Monthly Archives: September 2014

Exporting Dogs from the UAE

25 Thursday Sep 2014

Posted by in Dubai, Traveling, UAE

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We started out talking to several local boarding kennels in Dubai and Sharjah who also deal with importing and exporting pets. They were very helpful and offered up lots of information and a HEFTY price tag. We paid about $1500 CAD to get them into the country (excluding the cost of vaccinations to avoid quarantine), there’s no way I’m paying more than that to get them out. What we were quoted was closer to $4000 CAD. How hard could it be though, right? It was a hellish experience bringing them in I don’t know why we thought it would be easier heading the other direction.

Okay, really it hasn’t been that bad so far. There aren’t a crazy amount of vaccinations and money rolling out, so far so good. It’s just been stressful and frustrating. The most frustrating part of exporting our dogs out on our own is that everyone expects you to know what to do. For example, when I first started asking questions about how to export our dogs no one really knew who I should talk to. So my communications have bounced around to nearly the entire cargo department of our airline. After several months of emails and phone calls, I think I’m finally talking to the right guy (whew, only 2 weeks before we ship out). So I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned incase you’re crazy enough to try this on you own as well.

For the sake of ease, I’m just going to list in order what you need to do.

1. Look up the Government Agriculture website of your local country. Search for something that says, “pet import” or something similar. Print of the list of requirements right from the webpage, including the government header and everything (just in case).

2. Contact the cargo department of your airline and request “AVI requirements” or the process for pet export.

3. Have your pet vaccinated according to the specifications you found steps 1&2.  We were also asked to send photos of our pets (to confirm they weren’t blunt nosed), dimensions and weight of the carriers we were using, and the weight of our dogs.

4. Apply for the required Ministry Health Certificate.  This is good for 30 days.  Some countries require this certificate for import no more than 10 days before arrival, so check that with your country of import.  You can put all your animals on one certificate, so don’t apply for this more than once (even though they’ll tell you on the phone that you need one for each pet).  On the website it says you only need to wait 15 minutes to be processed.  What this really means is that 15 minutes after you drive the application number down to your shipping company, whether you’re going through Emirates or Dnata, with your pet (but don’t bring them into the office!), they will scan your pets, print off your certificate, and stamp it (can’t forget the stamp).  Done.  Also, there isn’t a single, specific location for the Ministry OF Environment and Water (MOEW) in Cargo village.  We took our dogs to the Dnata warehouse in the Dubai Airport Freezone.

5. We also required a Transit Certificate to go through Hong Kong.  This really messed us up because the airline wanted everything taken care of well in advance.  They pushed us to get the Ministry Health Certificate as soon as possible even though Canada wouldn’t allow it to be older than 10 days.  Hong Kong needed the Health Certificate before they would allow a Transit Certificate to be issued, so make sure you look into that if you aren’t making a direct flight.

6. With your ducks all in a row (certificates certified), you’re ready to go – EASY PEASY.  Unless…you’re us.  I don’t know if the guys in the cargo office don’t get along with the guys in the warehouse or what the problem is.  We were told to arrive with the dogs several hours before our flight to check them in, “no problem, no problem”.  When we arrived the warehouse guys were not happy to see us.  We were told we should have been down at the warehouse at least the day before.  Now there is a mad rush to process the dogs, get our paperwork all stamped up, and put the dogs on the plane.  It took at least 90 minutes to get two dogs through customs, and then the other shoe dropped.  “That’ll be 12,000AED (~$4000CAD).”  Um no way.  We were quoted half of that based on dimensions I sent them back in step #3!!  Here’s why this was a HUGE problem, we were leaving the country.  We were getting on a plane in 2.5 hours, with no plans of returning any time soon.  We no longer had a bank account for crying out loud.  Their solution was for us to ask someone to loan us the money or they weren’t going to ship the dogs.  They weren’t even willing to except half a payment.  James was a wonderful, forceful (there may have been some yelling) advocate for these dogs and our family as a whole.  He put his foot down, and convinced these guys to put our dogs through to Vancouver on his word (there was actually a lot of yelling, maybe a threat of a lawsuit if the dogs didn’t make it).

All in all, we made it.  Every last one of us.  There was yelling, and tears, and if we ever do this again…the dogs will stay with an Aunty.

 

 

Top 10 things…I will miss about the UAE.

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by in American University of Sharjah, Dubai, I miss..., Sharjah, UAE

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I will miss so much more of the UAE than these 10 things.

#10 – Round-A-Bouts

At first round-a-bouts were a little intimidating to understand.  I have a feeling there are quite a few people here trying to figure them out still.  Once you get it, they are actually pretty awesome, but not in consistently high traffic areas.  Traffic continues to flow, and if you’re not sure which way to go, just go around again.  Rules to remember with round-a-bouts or ‘squares’ as I’ve heard them referred to, is that “whoever is in front, wins”.  If you’re in front of the guy beside you, and you need to turn but he isn’t, you have right of way (don’t forget to use your blinker).  Also, squares aren’t much different than intersections.  If you want to take the 3rd exit, you get in the right lane to merge into the centre ring, and basically turn right.  If there are 3 lanes going into a square, left lane turns left (and straight if there are 3 lanes coming out of the square), centre lane goes straight, right lane goes straight or right.  When their are only 2 lanes going into a square, left lane goes left and straight, right lane goes straight and right.  See.  Simple.

#9 – Having a ‘Guy’

So this did make it on my list after all.  You want a shelf hung, you call a ‘guy’ to hang the shelf.  You need a light change, call a ‘guy’ to do it.  Water my grass, the ‘guy’ comes by everything other day to turn the water on for 15 min, then turn it off again.  Need your car washed in your parking spot, you can have a ‘guy’ do it at home, or while you’re at the mall shopping.  Back broke off your chair, no problem, call the ‘guy’ to come and fix it.  We’ve even had half a dozen mice, ant infestation, and a bed bug scare.  We just called a ‘guy’ and the problem was solved.  Think my ‘guy’ will move to Canada with me?

#8 – Full service…everything

Who wants to get out of their car…for anything.  Gas, all full service, at every station except after 12:00am at some stations.  Remember drive-in’s?  You drove into the parking lot and honked, and someone would come out and take your order?  I have never done this but I’ve seen it done and not only at fast food restaurants.  I’ve seen people do this at grocery stores, hardware stores and other smaller places of business.

#7 – Spontaneous Holidays

The holidays on the calendar are tentative at best.  Every once in a while an announcement is made that certain sectors will not be working on certain days.  I’m sure it’s a rare thing.  But we saw this happen twice within a week.  This could also fall on my things I won’t miss about the UAE, as it makes planning difficult.  But hey, a bonus day off is nothing to complain about.

#6 – Inexpensive Services

Our favourite service has been dry-cleaning.  I get everything dry-cleaned.  Quilts, pillows, James work shirts and pants, the girls dresses, carpets, sleeping bags.  First of all my washing machine barely handles daily laundry for 5 let alone one quilt.  Second, I don’t have to iron shirts when someone else does a better job for $1/shirt.

#5 – Security

We live in a large, gated community.  There is a fence that runs around the entire University City.  Inside that each separate University or College is surround by it’s own fence.  Emirate police are posted at each gate entrance, randomly screening people who enter into the ‘city’.  Faculty/Staff are separated from students by a fence as well.  Guards are setup at A/C booths, or on patrol all day and night all over campus.  It sounds like we’re really locked down, but for the most part you don’t ever see these guys though you know they’re there.

The community is also small enough that we look out for each other.  My neighbours are familiar with my kids, as I am with theirs.  When my kids go to the store, they know and talk to the people that work there.  We’ve been surrounded by many friendly, caring people who watch out for each other.

#4 – Rain days

Rain days are another rarity, but a welcome one.  It is quite the novelty when it rains here as the drainage system is poor to non-existent.  Rain waters quickly pool in cul-de-sacs and round-a-bouts making instant swimming pools for puddle jumping.  What’s more fun than swimming in dirty street water fully clothed?

#3 – 98% chance of good weather, every day

Planning a camping trip?  Want to go to the beach or waterpark? No need to check the weather network to plan in advance.  Even if it rains it’s going to be a good day for anything.  Pick a day, and pack your stuff.

#2 – Camping when and wherever you like

No need to book ahead with the local government (unless you plan on camping in Dubai).  If there isn’t enough space in your desired location just drive a little further and drop your tent.  Don’t want to go too far off the road, no problem.  I’ve seen tents set up just off the highway many times (not that I would want to camp there).

#1 – All-Inclusive Campus life

We’ve certainly been spoiled here at the American University of Sharjah.  From the on-call carpenters and fix-it guys, to the full free access to community events and amenities (gyms, indoor and outdoor pools, grocery store, pharmacy, hair saloons, soccer fields, baseball diamond, cricket pitch,  tennis courts, basketball courts) all with in walking distance.  You really can’t beat the package we got here.  Friends were easily made as we’re all in the same boat of being expats away from our families.  All this made our initial landing here easier to bear, and hard to leave.  I hope we are able to come back some day.

 

Top 10 things…I haven’t missed about Canada.

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by in Canada, I miss..., UAE

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Things got a little crazy at the end of packing, and the computer was wrapped in a box before I knew it.  Here are some posts that I wrote before the move.

6 months ago this post would have been way easier to write.  Now that we’re weeks away, I honestly can’t withhold my excitement.  The more I try to think about what I haven’t missed, the more excited I get to go back blocking out all those negative thoughts.

#10 – Temperatures below 15C

The area we are from, this is the temperature the majority of the time.  It’s cold.  Sure after a winter of -30C anything above +10C is t-shirt weather, but come on.

#9 – Gas Prices

When I started driving in 1996 gas cost $.49/L.  I would complain about dishing out $25 to fill up BOTH of the gas tanks in my pickup.  Gas in the UAE currently costs $.50/L.  It’s been like going back in time 20 years!  Except instead of gradual, painful inflation over time, we get to have our organs torn from our body in rapid succession just so we can afford paying $1.72/L (or whatever ridiculous amount they are charging).

#8 – Taxes

It’s been a simple pleasure to go into a store, grab a few items, and know EXACTLY how much you would be forking over at the till.  No guesses on what qualifies to be taxed and what doesn’t, and how much tax you will actually have to pay.  I’m pretty sure Canada taxes you to breath their air.

#7 – Allergies

Over the first 10 years of my marriage my allergies were gradually getting worse.  Before we left Canada in Sept. 2012 I was at the point where I had to take Benadryl daily from May to September just to function.  My sinuses would clog, causing me to have headaches, and puffy eyes and itchy everything inside my face (nose, mouth, throat).  While in the UAE, I still have mild allergy symptoms in the summer, but I don’t have to take Benadryl to get through the day.

#6 – Frizzy, Staticky Hair

My hair is almost as long as it was for my wedding day (mid-lower back), and I wear it down.  Almost always (except lately with the humidity) I wear it down.  In Canada, my hair would be so staticky, flying all over the place in my mouth and eyes that I would have it up in a braid, ponytail or hat constantly.

#5 – Wet Snow

I like snow.  It’s pretty when everything looks white and clean.  I also look forward to when the snow first starts to melt and you know summer is on it’s way.  It’s the 6 inches of heavy, melting snow rivers I don’t miss.  Especially on our street where they don’t clear the snow during the winter.  They just let it build up, than drop some salt on it to get things melting.  Thanks city of PG.  I guess you know how much I hate dry socks.

#4 – Kids in Separate Schools

Here in the UAE, my 3 kids were all in the same school.  Easy peasy!  Heading back to Canada, we’re heading back to 3 different schools.  One in a French track school, one in English track school, and one in high school.  Let’s see how long we last without a car this winter shall we.

#3 – Paying for Amenities, and stuff

Like I mention in another post, we have access to everything we need here on AUS campus with in walking distance and free.  Back home we’ll be able to walk to the grocery store, and walk to church…and really I guess it will only take me 30 minutes to walk to one gym, and an hour to walk to the other.  Why am I talking about walking everywhere?  Haven’t I mentioned we don’t insure our car 6 months out of the year to avoid the craziness of everything entailed with driving in the snow?  On top of walking across town (or hoping I make the bus stop in time) we have to pay crazy amounts of money to have access to these facilities – yay.  Let’s not forget all the bills we will have to start keeping track of again.  It truly has been like a paid vacation here.

#2 – Prices

For the most part, big ticket items cost about the same here (even after currency conversation of $1 CA = 3.50 AED).  There are items though, that are a quarter of the price than they are at home.  For example, gas here is 1.72 AED/L in Canada it is currently $1.72/L.

#1 – Nursing School

When we left Canada I couldn’t talk about nursing school without breaking down into tears.  I was that stressed out about it.  My last semester of school (before we moved) I spontaneously broke into full body hives twice, and ended up in the hospital with a Morphine allergy after being treated for Kidney Stones.  It’s only been in the last few months that I have been able to regain control of my emotions when talking about nursing school.  I hope I can keep it together a few more years and complete the program.  BTW congrats to the UNBC BCN grad class of 2014!  Wish I could have been there with you guys!

Top 10 things…I won’t miss about the UAE.

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by in UAE

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Though the UAE has been a wonderful experience there are some things I’m am looking forward to being without.  After I made this list I realized that the majority of my dislikes are traffic related.  I’m sure there are a few other things I could add to this list, but these ones definitely popped into my head first.

#10 – Fast lane Honkers/blinkers

These are the people who come up on your bumper out of nowhere.  I’m pretty sure the reason they blink their high beams is because you can’t see them otherwise.  They are so close to your bumper that you don’t even realize there is a car behind you unless they honk or blink or pull onto the shoulder to pass you at 140km/hr.

#9 – ‘Magic Parking Spaces’ a.k.a. 4-way Flashers

Just when you were worried about finding a parking spot one magically appears with a press of the magical red triangle button on your dashboard.  Otherwise known as your hazard lights, or 4-way flashers.  Everyone here knows this trick and uses it, constantly, in the most inconvenient (for everyone else) place.  Trapped in the morning school rush and can’t find a parking spot, no problem, you don’t need to pull your vehicle off to the side of the road (or even out of the way) by pressing that little magic button – POOF- magic parking spot.  Heading out on the town and all the parking stalls are full, no problem, pull up behind any vehicle and press the button – BAM- magic parking spot.

#8 – ‘Gold Lane’ drivers

We’re all familiar with that yellow line on the far left and right side of the road.  I always thought of it as a barrier, and sign to tell me I needed to drive my vehicle between those lines.  Apparently it has an entirely different meaning over here.  These yellow lines indicate the ‘Gold’ lane.  These lanes are for the impatient, ‘important’, entitled drivers that can’t understand why you’re following the laws of the road, driving the posted maximum speed limit and clogging up the road.  Kind of like the carpool lane for people who aren’t concerned with the safety of the other drivers on the road.

#7 – Bumper Babies

This is closely related to the #10 point on this list.  Except these guys don’t give you any indication that they are back there.  One minute there is no one behind you, and the next you can count the nose hairs of the driver directly behind you.  These guys sway back and forth, looking for an opportunity to squeeze by you, sometimes taking advantage of the ‘Gold’ lane.  These are also the guys that won’t let you in front of them when you’re trying to merge lanes as they ride the bumper of the guy you’re trying to get behind.  You could have your blinker on forever, and just when it looks like they’re going to let you in they speed up (swerving around you) to get back to the bumper they were previously suckling.  If you do manage to get in front of one of these guys they are unforgiving.  The next chance you get expect the daggers of guilt they fire your way from stealing their precious bumper.

#6 – Morning School Run

In Sharjah someone came up with the brilliant idea to zone the private school district.  Sounds like a great idea right!  Put all the private schools in one area.  That way you don’t have the buses clogging up other areas of the emirate, parents that drive their kids can easily find their school…um, yeah, wait … how is that a good thing.  Let me count the schools in our area for you.  1, 2, 3…13.  Those are only the ones that show up on Google Maps.  There are at least 3 others I know of that aren’t on the map.  All within a 1km radius.  I leave our house an hour before school starts so that it only takes me 10-15 min to get to the kids school.  If we’re even 5 minutes late in leaving the house, it could take us 30-45 min to cover the same distance.

#5 – U-turns

Left hand turns are rare here.  So getting around involves at least a U-turn or 4.  Sometimes if you miss your exit it could mean adding more u-turns.  The not so great thing about u-turns is that they are also rare, though not as rare as being able to make a left handed turn.  This means that km’s and time can be added in frustration to a seemingly straight forward line of direction if any mistakes are made.  As a result, it is not abnormal to see people driving in reverse down the road to missed exits, even the ‘Gold’ lane of major roadways.

#4 – Non-blinkers

We get these types in Canada too, but they’re some how … nicer about it.  I think this stems from the amount of ‘Bumper Babies’ there are on the road.  They rationalize not blinking as being ‘ninja like’, a sneaky way to lane change.  Sometimes Bumper Babies get distracted, and slow down leaving enough space to jump in front of them.  There isn’t always time to blink.  Still.  Annoying.  Similar to Bumper Babies is their ability to come out of nowhere.  One minute everyone is in their own lane, moving along peacefully, and the next they’re practically side swiping you in a slow motion (or not so slow) left hook, pushing you out of the way.

#3 – Awkward long stares

As a woman this is weird and unsettling.  When I stare someone down it’s usually because there is something familiar about them and I’m trying to figure out if I know them.  So when someone is staring me down I look back, let them get a good look at my face and wait for the realization to wash over them that we don’t know each other and should then take the next step in our awkward acquaintance.  Which is to look away, or smile and wave.  More often than not, neither of these things happens.  Resulting in an unnerving feeling of violation.  I don’t know if it’s just because I’m Canadian, but I feel like I wasn’t polite enough and that drives me batty.

#2 – +50C

I didn’t think it was possible to survive in heat like this.  Now that I am on my second cycle of +50C temps I’m wondering how I’m going to survive anything below +20C.  If you want to know what I’m talking about there are a number of ways to accurately feel what it’s like to live in the desert.  First, turn on your hairdryer to it’s hottest setting, low blow, then point it directly in your face – ahh, can you feel the sand?  The second scenario that I think gives the best example of the heat with humidity factor we’re actually getting now is akin to what you feel in the adult sauna at your local pool.  Try walking around, fully covered (shoulders to knees) – yah, so relaxing 🙂

#1 – Speed ‘Humps’

Humps.  That’s what they call them here.  Something to do with camels maybe?  Anyhow, they are plentiful.  Cruising at 120km/h down the highway, what’s that in the road?  Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da…buh-bump.  Gold lane drivers aren’t exempt from them either.  On certain stretches of highway you’ll see mini speed humps on the shoulder alone.  I assume to deter people from driving on the shoulder.  That’s when you get people using the Platinum lane, otherwise known as the ‘desert bypass’.

Bonus – Litter

Nothing peeves me more then to be in such a beautiful country with such breath taking landscapes then to discover on closer inspection it is a dump, literally.  The UAE is full of proud, patriotic, educated people who are also a bit self absorbed and perhaps have a slight entitlement complex.  It blows my mind every time I see the passengers of the cars around me on the road, roll down their window and toss out their trash.  I’m not talking apple cores, cigarette butts, or gum (though I’ve seen those go out the window as well).  I’m talking full bags of McDonald’s garbage tossed out the window.  Or plastic bags full of whatever trash, just dropped onto the road next to their car as they drive away.  I’ve seen people open all their doors at a red light, and sweep the tissues, wrappers, bits of food onto the street before jumping back in as the light changed to green.  Wow.  Stay classy UAE.  Stay classy.  I wish I could get away from that when we head to the sand dunes for camping, or a nearby wadi for a hike and a swim.  It’s almost worse in these places.  The last few months, while the weather was tolerable, we kept garbage bags and gloves in our car to pick up what we could.  It just doesn’t end, and it won’t until they change.