lived there for many years. I’m white: my best friend was an Australian woman of Asian descent. She was treated like trash.

So I am of Asian descent and my wife is white. So does this matter than I am male?

No, unless you dress to the nines and avoid the sun.

My Filipino coworker was routinely accused of having a fake US passport and going to places "above her station".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound bad, but you need to know.

Are you white? Then go for it.

Are you brown/black/Asian? I’d advise against it.

There’s a very clear racial hierarchy there:

1. Gulf Arabs
2. White expats
3. Non-gulf Arabs
4. Filipinos/Asians
5. Indians/blacks

I lived there for many years. I’m white: my best friend was an Australian woman of Asian descent. She was treated like trash.

I'd put black American expats above Filipinos. That place is horribly racist, as is most of that region. I'm black and my Filipino coworker couldn't go anywhere without being with me or our white boss. Otherwise, she would be chased out of stores. This is a well paid professional.

1. Gulf Arabs
2. White expats
3. Non-gulf Arabs
4. Western Blacks/Hispanics
4. Filipinos/East Asians
5. South Asians/Africans

+1
I have an Asian friend married to a white guy, she told me she had to take her husband with her to do ordinary errands like going to the market to buy food, since they never took notice of her (assuming she was a maid) and had to have her husband order things. Of course they were extremely nice of the white husband, even taking his orders before the local arab ppl.

She also told me when she went shopping by herself and could actually order things like grocery, the shop keepers would sneak to the back and fill her bag with old/expired produce and regularly con her out of things.
She told me racial tensions may seem to be bad enough here, but it is a real eye-opener to live the 'norm' in other parts of the world.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there will be a culture shock.

They live like Americans. Cars, malls, restaurants etc.

I would absolutely accept a job there, life is very pleasant.

Your wife and daughters will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there will be a culture shock.

They live like Americans. Cars, malls, restaurants etc.

I would absolutely accept a job there, life is very pleasant.

Your wife and daughters will be fine.

Have you ever been there? There is definitely culture shock, which isn't necessarily a bad thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there will be a culture shock.

They live like Americans. Cars, malls, restaurants etc.

I would absolutely accept a job there, life is very pleasant.

Your wife and daughters will be fine.

Have you ever been there? There is definitely culture shock, which isn't necessarily a bad thing

There won’t be. In Dubai, they don’t like Fred Flinstone.

But the Abu Dhabi doo...

[Anonymous]

Even if you’re treated like royalty, you’ll be honored guests in an oppressive slaver culture.

[Anonymous]

My DH and I lived and worked there for three years. As a white woman, whenever/wherever I went alone, I was routinely called a whore, slut, etc. My brown and black expat friends experienced much worse racism. ALSO: The HEAT. If you enjoy living in an oven, you'll be fine. Think Phoenix on steroids. The best part of the UAE, however, is its location. You truly are in the center of the world and traveling elsewhere is great.

Most (white) expats who lived there and loved it are the ones who cloistered themselves off in (white) expat-only communities and pretended to live like royals. Pretty disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH and I lived and worked there for three years. As a white woman, whenever/wherever I went alone, I was routinely called a whore, slut, etc. My brown and black expat friends experienced much worse racism. ALSO: The HEAT. If you enjoy living in an oven, you'll be fine. Think Phoenix on steroids. The best part of the UAE, however, is its location. You truly are in the center of the world and traveling elsewhere is great.

Most (white) expats who lived there and loved it are the ones who cloistered themselves off in (white) expat-only communities and pretended to live like royals. Pretty disgusting.

+1000

Most places have their issues but in the UAE, it's like racism/sexism/classicism from another century. As a professional, there are easier ways to make money.

[Anonymous]

Racism is everywhere and is often come out the mouths of those who scream it first.

You as an American can be second class even in Europe, let alone the Middle East. The UAE is way better than some other truly nasty places in the areas. I definitely would NOT recommend SA and Kuwait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Racism is everywhere and is often come out the mouths of those who scream it first.

You as an American can be second class even in Europe, let alone the Middle East. The UAE is way better than some other truly nasty places in the areas. I definitely would NOT recommend SA and Kuwait.

So it's racist to point out racism?

I think everyone who has commented will agree that racism is everywhere. But it's a question of degree and the ways in which racism will impact your daily life. It's pretty bad in the UAE. Why subject yourself to that if you don't have to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DH and I lived and worked there for three years. As a white woman, whenever/wherever I went alone, I was routinely called a whore, slut, etc. My brown and black expat friends experienced much worse racism. ALSO: The HEAT. If you enjoy living in an oven, you'll be fine. Think Phoenix on steroids. The best part of the UAE, however, is its location. You truly are in the center of the world and traveling elsewhere is great.

Most (white) expats who lived there and loved it are the ones who cloistered themselves off in (white) expat-only communities and pretended to live like royals. Pretty disgusting.

Because that never happens in the US.

[Anonymous]

Why do posters (one or more?) keeping adding ‘the’ before the location?

“The UAB...”

“...the Abu Dhabi...”

It’s unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Even the wife of Dubai's ruler recently ran away from her husband and is hiding out in London.

[Anonymous]

World class dumb responses on here. Americans are so provincial. Sounds like a wonderful opportunity; you should go if you're so inclined.