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What's life like on a compound in Saudi?
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fladude



Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:25 pm    Post subject: What's life like on a compound in Saudi? Reply with quote

Was offered a teaching position in Jeddah which includes a compound apartment. Anyone like living on these things? It seems a bit "fish bowlish" to me.

I'm a bit leery of it all. It is not an ESL job but a job at a school.

14.800 SAR a month + an apartment, healthcare and airline ticket. Liveable? Can I save money?

School pays for Igama.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:08 pm    Post subject: Re: What's life like on a compound in Saudi? Reply with quote

That's about $4000 US per month tax-free. Plus, the cost of living in the Kingdom isn't high. You should be able to figure out if that salary would allow you to build savings depending on your spending habits and if you're expecting to pay off current debts. As for compound life, it depends on where the housing is and what amenities it includes, so it's hard to say. For some, living in conservative Saudi Arabia itself can be "fish bowlish." Anyway, were you given the option of a housing allowance?

Why are you leery about the job? Is it a direct-hire position with the school or is it through a contracting company? Either way, you could certainly turn down the offer if something seems off about it.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Single ? On that salary you can save a lot - unless you are into hyperconsumerism or have a travel addiction.

Married with dependants ??? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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fladude



Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432

PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm single yes. The school offered me the contract direct. Housing is furnished or so they claim. I think the place has a pool and maybe a gym... not sure about the gym. Three bedroom. I don't need 3 but apparently you get no choice in the matter.

I was curious though about the cost of food and such.

And NO I was not offered a housing allowance. As I understand it, we have to live on the compound.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd guess that you could quite easily save 80-90% of it if you wanted to... and that is being only a little frugal. Vacations are when you will spend money.

VS
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abercrombie



Joined: 17 Oct 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could try saving $$. But the lure of Dubai and spending time in a country with numerous malls, tourist traps, and expensive alcohol proves too great to resist....I did it 4 times in one year and I had enough to spend time in Paris and save for a CELTA cert...
Sadly, those days are gone and I'm gettin' squeezed by Uncle Sam 4 taxes... I'm gettin' ready to tell him to naff off.. Mad
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fladude wrote:
I'm single yes. The school offered me the contract direct. Housing is furnished or so they claim.

Three bedroom. I don't need 3 but apparently you get no choice in the matter.

And NO I was not offered a housing allowance. As I understand it, we have to live on the compound.

Hmm... A 3-bedroom apartment for someone who's single? You might want to confirm from them that it isn't a shared-housing/roommate situation.
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fladude



Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nomad soul wrote:
fladude wrote:
I'm single yes. The school offered me the contract direct. Housing is furnished or so they claim.

Three bedroom. I don't need 3 but apparently you get no choice in the matter.

And NO I was not offered a housing allowance. As I understand it, we have to live on the compound.

Hmm... A 3-bedroom apartment for someone who's single? You might want to confirm from them that it isn't a shared-housing/roommate situation.


Yeah I already checked that. Housing is standard for everyone. I spoke to people at the school. Its actually not that unusual in international teaching. I have a 3 bedroom apartment in central america as well. I have two rooms I've never been in except for the first time that I inspected the apartment. I think sometimes they just acquire a bunch of apartments and then its easier if they are all the same. It could be bad if you had a spouse and 3 ids... or it could be too much for someone like me. Anyway the apartments look old. I suspect the compound was built in the 70s back when money was less of an issue.


Last edited by fladude on Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not so unusual with better employers in KSA.
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trapezius



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction

PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What's the name of the compound? I am familiar with most compounds in Jeddah. Perhaps I could let you know how it is (if I know about it).

You can PM me if you don't want everyone to know. You can also tell me what school, as I am familiar with quite a few of the international/western schools in Jeddah.

You are going to get $4,000 per month, with free furnished housing, medical insurance, and tickets, and you are asking if you can SAVE money? What do you do, buy Italian designer clothes and shoes every week?!

You can spend SR. 100 on food daily and would still save SR. 12,000 a month. And SR. 100 means a 2-3 course meal at Applebees, Chili's, TGIF, etc. So heck yeah you can save a lot. (unless you have that addiction to Italian designer clothes and shoes Smile

As for living on a compound, I currently live on one, and couldn't live in Jeddah if not on a compound. I don't like pollution, noise from cars, garbage on streets, construction debris everywhere, sewage on streets from overflowing septic tanks, terrible roads, etc. All those things stay far away when you are on a compound. Of course, if those things don't bother you, you could live in an apartment.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I had a contract with the Airline, we stayed in the compound in Khaledeya reserved (at that time) for airline staff, The American School at that time was run as a department ("cost center") of the airline. Teaching and foreign admin staff were accommodated on the compound.

It was nice and my older daughter (now aged 19) has never forgiven me for leaving !


Last edited by scot47 on Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:28 pm; edited 1 time in total
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fladude



Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432

PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I am excited about it. I guess I will find out next year if that excitement is well placed. I have heard many different things about it.... from comfort to yellow water to parties with moonshine.......... Next year will tell.
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isabel



Joined: 07 Mar 2003
Posts: 510
Location: God's green earth

PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 5:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fladude wrote:
Well I am excited about it. I guess I will find out next year if that excitement is well placed. I have heard many different things about it.... from comfort to yellow water to parties with moonshine.......... Next year will tell.


I experienced all of the above- in the same compound.
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Captain Willard



Joined: 11 Sep 2010
Posts: 251

PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 5:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Freudian would strongly disagree with the premise of having three ids. Even a person with a multiple personality disorder would only have one id according to Freud. I don't see any evidence that the OP suffers from that, but he/she should understand that the id is severely suppressed in the Magic Kingdom by the holy ones.

Laughing

fladude wrote:
It could be bad if you had a spouse and 3 ids...
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vashdown2



Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 124
Location: Paris, France

PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Life in a Fish Bowl...... Yes, of course it is.
It does depend however on just how many people live in your fishbowl?
I just left a job in a small town in KSA called Hofof
There were just 70 of us living on the compund, and I can tell you that rumours got started quickly- Gossip was all around. And if you got into an arguement with someone at work, you lived with AND commuted with them on the bus... so you can see how quickly life can turn into a hell.


Of course you can save money.
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