Job Discussion Forums

[Saudi4Ever]

Very nice quote, where is it from?

[johnslat]

Dear Saudi4Ever,
I first encountered it, many years ago, in a book by Somerset Maugham; John O'Hara wrote a book with that title. But as to its origin, well, I guess we'll have to credit that most prolific of authors, A. Nonymous.
Regards,
John

[Mark100]

I am out of Saudi and doubt whether i will return.

This whole drama occured a mean stones throw from where i live..too close for comfort...

If you knew the full truth which i will write later then you would realise things are much worse than the media portrayed although that may seem hard to believe.

[scot47]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1232391,00.html

has one version of the events in Khobar on 29 May. Read this and then decide whether you want to be here.

[Hector_Lector]

Fine. Excellent.

I am now going to sharpen up a few knives, hunt down some Muslims and chop off their heads.

Let�s play the same game.

[el_gringo_que_viaja]

[veiledsentiments]

Well Gringo,

I must say that if those are your reasons for choosing to go to Saudi - learning Arabic and learning about Islam - I think that it shows a certain lack of knowledge of this part of the world.

If those were my goals, Saudi would be the last country that I would choose - and most of the Gulf would be the second worst. To learn about Arabic and Islam and truly live within a society - which one most assuredly can NOT do in the Gulf - and especially not in Saudi - I would go to a place like Syria. Even Egypt would be a better choice or Jordan. (BTW, Syria has one of the most desirable Arabic dialects)

VS

[el_gringo_que_viaja]

VS,

I had actually given a great deal of consideration to Egypt, especially considering the cost and availability of Arabic language schools there; but, KSA has gotten stuck in my mind. Part of my interest is based in the closed nature of their society. Knowing that it is closed to westerners only makes me want to learn and discover more. I will probably be singing a different tune after the first year and you, as well as the rest of my family, can have "I told you so" rights. You are right that I have a very limited knowledge of the area. I have only travelled to Palestine, and for only a month at that, and I have only just begun reading about the ME in the past two years. It is my lack of knowledge that drives the desire to go and discover.

Gringo

[johnslat]

Dear el_gringo_que_viaja,
As I wrote on another thread, I like your style. On this thread, I'll add that I'm glad to see your reasons for wanting to go to the Kingdom are more numerous and a lot more substantial than just golf.
Lack of understanding is responsible for so many of the world's problems. But deeper than that, and responsible, I'd say, for even more of them is the lack of curiosity, of wanting to try to understand others: their cultures, their ways of life, their religions, their traditions, etc.
I salute your reasons for going and hope that you will, inshallah, stay safe and be able to satisfy both your adventurous spirit and your questioning mind.

"Death closes all; but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks;
The long day wanes; the slow moon climbs; the deep
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends.
'T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down;
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

Oh boy Gringo,

Nothing more fun than 'told you so' rights. Keep up your studying and I think you may change your mind. If you are at all serious about learning Arabic, you will just have so little opportunity to use it. And the society only allows you such a surface entry, that you could learn darn near as much meeting a Saudi in a hotel in Colombia.

If you want an equivalent society to Columbia as far as living within the culture and actually using the language as you learn, I would reconsider Egypt and think seriously about Syria. Personally I found both of those cultures to be much more interesting than the Saudis. (Just MHO) I lived in Egypt for a few years and truly enjoyed it. I have only visited Syria, but if I were to study Arabic, that is where I would head.

Food for thought

VS

[el_gringo_que_viaja]

VS,

Actually, I started studying Arabic with a Lebanese woman in Bogota, but I didn't learn much!