Post: #1

So.. I recently left my job, left my family, left my friends, left my car and more importantly my dog behind and left to Dubai in search of god knows what. (its not about the destination, its the path to get there)

I must say it was an easy decision and one I shall never regret. But to the point; when I made the decision and then starting looking out at the prospect of moving to the middle of the desert where only cynical people live, I had to hear and deal with a lot of criticism. If it wasn't about how I was pursuing money over true happiness, it was about how the weather was unbearable. If it wasn't about how they only had camels around it was about how people only cared about fancy cars and big buildings. If it wasn't about how women were all covered up it had to be that they were unbangable and the ratios didn't help either.

Funny enough, most times these comments come from those who have never experienced, never been or never seen. They pick up the pieces from TV, their internet addicted jack-off neighbor and the hearsay conversations on the bus that takes them to the paper pushing dream job and "cultivate" their opinions. the ones who know, usually keep quite and let you experience it yourself.

I've been here for a month and still have a lot to explore, but I thought I'd just share my early findings and myth destroying discoveries:

1. The Weather is unbearable.
Yes. The weather is quite unbearable. It's November, back at home, and home is a warm place, this is the time of year when the bones would start to clank and my boots where never dry enough. Here? I go to the beach every weekend.
Sure, June, August and September will be more unbearable. Actually I still caught a bit of Summer once I got here, but as unbearable as it gets, people survive. They shut themselves up in their air conditioned homes, gyms, restaurants and cars and they always barely make it to live another year.

2.You will only meet the cynical in Dubai
Yes. You are dipped in a cynical cultural pot where in one day you will meet a number of people from a number of different countries that you'd never be able to contact in a full year back home. It takes you from the 18 year old emirate Ahmad driving his brand new corvette while never even worrying about ever having to work, to Jason, the philipino who serves you coffee every morning and shares the 1 room flat with 3 others in the hope of sending some money home to his recently earthquake shaken family.
Point is, on a cultural level, this is final level. If you can manage here, you can manage anywhere. Dubai is full of cynical, honest and humble people, and all of them are around every corner. It's a great way to put yourself in perspective and understand where you stand.

3. Game can't save you in Dubai
Yes. Game can't save you in Dubai, if you're a woman. Truth is Dubai is a playground for the player.

3.1. But the ratios are against you!
Yes. The ratios are against me. But if you consider a 70/30 ratio, and take into account that of those 70%, about 70% are either muslim (no game), arabs (no game), philipinos (no game), indians (sorry, no game), the ratios get much better.
There is also the whiplash effect. Women are sometimes so fed up with these poor players that they will actually make it easy for you.

3.2. But you cant drink or socialize
Yes. You cant kiss or fuck on the street. In the clubs its another story and welcome to Las Vegas. Another whiplash effect - since there is less contact on the street/bar scene, its like the females are more needy for affection and hot dog delivery ASAP.

3.3. People that go there are workaholics, no fun
Yes. The vibe in Dubai is work.... during the day. The night comes, and then the weekend, and then the people... well the people just want to have fun. No strings attached everyone just wants to have fun. More - 80% of people in Dubai are from 20 to 50 years old. There are no old people in Dubai and there are no children. (obvious exaggeration meant) So most people are at their sexual and freedom peak years and intercourse is expected/desired.

3.4. You shouldn't approach women in Dubai
Yes. You shouldn't, you must! Approaching is easy, the logistics are good and the playground is huge. Women walk alone, in pairs and in packs. All colors, all ages, all heels - it's good.

4. It's too expensive
Yes. Dubai is expensive but also usually pays off. With about 20k AED /month you can have a pretty good life in Dubai. I don't spend much during the week. Groceries are not expensive and I stay at home, gym and eat clean.
On the weekend you can spend a lot. Alcoholic drinks are expensive so having a bottle at home is the way to go. Good restaurants are expensive but not more expensive than a good one in New York.

6. It's boring
Yes...No.There is nothing boring about Dubai. There are events every weekend (concerts, plays, sports events, expos etc). Every night is a night out in Dubai if you want. Lounges are always open and people always go out, there is no need to wait for the weekend.

Facts

First month, 3 new flags some bangs here and there and a lot of work and all this in the midst of settling down and setting camp. I haven't made a big effort to the point that I am starting to feel out of game shape and still, I have been able to pull.

Still a lot to explore and look around, but so far so good. Truth is banging is easy in Dubai and you don't even need to be a big player. I've had dates, picked up-to bang on the line for the taxi after a night out and everything in between. There are plenty of single and attractive women around and, as per my personal taste, they all feel its mandatory to dress up. The occasional hipster is seen but you can see there is a lot of competition from the girls to get a "good" catch.

So I guess this is the part when I invite you to come over to Dubai. No, Please Don't. Send your sister instead.

Post: #2

I have to agree with you Doc. All those assumption are valid, but like anywhere else in the world, a place is what you make it. This especially rings true in Dubai.

I spent two weeks in the city back in June, and yes, it was unbearably hot and humid. That's why they have plenty of A/C everywhere. Logistics aren't great, as you'll be pretty much cabbing everywhere. It is pretty amazing to meet so many people from across the world, and if you land a job then you're raking in a nice salary tax-free. Then it's up to you to figure out the myriad of social groups, and target those girls who are in the same boat as mostly everyone else - working and looking for play. Some of the better clubs I've been to have been in Dubai. My crew was actually picked up by a group of Indian honey's at a pub, a first for me. Hell, they had Paki/Indian boyfriends and worked at call centers but obviously sensed excitement in us. British/Aussie/South African gals come here to make careers, and need to let all that stress out during the weekends. And they can't slack off on looking/dressing hot, this is the big leagues. You can supplement that pool with tourists just passing through looking for fun.

My main criticism is that the city lacks soul, and I wouldn't be able to just come here for a few weeks to game. You can always fix that with a quick and cheap Emirati flight to East Asia.

Post: #3

I've been thinking of getting a job out there, what sectors are employing and any good sites to apply on?

Post: #4

This city... I'd definitely start my career there, one of my favourite cities and I love it. Women wise I'd say it can be complicated if you don't frequent the right places, as this post states. It made my intention to go there even stronger!

Post: #5

Can't speak for the financial sector, but the energy sector looks alive. I'm basing that on more American GOM companies working out of there now. I'd live in Dubai in a minute.

I did a exploratory run through there and was getting people wanting to hire me. I trolled the lounges like the hookers were. You'll meet a lot of Arabs with money and expats working the rigs. It seemed like once you are there they are willing to hire if you are skilled. It's still on my mind to head back over for a couple months to find a job, but the costs makes it a big gamble.

A RT straight shot from ATL cost $1500. Rent in international village for a short term apartment is around $800-$1000 sans roommates. Food is cheap if you eat like the OFW's, and I ain't scared to throw down hard on some Indian, Filipino, Lebanese, ect. They make $600 per month and still do fine.

That leads to transportation, which isn't horribly expensive by cab, but you can lessen it by taking buses, depending your where you live. Honestly though, the biggest cost during the job hunt is alcohol. Fuck me I've dropped thousands there and still can't account for where it went. Drugs or hookers weren't involved, so I have a hunch.

Spending every night running the clubs, bars, and lounges looking for biz contacts can get expensive, as I found out. Still, the place is full of money and I don't believe it is hard to cash in. You get big points for being a well-dressed professional American. Trust me.

Estimated cost of the trip for 2 months= $10K just to be safe.

Airfare-$1500 refundable (just in case)
Rent-$1600
Food-$1000
Trans-$500
Comms-$200
Entertainment-$500
Booze-$2000

That comes to $7300 and I shot those numbers high If you guys have any specific questions let me know.

Post: #6

Nice data sheet, man. The middle east as a whole seems underrated on this forum. It's maybe not the best place to pick up women but it ticks a lot of other boxes. High paying jobs. No income tax. Short flight to a lot of exotic destination. Basically, you could do worse. I am thinking about heading out there in a year or two....

Post: #7

What sectors of the economy do most foreigners work in? Finance? Technical fields like engineering? I'm just curious as to what types of professional skills employers in Dubai are looking for.
Or is it basically: "everything"?

Post: #8

From what I understand the finance sector took a dive, but due to Dubai being in the hole ( I think) oil/gas has picked up. It has worldwide and two best pools for hard working skilled labor is the U.S./England. Oz/Canada also but as of now they don't have the need to travel to find skilled labor.

YMG knows a little more about the financial landscape I believe.

Post: #9

I was raised in Dubai and did high school there before I left for the US 6 years ago.My family is still there and I have visited for a few weeks once every 6 months or so and I tend to agree with most points made by the OP. Some points I want to make:

1.Logistics: Not as good as it seems. Yes, transportation has improved with the metro but if you're partying on Sheikh Zayed Road and live in Bur dubai pulling a girl is going to cost you AED 50 in cab rides unless you drive everywhere.

2.Society is Segregated: This is something that could be more due to my background ( Middle class family, Indian) but I think game is very social circle based in Dubai.People from the same country, economic class hang out together. If you come from a middle-class background but have rich friends, then access to good quality women is easier. In my case, most of my friends from high school work normal jobs and don't splash/have a lot of dough and hence I don't have the access to those Emirates flight attendants and Ukranian models. Your best bet to meet these women is doing daygame (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall is gold) and penetrating some rich social circles.


OP, could you drop venue data from where you pulled and how it all went down? It would greatly help and I may be moving back there in a few months as well.

Post: #10

My disguised Dubai data sheet

Doody free prices:

/thread-1359-p...l#pid78782

Post: #11

I think I can do a decent breakdown in industries, my trip for university hit basically every major sector on the ground.

Bottom line is that Dubai is hot right now for careers (as is Abu Dhabi). It's one of the few places in the Middle East that is safe, stable, and relatively fun for expats. So even a multinational that is solely selling gas gauges in Erbil, Iraq will base operations in Dubai because that is where professionals want to live, and tax breaks are pretty generous (if not completely tax free). The Arab Spring is also propelling the economy. All the people with money and common sense from Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Iraq, or Lebanon are seeking out Dubai as a safe haven, investing in property. And any Emirati will point out a memorized fact, that oil and gas only bring in 2 or 3 % of total GDP for the city.

Having said that, oil & gas is one of the strong sectors. Dubai doesn't have it, but Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Gulf states do. Anything from pipelines, to transportation of the stuff, to construction of self-reliant oil platforms, and everything in between makes its way through Dubai.

I would say Dubai is the financial center of the Middle East, with a glitzy financial district of the city. Lots of money goes through this place, and has to be allocated properly. Every major financial house is located here, and backed up by English based law. Due to the instability and risk of the region, global insurance giants are making a killing insuring everything and anything.

Dubai authorities love attracting business, so tax free zones rule here. One of the world's biggest ports is located here, and is supported by an army of warehouses and supply chain management shops. The authorities are even building a giant new airport to handle air freight. If that's your thing, then you have a job. While a rarity, actually saw one of the hottest girls working at a third party logistics place.

Real estate is hot right now too. After the downturn, the houses on the Palm islands are being bought up again. Should you find yourself selling luxurious homes and condos, then you're making a nice commission.

Hospitality and tourism, what's there to say...anyone from the Arabic world with money goes to Dubai to splash and party. I was drinking with a guy in my hotel bar who was there just to shop and drink, turns out he was from Saudi Arabia. It's a cake walk to find a service job, but it probably won't pay much. Much of the labor is supplied by Filipinos. But there's plenty of management positions if that is your thing, pick and choose from some of the world's most luxurious hotels. And the Russians, they just love to spend cash. Met a British bloke who was making a killing doing party boat charters, mostly for Russian groups but also rugby players and the such. Opportunities abound.

I'm more of a tech guy, so was on the lookout for that. The folks in charge try to emulate and one-up everything, so they're building Silicon Wadi, Silicon Valley's knock-off, and Internet City is already in place. It's mostly a tax-free excuse for the SAP's, Microsoft's, and Oracle's to put their logos on some buildings and sell their products throughout the region. Not much innovation happening here, but you'd still find a job in this sector if you looked hard enough. Media City is a similar zone for the news, media, and advertising outlets.

So everyone should be able to find something if they put in the effort. The nice thing is that expats don't get taxed (although US is up to 85K i think), and you get a paid ticket anywhere in the world for two weeks. The Emirati population doesn't really have incentive to work hard. They may be educated in the West, but their $250K salaries and 25 hr work weeks don't translate into high productivity. The rulers know this, that's why they want English-speaking professionals who can crunch some spreadsheets to keep growing and diversifying their economy. Will there be another bubble in the future? Possibly, but if the region will be as fucked up as it is now, then Dubai and Abu Dhabi will always be the places to do business in the Middle East.

Happy hunting.

Post: #12

(11-06-2013 06:10 PM)NewGamer Wrote:  I was raised in Dubai and did high school there before I left for the US 6 years ago.My family is still there and I have visited for a few weeks once every 6 months or so and I tend to agree with most points made by the OP. Some points I want to make:

1.Logistics: Not as good as it seems. Yes, transportation has improved with the metro but if you're partying on Sheikh Zayed Road and live in Bur dubai pulling a girl is going to cost you AED 50 in cab rides unless you drive everywhere.

2.Society is Segregated: This is something that could be more due to my background ( Middle class family, Indian) but I think game is very social circle based in Dubai.People from the same country, economic class hang out together. If you come from a middle-class background but have rich friends, then access to good quality women is easier. In my case, most of my friends from high school work normal jobs and don't splash/have a lot of dough and hence I don't have the access to those Emirates flight attendants and Ukranian models. Your best bet to meet these women is doing daygame (Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall is gold) and penetrating some rich social circles.

OP, could you drop venue data from where you pulled and how it all went down? It would greatly help and I may be moving back there in a few months as well.

Interesting. I too am Indian; while I grew up in the states, a substantial portion of my family lives in Dubai. They are far richer than I am and live fairly luxurious lives. Wonder if I can leverage that in some way when I visit.

Did you ever get with an Emirati Arab? I feel like I could make decent headway with most other races if I spent some time there, but the native Arabs seem like a tough nut to crack(at least from what I heard).

Post: #13

Quote:What sectors of the economy do most foreigners work in? Finance? Technical fields like engineering? I'm just curious as to what types of professional skills employers in Dubai are looking for.
Or is it basically: "everything"?

That's a good question for those seeking professional progression.
Usually when people think of Dubai and the ME, the first thing that comes to mind is Energy Sector because of the Oil. The truth is Dubai is not heavy on the energy sector. The Emirate is only relying on oil for 9% of its GDP and therefore it is not a major industry. I think the biggest industries you can find here are:
-Transformation (eg. the biggest aluminum factory in the world is here)
-Distribution
-Tourism
There's a lot of people working in tourism and services, and the Free Zones help distributors and transformers to settle down and enjoy tax free operations. For this reason Dubai has become a hub for major distributors in this area of the globe.

Energy and Finance are in Abu Dhabi. Which is not far but is more of a family oriented city. And I think you can get even more money there because these are the top paying sectors. In Dubai you'll meet many engineers, store managers, teachers, bartenders and tech managers.
In Abu Dhabi youll have the banking people and energy warlords. ...and teachers I guess.

Quote:My main criticism is that the city lacks soul, and I wouldn't be able to just come here for a few weeks to game. You can always fix that with a quick and cheap Emirati flight to East Asia.

Couldn't agree more. Although I feel like I am living in an iconic city that will not be soon forgotten it does lack soul. This is because soul comes from culture, and here there is none. But this is also interesting. Most of us, and especially those from Europe have been born and bred into culture and take it for granted. A time in the desert gives a good perspective on what sets us apart from the beasts.

Dubai is a hub and sits in the middle of three continents. Flights are easy to get, but about cheapness, that depends. For sure since you are closer to asia, you can get a better fare. However, I feel like a real low cost company does not exist here yet.

Quote:That leads to transportation, which isn't horribly expensive by cab, but you can lessen it by taking buses, depending your where you live. Honestly though, the biggest cost during the job hunt is alcohol. Fuck me I've dropped thousands there and still can't account for where it went. Drugs or hookers weren't involved, so I have a hunch.

I cannot agree that taxis are a big draw back. They are actually cheap compared to the states. I taxi everyday to work because I haven't got my drivers license converted yet. This is still cheaper than renting a car for the month which is possible for something just under 2k AED (600USD)

Booze is expensive and the quality isn't that good. But keep it coming from duty free from one of your Emirates cabin crew friends and you'll do fine.

But yeah, money here seems to disappear on weekends.

Cheap accommodation will usually equate to filthy. I am renting a small studio apartment at the marina for about 1600usd. But the location pays of. You can easily get much cheaper by sharing or moving inland.

Post: #14

I believe Doc J has put the cart afore the horse. This is the kind of list you can put out after you've written up an extensive trip report or a solid data sheet. Otherwise you're just throwing out statements without showing the research.

Post: #15

I never said this was a data sheet nor does the forum rules specify this section is only for data sheets. And I will not put one in until I have the experience I believe is required to do so in a valuable way.
So basically you are putting the horse where it was not called for, because the cart isn't going anywhere.

Post: #16

(11-07-2013 02:25 AM)Vicious Wrote:  I believe Doc J has put the cart afore the horse. This is the kind of list you can put out after you've written up an extensive trip report or a solid data sheet. Otherwise you're just throwing out statements without showing the research.

I've been to Dubai probably half a dozen times and agree with everything Doc_J has written.

Dubai is a poosy paradise for certain individuals.

@Doc_J and Friar- Great intel so far and keep it coming. The ME gets a lot of hate on the forum but that doesn't mean some of us appreciate the added information. I started a thread but gave up on it.

/thread-11584.html

Post: #17

Thanks for keeping it positive Ali...

By the way, I haven't tasted the local poossey cats here yet. But I have a friend who has dug in easily through a VIP area in a concert we went to. It seems they are not that shy anymore these days...

Back to business, Dubai has an attractive for me... Free Zones.
For those of you thinking you can smoke pot there, no you cant. But you cheaply can settle your own company with 100% ownership and pay 0% taxes. Basically a legal uber-offshore in a quite nice playground.
My plan is to open my own business next year and then I can work anywhere and just channel the money through this modern sandy 1000AED bill washing machine. - just an idea.

Post: #18

(11-07-2013 02:34 AM)Doc_J Wrote:  I never said this was a data sheet nor does the forum rules specify this section is only for data sheets. And I will not put one in until I have the experience I believe is required to do so in a valuable way.
So basically you are putting the horse where it was not called for, because the cart isn't going anywhere.

It's not about rules so no need to get defensive, it's about gauging the worth of data. We've had posers posting intel that had zero connection with reality.

If Ali vouches for the 1st post's worth then that's good enough for me. We'll look forward to reading your trip report/data sheet or whatever you end up putting out in the end.

Post: #19

Random question: how fast is the internet in Dubai? Can I get 100mbps home internet on Etisalat?

Post: #20

They sell as up to 500mbps in triple play packages:

http://www.etisalat.ae/en/personal/elife...ckages.jsp

Post: #21

(11-08-2013 04:32 AM)Doc_J Wrote:  They sell as up to 500mbps in triple play packages:

http://www.etisalat.ae/en/personal/elife...ckages.jsp

$1400 a month?! Even the 100mbps triple play comes out to ~$95/month for each component. I hope you can write it off as a business expense.

Post: #22

I'm flying to there now, will be there 2300 on Saturday for a few days.

any recommendations for venues for an older crowd? I am looking for Arab and Indian divorcees.

Post: #23

(11-08-2013 11:52 AM)Chew Wrote:  

(11-08-2013 04:32 AM)Doc_J Wrote:  They sell as up to 500mbps in triple play packages:

http://www.etisalat.ae/en/personal/elife...ckages.jsp

$1400 a month?! Even the 100mbps triple play comes out to ~$95/month for each component. I hope you can write it off as a business expense.

Just get the normal 50mbps. Its been working for me.

(11-08-2013 07:04 PM)Sp5 Wrote:  I'm flying to there now, will be there 2300 on Saturday for a few days.

any recommendations for venues for an older crowd? I am looking for Arab and Indian divorcees.

Specifically for Arab and Indian I don't know honestly. But older women are all around looking for fun. You can usually find them in lounges such as Buddha Bar and so.
I have been going to a lounge at Media One Hotel. It has a "african party" every Friday night, which doesn't have much of african but does have a good crowd. There are always some cougars on the hunt around there but probably more on the euro side. I haven't found the arab cougar den yet.

Post: #24

(11-08-2013 04:32 AM)Doc_J Wrote:  Specifically for Arab and Indian I don't know honestly. But older women are all around looking for fun. You can usually find them in lounges such as Buddha Bar and so.
I have been going to a lounge at Media One Hotel. It has a "african party" every Friday night, which doesn't have much of african but does have a good crowd. There are always some cougars on the hunt around there but probably more on the euro side. I haven't found the arab cougar den yet.

Funny you mentioned Media One. Spent 4 days in Dubai with a Lebanese and an Egyptian. Egypt pulled a 30ish yo Scottish woman from the Media One party with no game. Stayed there the following night when there wasn't a party, but spotted quite a bit of talent around the hotel.

Regarding logistics, we had a car, and I was thankful. Dubai was a lot more sprawling than I had imagined. I personally wouldn't live there without one. Taking public transportation in unbearable heat is my hell.

Post: #25

Seems like no one is addressing the large elephant (and it's more like a fact than a "myth") in the room. So, I'll give it a try... From what I understand, it's a serious crime in Dubai to have sex outside of marriage. Though, I am sure many foreigners do it and some don't even realize that it's illegal. That would add an extra dimension to gaming in that part of the world. Great if you're an adrenaline junkie though...