Job Discussion Forums

[SaharaDesert]

I have read some posts that state that Jubail is a toxic industrial city that smells while others say it is a nice place ?
I was wondering what kind of lifestyle I could expect there ?
Any private beaches that allow women to actually swim in bathing suits ?
What is JUC like as a working environment and do they give nice, modern, furnished housing ?

If there is any other current info about Jubail that anyone cares to share,
please feel free to contribute.

[floydrules]

Sahara - Jubail is one of the largest industrial city in the world but JUC is in the Royal Commission area which is quite far from the industrial city (but its windy). If you are going to be in the female branch of JUC then its even far from industrial city and that area is comparatively much better and clean (being the RC area). You will be very close to the only mall in jubail (al Fanateer) and to the famous Jarrir book store which is also nearby. There's a lovely corniche (I say lovely, after having compared it to the rest) nearby but the private word doesn't get applied to it. JUC being a part of royal commission will live up to its name and the accommodation provided would be decent. There's also a fitness center in the near by area (its called Dammam) which is open for ladies only during the afternoon timings. All in all Jubail is a dead place when you compare it with Dammam/Khobar/Dahran.

hope this helps and wait for other veterans to respond

PS � PM me if you need the no. for the taxi guy there, I know him personally and their service is quite good (though you might have to struggle with the language part).

[sheikher]

There are no restrictions to recreational aquatic activity for women in Saudi Arabia. A swimsuit modelled by a prominent New York Times columnist is here: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/saudi-arabia-slide-show-201008#slide=10

Further description and models are here:

http://swimsuits.lovetoknow.com/Modest_Swimsuits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burqini

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1645145,00.html

Similar may be purchased online at http://www.modestkini.com/ and http://www.burkini.com/



Air quality has been previously discussed in threads, one being: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=70354

Air quality is monitored by http://www.jubailaqdata.com/Introduction/AirQuality.aspx

Other remarks easily available by google search include: page 396 of https://eprints.kfupm.edu.sa/1802/1/395-399_OVERVIEW_OF_LOCAL_STATE_OF_THE_ENVIRONMENT_Ibrahim_A_Alam_Vice_Mayor_Jeddah_Municipality.PDF which emphasizes on page 398 that "industrial cities are environmental friend."

Alternatively, "I was working in Jubail Industrial City. Sometimes the ammonia gas emissions would rise to very dangerous levels - levels where the area would be evacuated in the US - and we just went on working. And that wasn't the worst of it. The dust and air pollution were always at astounding levels. Compound the pollution with temps well over 50 C, and you've got hell." in http://www.expatkorea.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=19930

"It was a terrible place and after 5 months I quit. Al Jubail is a small, very quiet, ugly and unpleasant 'city' on the Gulf coast. The locals by and large were hostile to foreigners. The local air refineries mean that there is quite a bit of air pollution - when I left I was suffering from pneumonia." in http://boards.bootsnall.com/saudi-arabia-jubail-t38556.html

The worst kept secret in the area relates to mentally challenged children, anecdotes similar to, "Sorry to tell you this, but Jubail is one of the most horribly polluted places on the planet... There are even (unconfirmed) stories of birth defects, and the like." in http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=583138

[MixtecaMike]

It's a nice place.
Sometimes there are industrial smells, but it depends where you live if this is occasionally or more frequently.
Apparently ladies can swim at a private beach in the Intercontinental Hotel (for a price) but my wife just goes wading in her abaya at one of several pleasant beaches in Jubail.
Can't say anything about JUC as I don't work there. I have nice big modern apartment through JIC, but I had to buy my own furniture. Most college apartments are furnished, however.

As for other information I would like to share, while I was away over summer they cut down most of the lovely big eucalyptus trees, but there are still plenty of palm trees, gardens and other greenery.

[Paradiselost]

The smell of Jubail is hardly noticeable as the putrid stench that comes from other places in the vicinity.
JUC is run by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, a very large government enterprise that administers economic development in Jubail and Yanbu. You will have to get used to all the endless paperwork, the seemingly purposeless administrative procedures, the snail pace bureaucracy, and the general lack of discipline, diligence, and "don't care" attitude of the local administrative staff. They will be your masters and you, their subject. They love to see you beg and they do that by slowing your paperwork or by simply losing it and by not taking responsibility for their work. You will generally be blamed for what they did wrong.
The teaching load is 20 hours/week as an instructor (18 if you are a lecturer, only possible by your having a MA or PhD in English), although some people have been known to work as much as an additional 10 hours of "overtime", paid at 60 Riyals/hour. The going rate for private work outside of the school is 150 Riyals.
The air quality is questionable as occasionally there is the smell of ammonia on the air and dust from dust storms. But air quality is not a problem. The locals are the problem and the source of the putrid stench. The teacher turnover rate is very high, specially for a university. Teachers get fed up and simply don't come to work again. The Royal Commission admin system has a lot of levels and a lot of bosses and is nearly impossible to get anything done that benefits you in any way. Last year even the English dept. manager left without warning. After that, a smear campaign was started to damage his reputation.
The King promised a bonus to be given to all government employees, but only the Saudi teachers got it. The RC left the expats out. Other Universities and even private banks gave bonuses.
JUC has been operating out of modular units comparable to those used at temporary work sites. The "building" has been under construction for the last five years at a nearby site and so far only the land has been cleared. You will never teach inside a real building.
The students are HS grads who have never had a native English teacher, are very undisciplined, disinterested, unmotivated, and often do not bring pens or notebooks to class, but only their TWO mobile phones to use as toys as the teacher attempts to get the student's attention. There are no entrance exams. They will take anybody as a student as they just want to show numbers. JUC is not an accredited Univ.
Note that Jubail is an industrial town. Life there is very very dull. The next reasonable city, Al-Khobar, is more than two hours away by car.
You will pay for your work permit and visas. If you purchase your incoming air ticket, it may take 3-6 months to get it refunded, and only after writing several letters and calling a lot of people.
Why work there? Some people make less in their home country, others have responsibilities and need to make the sacrifice.
Try to read a about others say on JUC, and in general about Saudi Arabia, as most websites with useful information, or BLOGS such as this one, are internet censored and not available for view. The locals DO have a very closed mentality. Jubail's occasional industrial smell is just an occasional annoyance. Worry about the putrid stench.

[Middle East Beast]

Jubail? Does it really smell?

Yes.

MEB