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machita
Joined: 12 Aug 2010
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:03 pm Post subject: Can I be happy as a young single woman going to Saudi? |
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I am just about to sign the dotted line to teach English at KSU, but I want to hear from others if it's worth doing, especially if you're a twenty-something single woman. Most of the posts/blogs I've seen are written by men or married women living I compounds. I would be living in an apartment building, somewhere in Riyadh, going through ICEEL.
Is it realistic to think I could go to a gym or swimming pool 3-4 times a week? Fitness is very important to me, but I don't know how available it is outside of compounds? Would I be able to socialize with men there?
Speaking of which, could I make friends with people who do live in compounds and take a cab over by myself? I'm sure I'll be with a bunch of women teachers, but I'd like to know I have a place to feel a little bit free. Could I get on embassy social event lists?
I'd like to learn Arabic. Has anyone there gone to classes? I thought that would be an added perk of going there.
I am mostly going for money as that is a huge concern for me right now. I considered Korea, but professionally, I want to teach at the university level. And I am not interested in learning Korean.
So I'm wondering, could I have a social life? Can I work out? It's just one year, I can come out of it the same bubbly fun person, right?
For those who have done it, was the $ worth it? Was learning about the culture fascinating or just plain frustrating? Please advise, asap!
Last edited by machita on Fri Aug 13, 2010 7:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:52 am Post subject: |
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All I can say... as a female who spent many years in the Gulf, but arrived at the age of 40 and in the non-oppressive part of the Gulf, not Saudi... that I wouldn't even consider Saudi for a moment for a single female in her 20s.
This is personal opinion, of course. Even if my goal was to learn Arabic, I still wouldn't choose Saudi... or even the Gulf.
Maybe Oman...
VS |
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mccainjohn96
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 93
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 3:04 am Post subject: Re: Can I be happy as a young single woman going to Saudi? |
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| machita wrote: |
especially if your a twenty-something single woman...
I'd like to learn Arabic... |
Advice? Forget the Arabic, and learn the difference between your and you're. Then sign on that dotted line and thank your lucky stars they didn't see through you at the interview. You must be cute. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:49 am Post subject: |
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The only Westerners I have met with a reasonable knowledge of Arabic learned it before coming to KSA. This is noit a good ploace to do the language-learning thing. Now very good for sane. normal 20-somethings, male or female, either.
Go somewhere else. Or get married. |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Can I be happy as a young single woman going to Saudi? |
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| machita wrote: |
| I am just about to sign the dotted line to teach English at KSU, but I want to hear from others if it's worth doing, especially if your a twenty-something single woman. |
I'm not. Most of the men this year in tiny Tabuk were twenty-something. One woman was. In a city the size of Riyadh, you'll be rare, but I doubt unique.
| machita wrote: |
| Is it realistic to think I could go to a gym or swimming pool 3-4 times a week? Fitness is very important to me, but I don't know how available it is outside of compounds? Would I be able to socialize with men there? |
Yes, yes and no!, respectively.
| machita wrote: |
| Speaking of which, could I make friends with people who do live in compounds and take a cab over by myself? I'm sure I'll be with a bunch of women teachers, but I'd like to know I have a place to feel a little bit free. |
You can visit compounds, but I'm confused by this question. In your own place, in a Saudi neighborhood, you can be less "free" than a compound. Generally, if autonomy is how you qualify "a little bit free", you'll likely be frustrated by the restrictions of Saudi Arabia. Women are free in terms of a tradition and a culture that narrowly defines their role-- chiefly, invisible home maker. You are "free" to adapt and adopt this appearance and little else. You've asked about socializing with men. You can ONLY do this on a compound.
| machita wrote: |
| Could I get on embassy social event lists? |
This question...are you fishing? How DOES one get on a social list? I think you already know the answer. Attractiveness. Money. Contacts.
| machita wrote: |
| I'd like to learn Arabic. Has anyone there gone to classes? I thought that would be an added perk of going there. |
Depends on you. There are classes. There are many hours to spend engaging in Arabic. That said, I've yet to meet an ESL teacher that learned Arabic after arriving.
| machita wrote: |
| For those who have done it, was the $ worth it? Was learning about the culture fascinating or just plain frustrating? Please advise, asap! |
Is money, alone, ever worth it? Will your bubbliness be lost forever after a year? Of course not. Fascinating or frustrating? It's both.
Having a few, set priorities is a mature approach-- your exercising and an interest in learning Arabic. You should do fine. |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: Can I be happy as a young single woman going to Saudi? |
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| mccainjohn96 wrote: |
Advice? Forget the Arabic, and learn the difference between your and you're. Then sign on that dotted line and thank your lucky stars they didn't see through you at the interview. You must be cute. |
OMG, could you BE a bigger jerk? I'm so unimpressed with your/you're ability to point out her mistake. Kudos--NOT!
For Machita--for only a year, you'd probably be OK when you leave. I doubt that you will be happy there/their/they're (for mccainjohn96), though. I wouldn't recommend it. You might seriously consider Veiledsentiments' advice. Best of luck either way. |
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mccainjohn96
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 93
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Leave in a year? Nahhh. Next year you'll be HOD! |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Can I be happy as a young single woman going to Saudi? |
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| Middle East Beast wrote: |
[
OMG, could you BE a bigger jerk? I'm so unimpressed with your/you're ability to point out her mistake. Kudos--NOT! |
Thank you for saying, what I had been thinking.... I forced myself to bite my tongue since I would not have been so polite  |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Dear LCK,
Great post - excellent info and advice. To borrow a term from MEB (though with a very different context): KUDOS!
Regards,
John |
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mccainjohn96
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 93
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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Excuse me for speaking the truth. Up until recently Saudi has been the last refuge of ESL men in an ESL women's world. Most places, e.g. the UAE, a cute, flirty girl who has come into ESL with a defective education can easily flirt her way into admin and become the nemesis and femme fatal of really qualified men. Not that there are all that many qualified men, either. Seriously, if she were my own daughter, I'd give her the same advice.
Sign the contract. And on second thought, learn a few Arabic phrases, and put the Arabic on your resume. If you keep up the aerobics and adore the gays you will be invited to all the parties and schmooze your way into admin within the year. There will only be one or two old codgers in the department who see through you, but you can easily get them fired. |
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cmp45
Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| mccainjohn96 wrote: |
Excuse me for speaking the truth. Up until recently Saudi has been the last refuge of ESL men in an ESL women's world. Most places, e.g. the UAE, a cute, flirty girl who has come into ESL with a defective education can easily flirt her way into admin and become the nemesis and femme fatal of really qualified men. Not that there are all that many qualified men, either. Seriously, if she were my own daughter, I'd give her the same advice.
Sign the contract. And on second thought, learn a few Arabic phrases, and put the Arabic on your resume. If you keep up the aerobics and adore the gays you will be invited to all the parties and schmooze your way into admin within the year. There will only be one or two old codgers in the department who see through you, but you can easily get them fired. |
Speak away...consequences be dammed as for truth...well...  It's astounding how you inferred so much on the basis of the OP's post...  |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
| Great post - excellent info and advice. |
Between You and NCTBA and VS and Cleo, I've had a knowledgeable rubric to consider.
LCK |
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lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| mccainjohn96 wrote: |
| I'd give her the same advice. |
But giving "advice" wasn't the tone of your post. Condescension and presumption are not advice. Were she your own daughter is a fallacious argument. Your being dismissive of your own kin doesn't make being dismissive appropriate. It just indicates you shouldn't have family.
Nor does it lend validity to the generalizations you proffer. KSA is the "one of the last refuges" ...blah blah blah
Right. Because matters of gender equality have EVERYTHING to do with the OP.
You have described, largely with deprecation and caricature, some university office politics with which you have some strong feelings.
Post about it.
Venting upon neophytes will only result in similar criticism.
Despite any claims of "truth", Bobby Riggs. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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..... the last refuge of .... men in a ...... women's world. Most places, e.g. the UAE, a cute, flirty girl ........ with a defective education can easily flirt her way into admin and become the nemesis and femme fatal of really qualified men.
Sarah Palin....................................
TAKE THAT, johnmccain96! |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry to be snide, but the connection is too clear to resist. On the topic of EFL, this would be a nice exercise in 'critical thinking: detecting opinion and bias in sources of info.' |
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