Job Discussion Forums

Sweaty Ted · Joined: 17 Mar 2012 Posts: 54 Location: USA

I signed a contract for King Khalid University five weeks ago. For the past three weeks, I have been e-mailing them some basic questions to help me along. This is understandable as this is my first time going to KSA and the visa procedure is lengthy. No one has bothered to write to me for three weeks.

What do you think? Just throw in the towel?

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:52 pm Post subject:

Dear Sweaty Ted,

"Is this a sign I should stay far, far away from this U.?"

How many threads do you plan to post asking the same question?

Regards,
John

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:17 pm Post subject:

Dear Sweaty Ted,

I'm beginning to harbor the suspicion that if you go to Saudi, you're going to either need to make a rather substantial attitude/personality adjustment or you're going to go bonkers in short order.

Regards,
John

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Sweaty Ted · Joined: 17 Mar 2012 Posts: 54 Location: USA

You're right. I am overreacting. If this is the way the Saudis do it, then it's what I have to accept if I am going to spend nine months in KSA. No one realistically goes to Saudi with the thought of changing that society. Although the society's values are completely contrary to my own (e.g., gender equality, gay rights, allowing women to drive, representative democracy, humane treatment of prisoners, abolition o f the death penalty, separation of church and state, etc.), I cannot expect other societies to reflect those values. Saudi Arabia is not New Zealand, that much is self evident.

I remind myself of the reasons why I am willing to put behind life in the west, live apart from my wife and live in a society that is a complete reversal of all that I believe in and value: the generous, tax-free salary, the chance to study Arabic in a conversation exchange, explore a country that is almost entirely sealed off to tourists, as well as make the most of my solitude so that I can study languages, catch up on my reading, work out and pursue writing.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Based on what you have done here, I fear that you have bombarded them with questions. Cool

Best of times the employers in the Gulf are not good about answering promptly. It is now Ramadhan... which means that little or nothing will get done for the next month.

Take the advice of Nomad and get the paperwork organized so that you have most of it done by the end of this month and after EID... and since they will then need you soon after this, things should get moving.

In theory...

VS