Job Discussion Forums

[Madman]

I had to edit and reduce this original post as it was apparent that it may get seen by JUC management. (I was so green when I arrived here). As I was still employed at JUC when I wrote it and was very identifiable I removed it. No point hanging a huge target on myself as I had only been there a week when I wrote this post. However, the gist of the original post (for posterities sake) was:

I am a newly appointed librarian at JUC (now UCJ and have a 2 year contract.

Is it a Saudi custom for Saudi staff to stay in their offices with their doors closed as it makes this place look like a deserted ship.

The local car drivers beep their horns when they drive past - presumably this a good thing?

As I am working in a new library that has no books and few other library facilities it is hardly ever visited by other staff - especially teaching staff. From previous experience, library staff want to interact with teaching staff (and even socialise with them) but working on the Administration side of the fence often prevents this. The next time you visit your establishment's library invite your librarian to a meeting - or even an out-of-work social get together.

Librarians often work alone and don't have the benefit of the camaraderie and bickering of teaching staff's offices. It's not their choice - it is often just the way things are.

[007]

[veiledsentiments]

Madman,

KSA is probably not the best place in the world to go to try to get your life back together, but as you said, it provides you with a decent paycheck and a roof over your head. It is always a bit lonely until you get to know a few people. This is bad timing because all the expats disappear in the summer.

You need to get yourself a summer hobby!! Satellite TV, internet, and reading seem to be the standard time passers. One of our old regulars here devoted his spare time to serious exercising... and left there able to outdo Marines 40 years younger at the gym. Teach yourself to cook and make home brew (common hobby). Educate yourself about investing for all this money you're earning (OK... the pittance you have left over after the child support). Plan your travel for upcoming breaks.

Probably you will have to resign yourself to the fact that until people start coming back in September, you will have to entertain yourself. Think of it as a positive learning experience.

VS
(PS: the friendly taxi drivers are probably looking for a customer...)

[Madman]

Many thanks for your replies -

Can you advise me on how I can get satellite TV here - I see dishes on the roof of the apartment block. I could do with getting a satellite internet link as I have no need of a phone line.

You are right about the timing - but that is typical for me! I'm not too despondant - but I am a bit cheesed off that basic info I requested was ignored when I accepted this job.

I am on a 3 month probation and have a 2 year contract renewable annually thereafter. I'm not a quitter - I have to do this.

The exercise thing I should definitely do. There is a local recreation centre and swimming pool so I hope it is open to non-Saudis.

Thanks for the heads-up on the taxi drivers.

[veiledsentiments]

Check around there for TV/internet info. If there are no teachers around to ask, expand your search. When I was in Oman, there were a couple stores around who sold/rented different options... computer shops are good places to ask about these things. Also, the IT guys at the university are usually a good source. Around the Gulf these places are usually staffed by Indians who speak English and know the ropes.

VS

[globalnomad2]

Orbit Satellite is cheap at $35 a month; you get some uncensored, commerical-free movie channels, TV-show channels, CNN, BBC, and Orbit News, which contains most of the US news shows and magazines. But the movies are crappy Grade Z ones. Showtime Sat is better, with 8 premium movie channels, a half-dozen TV-show channels, BBC, CNN, Travel, Food, cartoons, etc. Much better movies. All uncensored. $51 a month.

[Robski]

Well done Madman, I admire you stickability. Yup, UJC/JUC can be a tad on challenging side of things, and with all the movement amongst the teachers very soon you will be the longest serving member of the ex-pat staff.

A couple of our band of teachers got fired, one went a little bit nuts, several have done the Bahrain run and others are considering their futures. I call it Planet Bloke, because that's all we ever see, but another name would be Planet Kok-up; let's face it, if we hadn't made that tragic error of judgement earlier on in our "careers" then we wouldn't have ended up in Saudi Arabia (we're certainly not there for the night life, are we?).

You should also hang out by the coffee bar - you have a better chance of seeing someone than in the library! See you after the summer (probably).

PS: If someone beeps their horn it is better to simply ignore it. It'll be some 14-year-old kid showing off that he's driving a car and you're not.

[Madman]

Hi Robski,

Wise words. I can see how quickly by default you can become one of the old sweats. - Last man standing, and all that.

The purges at least make the longterm view less of a problem and at least I have a game plan/exit strategy if that happens!

Well, we have time to plot, plan and mull here don't we?

Cheers!

[John Cage]

hey madman,

i joined you on your walk to work and back a couple of weeks ago. i use a pseudonym here, so you won't recognize me by name. i am from the states. ring any bells?

I suppose when i feel lonely and isolated here, i can always think about you sitting over there all day long with little human contact only to get off work to go home and do it again, and feel a little better. not that i encourage schadenfreundene, or how ever you spell that word. you kow German, so i'll let you clean that up if you want. give you something to do anyway.. he he he.

did you ever see Jack Nicholson's The Shining? and are you ever reminded of it around here?

hmm, madman huh? stay away from the stash of axes over there

[Madman]

Hey yeah - I remember - maybe the way I kept shouting "REDRUM...REDRUM..REDRUM" as we walked in to work freaked you out!

I was starting to think that was a mirage - or maybe I'm the mirage?!

That's it - JUC is the Overlook Hotel!
"I want to stay here forever!"

Once you all go off on vacation I can really go insane!

My nickname on here is apt after all.

Jack Torrance: "God, I'd give anything for a drink. I'd give my god-damned soul for just a glass of beer."

[Robski]

Hey Madman.

What you need to do when you're alone in the library (because no one in SA wants to come to the library and read something) you should read these replies out loud to yourself, and in a funny voice. It will be like having a conversation, and I suppose it will be the best conversation that you'll have all day (if not the only one). Shall I tell you about all the beer you can drink and the girls that you can see here in this other kingdom? Probably not. I wil tell you that it has done nothing but rain since I got back and everywhere is flooded, and that Saudi Arabia is a fabulous place to be in the summer (??).

On another point, do you remember seeing that Laurel and Hardy film when they joined the French foreign legion.

The colonel asks Stanley: "Why did you come?"
Stanley replies: "We came to forget."
French colonel "What did you come to forget?"
Stanley: "I don't know, I've forgotten."

But then again, when you touch down in the UK, and get back to sunny old England (sic) you are no longer international man of mystery - you're just Joe Bloke again - do you miss being Mr Exotic currently working in Saudi Arabia? Humm.

C ya.

[Madman]

Hey! I already do read this to myself in a funny voice - who's been listening?

I am Joe Bloke wherever I go. The only mystery is how I get there in one piece!

There's nothing to read here yet anyway.....just me and empty shelves. Maybe they are a metaphor for the state of my life - a librarian in a library devoid of books....hmmmmm.

That Laurel & Hardy film ('Pardon Us') has now been mentioned to me about a dozen times - and do you remember them following each other around in circles in the desert?

Hardy - soon to be Laurel.

[Robski]

Yes, does one travel in peace or in pieces? And is working for UCJ/JUC like working for a tobacco company? If you don't hang in there your next job interviewer will ask you why you couldn't handle life in the hard lane. And if you stay they will question your sanity and your willingness to beat yourself up.

And yes, the reason why people keep mentioning that L & H film is that they can never remember that they have mentioned it before. Lose your memory in Jubail - it helps.

[scot47]

Living in solitary confinement without radio or TV is a good way to go really crazy really fast. Spend some money. Get some sort of stimulus.

Or an inflatable dolly.