Peace of mind for a family move to Dubai

Christina Toebast’s husband had wanted to work for Emirates Airlines for years. When the chance came, he jumped at it. After Emirates took her on a 4-day tour of Dubai, Christina was also convinced and the decision was made. The family emigrated to Dubai in 2014. In this interview, she tells us how Schmidt Global Relocations convinced her that her belongings were in good hands.

Personal contact was the key

Christina has now been living in Dubai for five and a half years and never wants to go back. “Although it was a tough choice at the time, now I wouldn’t want anything else,” she says. “The way people interact is much warmer here than it is in the Netherlands. Everyone looks after each other and people are much more relaxed. When we decided to emigrate from the Dutch village of Bladel to Dubai, I was concerned about the move. Not only did we live in a large house, so packing would be a mammoth undertaking, but it’s also quite scary having your personal belongings shipped by a stranger. Who do you ask to do it? I had requested various quotes, but it really felt like comparing apples and pears. Every company’s package is different. Then someone from Schmidt called and they answered so many of my questions! They really took their time, asked what was worrying me and the issues I was facing. They answered all my questions in a relaxed way and explained how everything would be packed. To me, this personal contact was what made up my mind.”

Flawless move

Despite the worries in advance, the move to Dubai went without a hitch. “Schmidt’s employees were really careful packing up our belongings. That was such a relief! As if they were their own belongings,” says Christina enthusiastically. We packed the smaller stuff ourselves, the rest was taken care of by Schmidt. This included an antique cupboard, which had me quite worried beforehand. After all, you are handing over the collection of a lifetime to a stranger! After only two days of packing, everything was shipped. When it arrived in Dubai, everything needed to be cleared by customs. Schmidt also provided great service with this. For example, I had a registered statue of Buddha from a temple, which could have caused problems in a Muslim country. Schmidt was very helpful in making sure it arrived safely at the other end. The team that delivered everything to our house was very friendly too. They unpacked everything and even hung up our paintings! They also put the antique cupboard together perfectly. People here tell me that a move like this one doesn’t always go smoothly. Belongings get lost, customs papers aren’t in order… I’m so glad we came across Schmidt.”

Are you moving abroad soon? Then contact us. We are happy to help!