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In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

Not sure if this should go here, so apologies in advance.

I was wondering what people have / had as an antidote to working in the Big Sandpit? At first I was thinking of where to go once I leave - which could be in a couple of years or longer - but then I got to thinking shorter term; how about what do people do, in their holidays, that they thought rid themselves of the surplus of sand, heat, pervasive ineptitude, ruinous lethargy, inadequate mono-culture, ubiquitous malls and fast food, calls to prayer (although I quite like them, from a distance), deficient driving, disrespect, unpleasant architecture, decreasing real (WRT inflation) salaries, inhospitable laws, shameful inequality, and all round decrepitude?

Or how about we drill down even further? What do you do at the weekend or even of an evening?

I've added a poll using some options from my limited imagination, but further ideas are welcome.

niti team leader · Joined: 10 Oct 2017 Posts: 24

Most engaging

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I did not focus on the negatives. Reflect and you will see there are positives to being there. If you think it is horrid then maybe you should not be there.

In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Get a balance in your daily life. The ones in Saudi who seemed unstable were the ones who worked in KSA so they could go and do things in Thailand. Not the way I would choose. Ah well I too was once young and foolish !

Xie Lin · Joined: 21 Oct 2011 Posts: 731

In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

While things were not exactly perfect, I didn't see anything seriously stressful there. Especially being given airfares for four and 60 + days off each summer.

However, Looking forward to seeing XXXXXX strung by the neck from a lamp post when the Arab spring arrived would have gotten my click in your poll.

In the heat of the moment · Joined: 22 May 2015 Posts: 393 Location: Italy

No one has clicked on "Spend time with the family", it seems the last thing people want to do.

I thought it was just me!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There are not many EFLers from the Anglosphere with their families in KSA now.
That era has gone. It was good while it lasted.

As salaries and benefits have declined, more and more singletons are seen teaching English in KSA.

Makkah · Joined: 08 Oct 2014 Posts: 113

Not many families.......but still a few. From where I m sitting can count 6 with families here, all contractors, on very good packages. Though, bringing a family out here on 15k or even 20k a month is utter madness.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Education allowances, housing and ticketing, and health care are crucial.

But for some there is the lure of Mecca and Medina

siologen · Joined: 25 Oct 2016 Posts: 336

The only other M is Mammon?