Job Discussion Forums

meyanga · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 103 Location: Malaysia

My sentiments exactly VS.

I really don't understand why anyone would stay in the Kingdom if they truly felt like that. Yes, you can make money, but there's more to life than that.

Heavie, if you feel that way about the students that you spend 20-25 hours a week with, then life must be pretty miserable for you. Sad

meyanga

Cleopatra · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 am Post subject:

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

I want to get on of those Gaza T-shirts. Better have one of those if I go the KSA. 'Sides...it's how I feel anyway. Somebody hook me up with one.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Just don't try getting on an American airline wearing it. You won't fly until it is covered or off... and maybe not then.

VS

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:01 pm Post subject:

To set the record straight...I wuzzn't talking about saudi women. Having no female parts, I am unqualified to comment. I wuz commenting on the shebab...

NCTBA

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

Linda467 · Joined: 01 Sep 2009 Posts: 138 Location: A Secret

Again for the veterans, I had taught Saudi teens at the American School in England, Thorpe and awarded an Certificate of Excellence to one kid and failed two others (males). Girls real sweet and sociable (had two) but still would like to hear a down to earth comment on how to cope with stopping 5 times a day during prayer and what do you usually do, i.e. run to the shops, get a coffee, book and wait, do some errands .....???

For what I�ve seen at the Mosque in Madrid, it doesn�t take more than 10-15 minutes at a time since the call, what are your thoughts on that??

Thanks

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 2:57 pm Post subject:

In my experience, nothing stops for prayer during the day. It is my understanding that the only time Muslims are required to pray all together is the magrebi (sundown) prayer. At noon and mid-afternoon, students just make their way to the prayer room as they can during breaks.

Now, how to get grocery shopping done when they stop five times a day for prayer....that's a challenge! Very Happy

desultude · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 614

Linda467 · Joined: 01 Sep 2009 Posts: 138 Location: A Secret

Thanks very much VS & Mia, I think I can work around that, after all I live in a country where it takes a minimum of three tries to get anything done Rolling Eyes

Also nobody tells you the whole truth so you discovered things as you go, hence the tries !

Additional fun is to go to a government office and find that everything is closed for a few days for fiestas (local holidays) and during summer months nothing gets done after 3 pm on in between civil servants coffee breaks !

Cleopatra · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject:

Seeker786 · Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 12

Some grocery stores and restaurants will let you stay in during the prayer break though which is great. But you have to stay there and wait for it to reopen so you can exit.

One thing to remember is that each prayer break varies in time. The first one, Fajr, is before sunrise so does not affect shoppers. The 2nd afternoon one (around 1ish), Dhuhr, is important because shops generally close between this prayer and 4 when things reopen for the evening. The late afternoon prayer, Asr, takes place in that long prayer gap so by the time shops reopen at 4pm, you will have a 4th prayer break at sunset which is not that long but the 5th one, at night, is the longest I would say. Expect to wait longer maybe 15 minutes until shops reopen.

I was brought up in Riyadh when my dad worked there and my mom, sisters and I spent many hours waiting in cars or malls until the prayer ended!