Our Dubai Bashny.Net

"The poor are not. In Dubai, live only rich or very rich people »

About penny prices steep cars, the Indians, yielding a white underground place, and how in Dubai for the birth of a child give $ 20,000, and the villa - in an interview with our compatriot Sergei Yakovenko.

18 photos





- Sergey, could you tell whether it was difficult to stay and live in Dubai, and how do you and your wife brought there?

- Actually, at first we Olga arrived in Dubai on the ticket as tourists. Four months earlier she had came here and got a job offer in the field of retail sales. We planned that she would stay, and I will go back to Minsk, but on arrival it was clear that things are not so simple. Any questions with her work visa, and had to quickly make a decision: either to look for work and I give her husband-visa (in this case someone one spouse may have a work visa, and the second could be on his visa), or both fly back. We chose the first option, and I resigned from the Design Institute in Minsk, where previously worked as an engineer-designer.



In general, to be in Dubai, not being a resident, you can only in three cases: either having a work visa (it opens up to the age of 50 years), or having property worth at least a million dirhams, that is about $ 273 000 (rate of $ 1 - 3.66aed, c 1971 rate unchanged), or having a registered company in his name. His company and one million dirhams at the time I did not have (and now too), fly back somehow already did not want to, and I began to search for work. It was not so easy, but in the end I got a good position in the sale and rental of real estate.

- And what kind of work in general can expect in Dubai Belarusian or other Slav?

- Immigrants from the former Soviet Union are working here, as a rule, the waiter (boys and girls with an average knowledge of English, who arrived in Dubai recently, less than a year ago (the salary of about $ 1,000 plus, as a rule, housing), or sellers in malls (mostly girls with good and very good English, who had previously worked for a year as waitresses, that is, it is as if "the next step" (the salary of about $ 1,800 normally, without housing).



The labor market all niches are distributed very clearly by nationality.

Absolutely all taxi drivers and drivers - Pakistanis (salary of about $ 700 + housing very average quality), Filipinos - shop assistants, cleaners (salary is not exactly known, but apparently not high), all the rest - the Indians. Indians are generally very much: so much that India no longer want to go for a vacation (even though I never once was). Indians work road workers, construction workers (about $ 800 salary and housing), security (salary of about $ 500, and housing), engineers (salary of about $ 3000), but anyone! They can pay very little (well, except for engineers), and they will still be happy.



So are the Europeans (usually British and Americans). They are prized above all: middle managers and senior executives, managers, architects, financial analysts and others with a salary of $ 6,000 to $ 20,000 per month (the so-called "white-collar"). It should be noted that, taking the same position, employees of different nationalities for the same work will receive different money. Immigrants from the CIS Slavic appearance in this hierarchy are somewhere between the Hindus and the British. But the natives of the CIS nonwhite equal to the Filipinos.

- Well, since you - a specialist in real estate in Dubai, tell us how in this field situation with prices and services?

- Real Estate in the most popular areas such as Dubai Marina and JLT, quite comparable with Minsk supposedly elite real estate prices (for example, the house at Trinity suburb), but unlike Belarus absolute norm here is the presence of the reception with the clock security, pool , gym (very often separate for men and women), sauna, steam room's (steam room), a lounge area for holidays or business meetings. The house in which we live, there is still a large picnic area (with tables, barbecues, etc.). All this is free to the public. Pool, by the way, is heated in the winter, cool in summer. Floating - do not want to!



Property prices in Dubai Marina and JLT is now about $ 3,000 per square meter. m. The area where the Burj Khalifa (DownTown), more expensive - about $ 5,500 per square meter. m, in the most Burj Khalifa - about $ 11,000. Although there are areas in which a square meter can cost $ 1,300, and the negative of such housing will only distance from the sea (Persian Gulf). There will also be and pools, and all other amenities. In general, in Dubai is quite possible to buy a good one-bedroom apartment somewhere for $ 50 000.

My wife and our studio in JLT costs us about $ 1,000 per month + $ 100 (water and electricity) + $ 50 (air conditioning) + $ 70 (online). Lease contract is always on the year (for this you must have a residence visa), payments are made by check written out, and immediately you have to pay at least three months in advance. But the landlord under any circumstances may not, during the term of the contract to bother you (even to go to his apartment with a tour). The police in this case will always be on the side of the tenant.



Another cool thing, having a steady income (receipts on account of your bank) and a visa, you can get a loan of 3% (!) Per year for the purchase of real estate (which is very common) and if you want to sell the property at any time (not be sure to pay off the entire loan!). Sometimes there is a feeling that everything is just that and deal all around investors. All monitor the market, know the price trend. Many have several apartments. I, for example, had a client who had 40 apartments, and he did not even remember floor, which was one of them ...

- With real estate understood. And what is this wonderful province prices on everything else?

- In Dubai, there are no taxes, so some prices are very low. Cars (and new / used) cheaper than we, on average, twice. For example, BMW X5 2008 is $ 23,000, Mazda-March 2007 will cost $ 5700 here. New Toyota Prado (the most popular machine here) - at $ 34 000.

Household and other equipment are much cheaper in Deira. Galaxy S4 I95054g - $ 543, Iphone 5 - $ 500, but you only get a guarantee in the form of promises to "fix, if that." In malls prices will be more expensive, but with a guarantee. Very often, tourists from the former Soviet Union are buying fur coats (they are mostly Greek, but even cheaper than in Greece, because there is no import duties and taxes).

Prices in Dubai on products by an average of 30-50% more expensive than ours. Dairy twice as expensive, cheaper fish. Of domestic products can be found here Brest-Litovsk sour cream 500 g, which will cost $ 7, cottage cheese "Savushkin product" 500 g of the same or herring "Mathias" for $ 5.



If we talk about entertainment, then plunge into the winter, when it's 50 degrees and go skiing in the first ski resort in the Middle East «Mallof Emirates» cost $ 80 per person. Go to Ferrari World (theme park in Abu Dhabi) adult will cost $ 62, child - $ 45.

Prices for medical services are different, depending on the level of the clinic, but they can be very expensive. Recently, it was a traffic accident near our house, so hospitalization victims produced by the helicopter, which sat right on the road! ..

Still here regularly held concerts of world stars (out of Russian pop comes just pop). Supercars (Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc.) can be seen at intervals of a few minutes.



- Is there something that you are in Dubai strains still?

- Oh, yes ... It's absolute chaos in terms of the organization of pedestrian traffic on the street and in the subway. No one holds the right side, standing on the escalator. Indians and Pakistanis are beginning to enter the elevator or subway car before it went out of the passengers, and can stand right at the exit door of the car, without understanding that interfere with other exit. Is this some kind of a national trait, or something. Well, Dubai, of course, the city is absolutely not designed for walking, sometimes simply missing sidewalks, multi-level interchanges roads.



And the main problem here - the bureaucracy. It employs only local people, they are doing everything slowly, it is important to behave. For example, there can be all, and they chatted with each other. This has some similarities with our executive committees and sitting there a middle aged woman with a perm. The only difference is that here you do not nakrichat, but otherwise the result will be the same. We, for example, faced with the problem, when the wife bought a mobile phone with the marriage, and the seller does not want to change it. Calls to the local Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights and the Ministry of Economy with requests to solve our problem with the seller took about a month, in the end it came to the Deputy Minister of Economy! He has appointed us to meet the seller in his office and listened to both sides, and in the end we gave the money right there ...

- And whether there are strict laws?

- You can not drink alcohol, kissing in public, must follow certain rules during Ramadan (you can not eat or drink in public places). For violation - a fine or deportation.

- What is most proud dubaytsy?

- Let's start with the fact that it dubaytsev meet in Dubai on the street, in the subway or bus is almost impossible: local - not more than 15% of the total population. They can be seen either in the mall (which usually come on weekends entire families for the whole day) or behind tinted glass "Range-Rover." They walk in a perfectly ironed dishdashas (long white shirts). Traditional clothing women - Quandour (black dress with long sleeves).



All dubaytsy very proud of the status and position that Dubai occupies in the world. All the achievements associated with the name of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed: it is really very fond of, but politics never say, and if they say it is only a whisper (about, as we have). Political opposition is not in principle. There's even a hint of Arab Spring or the latest developments in Turkey and Egypt have not the slightest, although Yemen - only a few hundred kilometers. Everyone likes everything, everyone is afraid of losing work visa, so everywhere absolute cleanliness, order and security.

And here is designed for people with disabilities 100% barrier-free environment. Bumps is not done before the crossing, and right on it, as a result of the sidewalk and crosswalk located at the same level. In the underground there is a track with a special coating for the blind. In any commercial and business center has escalators without steps and toilets for the disabled. Generally, in the streets and in shopping malls are so many people with disabilities and parents with young children. For them, there are all the amenities.

- Strong whether there is different from our nature, climate, flora and fauna? What kind of animals taken to keep the house?

- Nature differs dramatically! Dubai and around the desert. Each palm tree in Dubai and supplied with water for irrigation, because, only 5-6 rainy days in winter. And winter is here - as our summer (+ 25-30). In summer the temperature reaches 50 degrees.

As for pets, in expensive areas to keep dogs accepted (usually), and it speaks volumes about your high status. In our area in the promenade area every 200 meters there is the station for dogs (small booth with free bags in which you can leave what's left of a dog).



In the green areas in the country, such as Discovery and Gardens, you can see the huge green parrots. They fly right over our heads as we pigeons.

- Perceive whether there emigrants Slavic appearance as equals? What all such employees (and just people) attitude?

- In general, the atmosphere around is very positive, it catches the eye after Minsk. People's attitudes to each other very friendly (regardless of nationality or income level), but the attitude of the people of Slavic and European appearance especially respectful (in the subway Hindu man could easily give way to a man-Briton). I had a situation when I got lost looking for the subway in an unfamiliar area, and I was offered a ride complete strangers for free, while the car was very expensive, and its owners are very wealthy



- Can we do here emigrant only knowledge of the English language?

- Dubai completely angloyazychen: English even know the cleaners. Good english and high personal qualities here - the path to success in any field, and one English is enough. Knowledge of Russian in some situations will also be a nice bonus when looking for work.

- Take care not here properly for the poor strata of the population? Whether there are high unemployment, childbirth, whether there is a pension?

- The poor are not local, in principle, there are local only the rich and very rich. State helps its citizens from all sides. Housing is given free of charge or for an interest-free loan, which then may forgive. At birth, the child is given from $ 20,000 to $ 50,000, and the villa. The apartment is in the property, it can be, for example, to pass. Education can be obtained free of charge anywhere in the world at the expense of the state. Men are paid monthly allowance of $ 2,000 just for the fact that you are a citizen of the United Arab Emirates ... and the amount of these benefits and other privileges ccud just great! At the birth of her third child, by the way, all loans are canceled. So most of the local simply do not work.



In the country there are no taxes. But if a foreigner, for example, wants to open a business in Dubai (except free-zones), then decorate it, he can only local resident. Local resident will be the owner of your business (no part in it without taking), but you'll have to pay him every year a certain amount. Many local companies have dozens, decorated on them, and a lot of money.

- How are women and girls in Dubai? What they are basically doing?

- Women go to Kondurov, but in high heels, with a very bright makeup. Very interesting to see how the front is a man, and at the rear, all hung with bags Chanel, Gucci, Prada and Louis Viyuton, several of his wives. Their main occupation - a shopping and gatherings in cafes and restaurants. They have many children, but give them a little time - are engaged in babysitting.



- What is the kitchen around here? Is there love to cook yourself?

- Dubai - a multinational city, it's the same with food. There is everything from borscht to Thai cuisine. No, as a rule, does not prepare food at home, all meals in fast food, order food or go to a restaurant.

Products can be ordered in stores: there is no minimum price, can bring even a bottle of milk or ice cream.

- What kind of transport is popular here?

- Metro is very modern, without a driver. There is a separate VIP-car and car for girls. At each station there are free toilet (it was removed every 15 minutes), whose appearance at a good 4-star Turkish hotel



Subway, bus, buses themselves constantly air-conditioned. Taxis are very popular, the minimum trip will cost $ 3. Well, absolutely all have private cars, which made buying new ones, to avoid problems with costly breakdowns. Loan for a car, you can take 4-5% per year without any initial payment.



- Is it difficult to stay to relocate to Dubai? You and your wife are considering this as an option?

- In Dubai, there is no permanent residence status. Stay here only for the reasons I mentioned above. At the end of the working visa, you must leave the country. Unfortunately.



- In general, do you think, Dubai, with its oil sheiks, incredible artificially constructed island, etc. - it is a paradise only for the rich or middling (including emigrants) also lives here a good idea?

- With a good knowledge of English, good education and high personal qualities you can earn a lot of money. Living costs are higher than those that we are used to at home, but they are related income. Bit complicated with the heat, but it is in any case better than six months of winter at home. Well, here you live in a year-round resort, in a house with a good hotel infrastructure, you can always go to the beach or to the pool and feel like a tourist, rather than expats. So my wife and I believe that Dubai - a paradise for all those who are lucky to be born here or find a job.

That's it !!! Can kick !!!

Taken from here



Source: