Working in Saudi
- Thread starter Wanderer
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midlifecrisis
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If you can't have a decent bacon butty or pork sausage sarnie then forget it.
Worked for short periods in Dubai, Shariah and Bahrain, didn't like their moral business ethics or the institutional racism (white man or arab is OK, be suspicious of everyone else!). Look at the poor sods dying in Qatar for the world cup stadia.
I could easily get a job in the sand pit as they're paying top dollar but I'm not interested. That's my opinion.
If you do go, get a second passport and a water tight contract.
Worked for short periods in Dubai, Shariah and Bahrain, didn't like their moral business ethics or the institutional racism (white man or arab is OK, be suspicious of everyone else!). Look at the poor sods dying in Qatar for the world cup stadia.
I could easily get a job in the sand pit as they're paying top dollar but I'm not interested. That's my opinion.
If you do go, get a second passport and a water tight contract.
mjheathcote
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Good friend of mine has worked overseas for the last 25 years or so until recently. In fact married a Lebanese girl after getting her in the family way, that was a shotgun marriage if ever there was one! Still together though.
Was working in Qatar when an Irish 'friend' asked him to deal with some scrap cable while he went back to Ireland for a few weeks.
Turned out the scrap wasn't his to sell, questions asked, fingers pointed at my friend. Friend after seeking some advice by a local lawyer was advised to leave the country immediately, like now, as whatever the truth was, he would be found guilty and it would take years while inside to find himself not guilty, if at all.
He had a house, wife working, teenage girls in an international school etc. They left everything and took the next BA flight home the next morning. He could only relax once the plane reached the point of no return back.
He can no longer go anywhere near that part of the world again, and is now back working in the UK.
He constantly complains about the tax he now has to pay, which receives no sympathy from his UK working friends, including me!
Was working in Qatar when an Irish 'friend' asked him to deal with some scrap cable while he went back to Ireland for a few weeks.
Turned out the scrap wasn't his to sell, questions asked, fingers pointed at my friend. Friend after seeking some advice by a local lawyer was advised to leave the country immediately, like now, as whatever the truth was, he would be found guilty and it would take years while inside to find himself not guilty, if at all.
He had a house, wife working, teenage girls in an international school etc. They left everything and took the next BA flight home the next morning. He could only relax once the plane reached the point of no return back.
He can no longer go anywhere near that part of the world again, and is now back working in the UK.
He constantly complains about the tax he now has to pay, which receives no sympathy from his UK working friends, including me!
JonW
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I’ve got plenty of friends / colleagues who have transferred over to the Middle East, and they all say that there is a massive difference between living somewhere like Dubai or Abu Dhabi compared to Riyadh or Jeddah.
Quite a few of them fly in and out of KSA regularly, and maybe stay a night or two. However, none of them would choose to live there.
Quite a few of them fly in and out of KSA regularly, and maybe stay a night or two. However, none of them would choose to live there.
zagatoes30
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You need to weigh up the risk reward balance, IMO too many risks in KSA there are other places to where the reward is good and the risk is less
davy83
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I worked in Saudi for nearly 3 years, I lived in Bahrain and commuted over the causeway every day. I have little experience of Riyad, I have worked mostly in Dammam and Al Khobar and less so over in Medina and in the interior on and off over the years. I had a well paid job and had to get back to UK be honest, the money to my mind never really compensated for the lack of things to do, socialising (in Bahrain) was ok and relatively unrestricted, clearly in Saudi its a no alchohol state and there are few cinemas, and so eating out is the only social event outside of western clubs and secure areas. You can go dune bashing which is a hoot, although I broke my spine (I have recovered) doing that so be careful. The weather for most of the year is pretty unbearable, and you need to stay indoors , or keep outdoor activities to short bursts, with a shower at the end of them. From about April through October it will be over 40C and I have measured 52C at the office I was working in Dammam, I think the highest temperature I have ever seen out there was just over 60 and yes its too hot to do much really, you tend to stick where there is air conditioning. Winter weather is nice, day time it can drop into the mid 20's and its pretty nice. but don't expect gorgeous beaches they have a different attitude to sand than we do.
you will be able to send sunny selfies home and pictures of pool side parties with blazing sun, buy or rent fast cars, and it will be and adventure for a while and might be a good experience, but I know few people who given the choice would opt to stay out there.
Don't know if this rambling helps but for what its worth I would not do it again.
you will be able to send sunny selfies home and pictures of pool side parties with blazing sun, buy or rent fast cars, and it will be and adventure for a while and might be a good experience, but I know few people who given the choice would opt to stay out there.
Don't know if this rambling helps but for what its worth I would not do it again.
TridentTested
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Dubai is the nearest playground for KSA citizens and residents.
Therein lies one of the problems. It's easy to treat yourself to a five star hotel blowout in Dubai because you feel you deserve it, and you're earning good money anyway. I know plenty of ex-pats who lived this lifestyle and ended up returning home with not too much to show for it. Boys trips to Thailand and weekends in Dubai with Russian ladies saw to that.
For a six month contract, as the OP asked about, I would be inclined to put all of that out of my mind and just work night and day. Six months passes quickly.
TridentTested
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You got into Madinah? I did a hotel there and never saw it. It, and Mecca, are normally forbidden.
davy83
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Well that side of the country dude, I flew into Jeddah and worked up in Kaust which is near Thuwal, never tried to get to Medina but I don't think its all closed off.