New to Dubai? Here are 5 things you must know

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New to Dubai? Here are 5 things you must know

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By Keith Pereña

Published: Wed 7 Dec 2016, 1:32 PM

Last updated: Thu 8 Dec 2016, 9:47 AM

Most of us have been first-timers in Dubai once. I say most of us because I know of some expats who were born here. With a seemingly unending influx of hopefuls looking to try their luck and start a career in Dubai, there is no dearth of first-timers today either.
And who wouldn't want to try their luck? Dubai, and the UAE in general are major players in the world today - ranking highly in certain sectors and even breaking world records on a regular basis. So if you want to come here - or are already here - get equipped with these nuggets of knowledge.

Getting around

If you've never taken the bus let alone the Metro, please do so. Dubai is a city that prides itself on its efficient use of public transport. Don't know where the stop is? You can download the RTA's Wojhati app from either Google Play or Apple App Store and it detects where you are and then from that you can enter your destination. Wojhati then shows you all available routes and rides you'll have to take to reach that destination. It's that simple!

Talk the Walk

You definitely don't need to take a full course in Arabic, but a handful of common Arabic words such as yalla, khalas and of course As-salamu alaykum will come handy. If you really want to be a Dubai pro, learn a little bit of Hindi too - after all, Indians make up most of the bulk of UAE's expat crowd.

Wear are thou

Dubai is one of the more open-minded cities in the GCC so if you think you have to come here wearing an abaya please don't.

Follow the rules

Don't get fined for jaywalking or any other minor offence please? Dubai Police have taken it upon themselves to ensure the safety of the people in the emirate.

Want a job? Do this

Save yourself time and convenience and don't go CV dropping to every office door you encounter. The work culture in the UAE doesn't encourage cold calls so you're better off sending CV's online and waiting for that call. Don't let your CV be someone's spare paper for printing.