An expat's first month in the UAE

I don't even know where to start. Perhaps first with a sigh and an urggggghhhh, then a disclosure: I moved to the UAE a week before the coronavirus quarantine and lockdown. As you can imagine, it's been a busy and stressful time but I'm weirdly not hating my time here, despite the circumstances, and I'm happy I came.

The Nitty Gritty Stuff

Currently, I'm training to be a teacher with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and will be teaching here in Abu Dhabi, which is luckily where my initial teacher training is.

After meeting some colleagues in Manchester airport, we all got on the same flight and it was smooth sailing (flying?). At Abu Dhabi airport we were provided with a SIM card and chose our own monthly plans. TOP TIP: pay for the medium price plan. I paid for the cheapest and my calls ran out immediately (I swear I only got 3 minutes) and you'll need to call people in the UAE.

Initially, the MOE provided hotel accommodation for what was supposed to be the first week but was prolonged to two because of the coronavirus outbreak and then it was time to find your own place for the rest of the training period. In the first week, we had our health screening, our fingerprints scanned, bank applications sent off and Emirates ID application in process. (I still

haven't received my Emirates ID a month in and have been told this can be a long process). While in the hotel accommodation both of my bank cards arrived, although we have not been paid yet for our first month of being here. Our pay has rolled onto the next month (can't wait for the fat payslip because I AM BROKE!).

For the rest of the training period, myself and two friends on the training course stayed in a hotel apartment suite together in Abu Dhabi (a nice medium between a hotel and your own place so the price is slightly cheaper than a hotel). Hotel apartments are a good option for the short term, especially if you are unsure of where to stay, and you can pay in monthly or weekly installments. We didn't know where our school locations were so for myself and my friends it was definitely the best option. Because of Covid-19, hotel prices were extremely negotiable and we managed to get a great deal. TOP TIP: don't be alarmed if officials such as estate agents or hotel managers contact you over Whatsapp, it is very normal here to use it for business.

Around 3 weeks into the training period we found out our school locations and luckily we are all placed in Abu Dhabi. At the moment, we are currently apartment viewing and have settled on living on Al Reem Island together. Although, it's thirty minutes from my school, it seems to be a popular place for expats and has a lively social life. So basically, I'm going to have to drive here despite not driving since passing my test. CAN'T WAIT!

My dream when moving here was to get my own independence and live in a 1-bed apartment. But quite frankly, I don't know who I think I am! It is far cheaper and manageable if I live with the two girls also placed in Abu Dhabi. Living by myself, especially on Al Reem Island, which costs slightly more, is just not feasible. If all goes well, we will be moving into a new, unfurnished apartment in the next two weeks and together, we'll be able to split the costs. I did look at buying furnished, however after living in a hotel suite, I found that the old and used furnishings can dampen my mood a bit and so collectively, we decided to go for unfurnished. We know it is going to be difficult at first without any furniture but splitting the costs between three will save loads - I just hope that furniture delivery runs smoothly despite the current situation.

Reasons for coming to the UAE

1. I wanted a new adventure - I was in a bit of a rut. I'd just finished my masters straight from being an undergrad and moved back home. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, so started a part-time job at Costa while I figured this out. All I knew for certain, was that I wanted to travel and start a new chapter in my life.

2. I like teaching - I've tried a few jobs in my time but every time I've taught or worked with children I enjoyed it and found it really rewarding. I also found that being a teacher is a great way to see the world.

3. I want to learn Arabic - Although my degree is in English Literature and Politics, most of my studies explored the Middle East. My English Literature studies basically turned into World Literature and most of the books I read were written by Arab authors. And when it comes to Politics, I intensely dislike domestic politics and found Middle Eastern and International Relations much more fun to learn about. Because of all of this, it would really help my studies if I learnt Arabic and I just find learning a new language an amazing skill. And in my opinion, Arabic sounds beautiful.

4. I want to travel around the Middle East and in fact, the East of the world in general - quite a short one, I like learning and exploring new places. This is the furthest East I've been and means going further East will be loooooads cheaper.

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Fun things I've done

Now, this is hard. I've not had a chance to do and see even a quarter of the things I've wanted to do since being here. Nonetheless, I can share with you what I got up to in that first week.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Without a doubt, this should be the first attraction you see, the mosque is absolutely breathtaking and the largest in the country. Every hour there is a walking tour of the mosque where you are introduced to Muslim culture and Sheikh Zayed's vision for the mosque. The Grand Mosque incorporates architectural styles from different Muslim countries and civilisations and can accommodate 40,000 worshippers and visitors.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

If you're an artsy one like me or love learning about history, then this is the place for you. The galleries take artworks and historical artefacts from all over the world to create a culturally diverse environment, that celebrates the similarities in human experience.

Corniche Beach

The Corniche Road spans 8km of manicured waterfront and is a beautiful place to relax. It includes pedestrian pathways, children's play areas and lots of restaurants and cafes to grab a bite to eat (sadly they were all closed when I went).

Shopping

So because we didn't get paid, most of the time I went window shopping but the malls are SOMETHING ELSE here. They are so so beautiful and all shop attendants really try and help you as much as possible. So far I've been to Abu Dhabi Mall and my favourite, The Galleria.

Living the Life of Luxury

The MOE quite kindly put is up in a 5 star hotel with a pool and gym. So for those first two weeks I was really enjoying the free breakfast and tanning by the pool (don't forget your sunscreen). TOP TIP: my hair turned to straw in the heat so an essential item to bring from home or buy here is a hair mask and that will sort you out.

Food

Need I say more? Of course this was going to be featured. Although I've not been out much (cheers corona), I have ordered a shameful amount of takeaway. I'm a vegetarian so some of my options are limited but I'm currently loving Lebanese food, Zaatar and Cheese Manakeesh, Fatteh, Falafel, Labneh, Hummus, Tabbouleh, Moutabel, ALL OF IT.

As a side note, groceries here are very expensive and you'll find that a lot of your money goes on this. There aren't any cheap food shops like B&Ms or Home Bargains here and I've found that the best place to buy food is either Lulus or Carrefour.

I'm not covering it in this post but if anyone would like to know how I applied and got the job or more information on the Teacher Training Program or any other questions then please drop me a message or comment below :) And if you'd like me to write a blog post about any of the above, feel free to get in touch

Hope you're all staying safe and I'll be in touch soon. PEACE.