Job Discussion Forums

bigdurian · Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:24 am Post subject: Al Qassim

Might have a job there. Know it's famous for growing vegetables. Never been. What's it like?

I'm thinking wife and kids will stay in Riyadh, I would come back at weekends and one or two nights in the week.

CANDLES · Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:39 am Post subject:

It's about 2-3 hours from Riyadh by car/taxi and not much to do there. It has couple of malls, some restaurants and that's it.

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

I work with a guy who spent his first year there, managed to get to grips with Arabic to an extent, so he can talk reasonably well with locals, but he had loads of free time working there and was kind of forced into doing it. Not many colleagues around didn't help.

It gets some pretty bad sandstorms as witnessed in recent weeks here, and far smaller and less hectic than Riyadh. Also, it's mutawa central, and supposedly has the richest people in all Saudi there.

Have fun with the drive between the two...

fledex · Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Posts: 342

There is a difference between some of the towns there. Onesa seems a bit more open than Buraydha. I saw groups of women walking there without men accompanying them.

I spent a year there, and I really hated it for a number of reasons. More to do with the job and colleagues than other things. The sandstorms can be bad, lightening can knock out electricity, but the university was really far out from town and students were pretty bad in the PYP program. Just a couple malls in town and some fast food joints. Fairly good vegetable market. People can be friendly, but you better follow their rules, and it helps to be Muslim.

bigdurian · Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 3:55 am Post subject:

Thanks for the replies.

If the job comes through it's going to be the best job I'm ever likely to get in my lifetime, so I'll put up with a lot!!

Gamajorba · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 357

bigdurian · Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 5:42 am Post subject:

Top( and I mean top) salary plus good benefits.

fledex · Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Posts: 342

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I had a colleague in KSA who had worked at Qassim and enjoyed it. Good place to learn Arabic. Zero humidity. Very small population of expats who as we know can be vexatious to the spirit.

Best dates in the world. (The natives of Qatif and Hassa dispute that.)

MuscatGary · Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 1:08 am Post subject:

Amerrycan Muslim · Joined: 01 Jul 2014 Posts: 51 Location: KSA

bigdurian · Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 5:08 am Post subject:

[quote="Amerrycan Muslim"][quote="bigdurian"]Top( and I mean top) salary plus good benefits.[/quote]

With TQ? If so, I wouldn't hold your breath... Word is they withdrew from the contract...[/quote]

What is TQ?

bigdurian · Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 6:30 am Post subject:

So I just did a quick search and if you meant something to do with the railway college, then no it's not.