Hey everyone! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially after chatting with a few people who just landed here and are in full “figure everything out” mode.
When I first moved to Dubai, there were so many things nobody told me upfront. Little stuff that would have saved me so much time and stress:
- That you need to set up your Emirates ID before you can do almost anything else (bank account, phone plan, you name it)
- That some areas have basically no public transport links, so your choice of neighbourhood really affects your daily life
- That the cost of schooling for kids can be a massive chunk of your budget, worth researching way before you sign a lease
- That Ramadan hours change everything, not just restaurants, but also government offices, gyms, work schedules
Some of it sounds obvious in hindsight, but honestly nobody hands you a manual when you step off the plane.
Whether you’ve been here 6 months or 10 years, I’d love to hear from you: what’s the one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s just arriving in the UAE? Could be practical, could be cultural, could be something totally unexpected. Drop it below!