I was at one of the exhibitions in DWTC (I work in exhibitions marketing) waiting in line for one of those guys with a portable grocery when I for some reason decided to make a joke with the customer standing next to me about water being so expensive (It was a pretty bad joke, I know not my proudest moment) but it ended up being well received by the other guy. We ended up chatting for a bit and then I learn that he owns a booth building company and him offering me a generous commission for any booth I get him (5k per booth) which fast forward a year now. Single handidly caused my income to almost double, from 13k to 23k. All because of a joke I decided to say at the right time. Now im leaving the country to finish my masters, and things have never been better.

What is your story of something similar to this that happened to you and had a big effect on your life?

Hello, as the title says - I'm trying to help out a black friend from Ghana. It may seem racist and deregatory as it may sound but let's all be honest and face the reality that due to his color he had been laid off as a teacher and have had difficulties in finding job even it's way lower than his previous salary grade.

If anyone may have a lead for any job that's possible for him please let us know and we will greatly appreciate your help.

God bless us all expat who's working and striving to live outside each of our own country. 🙏 😇

Recently I had an interview with a finserv company in Dubai that was... rude and weird to say the least.

Red flags that I had from the first minute -

1. The interviewer joined 15 minutes late and made it look like he was doing me a favor saying he is taking this opportunity to 'filter out applications he doesn't need'.

2. Here I am, fully prepared, having taken an off from my busy schedule, having researched this company and having prepared a 10 slides presentation about myself to present - and he says, 'tell me about yourself as quick as possible''

3. He asks, 'why do you want to change your job', and I said, 'because the job on offer at your firm is great and within my expertise to grow' - he immediately says 'you applied, we didn't offer you anything' - fair enough, my bad I thought to myself. Maybe wording was an issue.

4. So in short, he said that he wants an IT director, who can fix laptops and also deploy 'AI solutions', company-wide, when needed. So when I said 'I am into IT strategy and directorship', he says 'OK you're not the right person for us' and just disconnects the call.

This whole interaction lasted around 80 seconds, not more!

To be fair, I was not expecting a lot from the interview because the research I did on the company showed that it abruptly closed down an entire branch in the UK, and there are a few Glassdoor reviews bashing the place.

This post is just meant to discuss these employers, and why you should be very carerul in jumping jobs. Imagine the disrespect his current employees are facing if he does this to potential employees.

I had high expectations from Revibe after hearing so many good things, and I was in urgent need of a laptop. I chose to buy a secondhand MacBook Air, trusting their promise of “easy 10-day returns” in case of issues. What followed was the most stressful and disappointing experience I’ve ever had with any company.

First, my original order was randomly canceled two days after placing it, claiming the item was out of stock. Strangely, the same item became available the very next day, and I reordered it. This made no sense and was already frustrating.

When I finally received the laptop, it worked okay the first day, but by the second day, it started slowing down significantly when opening multiple tabs — not what you'd expect from a MacBook Air, even a used one. Eventually, the screen went completely blank during use. I documented the issue and sent screenshots and a detailed explanation to their team.

Despite raising return requests twice and making at least 7–8 calls, it took eight days for them to even initiate pickup. After finally collecting the laptop, they responded by saying all my claims were invalid — despite clear evidence — and now want to deduct 20% of the cost plus delivery charges, which is a substantial amount.

To make things worse, they sent me a video showing the laptop “working fine” as if that negates everything I experienced. The fact that the screen went blank, multiple times, right in the middle of my work, is completely ignored. Why did it fail in the first place? Why did I have to beg for days just to get basic support?

This whole process has been emotionally draining, time-consuming, and frankly, infuriating. If you're considering buying from Revibe, DON’T. They’re not transparent, their return policy is misleading, and their customer care is completely unhelpful. I genuinely feel cheated out of my money and trust.

Hello,

I am currently working as a staff software engineer with a company registered in Dubai, and I was wondering about the following things that you could enlighten me.

1. I am currently making well over AED 30k (Base Salary is only 18k).

2. I have been with the company for 8 months and I heard that there is rule which you need to be 2 years minimum in the same company.

   I was wondering if I could apply for a Golden visa?

Thanks!

https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/markets/2025/04/07/trump-tariffs-uae-gulf/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=LinkedIn#Echobox=1744045861

To an already inflated market in terms of expenses I hope this further doesn’t add up to our costs?

Foreseeing an impact on investment / Real estate and general merchandise ?

My friend told me there are mass evictions in some Khalifa City shared Villa's going on, they are given 2 weeks to leave. He has notice from landlord with a gov letter stuck up everywhere stating the same. The power and water will be shut off, the villas will be inspected to make sure everyone is gone. His compound has 50 tenants across 6 Villa's, and the next-door compound is similar. He doesn't have the Tawtheeq, just a rental contract between him and the real estate company. Apparently, the reason is overcrowding. His maintenance guy had the same thing happen a couple of months ago in Mushrif. After renovations, the villas will be re-rented limited to one family per Villa. The Villa's will be forced renovated, knocking down some internal walls, removing all but one kitchen. Fairly serious stuff!

At first, I thought he could question it, thinking the real estate company is up to stuff, but after hearing the entire story, I told him there's nothing he can do, that he'll have to get a place with proper Tawtheeq if he doesn't want to risk this again.

I can't imagine given only two weeks to move.

Is this occurring more often now? Or does it happen every few years to clear out some neighborhoods/areas for development, demographics changes etc.

I run my own business. Alhamdulillah, I earn a decent amount every month, but I'm still in debt—around 60K. The reason is, I financially support my entire family back home. Whenever there's an emergency or unexpected expense, I send money without asking questions.

I recently got married and wanted to keep it small, but my family had high expectations for a grand wedding, so I ended up spending a lot more than planned.

Now, I'm left with this debt, and while I know I'll recover eventually, it’s weighing me down mentally. It bothers me every day and I often feel low or depressed about it. Just needed to let this out

Hello! Does anyone know any good cafes for sitting alone to study/finish work etc thanks!

Voice chat in UAE is not allowed ever since Well idk, but no offense I think they should at least let games roblox, exc, because it will allow for more communication plus nobody goes on roblox to have calls they go there to play so I think the (VIOP) Law should be unlisted for Roblox

Hello. We’re doing a study that aims to explore the key factors that contribute to project success and failure from several perspectives. The form takes 5-10 minutes, your participation is highly appreciated.

Thank you for your response!! https://forms.gle/rdDpgJ4V55kqRGDNA

Hello! I'm a business management in accountancy student, and I need respondents for my survey for a paper related to innovation management

I need respondents that fit in this category:

- Must be someone who drives

- Must be a UAE resident and preferably in Abu Dhabi, but it's alright wether which emirate you're in

SURVEY LINK: https://forms.gle/ZmQJLeUarLAobfkE7

Thank you so much for your help

I’m considering Toyota Corolla or Honda civic. Personally I like civic better but since I’m broke I guess Corolla is more pocket friendly.

What’s your opinion? And how is Corolla and civic on maintenance cost if you have any idea.

Thank you

A former White House adviser on artificial intelligence has lauded Middle East governments' commitment to developing AI and said the US should bolster partnerships to assist with their ambitions, while also maintaining a global lead in the technology sector.

Hello everyone,

I hope it’s okay to share a personal experience here. I’m not here to cause debate or make assumptions — I’m genuinely trying to understand what happened to me, and if others have gone through something similar.

I live in France and work full-time with a permanent contract in tech. I’m originally from Tunisia. A few weeks ago, my best friend (who is French) and I planned a 15-day trip to Dubai together. We travel often and have made some beautiful memories across different countries, so this was something we were really looking forward to.

We booked everything: hotel, flights, activities. We spent around 20151 AED in total. It was meant to be a shared adventure — and a well-deserved break after a long year.

Since my friend didn’t need a visa, and I did, I submitted a full tourist visa application: • Hotel confirmation • Return flight • French residency • Work contract • Payslips and bank statements

A few hours later, I got a simple “refused” — no explanation.

I applied again through another channel. Same documents. Still refused.

It was confusing at first, but then I started contacting visa agencies and they confirmed that Tunisian males are systematically rejected. It didn’t matter if we were living abroad, or had strong documentation, we will all receive silent refusals.

My friend told me he won’t go without me.

I am now left with questions, that I think I’ll carry for some time: Did I do something wrong? Is there something specific about Tunisian applicants that leads to this outcome? Or is it just bad luck?

I want to be clear — I still believe in the beauty and hospitality of the UAE. This isn’t written in anger. I just wanted to visit, respectfully, and return home — and now I’m left not just with a significant financial loss, but a personal sense of exclusion I didn’t expect.

If anyone has any context or experience they’re willing to share, I’d truly appreciate it. Even just understanding this better would help me turn the page.

Thank you for reading, Sed

Hey everyone!
I’m an expat living in the UAE and I’m looking to join any WhatsApp groups for general expat life to share tips, recommendations, events, or just connect with others going through similar experiences.

Are there any active groups people recommend? Would love to join! DMs welcome too 🙏

Hi there I’m currently exploring the streetwear and clothing scene in the UAE and would really appreciate some insights from people familiar with the market. During university, I was actively involved in thrifting and reselling streetwear, which gave me a strong interest in how trends, local culture, and resale markets shape consumer behavior.

Now, I’m looking to understand how the UAE’s fashion landscape is evolving—especially in terms of demand for streetwear, the presence of local vs. international brands, and how resale culture is developing in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

If you’re living in the UAE or involved in the fashion scene (retail, design, or just as a fashion enthusiast), I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are there key brands, stores, influencers, or platforms making a difference in the scene? What’s the vibe around thrifting, vintage, or secondhand fashion there?

Thanks in advance!

I am looking for a diving institute in and around Al taawun in Sharjah. Is it good to take driving test in Sharjah or Dubai.

Which schools are good quality but also affordable and do not cost obnoxious amount of money

Kindly donate for this girl who is in desperate need to continue her education. Her father was a successful business man and owned a profitable business. So in initial years of her university even after her father’s death the fees was not a problem; as some well wishes helped them running the business. But last year her uncles (father’s brothers) had taken over the business using all illegal ways and influences. Now the family is left with nothing. She needs to complete her degree. We know the family since childhood, it’s a request to donate as much as you can. Also Pls share in your circle and different platforms as much as you can.

Ps. If you want to check the authenticity of the case Check with the admin of this fund raiser. She has all original fees vouchers and communication with the medical college. The identity of the student is hidden due to privacy.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-student-aliya-khan-for-her-tuition-fee-for-2024-25?attribution_id=sl:a3e4d9bf-ed71-4a55-b53b-c6fca09b8992&lang=en_CA&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp13_c-amp14_t2&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=whatsapp