Job Discussion Forums

[baby steps]

forgive me if this is general knowledge, but i stumbled upon a book written for Westerners planning to work in KSA.

Culture Shock! Saudi Arabia: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette.
written by Harvey Tripp & Peter North
published in 2003 by Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company, Portland Oregon.

I'd be interested in knowing what folks in the Kingdom think of this book.

Culture Shock! is a series, and apparently they publish guides to Egypt, Syria and the UAE, tho' i have not looked at those titles.

palo

[Cleopatra]

I haven't bought the book, but I sneaked a few lenghty reads of it in bookshops! Personally, I wasn't terribly impressed. It was aimed, I felt at US based businessmen,so not all that relevant to teachers, american or otherwise. The word "men" is important, as the book's sections on women in the Kingdom both local and expat - were inadequate and sometimes inaccurate. The authors made little secret of the fact that their knowledge of Saudi women was based on the notorious "Princess" trilogy!

That said, for a "rookie" in KSA (Hope that doesn't sound patronising!) the book would probably provide some useful tips and background info. I've also read the UAE edition (written by an American woman) and while I haven't been in the UAE, it did seem to me to be rather more thoughtful and less patchy in its approach: I would even say that the UAE book was more useful for women thinking of going to KSA than the KSA book was!