Culture
What foreign residents should know about living in a Muslim country that's also one of the world's most multicultural.
Applies to everyone regardless of religion. Violations carry fines or warnings. Children, pregnant women, and patients are exempt from fasting but public-decorum rules still apply.
When a plan comes with "insha'allah", read it as "maybe / if granted". If you need certainty, re-confirm by email or phone the day before.
Are there Muslim attendees?
The Arabic that actually helps in the UAE — greetings, taxi and shopping phrases, emergency words, the loanwords you'll hear daily, and when English simply suffices.
How business actually works in the UAE — relationship-first meetings, handshake rules, majlis culture, wasta, negotiation pace, and WhatsApp norms.
What to wear where in the UAE — venue-by-venue table, Dubai vs Sharjah differences, mosque rules, what's actually enforced versus urban myth, and summer fabric strategy.
Islamic-calendar and national days. Dates shift annually.
What Ramadan actually changes for expats in the UAE — dates, public-eating rules after the relaxations, the 2-hour workday cut, iftar culture, and Eid logistics.