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goodEnglishes
Joined: 19 May 2016
Posts: 30
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 Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:18 pm Post subject: Cost of housing--Ras Tanura |
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Hello everyone,
I was recently offered a position in Ras Tanura that would involve me finding and paying for my own housing. I've been researching housing costs in Ras Tanura in detail but have not found much up-to-date information so I thought I would try to reach out here.
Does anyone know what the various compounds would cost a month?
Does anyone know what a 1 bedroom apartment in Ras Tanura would cost a month? Do individuals there ever room together in an apartment to save?
Are there other housing options I'm missing? Couchsurfing? 
Thank you! |
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goodEnglishes
Joined: 19 May 2016
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:25 pm Post subject: To reply to my own response.... |
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Replying to my own response to kick things off (ha!), a similar question has been posed at least once before, namely here several years ago:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=106110&highlight=khobar
The poster asked about how to find housing in Ras Tanura and a debate ensued about whether or not he should have taken a contract without free housing included in the first place. I already have accepted the job--I am just not sure what to believe about how much housing actually costs and what kind of range of options regarding housing there are. Cheers! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Compounds can be pricey. Does your job offer specify a separate amount as a housing allowance/stipend? If so, how much is the employer providing? |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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compounds in RT can also be non-existent... at least ones you might actually want to live on. I heard rumour of one fairly mangy place where you pay over the going rate for something dire.
RT is a one horse town. Check out Google maps and ignore anything that looks nice along the coast. That's the Aramco camp which you won't have access to unless you manage to befriend an Aramcon and they sign you on for a visit. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Compounds can be pricey. Does your job offer specify a separate amount as a housing allowance/stipend? If so, how much is the employer providing? |
the contract has a base salary and then 65% is added to that and paid along with it each month as "benefits" i.e. towards housing. It's unaccountable so you can spend/save it as you wish. |
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goodEnglishes
Joined: 19 May 2016
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 6:58 pm Post subject: Response |
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Thanks for weighing in! I did manage to uncover a quite credible source (Paul) saying this a few years back:
"I pay US$1,250 for a cabin in a compound with food, laundry and internet all included. I bought a (new) car when I arrived and charge other teachers for rides into work.
All in all, I make more in housing and transport allowances than I spend.
People who want to save more money get (or share) an apartment downtown."
Still, I'm hoping for updated prices and sunny/horror stories...
(Parts/sides of) Ras Tanura is made to look quite fantastic on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmgBWzxBYFM |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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"Ras Tanura is MADE to look quite fantastic on Youtube! "
It is not. It is the business end of the oil industry. |
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dragonpiwo
Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 1:04 am Post subject: Charge people for rides to work. |
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This made me chuckle. Charging colleagues for rides to work. Think we got a member of the 500 club outed.
So glad my days of meeting Gulf English teachers are numbered. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 5:36 am Post subject: |
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| Colleagues who steal teabags, toilet paper and soap from the workplace. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Response |
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| goodEnglishes wrote: |
"I pay US$1,250 for a cabin in a compound with food, laundry and internet all included
(Parts/sides of) Ras Tanura is made to look quite fantastic on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmgBWzxBYFM |
I know the "cabin" Paul refers to. I saw it once, I did not go back. Enough said.
The video is made by Aramcons for Aramcons. You are not one. You need to get used to that fact asap because we mortals are made aware of it on an almost daily basis. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: Response |
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| goodEnglishes wrote: |
| Still, I'm hoping for updated prices... |
None of which matters since you have to be in country to secure a place anyway and will be limited to whatever flats/housing are available at the time. But rest assured, you'll get a decent place without breaking the bank.
That said, the streets in KSA aren't paved in gold. Plus, the country is going through some social changes and an economic downturn. Lower your overall expectations about uber conservative KSA. Ditto for your teaching wish list from your initial thread in the other forum. Just like your dismay about "institutional constraints as far as how curricula/assessments/etc. are organized" and wanting to teach the way you want with gamified learning, PBL, flipped classroom learning, and so on, be ready for things to not go/be as you'd hoped.
Definitely take time to learn about KSA's culture. It's not like Colombia's. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Response |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| gamified learning, PBL, flipped classroom learning |
actually those are more relevant than you might think since the new curriculum took over last year. Still awaiting a message from the OP to discuss this in more detail... |
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