Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 22

Thread: Has anyone here ever lived/worked in the middle east?

  1. #1
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default Has anyone here ever lived/worked in the middle east?

    I've got some questions.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    489

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    I've got some questions.
    My brother-in-law worked and lived at Qatar for quite a while (eight years if I'm not mistaken).
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

  3. #3
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Oh cool. What did he do? I'm contemplating a long term move to the region, and, more importantly, I have to convince the company that I will stay there long term.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    489

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    Oh cool. What did he do? I'm contemplating a long term move to the region, and, more importantly, I have to convince the company that I will stay there long term.
    He worked there as a civil & structural engineer for a mega expressway project there.

    I think you have some concern on culture differences?
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

  5. #5
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    a bit. and some questions about convenience and daily life. i've heard from some ppl that it's great, and others that it's horrible. i take both with a grain of salt.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Ace High's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    489

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    a bit. and some questions about convenience and daily life. i've heard from some ppl that it's great, and others that it's horrible. i take both with a grain of salt.
    It depends on where you actually going, your needs and your living preferences. There are things they very conservative about, and you have to deal with it without choice. You definitely will have problem with food, although some country already have burger joints now.
    You plant a garden and the flowers do not bloom, you poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree

  7. #7
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Oh, i have no concerns about that. I'm mainly looking at Dubai, and they have every American food chain known to man. I went there last year, and I ate at Texas Roadhouse. There are chains there that aren't even in Boston.

    I'm mostly worried about bank accounts, tax laws, availability of Chinese groceries (though I heard they're building the world's largest chinatown there), things to do on the weekends, and whether ppl mix around or do they just stick to their own ethnic groups? Like do brits only hang out with brits?
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  8. #8
    Senior Member ByTmE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    District of Columbia
    Posts
    1,040

    Default

    I have been to Qatar and I don't know about being as Asian woman working or living in the Middle East for a long period of time. They really don't really like Asians down there---lots of South Asians and Filipinos in the service and hospitality industry. I was there for only a month, but I felt it--and it was confirmed by my Middle Eastern contacts.

    "Cept I was mistaken for a prostitute, not a service worker. Lots of light skinned Asian women (mostly from China) hang out at the W hotel lounge to pick up guys. I had a friend who worked in Dubai and she was refused service at some high class places and not so high class places for being...well Vietnamese.

    But these kind of things happen in a lot of countries that worship White skin--namely Caucasians. If you are not Asian though, you don't have to worry. I went to visit Istanbul for 2 weeks--it was okay 'cept for the fact that people all thought I couldn't be American because of my Chinese face (I am not even Chinese). But you get this kind of attitude in America too, anyway.

    I forgot to mention that I was verbally harassed 3 times at the outdoor Bazaars and normally stared down by some older male vendors. HOWEVER, there were many nice people too and I was assured that if I were actually to be physically harassed than the police would always privilege my rights and story over the men.
    Last edited by ByTmE; 01-31-13 at 05:55 PM.
    I like me.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    6,741

    Default

    iono reading CNN everyday about all this shit about beheading of indonesian girl in saudi arabia, shooting in the head of pakistan girl, gang raping on indian girl, not sure if u wanna go there.

    i do have a friend that lived in dubai before and he said it was much like any city in the US during the day. KEY POINT: DURING THE DAY
    Participate in SPCNET Idol Season 4!!!

    http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthre...66#post1127566

    Entries due July 31st, 2016!

  10. #10
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Thanks ByTme. I never really thought about that angle before. O_o

    I was in Dubai for a few days, and to me it seemed like a cross between Miami and Hong Kong with a sprinkle of Las Vegas. I was out a little at night, but I was with white people so no mistaking me for anything, I don't think.

    I probably wouldn't go to Saudi though. Or maybe I would. haha, I don't know. I tend to do brave/stupid things without giving much thought to personal safety. Such as walking alone at night through the backstreets of Budapest.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  11. #11
    Senior Member ByTmE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    District of Columbia
    Posts
    1,040

    Default

    LOL!!! ^^ I don't think Americans can go to Saudi can they? And if you do, you have to be garbed in the fashion that their women are---completely covered from head to toe. Budapest is Europe? Well, no matter, I wouldn't recommend for any women to be walking alone at night in the backstreets anywhere in the world!

    Stay safe, now. Make good choices lol
    I like me.

  12. #12
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    I believe Americans can, at their own risk. And yeah, you have to wear an abaya (sp?). Which is fine. If you don't, ppl stare at you all creepily, so I'd rather wear the thing. There's AC inside anyways.

    In Dubai, I saw some young women in the abaya, but it was like half falling off them and they weren't dressed so conservatively on the inside. So what's the point? Just to appease your parents?
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  13. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Giang Ho, Canada
    Posts
    4,875

    Default

    My advice is if you have a decent life in US/Canada, then don't go to the middle east. The money is there, but not without risk. Money is pretty worthless if there is no life to enjoy.

    Quote Originally Posted by ByTmE View Post
    "Cept I was mistaken for a prostitute, not a service worker. Lots of light skinned Asian women (mostly from China) hang out at the W hotel lounge to pick up guys.
    Wow, why would they do that? Can't they land a man back home? I thought China has more men than women. I guess Mainland Chinese guys are too picky.

    When I was visiting my father hometown (Teochew area) near Shantou, China, I would say it's much easier to look for relationship there, something I didn't look for, than back here in Canada despite of gender imbalance. My relative told us that if anyone of us want to get married, they can introduce us beautiful girls who are either in their late teen or early 20s. They said it's very easy to find someone to get married there. They said girls don't care if the guy is 10 or 15 years older than her if he is decent. We told them that we go there to worship our ancestors and visit, not to look for relationship.

  14. #14
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    oh, how I've missed TC and his pearls of wisdom.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  15. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    346

    Default

    It sure does look awesome there in Dubai.



    Last edited by SweetSourSalt; 02-12-13 at 08:35 AM.

  16. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Giang Ho, Canada
    Posts
    4,875

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    oh, how I've missed TC and his pearls of wisdom.
    You welcome, it's my pleasure. If I remember correctly, you are from Massachusetts. If you are getting bore with Massachusetts or where ever you currently live, you always can ask your company to relocate you to other states where you like to live in. I think Florida is a great place. It has nice weather, clean air and housing is cheap. If you like to experience life outside of US and if your company has office in Canada then Canada would be a good option to relocate to, much better than the middle east. Just like me, I am getting bore with Mississauga, Ontario. I am thinking of moving to Victoria, British Columbia sometimes in the near future. Best luck to you.
    Last edited by Trien Chieu; 02-12-13 at 01:55 PM.

  17. #17
    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    24,366

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SweetSourSalt View Post
    It sure does look awesome there in Dubai.


    Dubai looks surprisingly reminiscent of Miami.

  18. #18
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    346

    Default

    Dubai sure give a different thought of how many have thought of when they think of the mid east.
    looks very modernly advance.


  19. #19
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Posts
    6,741

    Default

    i dunno, a downtown shot of dubai in broad day time doesnt represent everything
    Participate in SPCNET Idol Season 4!!!

    http://www.spcnet.tv/forums/showthre...66#post1127566

    Entries due July 31st, 2016!

  20. #20
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    when i was there, Dubai seemed to me like a cross between Miami and Hong Kong, with a dash of Vegas.

    i forgot to mention this before. they're building the world's largest Chinatown in Dubai.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 20
    Last Post: 01-14-14, 08:24 PM
  2. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-27-11, 05:43 PM
  3. Replies: 2
    Last Post: 02-02-11, 01:47 AM
  4. Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09-13-10, 08:04 AM
  5. S.Lanka maid who worked in Saudi has 24 nails in body
    By galvatron in forum World Happenings
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-26-10, 01:29 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •