Also, the cost of living here - particularly if you have kids - is very high. For my son to play football and be a part of the only league we have here, it cost us $600 for the season - that doesn't include equipment costs ie. pads, helmet, uniform. Softball isn't so bad but it's still $275 so long as you register early, then it goes to $325. To swim twice a week as part of a team, it costs $500 per term, per kid. We don't send our kids to the American school because they now hold on to $6000 of your money (per kid) as part of the "building fund". This is money you don't get back should you leave, plus, even with the Emirates education allowance you're still about $5000+ per kid out of pocket/per year. Our kids are in the British system because it's marginally cheaper.

Don't know what your brother is telling you but maybe he's covering the cost of those 'non-rev' flights which are anything but 'non-rev'. Sure it's nice to travel first or business class but with the schedules as they are the last thing you want to do is get on another airplane, however, if you want a change of scene then that's what you have to do to escape the sandpit. Vacation would be nice but it's rare to get 42 days as we're supposed to. Right now I'm owed 21 days which I can't seem to take because nothing is available.