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Y.I.C.-Family Housing & International School?
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james



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:05 pm    Post subject: Y.I.C.-Family Housing & International School? Reply with quote

Dear Y.I.C. ELTs,

I have been invited to leave my comfort zone in the hinterlands of the K.S.A. and move to the hussle and bussle of the big city and bright lights of Yanbu. Before deciding whether to accept the invitation, I have a few questions that I hope some kind soul at Yanbu Industrial College might answer for me, to-wit:

1. What is the family housing like?

2. Is the family housing big enough for a family of three (2 adults/1child)?

3. What furnishings/appliances are provided or, perhaps, more importantly what furnishings/appliances are not provided?

4. Is the quality of the education provided at Yanbu International School satisfactory?

5. Are the medical facilities which are available to Y.I.C. faculty any better than the standard public facilities found eveywhere else in the K.S.A.?

6. Is Yanbu full of Muttawas that have nothing better to do than make the lives of faculty members' wives miserable?

7. Is it true that a new girls college is scheduled to open within the next year?

Some of you may be thinking that Yanbu is in the hinterlands of this Magic Kingdom, but let me assure you that everything in life is relative. While those of you at Y.I.C. may feel that being 2-3 hours from Jeddah puts you out near Saturn, I have been working in a community which is 6 hours from Riyadh, 12 hours from Damman and 9 hours from Jeddah. Living on Saturn doesn't seem like such a bad deal to those of us who have had to try to hold on to our sanity way out on Pluto.

Anyway, please accept my thanks in advance for any helpful info you might be willing to share.

Kind regards from the 9th planet,
James
Thanks a million,
James
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sorry to see no replies in this thread yet. I received a phone call from a Dr. So-and-so at YIC at ten o'clock last night --I think that was my employment interview-- so now I'm very curious about the place, too.

Anybody out there know ANYTHING about Yanbu?
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shebab



Joined: 17 Sep 2003
Posts: 168

PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've heard through the grapevine that Yanbu College is a laid back place with pleasant staff and working conditions. Any other details I unfortunately cannot offer. Question
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Mark100



Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 441

PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whenever Yanbu is mentioned you will usually hear someone say that it is good for diving.
Not much else there apparently.
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mark100 wrote:

Not much else there apparently.


Ah, but read this from their job ad, Mr. 100: "The landscaping about town is abound, as do flowers of all kinds. The town itself is quite well laid out and features wide streets, sidewalks and street lights."

Flowers, sidewalks, and street lights! Sounds just like the Champs-Elysees, non? All they need are a few crapping dogs. Very Happy

I found one interesting item on the YIC web page that was NOT mentioned in the job ad. Family men take heed: "Instructors on family status can bring their families only after the probation period of 90 days."

http://www.yic.edu.sa/b5.htm

90 days. That's almost thirteen weeks. Make's the MLI's "8 to 10" sound rosy.

They do offer nice vacations, though: A total of fifteen weeks, if the info is accurate.
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Stephen Jones



Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124

PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The reason for the ninety days is that the employer has to guarantee it will keep you before you can get the visa for your dependents.

Jubail does exactly the same thing. I suspect many other institutions do.

If you are going to bring your dependents over to Saudi, there are certain things you should do before you arrive to avoid tearing your hair out when you're hre.

You must get your degrees stamped at the embassy as well as at the Cultural Mission, because when your wife applies for the visa they will not accept a copy of the degree that they have not already stamped themselves. Make sure you have the marriage certiificate stamped as well (and if you got marreid to another nationality in a third country you will have more paper running around to do).

Saudi doesn't automatically grant dependants visas to all foreigners, and so you need to prove that you have the requisite qualifications. The granting of the visa is straightforward once the papers have been cleared by the foreign ministry in Saudi but you do need to give them all of the papers correctly translated and stamped.

If you have to start couriering papers back and forth between Saudi and your home country things start to become expensive and time-consuming.
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Johnz



Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2004 11:39 am    Post subject: Life exists in Yanbu Reply with quote

Kia Ora from Yanbu... I'm afraid I can't answer all your queries from direct knowledge as I'm in single-staff quarters, not married accom. I've asked a colleague to respond, and he's said he would... Insha'allah.
However, from knowledge, the appliances include stove, dish washer, washing machine and clothes drier. Overall my impression is that the accomm. is fine, though the apartments tend to be in various states of disrepair and it is an accepted fact that maintenance could be better. I don't know exact details, but I do know of one colleague who is yet to move in, and who is battling the administration to get things improved before he does finally move in. I don't know how bad things actually are in his case, and it could be that his standards are too high??
Apparently there is a new school for girls being built, but it is a Saudi school, not an International school. I've not heard any adverse comments regarding the International School from parents... and a colleague who earlier worked there as a relief/supply teacher was impressed with the staff/ facilities etc...
Yanbu is a backwater for sure, but if you've been to quieter abodes then you should have no worries here. Yes, the staff are pleasant and easy going... about half from the Middle East, the other half are Westerners, mainly from North America/ UK (1 Kiwi, 1 Aussie... God Bless Us!!). Comments from colleagues who have worked in various other locations in the ME have stated that it is difficult to find a better teaching post when all things are considered... Yep, there is not much else to do other than water sports... but then life is generally what u make it. Jeddah is 3/4hr by plane and 220SR to fly by return air ticket... so easy enough to spend the odd weekend there.
Generally the students are friendly and pleasant, with few disciplinary concerns... again other colleagues have commented on their pleasant manner compared with other ME locations. Of course they can be lazy/lack motivation etc... but then welcome to the area! What else? Oh yeah... it's hardly the Champs Elysees... but yes, the layout of Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah is pleasant enough with some greenery/flowers about on roadsides... Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah is a 'new town' some 14 km from its 'mother town' of Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah... which is your typical, grotty Asian town... Being an industrial town we do get obnoxious smells, usually in the morning from the nearby oil refinery... and the drivers here are about as bad as Jeddah, despite the wide spaces and lack of congestion...
Righto.... that's about my lot, hope this gives you some idea
Cheers
John
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Johnz



Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2004 11:48 am    Post subject: PS... Reply with quote

What's a Muttawa? About the only time I've seen them in action is at prayer time in Yanbu Al-Bahr ensuring that shops are shut.... overall I think they tend to keep out of things, but then for (Western) women it could be different... I've not heard anything.
And the local Royal Commission hospital facilities seem fine... maybe not on a par to home... but adeqaute enough... I've not used public facilities elswhere over here so can't comment in depth....
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John,

I'm a woman who lived in riyadh, which is right in "mutawwa heartland", and I hardly ever had probls with them.

The people who go on about them are the same ones who stubbornly refuse to throw a scarf over their heads for a few minutes when they see a mutawwa, and get into an ugly confrontation which they cannot win.

And then these people wonder why Saudis are "anti-Western"...
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james



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 3:55 pm    Post subject: Did I ask a damn thing about Riyadh? Reply with quote

Dear Ms Cleopatra,

I don't believe that I asked about Riyadh, but thank you anyway.

Although I nearly choked on your condescension, I'm sure you had a point. Unfortunately, it escapes me. Your experiences with Muttawas in Riyadh are not the experiences of many western women who wear scarves in the northern hinterlands of this country. Why not come up north and see how those of us on the other side of the tracks live. Our wives are chased about the souks of Qasim, Hail and Tabuk for not wearing veils on their faces. They are chased by the most vile, unkempt and smelly excuses of humanity simply because their faces are showing. Your comments neither have relevance in the northern ultra-conservative regions of this country nor do they answer my query about Yanbu.

My wife would like you to know that she was born into a Muslim home and has worn a scarf properly (no hair sticking out) her entire life. It is her refusal to wear a veil which has gotten her and the wives of colleagues of mine in trouble with the Muttawas where we reside. My wife was greatly offended by your comments. My wife and I urge you to visit a few cities closer to the Nefud and perhaps, then you won't be so judgmental in offering your insights.

James
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:17 pm    Post subject: Yikes Reply with quote

Dear james,
As an onlooker of this discussion, my only question is -

Where did you get that HUGE chip you carry around on your shoulder?

If you "nearly choked" on Cleopatra's "condescension", you'd better stick to a steady diet of soft gruel at every meal.
Regards,
John
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

James,

My apologies to your wife for being 'greatly offended 'by a post from someone she has never met on a chatboard on the internet which her husband told her about.

"I don't believe I asked you about Riyadh, but thank you anyway"

Well, I don't believe that I was addressing you - much less your wife - in my post in any way, shape or form. It was in fact, as you can see, quite clearly a reply to the previous poster, to whom I referred in name. There is absolutley no need for you to take such an extreme response when you were not being addressed at all.

I can only speak from my own experience, which I described in my post. I said clearly that it was relevant to what I observed in Riyadh, and I stand by everything I said. I never said it applies to everyone everywhere in the Kingdom, nor should you and your wife assume that what is true for you is true for everyone else.

If you are so terribly sensitive about posts on internet chatboards, even those not addressed to you, perhaps you should not start a thread in the first place. They have a way of going in directions which cannot be anticipated.

Though I must say I've seen a lot worse than this thread.

Cleopatra.
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james



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear John,

I got it where many others get their chips, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Great Nefud, of course. Those who are fortunate enough to live in Riyadh are usually chip-free since they have a reasonable shot at a fairly normal life.

Merely living in Riyadh, however, hardly qualifies one to know the difficulties faced by those living in the outback. Pontificating from on high about how the Muttawa are in a remote region of this country when one lives in the comfort of Riyadh really is unhelpful.

I enjoy your posts, however, as you usually make an effort to give sound, practical and useful advice.

James
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dmb



Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

James, you failed to apoligise to Cleopatra
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:30 pm    Post subject: The fortunate few Reply with quote

Dear james,
Well, I can't pretend to know anything much about Yanbu - the only second-hand info is that it's similar to that other "industrial city", Jubail in that living conditions are generally OK, but I've heard air pollution can be something of a problem (and that might depend a lot on just what part of the city you're living in and the direction of the prevailing winds). I did have a couple of colleagues who'd worked there and they thought it wasn't bad - although they did prefer Riyadh.
JohnZ seems to have provided some good info, though - and perhaps a source for more.
But as for those fortunate enough to be living in Riyadh to be "chip-free", well, maybe relatively. However, I didn't notice any shortage of people there who were almost chronically upset at something or other, and I suspect they probably didn't consider that their living in Riyadh classified them as being "fortunate". Personally, on the whole, I enjoyed it - though I wasn't immune to such drawbacks as the traffic, the noise and - a favorite of mine - the people who'd push in front of you in lines as though you were the "Invisible Man". However, I'm pretty sure you'd get that last all over the country. Having spent 4 years in Jeddah and 15 in Riyadh, I'd have to say that I preferred Jeddah in many ways. But the fact that we had a gym and swimming pool at the Riyadh headquarters and that it took only ten minutes to walk to and from work were two big advantages that Riyadh had for me.
Anyway, hope you and your family get to move to the "Bright Lights; Big City". Yanbu may not be as good as Riyadh in some ways, but it sounds like it'd be a big improvement over where you are now.
Regards,
John
P.S. By the way, I agree with dmb - I'd say you really ought to apologize to the lady.
Not so much for her benefit - I'm sure she'll survive without it - but for yours.
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