Job Discussion Forums

Dominic-Pax · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 77

Describe you compound accommodation in Saudi Arabia.

goo goo · Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 5 Location: South Africa

i would like to know about this as well before i get there!

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:27 am Post subject:

It was a nice, fully-furnished 3-bedroom 4-bath villa. Two living areas, a dining area, kitchen and bath downstairs, three bedrooms with small living area and kitchenette upstairs. Furnishings were cheap and not to my taste, but still not bad considering that they were free. Washing machine and dryer were in a separate room outside. There was a back patio and a small front porch, and a parking space for one car. It was more than adequate space for a small family. Even though there was nothing attractive about the compound, most people were quite happy with the interior of the villas at the beginning.

When it was new, the place seemed ok. As time went on, the ceiling tiles began to fall, creating a dangerous situation. Large cracks develped on the walls, and the concrete walls around the back patio had to be torn down because they were unstable. Eventually, it became obvious that the place was so cheaply built and poorly designed that it was really unsafe for habitation.

There were no filters in the airconditioning system. A lot of people suffered from frequent sinus conditions/allergies due to the fact that the recirculated air was dusty and unfiltered. Many people had their cooling/heating system failing when I left. There was no preventive maintenance.

The compound had great potential, but it was not maintained well so it also began to fall apart. The pool was not cleaned regularly, and then it was drained completely and left empty for months. Many were afraid to swim there because of the threat of infection from the pool. The whole water filtration system seemed to have problems, because many of the teachers and family members developed sores/boils/wounds that the doctors said were from something in the water system.

Arabian Hawk · Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 79 Location: Mystical Kingdom

Accomodation for ESL teavhers in Saudi has always been cheap. Salaries complement this. If you work for peanuts what do you expect. What you can expect is simply a roof over your head from keeping you from being a homeless TEFL teacher in the Magic kingdom! Rolling Eyes

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

When I worked for the airline the accommodation was of the same standard as pilots got.

I AM no longer in a compound but have accommodation in serviced apartments. It is okay - but I was careful in choosing my master ! Those who are not careful can end up living in squalid conditions.

Maintenance is always a problem in the ME. That applies to vehicles, machinery and housing.

elephant_man · Joined: 20 Jan 2010 Posts: 5

@ Mia,

this sounds like a true horror story, the skin infections, sinuses etc. Maintenance in such climate is extremely important.

Ele

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Essentially the same building/maintenance standards as in Haiti.

Arabian Hawk · Joined: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 79 Location: Mystical Kingdom

ESL teachers in the future can look forward to living in tents in Saudi as their wages and benefits go down to the ground due to oversupply and keen competition. Compounds will soon be history! Laughing

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I wonder how many EFLers in KSA live in compounds. A minority I would think. And remember a campus is not a compound !

rittyboniti · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 4

of this situation.

After living in so many crappy accommodations overseas in my lifetime,
it has made me appreciate my home country's dwellings even more.
When I finally do go home, I'll think I'm in freakin' paradise. Even if I have to live in a trailer park, I won't whinge too much.

I don't know what has been worse for me. Was it the year I spent sleeping on a fold-down sofa in Eastern Europe with red water gushing
out of the pipes and using newspaper for toilet paper? Was it the time I went to the Amazon and had to contend myself with throwing buckets of
not-so-clean water over my head to allude to some sense of cleanliness?
I could go on and on...but excuse me as I must go to bed now as my hagwon is making me work on a Saturday morning. Talk about feeling like you live in a shithouse. I'd rather be in Saudi Arabia earning minimum $50 an hour and living in some crappy living conditions, than
be stuck in a crap job with crap money and crap working hours in crappy Korea!

goo goo · Joined: 31 Dec 2009 Posts: 5 Location: South Africa

@ mia which compound was that?

Mia Xanthi · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 12:12 am Post subject:

Oryx I in Al Khobar...formerly known as Al Muhauwais Two. It's across from Panda Azizya and very near Dhahran Mall.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Muhawis 2 now known as Oryx. Muhawis 1 was used by Saad Hospital but they evacuated their employees after a "heightened security risk". It is only 1000 meters from Oasis Compound where a massacre of
non-Muslims took place in 2004. Has everyone forgotten about that ? Good reading on Wikipedia !

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

I have visited a friend at the Oryx compound several times and thought it was quite a pleasant place. The swimming pool was full of water, although I didn't actually immerse myself in the water (due to snotty nose, not fear of infection) so I can't vouch for the water purity. They weren't grand architectural masterpieces that will be around for centuries, but appeared to be quite comfortable.

cburnsbruton · Joined: 20 Jan 2010 Posts: 2 Location: United States

Here in Riyadh at ROC compound security is a bitch because its sister site was bombed in '03. Consequently getting in/out and bringing guests a major hassle. Villas are shared and okay, typical bedroom/living room/kitchen arrangement, there are pools, a bowling alley, bar and gym which is nice. It's in a slum of a neighborhood with the muezzin blaring at you from all sides five times a day. Bottom line: you feel safe but wish you were elsewhere.