Abu Dhabi, being the capital city of the U.A.E., has many opportunities to make any expat feel at home, (or at least as close to it as possible for being far away...) as it is very westernized and you are just as likely to run into someone from your country as you are an Emirate or foriegn national worker on the streets. The city offers stunning city scapes as well as peaceful harbor front walkways, parks and beaches. The weather is very hot most of the year, though comfortable if not a little chilly in the Winter months of November-March when it is most likely to rain on occasion. There can be frequent wind storms which make the abundant source of sand an issue for driving.
A drastic difference from any western country is that segregation due to Muslim custom is readily present in public places, such as beaches (except for families), public and community gyms, pools and some restaurants. So women travelling, shopping, or carrying out normal business of civic or financial duties may not receive the service you would expect unless you have a man with you. The country's social structure holds most foreigners in a lesser 'class' status, so some may receive uncomfortable stares or even reactions to speaking. So a basic rule of thumb is to just act like you belong and in most cases you will be treated with respect in return for giving it. The Emirates are very family-oriented, so being in public with your partner and/or children is very safe as the crime rate is nearly non-existent and you are treated fairly and cordially.
Driving is a different and often frustrating experience altogether here. Courtesy and signalling go right out the window with a free-for-all mentality. So drive defensively and be careful of 'the other guy' who thinks he owns the road and will not hesitate to fly by you and cut you off without signaling. For women to drive, they must either have an international license with one from your home country to back it up or have a sponsor visa and an Emirate license and be added to a rental agreement with a letter signed by your husband (or employer if on residency status) stating that he/they authorize you to drive. We have found that most major companies operating in the Emirates hire local Arab 'facilitators' who help employees get through visa, licensing, and other processes that prove to be very difficult and have regulations and requirements that seem to change daily. Religious services for many beliefs and denominations are surprisingly easy to find as well.
Currently anyone of 30 sponsored EU and UN recognized contries can enter the U.A.E. without a visa for a 30 day (non-extendable) tourist visa or apply for a residency visa if your spouse is employed here. Marriage and birth certificates for dependents must be stamped as certified in addition to normal stamping by county clerks (U.S.) as well as be sent through State and National Department of State certification processes before being sent through the U.A.E. embassy in your country to be processed here. It is an exhaustive process and as others have stated, a HIV blood test and chest x-ray are required (not sure of the age limitation requirement for these medical items for children/infants). If you are waiting for a visa and are only on the 30-day visitor entry, an out of state trip must be accomplished (usually a quick jaunt to Oman or Qatar works).
Abu Dhabi is the most expensive emirate to live in, especially on the island of Abu Dhabi where lease rates at relatively higher year round than even Dubai. After the school year is out, (early May) many expats return to their home country which opens up the market significantly. However, the common lease agreement requires a full-year's payment with a deposit and usually a 5-7% commission fee if through a real estate agent upfront. Presently there is a law which limits but also allows an annual increase of 5% on property leases. Though if you know someone leaving a property with a decent rate, do not expect to be able to step into their flat/villa for the same price. The owner or property management with increase it to the current rates which can be double what someone was just paying if they have been there for a while and their rates had not increased much over their tenure. Outside of the city (where the average 3 bedroom villa currently goes for 330,000 AED per year, about US$90,000), several communities exist with larger populations of expat families and there are also many villas subdivided for individual rent, though construction of most areas is readily present and limits what amenities will be available close by.
Most accessible parks and shopping areas as well as grocery markets are in the city. Mangrove village and Seashore properties in the Officer's City area south of the 'between bridges' area has a stand-alone Spinney's grocery store and a few shops exist in a small strip in between bridges. Khalifa A (north) has many properties but a lot of construction and is more isolated. Al Raha Gardens and Sas Al Nakhl are two newer, gated communities in the finishing stages north and west (respectively) of Khalifa A. Make sure when reserving a property to demand certain things like: light fixtures (if newer); cleaning of villa before move-in; assistance with setting-up of utilities services; proper locks on doors and gates; fixing of any problems or lack of electrical or water hook-ups. Many of these things would be assumed to be taken care of but typically not unless addressed.
Yes. House maids and nannies are readily available and present in most households. Every property we have looked at comes standard with a maid's room, which is commonly the wash room.
Etisalat and Du are the most common cellular providers while Etisilat offers packages for both cell and internet service (which most commonly runs off of a cellular signal to a router). SIM cards from Etisilat are mostly pay-as-you-go, rechargeable 'wasel' cards that charge units to the SIM by puchasing a 25, 50, 100, 200, or 500 AED card. As the U.A.E. has no established address system, THERE ARE NO STREET ADDRESSES! Most people have a P.O. box though FedEx - and DHS are getting more common and are better with door-to-door delivery.
Some common greetings are helpful and appreciated by the local Arab community, though most of the shop, restaurant, and service attendants are of the Indian, Pakistani or Filipino origin and do not necessarily speak the local language anyway.
Bottled water is recommended for drinking, though the tap water is said to be safe. A big difference in appliances is that clothes dryers are not common, most everyone hang-dries their clothes, so washing with a fabric softener is recommended to avoid 'crunchy' clothes from air drying.
Gulf News, the predominant newspaper also has an online website with job listings, household, property and vehicle classifieds: http://www.gnads4u.com/
Have a local bank account with a trusted bank. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) or Nationa Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD)are recommended as it is easier to pay utilities and have cellular/internet accounts connected to a local account that you can just deposit $ into from a home account. ATM fees are always an issue so cashing a check at these banks is also easier and frugal.
Local uniformed taxi services are common. The white and gold cabs look older and are cheap within the city (50 cents or so: or hold a Dirham for initial charge and 1 AED per km). However, the silver cabs are trusted and more commonly speak English. They are a little pricier: 2 AED/km.
Not common among Arabs, though many expats have pets - more in the community villages but several western vet clinics are present as is SAD (strays of Abu Dhabi) which houses and helps to place stray animals. Food and supplies available at most Carrefour's and Ace Hardware.
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