The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in particular the region around the cosmopolitan city of Dubai, have been a major trade hub and economical centre in the middle east since ancient times. Until 1971, the UAE, as we know them know, did not exist. It was only until the six different emirates Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy (Dubai), und Umm al Qaywayn joined forces and built a union in this year and were joined by Ra`s al Khaymah the next year, that the UAE came into existence. Especially Dubai has been the centre of interest of the international media due to the booming economy, spectacular buildings and architectural concepts. Be it the only 7-star hotel in the world, the first completely englassed underwater resort, artificial islands in palm shape, sandboarding on dunes and sheikhs with garages as big as a soccer field - find it in Dubai! This is a city of extremes which can be positioned on the upper end of the world`s luxury scale, catering as a duty free shopping paradise for tourists from all over the world. In the past, the habitants of the UAE grew their wealth mainly on oil fields. In the meantime, oil drilling only accounts for 8% of the annual GDP. The government showed great foresight by reducing the dependency on oil and boosting the tourism sector. Read More...


Dubai is the glittering capital of shopping, architectonical wonderworks and the sun. The above-all towering landmark of the city is the Burj al-Arab, one of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in the world. A century back, when the seven Emirates were still independent, Dubayy was a small picturesque town and home of wealthy Beduine traders and perl fishers.

Apart from the peak times in summer where temperatures of 50C are reached on some days, the average temperature within the year is around 30C which creates a tropical climate together with the humidity. It is likely that the consistent sunshine is responsible for the friendly attitude of people and the high service degree. Coming from Europe one will soon realize the relaxed atmosphere in the Emirate. An additional positive feature is the almost non-existent crime rate. This means that even as a woman you can walk alone in the streets until the early morning hours without running into dangerous situations.

In Dubai, one will find 80-90% of all representations of multinational companies within the UAE. As an intern, you will have a great time here with endless beautiful beaches, idyllic oases and a thrilling nightlife.

The currency in the United Arab Emirates is the Dirham (AED). One Dirham is divided into 100 Fils and equals approximately 0.22 Euro or 0.27 USD. Since many years, the Dirham is pegged to the US Dollar. Mainly, paper notes are in circulation in the UAE (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Dirham notes). The front page of the notes is printed in Arabic and the back page in English.

Debit cards with the "Maestro" logo can be used at most ATMs, also creditcards like in most other metros of Asian countries. Mostly, a service charge will be levied of around 5 EUR per payout. This charge is usually lower with debit than with creditcards. If one decides to bring cash from home, it is advisable to change that into AED in one of the banks. The exchange rates in hotels are often not as good. A better and safer option is to carry around Traveller`s Cheques.

Generally the food cost in Dubai will be comparable to that of Western Europe. A major factor which will stress your budget are the high rental prices for rooms or apartments. For renting a mediocre room in the city, you should at least plan to spend 500 Euro per month. If you`re fine to share a bedroom with more persons, you will find cheaper offers. Mostly, your employer will help you to locate a room, or arrange one for you. Read More...

Mobile phones are at least as widely spread in the UAE as in Western Europe and fees are cheaper than in Europe. A stay in Dubai is ideal if you need a new one, prices are generally (also due to the duty-free zones) cheap on a comparative level. You can get a competitive pre-paid package from the Emirates Telecommunication Corporation. Moreover, you shouldn`t worry too much about your expensive mobile being stolen. Crime rates in the UAE are among the lowest in the world.

Internet usage in the UAE is high and the government is actually fostering the IT Industry e.g. through the provision of the Internet City or the Dubai Media City. As an intern, you usually will have the chance to check your mails in the office. Apart from that you can visit one of the numerous Internet Cafes. Here you will pay 2-5 Euros/hour. Accordingly, it my not be worth to have an own connection installed in your apartment. However, more and more rooms come with a pre-installed DSL connection.

Normally, there will not be any major problems with arranging for transportation to the company and back home. The area of Dubai is rather small, compared to other metropoles of the world and the road system is rather well developed. Having said that, however, it should also be noted that the recent years of economic boom and the corresponding expansion of the (non-resident) population have seen a considerable increase in traffic. This often leads to heavily congested roads during rush hours. It is nice to try out one of the many taxi boats (Abras), which take you across the Dubai Creek for a small fee e.g. from Bur Dubai to Deira. Furthermore, there are 59 buslines which cover the complete city area. In the buses, one can pay via a modern swipe-card system. However, commuting time will take much longer in these buses than in private cars. Therefore, many expatriates organise shared trips to work in case the respective companies are in the same direction. A cheap alternative are the so-called "Private Taxis". In the daily newspapers one will find regularly classifieds of private people which offer these taxi services. This will be much cheaper than a conventional taxi ride. A metro system is in construction right now and scheduled for completion in 2012.

Like it was mentionned previously, the search for an affordable appartment at the beginning of the stay will be one of the more critical tasks. The real estate market in Dubai is very competitive and therefore it can be rather difficult to locate an adequate apartment which does not carry an exorbitant price tag. The relationship between the price you pay and the place you get is only rarely fair. One should budget at least 500 Euro per month for the rent. This is why many interns in Dubai live in shared apartments. In any case, it is very advisable to consult your employer reagarding this, as they will often have the right contacts through previous interns which saves you a lot of time.

In case you have not managed to organise accommodation prior to your departure, it is advisable to check into the official Youth Hostel of Dubai. They offer rather cheap accommodation in two buildings. In the older one, there is the typical youth hostel flair including dorms with 3-5 beds and a shared bathroom. Unfortunately, only the windows are providing for some temperature regulation. An overnight stay will only cost around 10 Euro incl. breakfast in the dorm.

The newer building is better equipped. Mostly there are rooms with only two beds with own bathroom/toilet, satellite TV, telephone and aircondition. The cost is at 15 Euro/ 30 Euro per night (double/ single). More information can be requested at: uaeyha@emirates.net.ae.

Dubai`s nightlife is booming. There are all sorts of clubs and pubs for the different musical tastes. International Stars like the Black Eyed Peas give concerts on a frequent basis, on the other hand you even have top DJ`s from all over the globe, spinning their turntables in stylish locations. Most locations are to be found within the complexes of hotels as these are the places which easily obtain alcohol licences. The best starting point before jumping into the nightlife is the local issue of the Time Out magazine (www.timeoutdubai.com).




Many of you will already have visited courses in intercultural communication or diversity in the course of your curriculum. As an international intern or graduate you will usually be faced with cultural differences in the office constantly, and during events like dinner parties of your company.

The Emiratis are usually very hospital and happy to welcome visitors in their house. If you are invited to someone, the standard greeting is "As-salam alaikum" (Peace be with you) to which one should answer "Wa alaikum as-salam" (Peace be with you as well). Read More...

Once the overall aim of getting a position in Dubai has been achieved, one can start the travelling arrangements.

For the UAE, a valid visa is required. Nationals of many countries entering the country as tourists or for business can obtain a free 1-month visa when arriving in the country (e.g. at the airport). As an intern, you obviously plan to work in the country, thus a working visa should be obtained. The application for this sort of visa has to be brought underway by your (future) employer, accordingly you should budget sufficient time prior to the start date for this. In reality things might be handled a bit differently by most employers for internships, make sure to check beforehand. A company in the UAE usually is entitled to a certain quota of visa for a specific time period, depending on the office size. These visa usually have a validity of 3 years.

When leaving the country, your passport should be valid for another 6 months. A preliminary passport for some countries is also accepted. Some sources suggest that if your passport shows signs of travelling to Israel, you might face problems when entering the UAE. In fact, as an Israeli national you might not be allowed into the country. When staying for a longer period abroad, you should make sure that you have the necessary insurance, such as an overseas health insurance. Depending on the country and on the service package, prices fluctuate widely.

Please check with your national UAE embassy regarding deviations according to nationality.