SENSE & SENSITIVITY
Family has much to consider after job offer
DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband recently got a job offer for a better-paying, higher position that fits his interests. The one big downside to this new job is that it is in Dubai. If it were just my husband and me, I wouldn’t question the decision for one second, but since we have our children to consider, I need some help. Our kids are in elementary school. We have lived in the same house for their whole lives, so it feels wrong pulling them out of school and uprooting them. At the same time, it might be an amazing opportunity for us as a family! What do you think is the best situation for my family? Stay where we are? Or leave? -- Move to Dubai?, Denver
DEAR MOVE TO DUBAI?: While this is a big move, know that many Americans have made it. I know families who have moved to Dubai and to Abu Dhabi, and it has worked for them. Dubai offers more flexibility than some think. Yes, there are recommendations about dressing more modestly than Americans, especially for women, but it is a cosmopolitan city that welcomes foreign nationals.
The good news for your children is that they are young and adaptable. They might be sad at first due to the unknown and the thought of losing their friends. If you move over the summer, it will be easier than in the middle of the school year.
My suggestion: Go for it! It doesn’t have to be forever.