Family life in Dubai?

[Skyward]

I'm looking into Emirates, after 9 years of ExpressJet. I'm ready for a change, and none of the US majors are intriguing enough for me to leave ExpressJet. Really the only concern I have is my wife and kids being happy. She is up for the move but is naturally hesitant about life in the Middle East. I have three young girls (6,3,&1), and my wife stays home. I'm trying to get as much info on Dubai, cuz everyone knows if the wife isn't happy, no one is happy.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Richard Gozinya]

This is a good place to start.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=44

If you spend a little time researching the whole forum, you will get some good info.

It is just like FI, you have to sift through the BS to get to the real stuff. You still have to put with a$$e$ like Peniskramp to deal with.

I recommend you dig in the forum a little and just lurk. when you get an invite for an interview, you can make a few contacts. If you jump in and ask a simple question like "How's life in Dubai?" you probably will won't get much info.

Let me know if I can help, my kids are all gone, so I will be with the wife only. We plan on going if offered the job.

Dick

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Look at all options out there skyward, there are US based jobs that might fit your need to advance to heavy equipment and get paid very well to do it.
NCA is a good option if you want to take a look

 

[Skyward]

Any info you can give me on NCA would be great. Bases, pay, is it a job or a career?Thanks

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Beware of culture shock.


Here's something I found in Wiki:

Severe culture shock (moving to a foreign country) often consists of distinct phases, though not everyone passes through these phases and not everyone is in the new culture long enough to pass through all three[3]:

• The "Honeymoon Phase" - During this period the differences between the old and new culture are seen in a romantic light, wonderful and new. For example, in moving to a new country, an individual might love the new foods, the pace of the life, the people's habits, the buildings and so on.

• The negotiation phase - After a few days, weeks, or months, minor differences between the old and new culture are resolved. One may long for food the way it is prepared in one's native country, may find the pace of life too fast or slow, may find the people's habits annoying, etc.

• The "Everything is OK" phase - Again, after a few days, weeks, or months, one grows accustomed to the new culture's differences and develops routines. By this point, one no longer reacts to the new culture positively or negatively, because it no longer feels like a new culture. One becomes concerned with basic living again, as one was in their original culture.

• Reverse Culture Shock - Returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above, which may or may not last longer than or as long as the initial shock.

In some cases, it may be impossible to deal with culture shock. Some people will give up on assimilating into the newer culture and return to their own culture, and some become so magnetized to the foreign culture that they feel they must permanently move there to relieve the stress.

 

[the turtle]

your kids are the perfect age for DSO..the wife can live a happy life behind those walls and spend all the money you think you'll save being here

there was an expressjet CA in the class before me...nice guy

 

[CALRepublic]

What I've read, no is not a place where the wife and kids would be happy.

What you have to think about is- that one day when you come home from Europe, flying that shinny 777, life is good, but the wife is crying on the sofa and says, I'm done with this s***, I'm going back, you can stay if you want.

Where would you go? what would you do? that happened to someone I know, he was with CX in Hong Kong, and that's a much better place than Dubai.

that place will get old, It could take 1 yr. 5 yrs, or even 10 yrs., but the day will come.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Any info you can give me on NCA would be great. Bases, pay, is it a job or a career?Thanks

http://www.hawaiiaviation.com/positions_ncab747fo.htm

There are other jobs posted there as well.

Job or career you ask?

I would argue that every person opinion on that is different don't you think?

 

[redeye69]

Dumb Pilot is not so dumb. I don't care how shinny the aircraft is. It's not about the aircraft, but about everything else. Like everyone else, I am always curious about what's on the other side of the fence. But life in HKG or DXB is NOT for everyone. Coming from the US, be ready for a serious culture shock. I am so tempted by the career opportunity that Emirates has to offer, but I am not ready to live in DXB. I have been flying in and out of there for the past 13 years and I do not see my family there.
How about upgrade possibilities at NCA? I love the idea of being able to be based in the US.
Thanks.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

How about upgrade possibilities at NCA? I love the idea of being able to be based in the US.
Thanks.

I'm with Air Japan (part of the ANA group) mind you, not with NCA. But from what I hear from all the guys that work there is that after the transition period they are going through right now (going to an all 744 fleet) there will be a lot of opportunity for growth.
These gigs in Japan are pretty good once you pass the 8 to 9 months training that is enough to drive you mad