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Chaudhry
Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 59
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 Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
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| A lot of friends and relatives of mine have started to say ... why dont you find a job here in Australia rather than going to KSA .... why so much tension? |
Our friends and relatives will NEVER understand why we want to go to Saudi Arabia. Other countries, yes...but the reasons for going to the Tragic Kingdom will never make sense to them. I gave up trying to explain even before I went, and when I came home on vacation, I just avoided the topic. They're just certain that you will always be seconds away from a terrorist bomb, or that shrapnel from Iraq or Afghanistan will somehow make it over to you...  |
So true. But really why do we all want to go to KSA ? for Muslim people i can understand but for the rest of them???? Money ??? I dont think so there is heaps more on offer in the other countries expecially in ESL teaching isnt it? |
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Railway3
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 57
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: |
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Today, after about 3 weeks of submitting the documents to be verified, the cultural attache realised that the fax number they used for the verification was wrong! Thanks to them!
Well finally they faxed to the right number and the university authenticated the documents by fax back then and then......a matter of 5 minutes took 3 weeks time to be done.
Now the person at the cultural attache needs to type a forwarding letter to the embassy that the documents have been verified......hope that doesnt take another 3 weeks! Please everyone pray for me...... |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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"Our friends and relatives will NEVER understand why we want to go to Saudi Arabia."
Some prefer the less travelled path:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
For me, the lure of experiencing a culture so very different from the one I was used to was irresistible.
Regards,
John |
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Chaudhry
Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
"Our friends and relatives will NEVER understand why we want to go to Saudi Arabia."
Some prefer the less travelled path:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
For me, the lure of experiencing a culture so very different from the one I was used to was irresistible.
Regards,
John |
classic lol |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 2:18 am Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
For me, the lure of experiencing a culture so very different from the one I was used to was irresistible.
Regards,
John |
What was that old recruiting tool? "Travel the world, meet interesting people...and kill them"?
Go ARMY!
NCTBA (Christ! We're getting old!)
(Not really, new recruits to the koh, we're your lessers.) |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Dear NCTBA,
Army - hell.
USMC - OORAH - the choice of the REAL crazies. 
Semper Fi,
John |
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Chaudhry
Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| Got the visa and tickets flying tonight to Riyadh ... see you all. |
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Railway3
Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 57
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Congrates Chaudhry......hoping to join u soon |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Chaudhry,
Bon Voyage - and may your stay in the Kingdom be a very good one.
Regards,
John |
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Chaudhry
Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:56 pm Post subject: late arrival and its effects so far |
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So far me arriving late has not effected alot besides i wont be paied for September as I did not arrive in September. One has to meet the Chairman of the college in order to share his interests and the Chairman shall allocate the lectures to the faculty member. I might be teaching OS and AI so far but it can change as the timetable is still in transition. One hopes that things shall be settled down by this week. Good for me as I shall have time to do admin jobs. All the faculty members in the computing school are healthy and looking forward to the work load (assuming thats what mean meant from your question "how are the faculty members in the computing school")
Good on ya and hope to see you soon. |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Congrats on your successful arrival, Chaudhry. It looks like things are working out for you in the end. May your stay in the Kingdom be as pleasant as possible. |
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Chaudhry
Joined: 22 Aug 2009
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| Congrats on your successful arrival, Chaudhry. It looks like things are working out for you in the end. May your stay in the Kingdom be as pleasant as possible. |
Thanks Mia I am just trying to look at the brighter side other picture. The magic kingdom is by for the toughest task I have faced after Italy. The processes are somewhat chaotic and need a lot of patience to go through. But yeah things are working well for me. My family and I are living in a temporary accommodation and trying to get into a permanent one (not looking forward to living off the suitcases at all for another day but hey one can push things to certain limit cant you?), assigned an office in the University which in some cases takes longer than ( lot longer) than what it has taken for me, started iqama processing (went to the doctor for medical check yesterday), reported to the new campus administration and HR for salary etc.
Yeah not rosy situation but things are slowly working out. definitely not like they were in South Korea (where I did my PhD) but Saudis have their way of doing things.
I saw my first road accident already so yeah its shocking how rash people drive here (I forgot I am back in Asia now).
Now I am looking for a family car that I could get in manageable price and really looking forward to having a house for ourselves. Thumbs up to a better future and thanks guys you have been amazing support. |
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lucreziaborgia
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 177
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:37 am Post subject: |
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Road accidents. Hmmmmmm! Another adjustment!
I have seen at least one a day in Vietnam but those have involved motor bikes; generally nothing more than low speed impacts with the riders falling off and then getting up and riding away.
I have seen the odd pedestrian (odd; because they tend to be an exotic species) walk into a main road without looking and being bowled over by a bicycle.
I have also seen a couple of spectacular 'butterfly dives' performed by motorbike riders who have sped out of a side street without giving way, collided with a car and been catapulted over the bonnet.
Occasionally, I have seen (in the distance) a major incident involving a truck and/or bus and several motorbikes with blood and mangled auto parts all over the road.
I have forgotten about car crashes. O! dear! |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:49 am Post subject: |
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Chaudry says
"I dont think so there is heaps more on offer in the other countries expecially in ESL teaching isnt it?"
It isn't. ESL teaching in most countries is poorly paid and often has no job security. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:48 am Post subject: |
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Scot is right.
KSA (and the Gulf in general) is one of the few places where one can make a decent living as an ESL teacher. In most parts of the world, ESL teachers just about scrape by, or, even if they make a good salary by local standards, cannot save anything as their salary is piddling when converted into Euros or pounds. For most people, money is the main - if not the only - reason for working in KSA. |
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