Job Discussion Forums

[Pikgitina]

Regardless of the OP's intentions, this has so far been an interesting thread.

[cmp45]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100610/world/ml_saudi_kissing

Here is yet another article that demonstrates the sort of thing a 20 something kid might get involved in...as innocent as it may seem in the rest of the world- can have dire consequences in KSA.

[007]

I do not think a 21 year-old American male with blue eyes can resist the 90 lashes in 3 batches (i.e. 30 lashes in each week! )?

[trapezius]

[johnslat]

Dear trap,

If you're still looking for reason, justice and/or just plain common sense after all your time in Saudi, I think I understand why you chose the avatar that you did.

Regards,
John

[ummkhadija]

Hello

Well, after reading many of the messages on this particular posting. Its disheartening to see that many of you here, have been in the Middle East for so long and still believe that things like being sexually harassed, kidnapped, or many other things mentioned here can only happen; because you are blue-eyed and have blonde hair.

I can understand living in a culture unlike your own can be difficult, but honestly can't a blue-eyed blonde in the US get raped as well? Is it not the norm to not get into the car of a stranger? Come to think of it, when it comes to our rape/molestation statistics--don't most of them occur by a family relative or friend? So, trust really plays a big role and from the messages written, it seems like you should never trust a male local?

I do believe providing her with the difficulties of no alcohol, pork, or parties with women can be harsh for some 21 one year olds (or for many people of any age).

If her son plans on working, that will give him something to do, so it didn't seem like he was coming for a vacation per se. If he abides by the same rules when it comes to strangers he should be fine. Anything like being kidnapped can be applied to his mother as well, because from what I can see, just being a foreigner in ME is a risk.

I know I haven't lived in KSA, but I do believe that when it comes to safety, some things just seem obvious. Don't get into a car with someone you don't know, avoid being in a place that you don't know how to get home from, and it seems most importantly (from the postings) don't mingle with the locals too long--stay with the expats.

I do realize the post was asking for advice, so that was my two cents

UmmKhadija

[cmp45]

[veiledsentiments]

[Mia Xanthi]

Ummkhadija, there is a reason why these "common sense" advice posts have to be stated repeatedly and with emphasis. Yes, all of these bad things can and do happen anywhere, and some of them may even happen less frequently in KSA.

However, you have to remember that much of the time we rely on our "common sense" to avoid these things, and much of what we call "common sense" will become distorted the minute you set foot on Saudi (or any foreign) soil. The culture is so different from ours that you cannot rely on your instinct any longer to tell you which people are good and which people are dangerous. All of the cues that we usually pay attention to are suddenly wiped away. Take clothes, for instance. Many times we judge whether a person is dangerous or not by the kind of clothing they wear. Well, in KSA, this kind of cue is useless, since everyone wears pretty much the same thing in public. This is just one small example of how you cannot overstate the need to be careful, simply because you cannot trust your own judgement any longer.

Also, even though KSA may not have any higher rate of rapes or kidnappings than other countries, the consequences of such crimes can be very different from those in other countries, and far more devastating. Remember that as a foreigner, your word is worth less than a Saudi citizen's word. As a non-Muslim, you are trusted even less. Add that to being a woman, and you can easily see that you are not likely to get justice for any crime that occurs to you - and you may well end up being blamed or even imprisoned for the crime that was committed against you.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Only in this part of the world can a woman be jailed for being raped...because "common sense" here tells "everyone" that she enticed the rapist.

As I always said in saudi...How can you expect people to use "common sense" where "sense" is uncommon?

Similarly, how can someone lose "face"" when they never possessed face"" in the first place?

NCTBA

[Gerund]

[cmp45]

realist, apologist; were all human beings wearing different colored glasses!