Working in Saudi; what's your experience?

[ltnt]

Its not for everybody BettyBoo. It sounds good when thinking income, but you got to eat a lot of shit for it also. If it was easy everyone would be there. In my case it was a chance to make money and improve my career curve. No Saudi/foreign service no upward movement. Life in the oil business is fun and exciting. Better than the military for sure.

Try Afghanistan next Bettyboo. You did Mongolia why nt Afghanistan?

[Davis Knowlton]

^^^I have been in the PI for 15 years; six in LOS before that. I was in RVN April '68 - April '69; 101st Airborne LRRPs.

[FarangRed]

Dont you just love it when you get all these ex militia abbreviating everything....?

RTFM,

[Davis Knowlton]

^Sorry. PI - Philippine Islands. LOS - Land of Smiles. RVN - Republic of Vietnam. LRRP - Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols.

[ltnt]

Figured. Me non-combat Corp. of Engineers. Once in support of 101st in Phan Thiet operation. Remember the artillery slamming away from the FB, choppers flying in and out with troopers, and guys swimming in the South China Sea just off the Fire base.

Never considered PI but its good for many. How's the tomatoes doing?

Civilzed people these 101st officers. they even put in a run of shacks for local talent to assist in the remorse felt by their troopers after returning to base camp.

[ltnt]

Dont you just love it when you get all these ex militia abbreviating everything....?

RTFM,

Sorry Red its habit. One gets mentally fucked with acronyms in the military.

[ltnt]

Guess Boo has gone to bed now and the shit sandwich we served has just ruined his days of dreaming about becoming the second Lawrence of Arabia. Nothing left to say except happy I could share the experience with you all.

Wonder if I could do it again?

[Davis Knowlton]

^^^Tomatoes doing well - should be able to bring in the first harvest by Xmas. Jalapenos ready for harvest now and looking good - wife brought a bag of them up to the house yesterday and cooked some into an omelet this morning - they are HOT!

I reckon honest answers saved Boo a lot of heartache. Money isn't everything - and there is no second time at bat in the game of life.

[ltnt]

Most don't listen has been my experience.

Jalapenos huh! thanks god for spl check...anyway do you do the whole hevos rancheros thing? Translation; eggs and ranch style for those mentally challenged.

Spent two years in Venezuela as well. Think Bettyboo is interested?

[FarangRed]

Dont you just love it when you get all these ex militia abbreviating everything....?

RTFM,

Sorry Red its habit. One gets mentally fucked with acronyms in the military.

I'm only joking with you and I do know what you mean, I was born in the fuking army, my old man was RSM.

[Davis Knowlton]

^^Wife grows jalapenos on the farm for market sale. In the small garden at the house, she grows different kinds of Thai chili peppers, uses them in lots of dishes. Probably a holdover from her time in LOS and cooking with her Thai friends.

[FarangRed]

Venezuela now there's a place Betty been there also, the woman must have the best arse's in the world OMG!

[Bettyboo]

^ lovely looking women, but they come across as rather high maintenance! I just fancy a year away from Thailand where I can relax, work hard and bring back 1 million baht or so. It'd just make my life a bit more comfortable because I find I'm going a bit month to month sometimes (the extra costs of the flood have brought this home).

Try Afghanistan next Bettyboo. You did Mongolia why nt Afghanistan?

Because Mongols are nice; they didn't try to kill me (often), force their 'culture' upon me or eat shite food all day - okay, Mongolian food is shite.

I've lived and worked full time in: England, Spain, Australia, NZ, Mongolia, Korea and Thailand. I would like a change, that's for sure. If I worked in Saudi, it would be in their no 1 uni which has a massive complex and maybe I could avoid the more unpleasant elements of society; however, it sounds like the thought police are ever present...

Japan is a possibility, with decent salaries, but the cost of living to too high to build up money in the bank.

HK is an option, too; higher salaries than Saudi, but I don't like: 1) Chinese; 2) noise.

Maybe i could just go back to England... The US has some options (in Hawaii for example); generally, I like Americans; nice polite folk in their home country (always have been to me anyways), but they don't travel well...

[Marmite the Dog]

HK is an option, too; higher salaries than Saudi, but I don't like: 1) Chinese; 2) noise.

The HK Chinese are nearly civilised, so it's not too bad there.

[Davis Knowlton]

^Boo: Agree with the Dog. HK would certainly be doable for a year or so. Efficient public transportation system, lots to do, good food, close to home - certainly sounds like the best of the options. Hawaii is nice to visit, but the cost of living is sky high and I can't imagine the salaries are much.

[Bettyboo]

^ yes. & it's close and cheap and easy to fly home. I'll check out the options... (I had a suggestion a month or so back, so I'll start there). My worry is that cost of living is so high that even earning around 6 to 6.5k US per month that I wouldn't be saving much. ( I would like to save 3k per month really...)

[Davis Knowlton]

^I'm sure there are many posters who know HK far better than I do who can offer good advice, however if it is only for a one-year contract (to start with at least), you could just really do it on the cheap and bank the bucks if that is your primary goal. The biggest expense will be housing, I would think. All of my friends in the HK cops had subsidized housing - quite nice. Maybe some of the universities have housing plans? I know the International School in Bangkok had staff housing that was subsidized. Might be something worth looking into if/when you get to the contract negotiating stage. Also, if only for a year, you could consider getting a small apt. and sharing it with a roommate or two - after all, you don't need much but a bed and a toilet and a small kitchen - just rough it - back to the dorm room of uni days.

[Bettyboo]

^ yep, I contacted a member who lived in HK, and this was the way to go...

[hazz]

^There's south korea.

As someone pointed out the cost of postage stamps, sorry flats in HK can be quite prohibitive. but if you live in kwoloon or somewhere like discovery bay you get more for your money. BTW discovery bay always reminded me of the prisoner; living there is a surreal experience

I was offered a very lucrative contract in saudi. But what killed it dead for me was the 'we keep your passport' shit. You just know you are going to be slave when this is done and its got to be seriously shit if they think this is necessary to keep you in the contract.

[Bettyboo]

^ yep, they pay upto about 90k (Thai) per month and free housing; not bad - just for a break from here for a year or 2; worth considering & a lot better than Saudi...

[Marmite the Dog]

they pay upto about 90k (Thai) per month and free housing

Is that really enough?

[ManAboutTown]

LOL... Never been to Saudi, but... was in Malaysia recently and stayed in a hotel that was fully booked out with Saudis.. apparently a lot had gone there because of some religious holiday or other...
My GOD I have never met a more ignorant, rude bunch of cnuts in my life! I remember holding the lift open for people, who then would get in the lift and not even ACKNOWLEDGE me, let alone smile or thank me for it.. constant scowls are returned if you make even a slight smiling gesture... rude to the receptionists, just hammering their fists on the counter and demanding this/that... truly awful people. Staring you out with looks of total contempt for no reason... really not nice to be around. Oh and all the women walking around in burkahs does not a nice relaxing holiday atmosphere make!
Worst part about it was the hotel was fantastic, just dreaded going out of the room to get food etc. One thing that did make me laugh was a woman on one of those parachutes being pulled behind a boat with... full burkah, excellent... bit gutted I didn't have my camera for that one

It's possible I might have just got a bad batch, but...there were maybe 150-200 staying there, so I'd think the chances would be slim.. to none

[ManAboutTown]

Alcohol is strictly banned in Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative Moslem nations, with a population of 27 million, including seven million expatriates.

ah, that reminds me.. drinking a couple of beers in the hotel drew even more angry stares.. I did enjoy that part even though it was about 8 quid a pint, worth it just to piss em off!!

[Gerbil]

they pay upto about 90k (Thai) per month and free housing

Is that really enough?

Won't pay for many slappers in Wanchai on that.

[hazz]

LOL... Never been to Saudi, but... was in Malaysia recently and stayed in a hotel that was fully booked out with Saudis.. apparently a lot had gone there because of some religious holiday or other...
My GOD I have never met a more ignorant, rude bunch of cnuts in my life! I remember holding the lift open for people, who then would get in the lift and not even ACKNOWLEDGE me, let alone smile or thank me for it.. constant scowls are returned if you make even a slight smiling gesture... rude to the receptionists, just hammering their fists on the counter and demanding this/that... truly awful people. Staring you out with looks of total contempt for no reason... really not nice to be around. Oh and all the women walking around in burkahs does not a nice relaxing holiday atmosphere make!
Worst part about it was the hotel was fantastic, just dreaded going out of the room to get food etc. One thing that did make me laugh was a woman on one of those parachutes being pulled behind a boat with... full burkah, excellent... bit gutted I didn't have my camera for that one

It's possible I might have just got a bad batch, but...there were maybe 150-200 staying there, so I'd think the chances would be slim.. to none

Don't you realise they are god's chosen people. They were scowling at you because you, despite obviously being piece of kaffur shit, you still didn't know your place.