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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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 Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:42 am Post subject: |
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| I only ever left my compound when I went to work and came back. |
When of course you were absolutely sure there wouldn't be any of those pesky terrorists hanging around to blow you up.
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| That's why it's important to live on a compound that is not right next to a major street and is not surrounded by a bunch of houses with Saudis living in them. |
Yea, if you don't do that how can the terrorists be 100% sure you're a westerner? |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:40 am Post subject: Re: . |
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| jabberjaw wrote: |
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| If terrorist attacks are the issue, surely it's worth pointing out that it has of course been compounds, not private residences, which have been the targets of such attacks. |
That's why it's important to live on a compound that is not right next to a major street and is not surrounded by a bunch of houses with Saudis living in them. Eskan and the BAE compound in Janadariya are secure in that they have a lot of space between the actual compound and the Saudi residential areas outside them, not to mention the trenches, the fences, and the armed guards and checkpoints.
It's also worth pointing out that if you live on a compound the religious police are less likely to be meddling in your affairs. If you live out in public around a bunch of Saudis, then there's nothing stopping one of your neighbors or the apartment guard from calling the religious police if you have any visitors of the opposite sex which could easily lead to you getting fired.
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| You still have to go out shopping and leave the compound to go to work etc. I think such fears are mostly in one's head! |
There will always be people who think like you. You think I'm paranoid and I think you're careless. It's up to each person to make up their mind about how they want to live. A good compound will have places for you to shop. I only ever left my compound when I went to work and came back. There was a bank at work and I could get gas on the way to work early in the morning. We had a clinic on the compound, too. Of course the main issue regarding security is the traffic. The less I had to go out in public and face those crazy Middle Eastern drivers, the better off I was. That's the main reason it's more secure to live on a compound where you've got everything you need right there on the compound. |
I don't see how living a normal life could be interpreted as being careless. I have no illusions that I am living any place other than in KSA. I live here according to the laws of the land. I don't profess to love or understand every aspect of Saudi life, but nor do I disrespect the culture because it is different from my own.
My neighborhood is ethnically diverse with a mixture of many nationalities. It is a regular neighborhood, teeming with life and all the problems that come with inner city living. Is it 100% safe? Probably not, but it is real!
I would choose living in the "real community" rather in isolation from it...with your "us against them" or "them against us" mentality, you only serve to create more problems for yourself in the long run.
Surrounding yourself with walls and baracades, security police etc. Removing yourself from the rest of the community..... will only perpetuate your fear and paranoia. It seems all rather fake to me!
We are all human beings ...why not choose to look at 'our' commonalities rather than always looking at the differences?
I don't care about you choosing to live in a compound, of course their are some good points (although I don't really understand what they could be)
I suppose if you are a single female, it may very well be a better set up or have children and need a place for them to play; its your reasoning behind it...your thought process is incredibly skewed/ misplaced....Please would some one slap this person and wake him up!  |
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lall
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 358
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:37 am Post subject: Expat living |
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| Stephen Jones wrote: |
| Quote: |
| That's why it's important to live on a compound that is not right next to a major street and is not surrounded by a bunch of houses with Saudis living in them. |
Yea, if you don't do that how can the terrorists be 100% sure you're a westerner? |
St. Jones has a point there. Easier for terrorists to make a political statement without the risk of harming any locals/percieved-as-friendly-or-neutral expats.
| cmp45 wrote: |
| I would choose living in the "real community" rather in isolation from it...with your "us against them" or "them against us" mentality, you only serve to create more problems for yourself in the long run. |
Good point that, too. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:53 am Post subject: |
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Jabberjaw,
From your use of phrases such as 'a bunch of Saudis" and "crazy Middle Eastern drivers", as well as your stated reluctance to cross hallowed compound walls unless absolutely neccessary, I suspect that you're not actually all that worried about 'security'. I think that, like many "Westerners" you simply don't like Arabs very much and want nothing to do with them unless it involves collecting your pay cheque. Your point about avoiding the dangerous traffic is spurious, because many choosing non-compound accomodation often means living on a street where all basic amenities are within walking distance. Besides, many compounds contain nothing more by way of amenities than a small grocery shop. It's only the larger compounds - which would also happen to be well beyond the financial reach of most readers of this board - which reach Club Tropicana never-have-to-leave status.
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| That's why it's important to live on a compound that is not right next to a major street and is not surrounded by a bunch of houses with Saudis living in them. |
Sure, because it's well-known that your avereage suburban Saudi has no higher ambition in life than to carbomb the home of an American ESL teacher.
As I've said before, compound life has many advantages, particularly for single women and (perhaps) those with young children. Certainly many people much prefer the social environment in compounds, and that's fine, although I've never lived in one myself. If what you are looking for is a lifestyle which reduces your contact with the locals (and the brown-skinned expats) to a bare minimum, I suppose that's also fine, though I find it a rather distasteful attitude myself. However, to pretend it's all about 'security' is nonsense, though it's hard to know if you're more concerned with fooling yourself or others. |
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lall
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 358
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject: Sneaking in |
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Situation:
Living in a compound that
-is not right next to a major street.
-is not surrounded by a bunch of houses with Saudis living in them.
Advantageous if sneaking over nurses (poor things) is a priority! It's illegal, though (As if no one ever knew)!  |
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sheikh radlinrol
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 1222
Location: Spain
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: Expat living |
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| lall wrote: |
St. Jones has a point there. |
Mr. Jones is one of the doyens of the Saudi board. But ''sainthood''? And in KSA?
Even better than 007 giving you UNCLE status. |
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lall
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 358
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject: Re: Sainthood |
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| sheikh radlinrol wrote: |
| lall wrote: |
St. Jones has a point there. |
Mr. Jones is one of the doyens of the Saudi board. But ''sainthood''? And in KSA?
Even better than 007 giving you UNCLE status. |
Ya Sheikh,
He deserves it.  |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I am pleased to hear of the beatification of Mr Jones. I cannot think of a better candidate. I had thought that sainthood implied that the beatified one had died and gone to a better place. Clearly my grasp of Catholic Theology is weak. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Does this mean we have to genuflect before reading his posts... or merely as we are responding to his pearls of wisdom?
VS |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject: St. Jones |
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Can we have him declared the Patron Saint of EFL Teachers? Wear little medals with his image around our necks to protect us from all harm?  |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Uncle scot47 wrote: |
| I am pleased to hear of the beatification of Mr Jones. I cannot think of a better candidate. I had thought that sainthood implied that the beatified one had died and gone to a better place. Clearly my grasp of Catholic Theology is weak. |
| Teta Mia wrote: |
| Can we have him declared the Patron Saint of EFL Teachers? Wear little medals with his image around our necks to protect us from all harm? |
Well, Uncle Scot, I am delighted to hear that Monsieur Stephen Jones has been �canonized� and made a saint by Uncle Scot and Teta Mia!
Uncle Scot, we are waiting for the proof of miracles from Monsieur Jones in the magic kingdom before his death! |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:29 am Post subject: Fortitude |
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Dear 007,
Well one miracle (to me, at least) is that he had the patience and long-suffering to have been posting on these boards for so many years.
Men and women have been elevated to sainthood for less. In fact, men and women who never even exited have been elevated to sainthood.
Now I may never have met Stephen Jones in the flesh (so far his luck has held out), but I am reasonable sure that at least he does exist.
He posts therefore he is.
Regards,
John |
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lall
Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 358
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:14 am Post subject: Amen |
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| Alleluia! A living saint! |
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007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:49 am Post subject: Re: Fortitude |
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| johnslat wrote: |
Dear 007,
Well one miracle (to me, at least) is that he had the patience and long-suffering to have been posting on these boards for so many years. |
Well, in this case, I think Uncle Scot is the guru of the �saints� in the magic kingdom, his 'canonization' was held on 10th of January 2003, before anybody else!
Congratulation, Uncle Scot.! |
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