When I moved in, there was always something to fix in my apartment. And obviously, I didn't take my toolbox with me in my suitcase. Unless you don't have too many clothes and make up, you won't either, because the airlines will destroy you with excess bagage fees :-D
So during my first month I was always looking for tools, nails, screws, lightbulbs, that kind of things.
Here are a few examples of places where you will be able to find these items :

• Lulu and Carrefour have some items (particularly light bulbs, powerstrips, etc.)
• An Ace store openned in Yas Island, which will remind you of the big hardware stores from the States or Europe. It is accross the street from Ikea.

• Electra street in downtown Abu Dhabi has a million little hardware stores. You can't park your car in the street, you will have to park behind the buildings and then walk around and find a store which sells whatever you are looking for. These stores are usually very cheap, and you can also negotiate prices if you feel confident enough. The people in these stores are very knowledgeable and carry a lot of inventory, so I would strongly advise you to go there, instead of supermarkets or Ace. You will find what you need for sure, don't be shy!

Hello guys!
Today just a quick article to sum up the various pet stores I found in Abu dhabi. If you have any suggestions, or reviews, I'll be very happy to add them to the list. Just leave a comment at the bottom of the article. And obviously, every time I'll find out about something new, I will update the article.

So here we go!

Lulu supermarkets : food for cats, dogs, birds, fishes. Some accessories such as leash/collar, brushes, very lame toys for dogs. Plastic and metal bowls for cats and dogs. Litter boxes (not covered) and different types of little for cats.

Carrefour supermarkets : cat and dog food, litter, some accessories for cats and dogs.

The American Vet : cat and dog food, including premium brands. Grooming products (shampoos, conditioners, brushes, scissors for claws, etc). Some nice toys. Water fountains. A couple of small cat trees.

Daiso : it's a Japanese value store with cheap items. The quality is not amazing, but it is soo cheap! The Madinat Zayed mall store is really big (it is located inside the Homes R Us store), with a nice inventory of toys for cats and dogs, brushes and combs, leashes and collars. The store in Al Wahda Mall has a little less choice but carries the essentials.
For cats, they also have these really lame scratching pads that you can either leave on the floor or pin on a wall. My cat wasn't too impressed by it, but it was better than nothing when I moved in :-D

Ace (hardware store in Yas Island) : no food but a nice variety of cats and dogs accessories, compared to the usual lack of choice. Quite a few toys and choice of small kennels. There's actually more choice in store than what is displayed in the above link :-)
This is the only place where I found an amazing corrugated cardboard scratching post for Charlie, from the brand Imperial Cat. It was expensive (around 100dhs), but I haven't found anything equivalent elsewhere.

Here is another question that comes back pretty often: as a woman, how should I dress up when I move to the U.A.E.? Can I wear makeup? Can I wear nail polish? Do I have to cover my head?
Well, you will basically be fine as long as your chest, shoulders and knees are covered. Depending on your job, the dress code can be more conservative, but for everyday life (shopping for groceries, taking your kids to school, etc.), it is plenty enough.

Personally, I usually wear long and loose dresses with a little sweater, or leggings + a long top and a little sweater if my top doesn't have sleeves. The best is to find short sleeves sweaters like this, that you can find in every women's store in the U.A.E.  :

Hello guys!
I've been busy the past couple of weeks and I haven't been able to post too much. But in the meantime I got a lot of questions and requests for articles, so here I am, back with more information.
Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about mobile phones/cells phones. No matter if you're coming to abu Dhabi to look for a job or to get settled down, you will need to get a phone quite fast.
Just like for home phone and Internet, there are 2 providers in the U.A.E.: Etisalat and Du.

When you arrive, you will probably have to get a prepaid phone. That is because you won't have your visa yet, and your local bank account will not be set up. Here are the options given by Etisalat and Du.
To be honest, their offer is kind of complicated and cryptic... But here is how it works. You can purchase prepaid cards loaded with a given AED amount in their stores or in supermarkets. Then, it is up to you to see if you want to use these credits for local or international phone minutes, SMS, data (to have internet on your phone). To be able to use your minutes, you will have to type a certain code on your phone and the minutes will automatically be credited.
They also give you free minutes if you buy large amounts of credits. It might be interesting, but it depends on your consumption because these credits expire. I strongly advise you to bring your own phone to the U.A.E. so you can connect it with your new prepaid SIM. Make sure before leaving that this phone will work in the U.A.E. Obviously, the more modern and "smartphonish" the phone, the better it is.

Then, when all your paperwork will be done, you will be able to subscribe to a postpaid plan. Some people choose to stick with the prepaid and buy credits for phone, SMS and data. That way they don't have to worry about bills.
If you choose to get a postpaid plan, you will basically have to dive into Etisalat and Du offers and see what suits you best. Usually, their plans include international minutes.
Also, check with your company if any of these two carriers has special rates for employees. The plans are pretty interesting. This is the option I went for. I have a really good plan with a two years contract, and I got a Samsung Galaxy III for free. Pretty cool stuff ;-)
If you want to get a new phone for free or at a discounted price, make sure that you qualify for it. Some people I know sold their brand new phones prior to leaving their home countries. When they went to subscribe for a plan with Etisalat, they found out that they wouldn't be able to get a new smartphone (IPhone in their case) until they're Etisalat customers for 6 months... That created a lot of confusion and misunderstanding, because it didn't make much sense from a Western's perspective, but that's just how the system works.

A few additional tips :

• Before coming to the U.A.E., a bunch of people told me that everyone here as a Blackberry - hence, that it would be easier for me to get a Blackberry and be in touch with people through BBM. That is not true. Lots of people now have IPhones or Android phones, and it is easy to stay in touch by using SMS messages or Whatsapp. A lot of people have more than one phone (a company phone which is usually a BlackBerry, and a personal phone)
• Don't go crazy on your phone plan. You can always upgrade, but you can't downgrade.
• Since everything... tends... to take... a lot... of time... in the U.A.E., even if your company promises you a company phone, I strongly advise you to get a prepaid plan when you arrive. That way you're not stuck without a phone for the first 4 months ;-)

When I prepared my cat's trip to Abu Dhabi, one of my biggest concerns was where he would stay while I would be looking for an apartment. During my first weeks, I was going to stay at a hotel, and pets were not allowed. To make it worse, I was going to arrive in the U.A.E. one day later than Charlie!

Charlie landed late in the evening, which was actually a good thing because we arrived in June, and the temperatures are so hot during the day. Upon arrival, he got inspected by customs and then was released to be picked up. Families can normally pick up their own pets, but they usually don't: they might not be in the U.A.E. yet (I wasn't), they don't have a car, etc.
I arranged with the American Vet Pet relocation team to get a pick up at Abu Dhabi Airport. They could also pick up my cat at Dubai airport for an additional fee, if it was more convenient for me. It's good to know, in case plane tickets to Abu Dhabi are too complicated to get from your city!
Then, they took Charlie out of his kennel and put him in a larger, more comfortable cage. They fed him and watered him, and he had a litter box - after nearly 24 hours of travelling, he probably needed it! Poor thing...
The next morning, the Vet team inspected him to see if he was alright. I got an email telling me that he was doing good, besides a little bit of stress (obviously!).
A few weeks before arriving in Abu Dhabi, I had also reserved a spot for him at the American Vet's cattery. It is basically a pet hotel, and I can assure you that it is a really awesome service. The availability is limited, so make sure that you make your reservation early enough.
I believe they have 4 rooms where they have several huge cages. Here are pictures that I took there, just so you see what to expect :

Every cage is really tall, a human can stand inside. They have 3 ledges inside, so your cat can jump and play. They are equipped with a litter box, bowls for food and water. You can bring your own food when you arrive in Abu Dhabi (but can't export more than for one day with the kennel, otherwise the customs will get suspicious). If your cat doesn't have a specific diet, the Cattery team has premium dry and moist food in fish and chicken flavor. They will try all of them with your cat and see what s/he prefers.
In front of each cage is pinned a list of instruction for each cat, as well as a recap table where the cattery staff notes down any daily relevant observation : for example Charlie stayed 2-3 weeks and his weight was regularly monitored. He had an ear infection problem, so that was also part of the things they had to check. They also cut his claws when needed.
You can also place any personal items you want in the cage (toys, a piece of clothing with your smell on it, etc.)
The cattery team usually turns the radio on during the day so the cats have a presence. They have a Feliway diffuser plugged at all times.
You can visit your pet whenever you want (the cattery has pretty long opening hours) and the cats are checked several times a day by the staff who is really, really dedicated. They're pet owners themselves and they know what they are dealing with. Trust me, I visited Charlie nearly every day, and every time I went someone was dropping by to see how the cats were doing.
If you have more than one cat, they can be placed together in the same cage. Otherwise, your cat will be alone for safety reasons. A curtain separates each cage so your cat has some privacy.
It is also reassuring to know that since the cattery is located inside the Vet's offices, your cat will immediately be checked in case something is going on (you need to give your consent for that on the application form, if you agree)
In case you're willing to export your dog, The American Vet also has a kennel service. It's located outside the city center, since dogs take more space and are more noisy than cats.

Honestly, I've been really happy with the Cattery's services. Without them, I don't know how I would have made it. I've done a bunch of research and I don't know any hotel in Abu Dhabi that allows pets. If you know any, please do let me know by posting a comment at the bottom of this article.

Now some of you may be wondering what was the cost for all the process. Here's a rough breakdown :

• The American Vet : import permit + pick up at the airport : 2500 AED ($680, 545€)

• Air Animal : plane ticket for Miami - Abu dhabi (with one connection in Dusseldorf) : $1400 (1120 €)

• The American Vet : cattery for 1 month : AED 1790 ($490, 390€). Since I checked out Charlie after 3 weeks, I got a refund for the week I didn't use.

Total cost : $2570 or 2055€. Phew... Yeah, that's a lot of money, and a lot of people who don't have a heart, such as my Father, will strongly disapprove of such an expense. Well yeah, I love my cat, sue me!! :-D
Overall, it took me around 2 months to get everything ready for Charlie's travel (considering I didn't have to get the Rabies Serum Neutralizing test, cf. my first article about pet relocation paperwork). The import permit and other documents aren't that long to get, but coordinating the whole thing and figuring it out takes a while. Obviously, the earlier you start planning, the easier it is! Good luck to you!

Yeah folks, it's getting serious! You pet's going to fly! :-D It may be a little bit scary at first but with the right organization, everything will go smoothly. At least it did for me!
The first thing you need to know, in case you didn't read my previous post about the import permit, is that your pet will have to fly cargo. It's U.A.E. policy and it won't matter what airline you will fly with. Most likely, your pet will not fly with you and will be on a different plane.
In order to organize your pet's fly, the simplest solutions are the following :

• either coordinating it with your contact in Abu Dhabi (cf. Vet list in previous post)
• either getting in touch with a specialized freight forwarder

Hello guys, I'm back !
I know I promised an article about finding friends in Abu Dhabi... but yesterday I got a request for help with importing a pet in the U.A.E. from a really nice lady from my super cool forum expat-blog.com .
I was really nervous myself when I had to organize the import of my cat Charlie to Abu Dhabi, so I can understand her concern. It is not a complicated process, but it definitely is a process, and it takes time. So I figured I'd help her get all these formalities out of the way and write my pets-related article today ;-)

So first of all, let me introduce you to Charlie :



As you can see, he is an extremely adorable cat, so there was absolutely no way that I wouldn't take him with me on my big trip :-) Believe it or not, when it's time to move away, some people actually decide not to take their pets with them. Crazy, right? It's kind of like, " Oh yes, I love my kids! But since I decided to go on a vacation to Mexico for 2 weeks, I decided to place them into foster homes with Child Services. Oh yeah, they're doing great with their new families!" Seriously people, be responsible. When you adopted a pet, you also adopted the responsibilities that go with it. Moving away with a pet needs a lot of organization, but it's completely doable. Stop making excuses.
Okay, sorry for the rant...

In this article, I will give information about your pet's paperwork. Transportation and how things will go for your pet once it arrives in the U.A.E. will be covered in a later article. Please bear with me ;-)

Before I get started, you need to know that all animals that you want to send to the U.A.E. have to be shipped cargo. I repeat, cargo. No matter what airline you fly with, you can't take your pet with you in the cabin. It is not negotiable, and has nothing to do with the airline you will use. It is the U.A.E. custom's policy, and that's the way it is. Don't worry, your pet will be fine! Airline regulations are really strict about the comfort of live animals: they are always loaded and unloaded from the aircraft first (yes, before the luggage of the expensive First Class passengers ;-)), and during the flight they are placed in a specific compartment of the plane which is heated; the belly of the plane gets really really cold during the flight, but your pet will not suffer from it.

Now that I got this out of the way, let's talk about the papers. Yay! The most important document you need to get for the import of your pet to the U.A.E. is an import permit, issued by the U.A.E. Ministry of Environment and Water. You will automatically get it  within a few days of your application, as long as you provide the right documents. The requirements are the following.

• Your pet must be microchipped
• Your pet must have the following vaccines

Dogs	Rabies	Canine Distemper Virus (CDV)	Canine Parvo Virus	Infectious Canine Hepatitis	Leptospirosis
Cats	Rabies	Feline Pan Leukcopenia (FPV)	Feline Rhinotrachitics (FHV-1)	Feline Calicivirus

These vaccines are the usual, normal shots your pets get on their annual visits to the Vet, so most likely, they're already vaccinated for these diseases. Just make sure that the vaccines are up to date.

• You must provide a Rabies Serum Neutralization test

• your import permit will be denied, and it's going to delay all the import process, and also probably your move (what will you do if the import permit is denied and you need to leave your country? where is your pet going to stay?)
• your import permit will be accepted, but the U.A.E. customs will deny your pet's entry in the country, which can result in really long quarantines...

Trust me, I really don't have that much money, but I contacted professionals and it was worth every penny. In the beginning, my cat's vaccine certificate was not done right, so I got to go back to my vet's twice to get everything presented correctly. Thanks to my contact in the U.A.E., everything went nice and smooth, and I can't thank them enough for that.

• The American Vet : this is the company that I used, and I recommend it strongly. They reply to your emails in a timely manner, which is a really big deal sometimes with the time difference. They've been extremely patient and helpful and replied to all my crazy-obsessive-cat-lady questions ;-) Really, I tried them, and they're awesome. 
• The German Vet
• The British Vet

In addition to the paperwork, these companies can help you schedule your pet's flight, pick up your pet at the airport for you and provide pet-sitting services while you find your accommodation in Abu Dhabi. Really, really priceless, people! (Well it does have a price, don't get me wrong! It is quite high, tee-hee! But your peace of mind during the move is really important, and so is the comfort of your pet!)

Dear all,
I've been travelling to my home country for pretty much the whole Ramadan month, and I haven't been able to post. Things there got crazier than I thought they would ;-)
I'll get back to posting really soon. I have a huge article in preparation, called "How to make friends in Abu Dhabi". Hopefully I can post it next week and you will find it helpful. In the meantime, I wish you good luck preparing your move and... Eid Mubarak! 

When you will be settled down and will have the keys to your apartment, you will probably be in a rush to get an internet and landline subscription.

In the U.A.E., we have two main telecom companies : Etisalat and Du. Some buildings are already equipped with the internet access of Etisalat, which narrows down your choice, but also simplifies the process! In this case, you will still have to go to the Etisalat store in person and fill in an application form. You will need a credit card, a lease contract if possible (but not necessary, as long as you know the precise address of your flat), and a valid residence visa.
Etisalat's packages for home Internet and landlines are called Double Play. You will find here a list of the different options with pricing. If you don't own a router, which is necessary if you want wireless internet, you can purchase one from them. However, according to my friends, it is more expensive than if you purchase it on your own (Electra street has a lot of stores selling routers for all sorts of prices). A few days after your subscription (max 5 days), they will contact you to send a technician at your place to set up the whole thing. Oh miracle, it works instantly! I highly advise you to have the router ready so they can install it for you. It will save you a lot of time and pain in the b*tt! The internet conexion is fast and reliable, I'm really happy about it!
Du's packages for Internet and phone are called Talk and Surf. The price list is available here. If anyone has experience with Du, please share with me as I don't know anyone who uses their services.

Some websites are censored in the U.A.E.: here is a link to a PDF explaining the types of websites than are prohibited. Don't worry too much about it, though. Most common websites are fully operational : Google, Facebook, Yahoo, etc. Skype works, but I noticed that only Skype to Skype calls go through. Skype to phone seem to be blocked. It isn't a really big deal, though, because most phone bundles include international minutes. 

Not sure what their real name is, but that's what they make me think about!


Abu Dhabi, July 2012. Picture taken from Al Jazeera Sports Stadium

Various pictures taken in malls and at home :) 2012

Reem Island, July 2012

Reem Island, July 2012

You will see it by yourself when you will start looking for apartments (for example on Dubizzle), a lot of properties for rent don't have kitchen appliances. It can be quite unsettling because usually empty apartments for rent in Europe and the U.S. have an equipped kitchen : they're not literally empty :-D
So you will have three main options for your appliances and home electronics: Carrefour, Lulu, or your now best friend Dubizzle!

• Carrefour is a French supermarket company that sells food and also things for the house. They're kind of like the French Walmart. They have a great choice of appliances and electronics (TVs, home cinema, phones, cameras, computers and IT stuff). They have most of the brands that you would find in your home country. I'm not sure for electronics because I didn't buy anything there, but as far as the kitchen appliances are concerned, delivery and installation is free! The Carrefour store is located in Marina Mall, one of Abu Dhabi's main malls. To get an idea of the prices of all these items, you can check Carrefour's webstore IC4UAE. Carrefour sales staff is very knowledgeable about the products, and they have excellent after sale service. 
• Lulu is a Middle Eastern supermarket chain. They sell food in Lulu Supermarkets and all sorts of appliances and electronics either in the supermarket or in Lulu Department stores. These stores are usually located into important malls, so they're easy to access and to park to. Based on the Lulu stores I visited, they have a little less choice than Carrefour, but they seemed a little cheaper. They offer free delivery and installation of the kitchen appliances as well.
• Dubizzle is a cheap way to equip your home, but you'll have to install and deliver the items to yourself, so it might be a little bit of a hassle especially for kitchen appliances. As mentioned earlier in the post about furniture, lots of expats move away from the U.A.E. all the time and are willing to sell all of their stuff at once. Talking directly to someone is this situation might be more convenient for you than buying the appliances to different people. 

Now that we have considered the possibility of exporting your belongings to the U.A.E., let's see how it would be to buy everything new! Why not, after all? New city, new life, new home! And new furniture! If you're interested in home decor, this could be a fun experience!
There is quite some choice in terms of furnishing your new home in Abu Dhabi. I honestly don't know anyone who told me they didn't find anything that they like here. The only worry when you're still in your home country is that there isn't a lot of information available online, so here's a little help.

• Ikea : The Swedish God of furniture is very well settled in the U.A.E. They have one store in Abu Dhabi, and another one in Dubai. The stores are big, normal, pretty much identical to those you have in your home country. A lot of expats buy their furniture there, because it's pretty cheap (although slightly more expensive than in the U.S.A. from my personal experience), easy to assemble, and they have a lot of choice (I <3 Ikea!!). Be careful though, they might not have exactly all of the items of your home-store. For instance, they didn't have my mattress. But overall, they have a huge bunch of things. They provide free delivery and assembly when your purchases exceed 2500 AED (around 540€ or $680). It makes it as convenient as shopping in Europe of in the U.S., except that you don't pay for your delivery! I like the fact that all of their products are available online, which makes it easier to plan without having to visit the store. This is also how I managed to evaluate the value of my furniture when deciding if I should export my stuff or buy everything from scratch (see part 1 of this article)
• Homes R Us : They offer affordable, and more traditional furniture than Ikea. To each their own! They have one store in Abu Dhabi (located in Madinat Zayed mall, a very traditional Arabic mall) and several stores in Dubai. Just like Ikea, they have furniture and home decor items, linen, kitchen accessories (plates, pots, etc.). They have a few products visible on the website, but you will definitely need to go to the store to figure it out.
• Home Centre : They're a compromise between Ikea and Homes R Us. You can't see their collections online like on the Ikea website, but they have an online catalogue with prices. It will give you an idea of the style of their items. 

Depending on how attached you are in your home, you will probably start wondering very soon if you should send your personal belongings (mostly your furniture) to your new country. At least, it is one of the first things that I have thought about! ;-)
You basically have two options : either sending your stuff over to Abu Dhabi, or starting from scratch and buying everything when you arrive. Here are two questions that will help you take your decision:

• try and make a list of the items that are not replaceable, such as items that have a sentimental value, or items that are extremely expensive or rare. Do they take up a lot of room? Is it possible to pack them in one of your suitcase when you will fly to the U.A.E.? Do you have a place to leave them to in your home country in case you don't take them with you?
• try and make a list of the items that can be easily replaceable : kitchen appliances, any type of electronics (TV, computers, etc.), affordable furniture, clothing from international brands etc. How much are they worth?

So that's it, you're decision is made. You're moving to Abu Dhabi. Now you want to know what to expect from your new city.
Or maybe you haven't made up your mind yet because you need more information!
I guess I can help you with that.

Just before I get started, let me tell you more about myself. Not that you should be particularly interested in who I am, but since this blog is going to deal with cultural perception a lot, you might want to know where the advice is coming from.
So I am 28, I am a female. Duh, I guess you could have guessed that based on my screen name and my profile picture at least! I am French, but I have lived for a while in Miami, Florida, and I've travelled quite a lot in my live. Without saying that I am a perfect expert of Islam, I am semi familiar with its cultures because there are a lot of African people in France (who are predominantly Muslim). Moreover, I've had a short work experience in Hyderabad, India, where the Muslim community is pretty dense.
For some reason I've always been interested in the Middle East, so coming to live in the U.A.E. was never too scary for me - but I know that for a lot of people it is!
Well, good news is, there isn't much to be scared about!
Obviously it is not Miami, or France, but it is not that different from living in a Western country. Expat women are not expected to cover their head, although it is preferable to dress respectfully (i.e., covering your shoulders and your knees). That pretty much says it all in terms of how much Muslim traditions will affect you. In the everyday life, you will be able to find most of your home country's (or at least continent) consumption products, so if you start feeling home-sick, a nice plate of comfort food shouldn't be an issue. You will be able to find all the electronics, clothing, cars, and so on that you want, so you don't necessarily need to "stock up" before you leave.
You will also be able to stay in touch fairly easily with your loved ones back home : contrary to what a lot of people say, Facebook, Skype, and emails are not censored. Actually most websites are allowed as long as they're not offensive to Islam and don't promote behaviors frowned upon by religion (crime, drugs, out of marriage sex). The internet network is pretty efficient, so it is really easy to maintain a good quality communication with your family and friends. You can also get a phone plan that includes international minutes, in case you want to call your grandma who doesn't have Skype ;-)

You see, no biggie, really.

I recently moved to Abu Dhabi and was really anxious about how life would be in my new country. I did find some information online, but a lot of my questions were left unanswered.