11 Random Things in Dubai in 2011

All right, I have been here for a little over 2 months and although there are many many things I still need to see, in honor of the close of 2011, here are 11 things, quite random, that I have done:

1. Been a total tourist and spectated Ski Dubai, or skiing inside the Mall of the Emirates. And I will do it, just waiting to do it with a friend that comes to visit:

And gawked at the World's Tallest Building, the Burj Kalifa:

2.  Missed Chicago by seeing things like this and Uno's Pizza:

3. Admired being in the desert... and in a city:

4. Went to the "old" part of Dubai, by Bastikiya:

5. Went to the Jumeirah Mosque, the largest mosque in Dubai and also where they have informational tours about the mosque, Islam, and the culture here. Very good, and I recommend it to visitors!

6. Went to a Beach Soccer tournament:

7. Celebrated the U.A.E. National Day, December 2nd.... 40 years! Here they celebrate with the flag everywhere, nothing else new right? BUT also the Sheikh Mohammad is on practically every car and storefront:

8. Saw a camel!! I know, I know... I live in a desert. BUT contrary to what you would think, it is quite rare to see a camel being trucked around!

9. Went to Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi... yes, an entertainment/amusement park centered around Ferrari's. Random, yes I think so!

10. Went to a Philippino Xmas dance show:  

11. Went to a children's Xmas party... with African drummers:

Let's now see what 2012 will bring!!! :-) 

Merry Xmas from Dubai!

Merry Xmas from Dubai!!!

A few things to note, YES, they do "celebrate" it here. There are enough Expats here, that most hotels have some sort of xmas decorations as well as malls. Here are a few pics of a couple of hotels:

BUT it is about 1/129308238094th of what it is like back at home. My company actually "bans" xmas music (gasp!) and believe it or not, I've really missed it! Where is Chicago's 93.9 with 24/7 xmas music when you need it? And yes, I tried doing online radio, BUT of course it is banned here. As well as many other things. Most of the Expats have left town to celebrate at home, however now the city is overrun by tourists.

A couple of 1sts....
1. My 1st holiday season here
2. My 1st time working on xmas eve AND day (with a FULL patient load!). Welcome to working in a Muslim country!!
3. My 1st time not really doing much for it, i.e. spending time with fam or friends. Here is a blond moment for you all... a patient that I've become friends with invited me to xmas dinner, which was super nice. She texted me on Xmas eve to give me some details. At the time, I was ?? about it, but then because I was feeling a bit lonely NOT being with friends and family, I thought it would be nice to spend time with a boisterous British family. That evening I got some dessert for them, and the next day planned by whole excursion out there. After I left work, I texted her to say I was on my way, running a bit late, and needed her villa number. Luckily I was still heading towards the metro when she texts me back and says, "good grief Ellen (side note, she said 'good grief' just like Charlie Brown! Love it!), the party was yesterday! All we have today is a hangover and some leftovers." hahahahahah! Oops. So there went my Xmas plans. Wah wah. I admit my head has been foggy lately because I'm overwhelmed with all these things I have to do here, get a bank, car, find an apt, etc., but wow, I really messed that up! She still said I was her favorite physio, so that was nice :-)

Instead I went to the couple where I was staying with before (I've now relocated into the city! Am subleasing a phatty apt for the month!), and unfortunately, she has some serious health issues going on and not only was it a bit depressing environment, but I didn't even eat because I didn't grab anything on my way there and they didn't have that much food there (and felt awkward asking considering the circumstances). Oh well.... at least one of my co-workers was super nice and treated a few of us to a nice Lebanese lunch, so I can say I at least did something for Christmas!

But anyhoo, no sob stories... makes me appreciate everyone I have in my life, my fam and friends, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Xmas!!! Miss you all a lot!!!!

Yea! I got my Employment Visa!!!

Lesson #16: You cannot start a life in Dubai without your employment visa.

So, as usual, down to the wire just when my 2 month temporary visa is about to expire, I FINALLY get my employment visa!!! Let me remind you why that is important:

Because of this LACK of visa,

1. I can't get a bank account
2. I can't deposit a check
3. I can't get a car
4. I am  living on an uncomfortable couch in a living room because I can't get my own place.

Soo.... needless to say, I've been anxiously awaiting this day, and it has finally come! December 18th! Woo hoo! But too bad knowing how things run around here, I haven't done much to research all of those above things and now I am a bit overwhelmed of where to start. 

Hmm...  what to do first... what to do first.... 

Ins and Outs Of Work in Dubai, Part 3

There's more? Yup, working in Dubai is not a piece of cake. Here's more inside scoop:

You've done the job hunting and landed a job.
You've done all the paperwork.
You've submitted your paperwork to HR.

CONGRATULATIONS! You are on your way to becoming a true Expat.

But now what? Ah ha, yes, more logistical stuff.

The good thing is that your company is  now in charge of you. There are fees for all the things I am going to mention here, but the company pays for it. But finally, this is where the company actually helps you. Most all companies have what is called a PRO service, which HR usually organizes. Basically the PRO service is a dude that helps the workers with these next steps. Once you've submitted all your authentications/attestations and have your Employment Visa sheet of paper that you received a the airport, the PRO takes care of the rest.

Before you get your Employment Visa in your passport, to be a legit employer in U.A.E. you need to have an Emirate ID card. In order to get this, you have to have your fingerprints taken. I'm not talking about a simple thumb, it was all 4 fingers together, then my thumb, then each individual finger, then my palm, then the side of my hand. For both sides. Then you take a nice snapshot (no smiling. Really!). The PRO takes you to Knowledge City where this takes place. Once you get that done with, they take your passport and papers, and then you cross your fingers and hope for the best.

Next comes the medical screening. Every employee, from the taxi driver to the CEO of a company has to take a medical test. This includes a blood test to test for HIV and a X-ray to rule out tuberculosis. This is quite the amusing process. As I mentioned, GENERALLY, and this will make your life 2039843204 times easier, the PRO takes you there and as they usually come here at least weekly, they know the ropes. Otherwise I would be lost. It's at a government facility and as usual, no signs, and really no direction of where to go or what to do. The PRO pushed through these crowds of people, and somehow we found "Registration." Again, if I were by myself, I probably would have just stood in one of the lines and hoped for the best. Then it becomes the test of who can get away with what between the PRO's. Mine snuck my paper to his friend, who put my paper at the top of the list, and I was called next for the blood test, he he. I won't complain about that, but then I later got shafted while waiting to take the X-ray because someone snuck in front of me. Oh well, what comes around goes around. Basically, this whole process shouldn't take more than an 30-40 minutes, but it depends on how many people are there... and the sneakiness of the PRO.

Of note, when you are getting the blood test, have an extra form of ID with you. I fortunately had my drivers license with me, and used that, because as I mentioned, you submit all your paperwork either upstairs when you submitted it for the Emirates ID or at the Registration at the Medical  Office. I saw a lot of people running around trying to get their copy of the passport back.

As with most things in Dubai, there is a hierarchy. There are the "VIP" people that have that stamped on their papers (hot shots), and they get whisked the quickest. Next, the people with the PRO's are generally labeled "Express" and you're the next best. If you come without a PRO, you are basically waiting the longest because everyone is going to be cutting in front of you. Which brings me to another lesson,

Lesson # 15: Dubai is all about Titles... and stamping. Pretty much everything has a VIP section so people can feel important, and pretty much every formal document has to have some kind of stamp on it.  They looooooooooooooove stamps. 


Then it's just the waiting game. The employment visa should come fairly quickly, they say between 2 and 5 days. The Emirate ID card, 3-4 weeks. But again, no one really tells you anything and you ALWAYS have to keep asking questions. The other reason why is because things are always changing, so double check your resources!

Lesson #16: Don't assume you will get information because you asked for it. You have to keep asking, otherwise you will NOT get any answers and whatever you asked for will not happen. 

All and all, you pretty much CANNOT do anything in Dubai without:

1. Employment Visa
2. Emirate ID card

Now I am waiting for those things. After I get it, you can bank account, car, apartment/villa/home, etc.  Aaaaaand, that's a whole another topic of conversation. Stay tuned....

Ins and Outs Of Work in Dubai, Part 2

Forewarning: Again, this is details (many) of how to get work here in Dubai. It will be more applicable to someone who is really thinking about it and is geared towards medical professionals!

Part 2:
Part 1 talked about the logistics. But how do you even go about finding a job? Here's the truth, I did the usual, looked online (went directly to clinic website as well as www.dubizzle.com, expatwoman.com), sent my C.V. just by googling which clinics/hospitals had PT, followed up on emails, blah blah. Honestly, I hardly got any responses. When I got here and physically went to these clinics and had some face to face, everything changed and the opportunities came rolling in.

Lesson #13: If you are looking for a job in Dubai, BE HERE!


Here are some important things I found out right away:

1. Not to took my own horn, BUT honestly, just being an American and having an American education, I was pretty much a shoo-in. Almost every person I met was like "when were you looking to start? Buutt...
2. The BIG question which everyone almost immediately asks is, "are you licensed." It was a HUGE bonus, especially for DHA, that I was doing it by myself. As you can see from Part 1, it's an expensive and lengthy process, and no one wants to deal. Pretty much if you do all the grunt work yourself, all the company has to do is sponsor you and not help with all this dirty work. 
3. Again, it helped to be here and I went on my own to clinics, submitted my resume, set up interviews, etc. Unfortunately, one of the bigger issues was basically people not hiring. They wanted to hire me, but there were no spots at the time. I really made an effort (before I sealed the job I have now) to keep following up and showing my interest. In the process, in various clinics, that a satellite clinic was going to open, someone may leave, but as you will see in Dubai, people are very good about over-promising, but usually nothing comes of it.

Lesson # 14: Be careful with overpromising. It is fairly common to that here... and nothing usually pans out. 

Before I forget, the 4-step process I mentioned in the CPQ section of Part 1 is not only needed for educational certificates, but also marriage/divorce certificates. You need to pay those fees for EACH document. HOWEVER, if you are a bit overwhelmed by all the Steps and don't want to be stubborn like me and want to do it myself, there are of course services that will help... but a price quote from Helpline was $500 USD.  Ouch. They have 2 agencies in Dubai called Helpline and Index that can do all of this for you. Helpline is in Deira (971-4-227-9916 and helplinegroup@hotmail.com) and the other one, Index, is in Bur Dubai (971-4-355-0888. Email: index101@emirates.net.ae). 

Soo.... another bit of info I'm finding out, yes, Dubai is taxfree. Although my salary here is comparable to U.S., it is more beneficial to be here because there is NOTHING taken out of the paychecks. So what they offer you... is really what you get. Most all companies will give you:

• A monthly salary (yes, you get paid monthly not bi-monthy)
• A round-trip ticket to your home country
• Medical insurance for you and your family (NOT taken out of your paycheck)
• If you are in the medical profession, medical malpractice. 

As you see, there is no retirement, so I am paying that on my own.

So, what's the catch? As you may have caught even just from skimming my Part 1, the fees. You have to pay for some kind of fee for everything, and THIS is where $$given for that adds up quickly. Many of the long-term expat locals said that to me, and now I am realizing it more and more. So although it was fairly obvious just 4-7 years ago when Dubai was totally booming and literally money was being thrown out the window with all these great salaries and packages for employees, that has definitely come to a stop. People are a lot more stingy here than I would have thought. Dubai's oil in particular ran out in late 2010 (although Abu Dhabi still has a lot), so that is not a reliable source of revenue anymore. 

All and all, I'm not kidding when I say EVERYONE, every single expat coming into Dubai deals with some kind of bureaucratic red-tape run around, it's part of the experience. I'm now 6 weeks in, and already  have had my fair share of run around with paperwork. You are told to go someplace, they tell you to go somewhere else, and on and on. You need this, no, you don't. This is where patience comes in and .... what work life in Dubai is all about!!!

Ins and Outs Of Work In Dubai, Part 1

Forewarning: This is a bit detailed, and really, more applicable if you are a PT looking for work here. So feel free to skip this! 

Part 1
Before I get started, have to mention something important: Things in Dubai are ALWAYS changing. I did this in 2011, spring and fall. I did most of the job hunting and licensing in the spring and came back in the fall with a contract for work! Don't be surprised if it is a few years from now (or even the end of this week!) and none of this applies. So please do your own research!!!

If you are considering working as medical professional in Dubai, here are 3 important things you need just to get started:

1. Patience
2. $$$$$$
3. Documents, documents, documents (I'll be getting to that in a bit). 

Having said that, what I experienced can be made as Lessons generally for life in Dubai:

Lesson #10: Things in Dubai are always changing, logistics, procedures, so always do your research!
Lesson #11: There is no such thing as "straightforward" here, if you need to get something done, expect to do it in about 5+ extra steps than what you are used to.

I'll give a quick background to my situation and how I got to where I am now. #1 is connections. In Dubai, it really is not what you know, it's who you know.

Lesson # 12: It's not what you know, it is WHO you know.

I was visiting some family friends, and one of them is a sportsmed doc, and he had info and/or connected me to a bunch of clinics.... and also helped me sort out this maze of requirements. And pretty much all my co-workers that I've talked to are there because of someone they knew. Like wise for many jobs here in Dubai anyway.

In this Part 1, I will try to summarize and make it as simple as possible the basics on what to do BEFORE you come.. and some of what happens WHEN you are here. Again, this biased toward becoming licensed as a physical therapist but it can be generalized toward medical professionals (nursing, docs, etc).

A couple of things to note though first:

1. Know WHERE you are applying. In Dubai there are different "zones." There is what is called a DHA zone (where you need a DHA license) and a free-zone which is in HealthCare City (CPQ license). Both zones have ample hospitals and clinics. You don't have to apply to both, especially if you have an idea of a particular organization or company where you want to work. To keep my options open, I applied to both. I will write more about them later. 
2. Have at least 2 years of experience. That is the general requirement for most all jobs. Some asked for more, but generally 2 years is accepted.
3. Be prepared with your documents! Mucho importante. Here is what you need for both zones:
1. C.V.
2. Notarized and attested undergraduate and graduate degrees AND license from the State in which you received the degree. You can do this at the Secretary of State in your State (http://travel.state.gov/law/legal/treaty or www.statelocal.net). For all of these, I did not use my original. Having said that, I had a copy and then in the presence of the notary republic, on the backside of the degree/license, I had to write (okay, my dad did this), write " This is a Copy of the Original" and has his name printed and then signature. Then there is the "official seal" of the notary republic and this other stamp that says "state of" ____, "County of" ____, Signed (or subscribed or attested before me on " (date)" by "(my dad's name)". And then the signature of the notary republic. THEN, he/she should provide a separate sheet of paper that is stapled to the document, that is a "Certificate of Authority" and that the State of Illinois (in my case) was authorized to authenticate this document. It's dated and has a stamp on it. 
1. I think all of this is less than $10 per copy (I think). 
2. Of note, just in case, I had 3 of each made, 3 copies of my undergrad, 3 of my grad, and 3 of my license notarized and authenticated. Just in case one got lost (which it did), I had a back up.  
3. I was not present for any of this. My dad did this (thanks dad!). He didn't need an appointment or anything, but it did take a full morning to go there and get this done. He says it was fairly straightforward. 
3. Dates of Employment. Basically get your company to write a brief blurb with your name in full was employed full (or part) time from X date to X date as a XX (your title). Include a brief blurb of your responsibilities. I actually had them include an attached formal job description, and then they, by "they," I mean Human Resources, write in the blurb that a job description is attached.
1. Make sure it is formal looking, on the company stationary
2. Also make sure that there is a handwritten signature WITH the human resources title. I preferred to get my signed by the Director of HR. As long as it has a legit person's signature, it is fine. 
3. Can be PDF or doc. It doesn't have to be original, I had my sent to me over e-mail, and it was fine. 

Now onto the different zones, DHA and CPQ:

DHA, Dubai Health Authority:
-Their website is: www.dha.gov.ae... or www.dohms.gov.ae (which is the same thing). Here is a perfect example of how things change. Back in April/May 2011 when I was here, this website was somewhat informative. There is a "Licensing" icon and then it had different medical professions and their appropriate requirements. That is not there anymore (it's now November/December 2011).
-Paperwork: C.V., copy of passport, dates of employment (legit letterhead and signature), notarized and authenticated undergrad and any education received, notarized and authenticated license.
-FEES:

• Total for what I had to pay to get my DHA license was: 2970 Dh (dirhams) which with a fixed 3.67 USD exchange rate, comes out to $813. Ouch. 
• Break-down: 
• 200 dh (credentialing fee) ($54 USD)
• 10 dh (x3) (8 USD)
• Knowledge fee, 200 dh  $54 USD)
• Exams and Interview fee. This could take up to 6 weeks, but since I didn't have that time, I did a "urgent" exam.... which was 2000 dh ($547USD).
• And 700 dh ($190USD)... for I don't even know what... Interview fee? Bottom line, come here with cash! (all of these take cash by the way, not credit card).

-How to know what to do? This is a little fuzzy because again things are always changing and there is no clearcut way to find out what exactly to do. The DHA office is actually in HealthCare City (Building 64, block C, 1st floor, level 1, office 1017). I went there just to get info on what to do, but no surprise, it is totally chaotic. I was fortunate in that the friend that was staying with knew someone that worked there (back to, "who you know, not what"), and he kinda guided me. But I think you can go through that office to find out information, just be patient. All and all, I think they will provide you will all the information you need.

-Assessment interview. Here's the biggie... ALL DHA professionals (medical) are required to have an Assessment Interview. It USUALLY should be people in your profession, BUT I have heard all sorts of stories. I can't even begin to describe how random it is. Before I had mine, I heard all sorts of stories of random and bizarre questions that were asked.... and people, smart people failing because of stupid questions asked. How to study? I had NO idea. I am an orthopaedic therapist and feel pretty comfy with orttho stuff, but basically, they can ask anything from pediatrics to cardiovascular, etc. Needless to say, it is quite stressful preparing for it, especially considering someone like me that had less than a week to prepare. I had a panel of 3 PT's, one Indian, one Phillipinna and 1 Arab lady. I don't know if this was a good thing or bad thing, but one of the 1st things that was said to me by the Arab lady was "why do you want to work here? Everyone wants to come to America. It is a steady job, the pay is good, here it won't be much better and..... why Dubai?" Ahh... that is the question. I blabbed something about the cultural experience, trying new things, etc. But they seemed like "whatever." Basically each of them asked me a question. The 1st 1 was straightforward, about adhesive capsulitis. The 2nd one was about a hand/elbow. I have to admit, having an Occupational Therapist at our clinic, I am VERY foggy with that, but somehow managed to fumble through it.... but obviously fumbling. My confidence slowly was waning. After literally like 10 minutes of me sweating, I said, "to be honest, I would refer the patient to a specialist in that area, such as an OT." And AH HA... that is what they were looking for. Eh? THEN the local lady asked me this SUPER vague question.... it was something like a woman with pelvis/low back pain. Soo... I was thinking like "proper" PT, full examination, top/bottom evaluation, mechanical dysfunctions, blah blah. So I was just rambling and babbling, and she kept on saying, "is that it? Is that IT?" Really short and cross. So of course I got even more nervous thinking I was missing something obvious. THEN when I was all out of things to say, she says, "you missed THE most IMPORTANT thing. EVERYONE seems to miss this, but it is PATIENT EDUCATION!" I almost D-I-E-D... that is soo obvious that it almost seems too silly to mention because that is like 80% of our job. I tried to pull myself out of it, but needless to say, I was just digging myself into a whole. So I left TOTALLY feeling devastated and dejected and depressed. There was NO way I could have studied for that, and just felt stupid because I told all these clinics I was taking this exam and I thought 110% that I failed and would have to wait until when I got back in the fall because you have to wait 6 weeks, blah blah. BUT after 2 days of totally being cranky and depressed, I checked my results, and for some BIZARRE reason, I passed. Needless to say, it is a stressful and nerve racking process.

What next? I would generally say (if you do the "urgent" assessment and have everything ready,  3-4 weeks later, you paid the fees, you passed the exam, now what?
-You pretty much can't do anything until you are sponsored by a company. You have a year to do this...if not, you have to do the process all over again! They will provide you with a resident/employment visa.

HealthCare City (where I ended up taking a position):
-CPQ website: www.dhcc.cpq.ae
-This one, easier in one way, harder in others. You can set up a meeting with someone that works there, and they tell you what you need. But here goes from my experience:

• Paperwork: 
• C.V.
• Notarized and authorized education degrees and license (see above). THEN... this is different than DHA, for the Professional License (not undergrad or grad degree) you need to do this: 
• Step 1 (same as DHA): get your license and educational degrees notarized by your state
• Step 2: Send this document with an $8 fee (money order or check to Department of States) and self-addressed stamped envelope to get it Authenticated by the U.S. Department of State
• Department of State Documents and Authentication office, 518 23rd Street, N.W. SA-1, Columbia Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20520. Phone: 202-647-5002 or 1-800-688-9889. Email: aoprgsmauth@state.gov. Website: http://www.state.gov/m/a/auth. 
• If you're wondering what happens if you send it and forget to include a self-addressed stamped envelope? Well, you do get it back... but it takes 2 months and it is sent by train. If you think it is lost and re-send it in the meantime, but somehow your $8 check gets lost, you don't get your document back. BUT, if you rely on your smart parents who have it DHL'd both ways with a money order for the whopping $8, the turn-around time is literally 4-days. Ha! And yes, all those things happened to me. 3 times a charm, huh?
• Step 3: Either:
• IN Dubai, you have to go to the U.A.E. Consular district of the U.S (U.S. Consulate, which is located in the Embassy area in Bur Dubai), pay a 180 Dh fee ($49 USD) and get another sheet of paper that certifies that annexed document is legit. FYI, with a U.S. passport, walk-in hours and appt hours are 12:30pm-3pm.
• IN the U.S., submit this chain of authentications to the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC for the almost final authentication:
• The Embassy of the U.A.E., 3522 International Court, N.W., Washington D.C., 20037. Phone: 202-243-2400. Website: http://uae-embassy.org/
• Step 4: IN Dubai, go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Embassy area in Bur Dubai, walking distance from the U.S. Consulate), pay 164 Dh ($45 USD), then get it stamped, sealed, and signed by them. Hours are 8-12, FYI. 
• Dates of employment (follow same guide as above)
• Copy of passport
• Letters of recommendation (I had 2 already handy, 1 from my old manager and another one from a colleague).
• FEE for the CPQ  license itself: 2800 Dh ($767 USD). Flat rate.
• They actually asked for experience letters of the last 5 years of employment. I didn't have that many, but you had to have at least 2, so it was okay.
• Because I had some gaps in my employment (hehe, from my travels), I needed to provide proof that I was doing something. So fortunately, during some of my volunteer work, I had 2 letters of reference, and that seemed to be okay.
• BLS (Basic Life Support card). I didn't have one at the time, but as long as you get it eventually, you are fine. 

So what happens is mid-month every month, they all meet and go through each application and review it and then accept it or deny it. Then they notify you via email if you have been approved or not... and if there is any pending documents (i.e. BLS card) that will be needed.  

Then, same as above, then you just need to get sponsored by an employer and then they will provide you with resident and work visa.

This whole process takes, I would say, at least a month for CPQ, maybe less if you catch them right around the time of the review process. 

next up... Part 2: Once you are here and ready to work!