We are.

We are imperceptible blips on the cosmic radar. When I think of how tiny I truly am, I wonder why we don't love one another? Cast the bullshit aside... Love one another. 

It took leaving America to realize how privileged I am. That's sad. I shouldn't have to compare myself to others to be grateful for all the opportunities afforded me. 

Life is but a dream... With such relatively short time, why do we as humans sometimes treat one another so terribly? Our hearts break for the starving dog, but not the starving person on the street? Do we not know hunger?

We are nothing. We hardly exist. 

Love one another. 

If You Want to Work in Dubai, Read This First

I am far from the first USA native to relocate to Dubai for work and I certainly won't be the last. US locals are all too familiar with the job situation in America and some people are interested in moving internationally to find better opportunities. Here are a few things to know before making the move:

1. Discrimination is Legal

In America, it is illegal to not hire someone based on their background (ethnicity, age, sex). This is not the case in the UAE- employers may specify required age, ethnicity, sex, of potential candidates in their job postings. Why is this legal? My guess is because of the large expat community, certain businesses are nationality-specific to make those nationals feel more at home (e.g. American expats would likely rather be treated by American doctors than doctors of other backgrounds). 

2. There Is No Mininum Wage

And you're typically paid a salary, not hourly. Salary is paid at the end of every month so you should be financially prepared prior to moving. Fortunately there are many contract positions so you'll have job security for the next 1-3 years. Six day work weeks are the norm for some positions, so be sure to review your contract carefully.  

3. It's Illegal to Work Two Jobs

The rationale is twofold: your employer ought to be paying you enough in terms of basic wage and living allowances for you to get by, and working a second job after your primary one will make you too tired for you to do the first one well. So you need your employer's explicit consent in pursuing another position otherwise that's grounds for termination. While it's true that the same rule exists in America, it seems to be more enforced in Dubai. 

4. Westerners Preferred

Western nationals are given preference in hiring, possibly due to our education system. Generally though, preference for job positions goes first to UAE natives, Arab natives of another country, and workers of other nationalities, in that order. Be aware that many companies set a six month probabtion period in case you do not live up to their expectations, so be honest and upfront during the hiring process.

5. Market Prices Based on Market Needs

While this is likewise true in America, in Dubai you can literally earn more as a bilingual receptionist than as a nurse: http://www.dubaifaqs.com/salaries-dubai.php. Research available industry opportunities in Dubai to determine if it's a worthwhile move for your profession. 

For more information on labor laws, check out these resources-

- UAE Ministry of Labor: http://www.mol.gov.ae/newmolgateway/english/newindex.aspx

- UAE Labor Law PDF: http://tinyurl.com/o2vwsbc

- UAE Labor Law site: http://uaelaborlaw.com

5 Benefits of Moving to Dubai

Some of you expressed apprehension about life in Dubai following my last post on censorship laws in Dubai and what it's like experiencing them as a Los Angeles native so here's a post to perk you up. 

1. No Taxes

Easily the best and biggest perk of moving to Dubai. An employer offers you $20/hour? That's $20/hour, not $16/hour after taxes. No taxes = more disposable income going back into the economy. No taxes applies to shopping, as well: price tags are true to life (no more mental guesswork calculating the cost of shoes, food, and clothes after tax!)

2. Ease of Transport

I mentioned this in previous posts but it bears repeating: traveling within Dubai is easy thanks to frequent trains, abundance of taxis, and license transferability should you want a car. During the average work day, I take the metro 3 times and it still costs less than what I would pay in Los Angeles for a single trip ($1.47 for 3 trips in Dubai vs $1.50 for one trip in LA)

3. Furnished Apartments

While one can find furnished apts in LA, Dubai welcomes the large number of expatriates by offering a larger availability of furnished apartments. Bed, couches, tables, chairs, TV, Internet, appliances, dishware... All included. Plus there's a washing machine inside every apartment! Talk about convenient. 

4. Night Life

Granted I haven't gone out yet, but "Dubai After Dark" is a very real thing. Take the architecture and extravagance normally associated with Dubai and implement it onto a nightclub. There is no shortage of drinks, dancing, and little black dresses.

5. Activity

Swimming, skiing, golfing, football (soccer), water parks, safaris, amusement parks... I can't name a single outdoor activity Dubai doesn't offer. "Time Out Dubai" is a great electronic and print resource detailing all the adventures Dubai offers. Much like LA, you'll never run out of a new experience to try. 

Dubai is a great place to live especially for DINK (Dual Income No Kids) types. It's only been a month but I am happy here and looking forward to experience all that Dubai has to offer. 

[Censored]

Today I'm going to talk about censorship in Dubai from a Los angeleno's perspective. 

To start, many things are censored in the UAE, both IRL and via Internet. The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) ultimately decides what is blocked online but some people report that there are differences between what is blocked on Etisalat versus Du, the two leading telecom providers in Dubai.

Anything that "contradicts the ethics and morals of the UAE" is blocked. Some examples of Internet censorship in Dubai include:

- content expressing hatred towards religions (especially Islam but includes other religions as well)

- dating websites (though matrimony are OK)

- gambling, pornography (including online sites such as Maxim although the print versions are available with some nudity blacked out)

Back into the real world, it's frowned upon to speak poorly of high ranking officials, e.g. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Try saying that 5 times fast. He is the Prime Minister & VP of the UAE, and constitutional monarch of Dubai. Note: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is composed of 7 emirates. Think of it this way: UAE = USA, emirate = state, & Dubai = California.

Censorship is weird, to say the least. On one hand, everyone seems to speak more politely and pleasantly about others while OTOH no one really appears to express any negative opinions. It's strange thinking about this given my diverse background (liberal feminist psych grad from LA). 

As a blogger, I inherently censor myself when writing these posts. Beyond the usual human filter of what is/not appropriate to discuss, I am constantly cautious not to reveal too much, both in terms of my exact physical location & how I feel sometimes about Dubai for fear that I may face some unidentifiable repercussion. 

In America, we are accustomed to freedom of speech. It truly is a beautiful thing and I defend it completely. Freedom of speech is a constitutional value that many Americans use to express themselves, join groups, & find both like- and unlike-minded individuals. Unfortunately some people choose to abuse that right by creating, sharing, or downloading unsavory material (I'm looking at you, Reddit). Now that I'm in Dubai though I feel conflicted because the lack of freedom of speech feels very 1984-ish but these restrictions are clearly in place for a seemingly (mostly) well-intentioned reason. 

A couple additional resources on censorship in the UAE (the irony is not lost on me):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates#Internet_censorship

http://www.dubaifaqs.com/censorship-uae-internet.php

Saturday Night Special: Dubai's Architecture

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves. 

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this experience become a reality. 

5 Items I Didn't Know Were Missing From My Life

Los Angeles is a known leader in all things whacky, expensive, and completely unnecessary. Tonight, I will present to you 5 items I've found in Dubai that rival even LA's most absurd offerings. 

Top left: swan

Bottom left: skull with headphones

Top right: golden duck

Bottom right: british skull (you can tell 'cause the teeth are missing, ha ha)

Ridiculously expensive rings sculpted into really neat designs. 

Chupa Chup the size of my head for $45. Worth it y/n?

Felt red heels with skull accents. Glam up a head-to-ankle hijab with these gangster girls!

IT'S A COUCH. THAT LIGHTS UP. I HAVE NEVER NEEDED ANYTHING THIS BADLY IN MY LIFE. OKAY, OTHER THAN FOOD, SHELTER AND WATER. BUT EVEN THEN.

An elaborate hookah pipe taller than I am. It can be yours for just 2,165 AED ($590)! (Melody not included)

  

Walking Alone at Night: A Tale of One City

On Saturday, I walked to the grocery store, my first time walking alone at night in Dubai. It was our first time cooking (Chicken Katsu) in our new apartment and we forgot to buy cooking oil. The grocery store, Choithrams, is nearby our building. 9:17pm, I'm walking out the building door when I take an extra moment to idly chat with the security guard, just in case. 

I opt to leave my purse at home and only carry the essentials: wallet, cell phone, house keys. 'I don't want anything bulky weighing me down, just in case'. My phone was on low battery when I realized I hadn't memorized my boyfriend's international cell phone number yet. I quickly checked my phone, reviewed the numbers, and made a tune out of it so I wouldn't forget. 

9:20pm, I arrive at Choithrams, pausing to play with the stray kittens I've affectionately named Rex and Penelope before entering the store. I text my bf to alert him of my arrival. Upon locating the cooking oil aisle, I realize I don't know what kind of cooking oil we need and originally figured to just pick one and go before thinking better of it and calling my bf to specify which type we need. After we hang up, I grab the appropriate bottle for our dinner and head to the cashier, satisfied by the time stamp on our conversation... just in case. 

9:22pm. Exiting Choithrams, I take a moment to pet the kittens farewell when I notice that two guys have also exited the store and have paused to watch the kittens. I wait a minute for the men to leave and then another minute to make sure they've gained some distance before beginning the trek back home. I text my bf about my departure. 

Walking back to the apartment, I throw my wallet and phone into the grocery bag so as to hide any valuables and to make the bag heavier, just in case I would need to swing it at a potential attacker. I kept my house key hidden in the palm between my index and middle fingers, just in case. Briefly I relax upon noting that there's no one else on the street...before realizing that this also meant no one would see me if anything were to happen. I hurry home.

9:30pm. I'm back upstairs inside our apartment and resume cooking dinner. 

Dubai is a safe city. It is comparable to Los Angeles in terms of safety... Except Dubai is even safer (https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12119). There were security guards inside Choithrams while I shopped. There are security guards at my work, house, the metro, and the mall. Knowing all this beforehand, why had I taken so many precautions? For a trip under 15 minutes, I had taken 9 precautions to prevent or escape an attack, fight off an attacker, and make people aware of my most recent location. One can never be too cautious but at what point does caution interfere with my ability to live in peace?

I am an immigrant, a stranger in a new land, unaccustomed to all the customs here - my naïveté undoubtedly played a role in how I decided to mitigate my risk of being attacked. I recognize that risk is an inherent component of life: whether I go out or stay at home, risks of one type or another are ever present (although I realize going out may pose a higher risk of certain types of danger than staying in). I'm not sure why I'm blogging about this; if it holds any importance, or if I will feel differently one year from now. It's just food for thought... And yes, our dinner was delicious.