Job Discussion Forums

[saharastars]

We are thinking of taking up a job offer in Riyadh, KSA, it will be an adventure. Although there will be difficulties in adjusting, dealing with difficult people/difficulties etc, we see that we can benefit by developing a new language, learning about the customs and experiencing a developing country develop We hope to meet and make friends, but I am partuculary keen to keep up wiith our love of the outdoors and sports. We'd also like to try out some new ones, Falconry, sand boarding and scuba diving....does any one know of schools/places where we can learn or join in? Or indeed recommend any other Halal pastimes? ( nothing greasy/pervy or that will require large consumption of pork products please).




Thanks

[trapezius]

Of all the Western TEFL instructors who come to Saudi for a 2-year contract, the vast majority of them know no more than 10-20 words when they leave. So good luck with learning the language... you will have to buy language books/CDs to learn it, you can't expect to pick it up by living there.

How will you do scuba in Riyadh?

[I don't live n Riyadh so I can't help you with locating sand-boarding or falconry.]

Good luck!

P.S. There is also horse-riding, which is a lot more accessible for commoners than falconry! Also consider quad-biking in the desert.

[saharastars]

[johnslat]

Dear saharastars,

When i was there, some of the teachers took Arabic classes (free.) I think they were given at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University.

"The institute's Arabic Language Department offers courses ranging from intermediate to advanced for non-Arabic speakers. Relying on an educational staff of native Arabic teachers and using modern audio-visual equipment and computers, the department offers a high-quality language program that enrolls some 600 students annually. The department is currently working with counterparts at American universities to establish a graduate program in teaching Arabic as a second language."

http://www.aussiemuslims.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19540

There was also a teacher who participated in falconry. He made those little hoods for the falcons and sold them at compound sales. Sorry, but I don't know how he broke into the falconry group, but at least you know it can be done.

http://www.arriyadh.com/Eng/Sports/Left/Traditiona/getdocument.aspx?f=/Eng/Sports/Left/Traditiona/Falconry.doc_cvt.htm

No scuba in Riyadh, but sandboarding's done:

http://www.arriyadh.com/Eng/Tourism/Left/KSAAttract/Hail/getdocument.aspx?f=/Eng/Tourism/Left/KSAAttract/Hail/Sand-Boarding.doc_cvt.htm


Hey, I like your attitude, saharastars. You're going to do just fine there.

Regards,
John

[scot47]

It is in fact quite difficult to learn Arabic in KSA. In my view the best approach is to get some serious textbooks (I used Heywood and Nahmad) and find a good teacher on a one-to-one basis.

A very small percentage of EFL teachers here make any effort to learn Arabic.

[crashartist1]

i was really amazed at the non-need to learn arabic in Saudi. Almost everything of importance was written in both English and Arabic and 99% of service staff speak very good English.

As for going quading, how much damage to the environment are you going to do in the sand? I mean I don't understand the difference in the damage to the environment between going sandboarding and doing quading... Both will require you to go out into the middle of nowhere...

[Stephen Jones]

You're not going to be seeing a developing country develop in Saudi. The 'adventure' in Riyadh is excruciating boredom combined with instants of terror when in traffic.

Falconry is incredibly expensive. Even the cheapest bird will cost you around $3,000 and your husband will need to carry it around with him every day for a year in order to train it. What will you do in holidays?

Riyadh offers a comfortable lifestyle at a reasonable salary. Take that and think about adventure for your next posting.

[trapezius]

Hi Saharastars,

I know scuba is usually taught in a pool first, but really, no one is going to do that if they can't provide the real thing, and the real thing is several hundred kilometers away. Also, I know that in Jeddah you can't just go diving after an hour's course like in some other parts of the world (did it myself in Mauritius in the summer). You have to do the whole level 1 course, which takes about a week. But if you can somehow make friends with a diver or a diving instructor, maybe they would bend the rules for you and let you go into the sea after a short 1 hour induction in a pool.

As for Arabic, yes, it is much better if you take classes, and preferably, also get a language pack from a bookstore (Jarir). If you can afford it, you can take private lessons in Arabic, but make sure of the person's experience/qualifications, and make sure they speak in an accent you wouldn't mind learning.

And never forget the #1 adventure/sport/outdoor activity in Saudi metropolitan areas... mall/cafe hopping!

But seriously, get an AWD vehicle and go exploring the various natural and historical phenomenon/artifacts outside of Riyadh, and indeed, in the whole of the country. Get a good book on the subject before you head out into the wilderness!

Have fun!

[freesoul]

[johnslat]

Dear freesoul,

I disagree - I think it's a good frame of mind with which to embark on a journey to a "strange land."

Let the adventure continue.

Regards,
John

[Sheikh N Bake]

Dear Johnslat,

I agree with freesoul, cynical though it may make me appear. I believe our OP in her divine and borderline way has found some kumbayah PC in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnell's porch and passive-aggressively--or at least subconsciously--and subtly lectures the rest of us on how we should PC our hours away. (See some of her other posts.) I'm thinking of that Discovery Channel promo they show over here on satellite: "I love the whole world..." (young TEFLer-like woman on a beach, singing with a cast of thousands, she's straight out of The School for International Training in Vermont.)

But...I shall heed her pearls of wisdom, for what do I know of intercultural relations and international living? After all, I'm PI (politically incorrect) at least some of the time and I've only lived in the Gulf 14 years, East Asia 6 years and all over Europe 15 years, had a Chinese wife for 13 years (yet have been lectured at for generalizing about Chinese by other PCers who had never even lived abroad for more than a year! **** it, I'll just have 'em whacked....

[johnslat]

Dear Sheik,

Ah, but everybody's different. You could be right; saharastars may "crash and burn" in Saudi, when her "overly optimistic frame of mind" has to deal with "The Reality."

On the other hand, she might find it at least tolerable, at best interesting, even enjoyable.

There's simply no way to tell.

Speaking of which - whatta ya think: Did Tony die in the last episode?
Here's a site that makes a very plausible (to me, anyway) case that he did.

http://masterofsopranos.wordpress.com/the-sopranos-definitive-explanation-of-the-end/

Regards,
John

[Sheikh N Bake]

Quote of the day:

Junior Soprano: You heard about the Chinese godfather? He made them an offer they couldn't understand.

Well... Chase et al purposely left us abruptly in the lurch to give us a lesson in being comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty, a lesson that at least half the human race has yet to learn. Based on the directing style of 6+ seasons, however, my feeling without looking at your link (I'll check it later) is that the ominous clues were without substance, and the Sopranos live on. Besides--there is some little noise about a movie. So far, apparently, it's held up by the rumor that Gondolfini (TS, avatar at left) doesn't like the script. Even Sil, I read, makes a recovery. Let's hope so!

Just when I tot I was out...dey pull me back in!

[saharastars]

[saharastars]