Try to avoid temptations and save money

A reader advises expats to travel less and save money. Other topics: rainforest, teacher licensing, Dubai, driverless taxi

A reader advises expatriates to travel less and save money. Karim Sahib / AFP

Articles and posts such as Global getaways: best holiday deals for Eid Al Adha 2016 (September 1) only encourage expatriates to waste their hard-earned money rather than save it for their future and for the future of their children. Those who have come here to work from other parts of the world ought to be reminded of this. It is easy to get carried away by the distractions of life in this great country, especially with the media portraying everyone as a tourist-resident. This is leading to unprecedented levels of indebtedness among expatriates, which is causing great harm to them and their families.

If you have come to this country to work, then you should be minimising your trips to hotels, malls, restaurants, cafes, clubs and tourist sites.

This phenomenon of expatriates always travelling overseas during holidays defies logic. Such holiday offers have been designed to rid people of their disposable income.

If you have to travel in the summer, then visit home or send your children on educational trips.

During occasions such as Eid, there should be more focus on low-cost community events and spending quality time with family and friends. Go together to public parks and beaches. Visit each other’s homes and mix and mingle with your neighbours and the local community.

Request your children’s schools to organise low-cost events for their pupils and their families.

Name withheld by request

Rainforest must serve a purpose

I hope the Dubai project shows the real story of our rainforests, and highlights their importance and what's happening to them (A taste of tropical in Dubai as indoor rainforest opens, August 30). It can also introduce reactive projects so that NGOs can do all they can to save rainforests for future generations.

Name withheld by request

Licence doesn’t prove quality

A teacher licence is like a driving licence (All foreign teachers must have licences to work in the UAE, September 1) – although most people have it, it doesn't necessarily make all of them a good or competent driver. Would a teacher licence ensure that all teachers are competent? I think not.

Carla Botha, Abu Dhabi

Dubai better than many cities

There is no doubt that Dubai is one of the better places to live (Dubai one of the most improved places to live over the past five years, study finds, August 19). I have travelled to many cities in the world.

Some of them are arguably more beautiful than Dubai. But the ultimate beauty lies in its people, in the way they are treated. In that respect, Dubai gets full marks. It has been constantly innovating and experimenting with futuristic things to make the life of its residents better. It’s because of this you will never get bored in Dubai. The city rocks.

Amanda Fulton, Dubai

I believe in learning and transforming ideas through art and music and I hope our schools understand this (Education reforms are needed, August 31). I know some private international schools such as Amity International in Abu Dhabi are laying emphasis on these subjects.

I know that it is really helpful. My daughter is learning how to understand and love people through art and music.

Um Malak, Abu Dhabi

UAE not an ideal testing ground

In reference to the news report Driverless taxi firm calls UAE ideal test ground (September 1), we already have many deaths from car accidents in this country. We shouldn't become a testing ground for a system that might still be in its alpha stages. The recent deaths in the Tesla autopilot should make us more cautious.

Sheebo Al Dasher, Abu Dhabi