Life in Dubai (Nemo Galletti)
Editor's Choice
Companies in Abu Dhabi
ADNOC ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) is the main oil company of Abu Dhabi and drives significant amounts of the whole country’s GDP. The company manages and overseas the production of 3 billion barrels of oil every day. It works across the whole of the Oil spectrum through a number of a…
Rent in Dubai
In times gone by, the cost of accommodation rental had been reasonable in the UAE, but from 2002, rents have started increase almost exponentially. Dubai rents in particular were the first to start such a trend but it has now followed across the other Emirates. These increases have happened for a …
Cost of Living in the UAE
One of the most topical subjects regarding the UAE concerns the cost of living. The Economist Intelligence Unit placed Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the top twenty most expensive cities in the world to live and Mercer HR Consulting placed them at at a similar level respectively. The cost of living in …
Online Groups about the UAE
The truth is out there - yes it is! You will always find out more from those who have had first hand experiences. If you have questions, these are the places to go. Someone somewhere went through what you are going through, whether it was establishing your company in the country or finding an afford…
Best Blogs about Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The blogging scene in Dubai and Abu Dhabi has changed substantially over the last 5 years and while the histroy remains, there will always be a new compilation of bloggers worth considering. We have p…
Interview with an office boy
This article originally appeared in one of our newsletters. The concept of an office boy in most cultures would seem a somewhat bizarre existence – a boy paid minimal wage to prepare your tea, do the photocopying, deliver documents, and attend to your every need. At a time, where the majority of the…
Taxi Drivers in the UAE
This article first appeared in one of our newsletters. The need for public transport gets greater as the taxi drivers struggle Why are taxis so important in the UAE at present? In Dubai, the drivers are fighting back, so that they no longer live on the poverty line, and in Abu Dhabi, the private cab…
Schools in the UAE
With a huge mix of expat culture, the UAE’s educational system is varied with many international schools to choose from. With varying curriculi, you may be limited if you want your child to follow one specific curriculum. For example, there is a major focus on British curriculum, but the American cu…
Nurseries in the UAE
Since nureseries vary considerable between neighbourhood and type, it is wise to visit the nursery in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The age intake can vary and most nurseries are open for about 4 to 5 hours in the day. It is best to visit as many nurseries so that you are able to compare the difference in the…
Best Schools in the UAE
Primary and Secondary The level of teaching in UAE is usually high with excellent facilities available. The Ministry of Education regularly carries out inspections in order to maintain good standards. Schools offer a mix of international curriculum i.e. iGCSE, A Levels and the IB (International Bacc…
Jobs in Dubai
Many of you that come to grapeshisha are naturally interested in getting a job out in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, so here is the low down on things to know when getting a job in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the UAE. We're not your career adviser, but hope you'll find our nuggets of knowledge useful. As you probably know, working in the Middle East and in the UAE in particular is no longer the bane that it once w…
UAE Salary Components
The very fact that the UAE is 80 per cent expatriate makes the concept of salary different to most countries in that people's needs are somewhat different, and it would be safe to say that the worker here is more transient than permanent. Without going into the fine print of UAE Labour Law, we look …
Dubai Recruitment Agencies
When searching for a position in a new country, it is often difficult to know where to start. To some degree, recruitment agencies can provide a link in to the job market to at least provide you with some semblance of what type of jobs are on offer, and even at what salary. We have covered elements …
Business in Dubai
Conducting business in Dubai has a mixture of Western and Eastern elements to it. It can seem a minefield of legal jargon and red tape, but once you have broken it down, it is possible for businesses coming the UAE to do well due to proactive business climate. Establishing business relationships is …
Establishing Business Relationships in the UAE
Friendships in business are crucial and thus establishing a business relationship is essentially establishing a friendship of sorts. In this piece we give you the understanding behind this. Also, see our piece on Social Conduct for further pointers.Friendship - In both Arab and Western culture, frie…
Women Doing Business in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Our interview with a seasoned woman for whom doing business in the Middle East is now normale. We have protected her name. I got into the whole business of exporting from the UK to Dubai and the general Middle East, many years ago, in the mid 1980's and I would just like to share some of my experien…
Middle East Stock Markets
When assessing the markets, it’s easy to get a snapshot of what is going on from viewing what the stock market is doing. Up until recently there was a lack of transparency as to which index gave the best indication of the Middle East. There are now a host of indices covering the Gulf, the Arab state…
Recent Articles
Tax in Dubai
For years the UAE has been touted as a tax free haven. This month we break down the necessity and impact of VAT in Dubai. Value added tax has long been the bane of the consumer, ever since it was first introduced in France in the mid 1950s. It has slowly crept up on developing societies, and now is …
A Basic Guide to Islamic Finance
Islamic finance is becoming more and more prevalent, not only in the UAE and the Middle East, but also in the West. On request, we give you the bare bones guide to Islamic Finance to understand the basics behind the concept. What is Islamic Finance?The notion of Islamic Finance has been dismisse…
Trademarks in the UAE
The UAE has a trademark and patent registry, run by one of the Economic Ministry. These can be registered by local or foreign firms, on submission of the appropriate paperwork and prescribed fee, although this is relatively expensive. However, the process for registering your intellectual property i…
What is Sharia Law
Legal systems in the Gulf are usually quite complicated and those unfamiliar with their workings can find this very difficult. The fact is that these systems are completely different to those in the west with a whole different language, which makes it worrying for those who want to transact in busin…
UAE Law
Although the core principles of law in the UAE are drawn from Sharia, most legislation is comprised of a mix of Islamic and European concepts, which have a common root in the Egyptian legal code established in the late 19th to 20th centuries. The French influence is most clearly demonstrated by the …
Dubai Bubble
This article first appeared as part of our newsletter in 2006, pre Dubai's bubble bursting. You can read how crazy the speculation was back then. Mention the word 'bubble' to me a few years ago and I would have had fond memories of blowing big ones with Hubba Bubba, curing my depression by murdering…
Why work in the UAE
There are numerous reasons why one should come to the UAE. Here we highlight some of the most popular reasons why some elect to move to continue their career in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or one of the other Emirates of the UAE. 1. Tax Free. If you live and work in the UAE you will be paid a gross salary. If …
UAE Advertising Market
The UAE Advertising Market is probably the hub for the Middle East. With Dubai Media City in place, the UAE has realised that, in order to promote the FDI, and enable foreign companies to transact, slick advertising and opportunities to do so must exist. Despite this, the prominence amongst the pres…
Salaries in Dubai
There is obviously a hunger to go abroad to somewhere like Dubai, or anywhere in the UAE or Middle East and return home after 5 years having earned your millions. However, there needs to be a sense of realism when one decides to take on a role.The salaries are not as good as they once were. Of cours…
Dubai Business Books
Starting up in a business in the UAE, and in any new country can be unnerving. These books will take some of the unknown out of what you need to know, what you need to do, and how you need to act. The Middle East Unveiled: A Cultural and Practical Guide for All Western Business Professionals’…
Dubai Salaries
One of the most common questions we get asked concern the salaries in Dubai, and what is a typical salary. This is a very difficult question to answer, because employers differ in their approaches to salary, even within industry. Salaries are not as lucrative as they once were, when the UAE was cons…
Arabian Social Conduct
Getting your social etiquette right can be crucial in establishing relations, whether business or personal in the UAE. To be aware of the local rules, practices and customs and to familiarise yourself…
Dubai Construction 2005
This article provides a snapshot of Dubai in 2005. In our last edition, we gave you the random numbers. This time, we want to give you one more number that will astound you, which will begin to give you a snapshot of the construction industry in the UAE and the Middle East. Within the next 5 years,…
Special Needs Schools in the UAE
Special Needs InstitutionsSpecial needs type schooling in the UAE is not extensive so if you have a child with a disability it is worth checking out what is on offer before you embark on your move to the UAE. The location of where a school is may affect the area you decide to buy or rent your proper…
Universities in the UAE
Further educational courses tend not to be as popular as Primary and Secondary schooling. This is usually the case when expat families decide to either all move back to their home country or send their child back home for further studies.This is more common amongst western expat families. However, t…
Best Bloggers
Although engrained within Western Society, Dubai blogs and those covering the UAE have trodden a fine line in disclosing the truth and providing some sort of opinion. What UAE blogs can do is give an understanding of life and society within the Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the UAE. English language blogs in…
The Downside of Dubai
Beneath all the glitz and glam of Dubai, there are a number of factors that take off a little of the sheen. As with all countries, especially developing ones, there are bound to be complaints and quibbles with what the rigors of daily life. Here we list the most talked about problems. TrafficDubai…
Online Portals
Central bases for information come in all shapes and sizes. Some of these quasi-portals will help in your general research on the region, what life is like and provide you with the basic information you need. Surf away for the information you need. Expat WomanWhilst this site has an obvious slant to…
UAE Classifieds
Look to buy or sell? The options are wide and you can use a variety of sources to help you in getting a room, selling your furniture or picking up that latest phone. One of the best offline resources includes the notice boards at the various supermarkets where you get diverse requests from people lo…
Buying Property in the UAE
Work in Progress
Abu Dhabi Projects
Look up the city Abu Dhabi in any travel guide and you will return the word sleepy. And that’s probably about right – quiet town life in a city, no tourist spots of note, and a demeanor that time is standing still. In fact, you could say that Abu Dhabi is the modern Middle East equivalent to Pleasan…
Business Development in the UAE
You really need to treat the UAE as a specific country, within the context of a regional business strategy. Despite the common language, religion, culture, and ethnic background of the population of the various Gulf states, it is important to remember that the UAE in the Gulf is a distinct market, w…
Arbitration and Litigation
In many areas of civil law, especially where judgment will require the interpretation of technical laws, or contracts such as commercial disputes relating to construction, engineering, or finance, possibly the most expedient form of dispute resolution is arbitration. Although an established practice…