Anyone worked in middle east?

I know Kim lives in Saudi (so would love to hear more from you Kim!) I probably wouldn't actually go cos I'm not a great risk-taker, but have been thinking it would be a great experience for us all. The main things that put me off are safety given the nearby and threatened terrorist activity (altho United Arab Emirates which would be most likely for me is relatively low risk) and that for me to take my family I would have to go by myself for the first 3 months. The money is awesome, tax free, 6-8weeks annual leave, free flights, free accomodation.....

So anyway, just wondering what it is actually like in reality?

GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well... actually, that's my first reaction - I would absolutely LOVE to go there!!! But going alone for 3 months is pretty hard

Obviously I haven't been there myself, but I could talk to some of my lecturers (the Middle Eastern experty type ones) to find out what the U.A.E. is like for a foreigner. But holy geepers am I jealous.

From what I've read, UAE is quite good for foreigners - woman can wear Western clothes (within reason) and drive and they dont generally live in compounds! There are HEAPS of foreigners living and working in the hospitals (about 75%). Oh and on the NZ embassy website Saudi is currently high risk and UAE has some risk...

Edited by aimeejoy

YEah I kinda thought that, about the NZ embassy stuff. I guess thats a part of why you get paid so much?

UAE is a lot better than where we live...oh my God, I thought we'd just been bombed but it was a huge bang of thunder right over our house!!!

Anyway, I have always felt safe here, but we are on a compound that is very hard to get into. I have been to Dubai once and felt totally safe there as well. It is so easy to save money as all we have to pay for is our home phone and food. We have been on high risk for about a month and a half now. The first couple of weeks I didn't leave the compound but I got compound fever and went out to the Malls and didn't feel unsafe at all.

We do get frustrated though with service and how rude the Arab people are and how crazy they drive. An example of this is I took Zac to get his MMR injection last week and the hospital has run out of the vaccine and have no idea when they are going to receive some more. Tried some other hospitals but they have also run out.

I am flying back to NZ tonight but one of my husband's colleagues is a nurse so I will ask him to ask her if she has worked in UAE or if she knows of anyone who has and will get back to you. She is a Pediatric Nurse on the Aramco compound which is a big oil company...so big that they have their own compound and own hospital!

Feel free to ask any questions.

i say goooooo ammie but i,m real broad so would jump at the chacwe

I have never worked or lived there but have stopped over for few days when travelling between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh...I must say UAE is awsome. You can western clothing (no mini skirts or "show all tops") but people there are nice. My Uncle and family worked and lived there for over 10 years and they never had any problems. And Bombshell is right about the schools.

A family friend of ours is a nurse and has worked there for 3 years now and she is happy with it...the pay is great!! and she never felt unsafe!

Man I wish I could go...I could pay off my Mortgage with in years!! but unfortunately the demand for Accountants are not as high as the medical professionals!

I think it is something I will seriously look at in a couple of years when I have a little bit more work experience and Hannah is a bit older. Also depends on if I still want to be a physio or not!