Job Discussion Forums

[veiledsentiments]

[johnslat]

Dear veiledsentiments,

You don't even know the worst yet - on facebook, I posted "you're"instead of "your".

Well, heck - no use being in denial. Senility's settling in, folks .


Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

[rainbowprof]

What you seek after is within you. Don't blame the Saudis.

[veiledsentiments]

[nfig77]

...

[scot47]

nfig,
Do you have any good reason for resurrecting this after 2 years ?

[nickwils]

Is this place twinned with Ar Rass? It sounds nearly as bad.

[revilo]

I almost went to HBCC but I could not get the NOC/LONO. It was a 2 year contract, too. Did I dodge a bullet?

[scot47]

There are worse places than Hafr Al Batin. The name, meaning "Hollow of Desolation" should have been changed when the real estate men decided to develop the area.

[MixtecaMike]

In class I use "Hafr Al-Batin" as a symbol for as far from civilization (Jubail) as any student would ever dread to be sent. Even the students from Arar agreed, and they came from even further away.

[scot47]

The bus journey (SAPTCO) from Dammam to Hafr Al Batin is 5 hours. Five hours after that, you get to Arar ! There are EFLers teaching in Arar. Have they abandoned all hope ?

[auhruh]

Northern Borders University- two branches, one in Arar and one in Rafha literally overlooking the Iraq border. Thousands of students, hundreds of teachers, mostly Jordanians.

Arar boasts the very worst hotel in Saudi- the Al Bustan. Abandon hope all ye who check in.

[psychedelicacy]

I got a direct hire job at this university in January. Contract start date was to be September 1st. I did everything I was supposed to do to get a working visa, but my application was rejected by the Embassy, because the Saudi Ministry of Labour Affairs assigned the same visa authorisation number to two different people (the other person was also a Hafr Al Batin male direct hire from the UK). He had already used the number, so I was rejected. Had I used the number first, he would have been rejected. Has anyone ever heard of this happening before?

This happened in early August. I of course contacted the University about it, but they haven't replied and presumably don't intend to as this is now 6 weeks later.

Medical report: £475
Other costs (police cert., apostille, etc.): approx £100
Travel to and from the Embassy (you have to go in person): approx £100

That's money gone, forever. While I assume it's not the university's fault that two people were assigned the same working visa block number, Hafr Al Batin's Faculty & Personnel Affairs Department person (who is American and has terrible written English - emails full of typos) didn't presumably think it was strange that two applicants had the same working visa number. And failing to even discuss the matter with me after I'd had my visa rejected (and produced an official document in Arabic explaining the rejection) is just unprofessional. I can only assume they are difficult and unpleasant to work for and totally lacking in social skills at a basic, human level. I guess living in a small city in Saudi Arabia for a long time does that to a person.

It was a blessing in disguise because I've since found a much more suitable position. And besides, I really shouldn't have even applied, because I absolutely hate teaching Arab males. But I went for the money, as we all do.

Anyone applying there as a direct hire should be aware that they are risking losing money, possibly wasting time and opportunity, and risking getting a piece of paper saying REJECTED on it by the Embassy through no fault of their own.

[scot47]

This has come to the attention of Hafr Al Batin Uni. The higher echelons are not pleased. They have visited their wrath on those responsible.