Job Discussion Forums

[RustyShackleford]

While so many post some incredibly negative stuff about life in KSA, in doing research on American Bedu, Banker in the Sun and such, surely there are positives to be found in the Kingdom. No matter where we go and how much we may hate a place, *something* happens that has some net positive to be found.

Give a noob a ray of light.

[veiledsentiments]

I think it all depends on what baggage you brought in with you.

VS

[Paul in Saudi]

When I got here, a wise old man gave me the Ancient Warning, "Whatever you are, Saudi Arabia makes it worse." Almost twenty years later, I pass along the same wisdom.

[jaffa]

I really enjoyed the sobriety and cycling around the area I was in. I came out a changed man in regard to alcohol, although occasional trips to Bahrain were always fun. Lebanese food is great, as is Turkish pizza. Am now not bad at cooking.

This time round I was also way more careful with my money. The holidays were great and I spent about 1.5 months annual salary on them a year. The end of contract bonus made up the fiscal deficit and I have invested most of it so I now have a regular income that doesn't involve much work at all . Argentina here I come.

Saudi also made me realise what a nonsense religion is and also how easy it is to brainwash people.

[scot47]

First time around (1970-1972) I was a practising drunk. That got worse in KSA.

Second time !1990-) I was sober. It was better.

I have developed a different outlook on things. It made me more tolerant and taught me to wait. It even gave me an inkling that perhaps, just perhaps, I am not the centre of the universe.

[sicklyman]

It taught me that even in the most barren of places, things can unexpectedly blossom.

[BajaLaJaula]

Living in Saudi taught me humility and patience and at the same time helped me to appreciate what the west has done right.

Saudi culture, (or lack of it, if you prefer), is so different than what I had come to expect living in the west. The Saudi world works very differently and has to do with status and family name and not so much with the concepts of accountability, rule of law, and equality.

If you try to make Saudi fit with what you have come to expect living in the west, you will become frustrated and bewildered very quickly. My concept of right and wrong, gender equality, integrity and fairness did not match up with the way Saudis do business and with the way that they treat each other and foreign nationals.

After a few years, I had to accept the idea that maybe my way of doing things was not the only way. Since it was their country, and I was just a temporary worker, I had to go along with the Saudi way of doings things without making too much of a fuss.

Once I was able to accept this, it made living there a bit more bearable. To be honest, the money is the only reason to stay there. Once I tired of making a six figure salary, their culture started to drive me batty once again and it was time to leave.

I have posted lists of the specific aspects of Saudi culture that I disliked. Anyone who is honest about living in Saudi would likely agree with some if not all of the things that can make life in Saudi terrible. I will start working on the list of things I like about Saudi and post at a later time.

Pros:
Safety (other than on the road)
Family friendly (except for the insistence that women cover their hair)
Proximity to Holy Sites
Money

OK that didn't take long.
Enjoy.

[Enkates]

I learned there is one country simply not worth going to or spending any time in.

@Noobs: there is a reason so many jobs are constantly advertised and re-advertised on the job board. No one wants to stay in Saudi Arabia once they have seen it.

[In the heat of the moment]

It hasn't changed me at all, except now I can afford more holidays and better toys.

[nomad soul]

[fledex]

Two positive things about going to work in KSA: 1. having more money in savings for less work than I could get anywhere else; 2. leaving a job there; each of three times, it was pure ecstasy, a true natural high, better than any drug, praying, fasting, and good as sex, cause you know you'll have it again.

[plumpy nut]

Saudi Arabia is for quick money after a few years of making nothing in other countries on ESL jobs, nothing else. If in doubt read "Culture Shock: Saudi Arabia".

[scot47]

Plumpy

It is different for different people. Do you imagine that the 1 million plus pilgrims who go to the Holy Cities every Hajj see things the same way as you do ?

Maybe you just write them off as delusional ? Try to accept that we live in a pluralist world where people have different viewpoints and different perspectives.

[2buckets]

Previous to coming to Saudi, I had live in several Asian, N. African and S. American countries. I think that prepared me for Saudi mentality.

I mostly enjoyed myself in the Kingdom, (Jeddah).

Sun, Sand, Surf, Sid, Sailing, SCUBA, and for the singles, S*EX.

[RustyShackleford]