Job Discussion Forums

[wanna_teach]

Some of the positions don't offer transportation, just transportation allowance, so if women are not allowed to drive or cannot be in public unaccompanied, how do they get from point a to point b?

I'm assuming they can't use public transportation or taxis, so if I had a teaching job, how would I get to work?

[egyptfan]

Women can and do use taxis all the time. It can be expensive if you use them a lot. Some have their own private driver i.e. come to an arrangement with a private driver to take you to / from work and agree a monthly figure.

[johnslat]

Dear wanna_teach,
And as for "public transportation" (i.e. buses). you'll be happy to learn that the ladies have their own "special compartment" in the back of the bus (rather reminiscent of Blacks in the USA back in the "pre-Civil Rights" days.)
The upside is that I believe you can get away with not paying the fare, which, in my day, was 2 SR.)
Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

BTW... there is no rule that women can not go about unaccompanied. They can and do...

VS

[johnslat]

Dear veiledsentiments,
Quite true - there is no rule. However, in my experience, most of the ladies seemed to feel more "comfortable" going about accompanied when possible.
(I would suspect, though, that Cleopatra would not be one such.)
Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

Nor would I have been much bothered... there is not any real danger - other than the traffic - and Egypt developed my skill at ignoring idiots.

VS

[wanna_teach]

Thanks for your responses. You have cleared up alot. I may not have to worry about it though. I haven't heard any responses yet from my interviews.

[veiledsentiments]

[johnslat]

Dear wanna_teach,
Beyond the staring and off-color remarks (which will be made in Arabic, anyway, so you probably won't understand them), the only "harassment"
could come from the "religious police", the SPVPV (Society for the Promotion/Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice)who tend to carry "beating sticks."
But you'd be "harassed" only if the SPVPV thought you were being "immodest" in your dress or demeanor.
Now please don't panic - even in Riyadh this is a rare, even a very rare, occurrence and pretty much unheard of on the coasts.
If you're dressed "properly" and not standing under a lamp-post on a street-corner swinging your purse and hiking up your skirt, you'll be just fine.
Regards,
John

[Stephen Jones]

Saudi women obviously don't have to be accompanied by a family member everywhere. How on earth would they get to work?

[wanna_teach]

[johnslat]

Dear wanna_teach,
Umm, better start getting used to the different weekends - in Saudi, the weekend is Thursday and Friday. So, on "Saturday nights" you'll probably be doing homework of some sort.
So, now your problem is - what are you going to do on Thursday nights?

I'd suggest a good book, surfing the Net, once you get "hooked-up" (hmm, there's a joke in there somewhere having to do with a "hooker" and "hooked-up") TV, or that great Saudi pastime, going to a mall.

Regards,
John

[cmp45]

Even within the the strict traditions and religous laws there are always ways around them; however the catch is... if you get caught doing some thing illegal then you better be prepared to accept the consequences...for some people this makes it all the more exciting...may God help them make it through the night.

[Marquess]

The catch is to do it on a Western compound as nobody is going to get the authorities involved and everybody is up to something.

[Amenti]

In defense of Cleopatra who is a long time friend; she is one of the most independent women I know!!!