Hi,
I've only spent a few weeks there, but have spent time elsewhere in the Middle East, didn't just holiday in Dubai but spent time with expat friends there, and researched moving to Dubai. It's been nearly three years since I was there, and it's changing all the time (from what I've heard from people who've been out there on holiday or to visit relatives living there).
I'd recommend the Dubai Explorer book, available at Amazon, though there is a website about the guides: http://www.the-explorer.com/indexie.htm
There is a variety of construction work going on, enlarging Dubai, with money being ploughed into (it's come along way from Pearl Fishing in the 20th Century), and construction projects in Oil and Gas. I believe some fashion designers also are based there.
The foreign workers drafted in have very different lifestyles. For some, the life is very similar to that in the film, Syriana, out at the moment starring and directed by George Clooney, and that is not just the lavish lifestyle of the rulers and expats, but the poor one of immigrant workers too. A life there greatly depends on who you are and what you are going to do there, and what you want out of life. Whilst expats can ceroc away (http://www.cerocarabia.com/) there is a huge majority of people who would not be permitted to dance like that in public because of their religion.
Check out http://www.mydsf.com/dsf/eng/index.asp
It’s the Dubai Shopping Festival page aimed at visitors not just from other Arab Countries. It contains links to other websites.
Personally, if the job there had gone ahead, I’d probably have moved there, but only for a set period of time – not for the rest of my life.
Hope this helps.
Oid
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