Korean Job Discussion Forums

[desultude]

So, as some of you know, I was slated to be back in Daegu in a couple of weeks.

Well, a funny thing happened while I was in the middle of packing. I got a great job offer in Saudi Arabia. I hope it will be great anyway, because I accepted.

Next week I am off to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for at least a year. I accepted for a variety of reasons, good housing not the least of it, but mostly for the change and for the experience. It will put me in close proximity to a lot of places I have been wanting to go- Africa, Eastern and Southern Europe, Tibet, western China, etc. As well as in close proximity to some scarier places. I am starting to think of my ESL teaching experiences as my years long "Tour of the Axis of Evil".

My family and friends freaked when I first went to Korea, but the are incredibly undisturbed by me going to Saudi Arabia.

I'll still be checking in here (I understand I will have a lot of free time for reading and writing. ) I'll just be far, far away!

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Well you can still nip over to the UAE for a night of beer, booze, and hookers. All is not lost!

[Tiger Beer]

Just curious, how much do they pay you in Saudia Arabia? Is the housing in a foreign compound?

I'm hoping you post frequently, as I'd be interested to hear what life would be like in Saudia Arabia and presumably living in a foreign compound.

[princess]

Yes, please keep us posted. Sounds interesting!

[peppermint]

good luck des! take tons of pics!

[desultude]

I'll be very close to Bahrain, Dubai and the rest of the UAE. Most people seem to weekend in either Bahrain or Dubai. Not a bad choice.

Yes, the housing is in a compound. I will have a 3 bedroom Villa. The compound has lots of nice amenities.

The downside is that the culture is, to put it quite mildly, restrictive, especially for women. I will need to wear an abaya (long black "body veil) over my clothes when I am out in public. It is good to wear a scarf, but the full head covering is not required. Western dress is fine in Bahrain and Dubai, as well as inside the women's end of the university, and in the compound, of course.

As for the money, the Saudi currency is tied to the U.S. dollar, so it is not as good as it was. It is still better than in Korea. Also the housing is better in some cases (I would imagine that it varies a lot) and the utilities are paid. Most employers also pay your return fare once a year to your home. From the U.S. this is huge. My most recent return trip from Korea to the U.S. was over $2,000 U.S. The return fare from Saudi Arabia is higher. I think that between travel money not spent, and everything else, my savings in Saudi Arabia will be much higher that it was in Korea.

But the question for me really was not money. I actually liked Korea, but Korea is both difficult and rather limited. I spent 4 years there, and that is enough. I could never be integrated in some real way in Korea, so there was no reason not to go somewhere else and have some new experiences in a different (albeit maybe more difficult and limited) culture that is close to places I haven't been.

I thought, given the underlying interest in the Middle East many people have here, this thread could be a good discussion of the differences and possibilities. For some reason I hadn't taken the Middle East seriously, and was rather shocked when it came knocking on my door via some really earnest recruiting. I have so little idea of what to expect. It will definitely be a grand adventure!

[Tony_Balony]

I always thought you were a man.

[Tiger Beer]

I think it would be interesting to be in a compound. You'd really get to know your co-workers very well, and form a pretty interesting little community I'd imagine. Not to mention the huge amounts of cash that would be hard to spend in that kind of environment.

I read once that the Saudi employer owns your passport however during your employment. Meaning that you wouldn't be able to freely travel during your contract. Is that true? Or have you heard of that?

[desultude]

[desultude]

[SuperFly]

Good luck D, I lived in Taif for a summer (in a compound) and although I found it limiting (aside from shopping in the "souk") it was a good experience. Hopefully the compound you'll be in will be a lot nicer and more modern than the one I lived in 20 years ago.

Have fun and travel lightly.

[rocklee]

Lucky you!

I'd love to be there gawking at the fantastic exotic cars and amazing sceneries. Lived near there for a year and it is very relaxed. Not sure about now but Dubai is bustling and has become something of another Singapore.





A place to run along the coast :






And the cars :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7DVe9oIhic&mode=related&search=



Don't know how teachers get around but hopefully cars are cheap.

Is tha...that....what I think it is??



Do let us know of the Asian communities there, from what I've heard there are many Phillipino nurses.

[desultude]

In some ways it seems like the place to be at the moment. On the other hand, it is between Iran, Iraq, and Syria and Israel.

Yes. gas is something like 17 cents a litre. But as a woman, I am not allowed to drive! Poor me, I must depend on drivers and taxis.

I am watching a National Geographic's s special on Dubai right now. I really cannot wait to go there. Bahrain is more the Morocco of the Middle East. An escape to a hedonistic, bohemian place. I think, from what I have read, Dubai is a bit artificial and Disney like by comparison. And I fully intend to be able to make the comparison.

[Tony_Balony]

Please make it clear here and now that you have never met me.

[ceesgetdegrees]

WOW can't wait for installment 2 of how 60 year old american woman handles living in a country where her gender/nationality/age are all a source of dominance entitlement/hatred/amusement for the locals.