Al Fujairah - job offer, living conditions, general info, help please

Hello all,

We are a Portuguese couple (40/35) from Sintra, who just got offered a job position in Al Fujairah. The job is for me, the man in the couple, if we decide to go... not sure yet and the enrollment process as just begun. My wife though does not have a job yet. We´ve been cruising around the internet for information and there is not much about how things REALLY are... it seems that there is a lot but in the end there is no real consensus online.

Can someone help out, please, with some questions. We would be very much appreciated.

Is the job package good enough for both of us to start until she finds a job in Al Fujairah?
Job Package: 20000 AED (this is netto each month) + medical for both (don´t know yet the coverage, hope its a full on - any thoughts on names of good insurance companies?) + one flight to Portugal a year for both.
Should i ask for housing allowance, car allowance, anything else or just keep quiet? Should i bargain the wage a bit more, let´s say, 5000 AED more?
On top of this i get to go on a fully paid all inclusive trip to Fujairah to see the work place prior to saying yes to the contract. Flight, hotel, food, comute, all paid for the visit.

We are a simple couple, love or confort, like to go out to dinner 1/2 times a month, movie or theater 1/2 times a month, go for a drink socially and occasionally, like the outdoors, ocean/beach, POOLS, culture/music/shows, exploring/travel sometimes. We like to keep it simple with no excesses and enjoy the best part of life. Luxury is not something we look or thrive for... we like it cozy, simple, good and that makes us happy, free of hassle or confusion on a daily basis, and with the right amount of safety.
Our motto is: respect to be respected... keep it real, keep it simple!

If we go, we don´t have a house or car to commute. Can i ask the new employer for rellocation allowance to stay in hotel and rent car for the first month until i find a house and car? Is it normal to ask for this and they are ok in general?

My wife is a Bio-Technology Engineer... will she be able to find a job in her area of expertise or as a teacher, or something else, in the first 6 months of our rellocation? We can´t find many jobs online in that Emirate for her... it seems a bit closed regarding general info.

What is the average cost of a 1/2 bedroom furnished appartment in a nice quiet area? Is it between 3000 and 4500 AED a month as i have seen it on the internet? Is it easy to find an appartment in the first 15 days? Is there an expats area? Is this Emirate a pet friendly environment... we have a small 6 kilo tigress... in Portugal there are a lot of houses for rent which are not pet-friendly...

How is live in general in Fujairah? Dinner out, having a drink with friends at night, cruising around, exploring the great outdoors, cinema, the odd afternoon cup of tea chilling with friends or reading a book...

Regarding my wife, is it safe for her to walk alone in the streets when she goes on shores or tasks like shopping, going for a cup of tea at a local scenary, chilling out alone in a terrace drinking a coffee, etc. Her safety is my number one concern!

How long since i arrive, can i buy and DRIVE a car? I know i have to go to the police to change my drivers license but can i drive with mine until i get an Emirate license? What about the cost of insurance?

Does the employer opens an account for me in a local bank or i need to get that done myself?
How long do i need to take care of all the burocracies once i arrive prior to start working? One week is enough as long as we get out of bed everyday early in the morning? Two weeks better?

I´m sorry to post so many question but is better to post them and be prepared for what is coming than to remain a crazy cockroach...

Thanks a lot for your patience in reading all this and we hope we can get help from all of you.

All the best to all of you and, Regards from Portugal,

Pedro&Vanda