Saudi

[Ty Webb]

This is for the guy that thinks that we were "guests" of the Suadis during the Gulf War and should have followed their local customs:

We were not "Guests" of the Saudis. Our people were not there because they wanted to be there. They did not choose voluntarily to "visit", they were there because the Suadis begged us to come save their royal asses. THAT is the difference, and to deny our personnel their own religious symbols was incredibly disrespectful.

The Saudi PR machine thinks that we are all fools, and all they have to do is buy some air time warm fuzzies, and we will not see that they are funding terrorist activities and bad mouthing us all over the Arab world.

If it were up to me, I would tell them that we are calling in our markers, and if they don't like it, we'll make the battle plan such that the fleeing Iraquis will be driven into Saudi . . . now, wouldn't that be poetic justice.

 

[CCDiscoB]

Getting back to the original question...a year tour in Dhahran.

I spent 3.5 months there. If there is a place to go in Saudi, that is the place. The Air Force sends pilots there for a year tour to run the Saudi's F-15 Weapon's School. So, many have done what you are thinking about doing. I would do it only if:

I was single
I needed a type rating
They paid me huge $$$
Two free trips home during the year

Pros:
The "compounds" are very nice. In fact, you want to live in one of the compounds. They are guarded, for what that's worth, they have large pools and nice tennis courts. The compound is like a safe haven. Wives in bikinis, booze, etc, etc. Yes they get beer, somehow. Aramco has people you’d want to visit.

There is a huge mall we called the MSIP mall, (inside joke) and another mall we called the Tacan mall. You'll see why. You'll be able to buy what ever you want. They have nice restaurants around too.

If you like beer, spend your weekends in Bahrain. Just spend those big bucks on a hotel room. Bahrain is better than Saudi and there is a British airline flight attendant school there too.

I kind of scoff the golf comment. There is golf, but the fairways are sand and the greens have no grass.

The cons:
Driving there is anarchy. Seriously, the worst I’ve seen. It’s a desert it’s hot. People don’t like us, which is ok, the feelings are mutual.

But how often will you there if the job is so good? For a 747-400 type rating, sign me up.

As far a war, you won't even know it. Unless the company stops flying. By then you'll have your type-rating. The next Iraq war won't be fought out of Saudi.

Good Luck. The more I think about it, I may join you. Either that or Truckmasters.

 

[KC-10 Driver]

From Dharhan, Bahrain is a relatively short drive across a causeway. Of all the Saudi cities, Dharhan would be the most palatable solely due to its proximity to Bahrain.

Otherwise lots of pros and cons of living in Saudi, mostly discussed above.

As someone who has spent well more than a year of my life in total (although not all at one time) on the Arabian peninsula, I have to say that Saudi would be the last on my list of the GCC countries in which I would want to live. UAE or Oman would be the first, followed by Qatar, Bahrain and then Kuwait.

Even if you take the job and end up regretting it, you could follow the advice my father used to give me. "You can stand on your head in a bucket of s**t for a year if you have to."

Good luck with the decision.

 

[furloboy]

I'm just finishing up a year-long flying contract in Kuwait--just north of Saudi. It is somewhat similar to Saudi with a few more freedoms but dirtier. It is relatively big bucks, but I will DEFINITELY not renew my contract. Take all the negative things you've read on the thread, multiply them by ten, and that's how I feel. Good luck.

 

[Kaman]

Be very careful what you ask for...

Hello,
I would basically agree with everyone's statements and comments in regards to living in Saudi Arabia. I've spent time in Saudi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the U.A.E. (Dubai and Abu Dhabi). I would necessarily say that we are the most welcome people in a general sense, but taken as individuals. The people over there aren't a lot different from us when it comes to pursuing their daily lives, working, school, etc... In fact I met some really nice folks over there.
Having said all that, I couldn't care less if I ever went back there again. Maybe, I'd consider Dubai or Bahrain, but forget Saudi Arabia. From personal experience and observation of theri military I'm neither a believer nor a fan in their modus operendi. The US pretty much maintains their F-15s, the Brits maintain the Hawk and Tornado fleet. When the US had a major presence in Dahran prior to the Khobar Towers debacle, we were shoved off to one side of the field (out of sight, out of mind). Also, keep in mind our "allies" will not provide basing for an attack on Iraq if it comes to that and they are a supporter of terrrorism indirectly, yes, but nevertheless the evidence of Saudi money making it to the "bad guys" is hard to deny.
If you are bound and determined to go, I'd make sure that you live as close as possible to the causeway into Bahrain if not in-country. Bahrain is very progressive as Arab countries go and the Gulf Hotel has a great Irish pub that is typically full of western airline stews (not like the kind in the US that are great-grannies either, I know that wasn't nice but I couldn't help it
Even if 9-11 never occured I'd still not even consider going over there. If it is a means to end for you, perhaps it might be worth it. I don't know what the perentage of people extending their contracts is, but I reckon it's less than 50%.
Best of luck to you, and have a "Swarma" (sic) on me

Regards,

ex-Navy rotorhead

 

[Vik]

I jump seated on an Emirates 777 about a year or so ago. Both the pilots were "foreigners" to that region. One guy was from Australia and the other guy was from England.

They both were paid very well to relocate and the salary and quality of life for them and their families was excellent.

They were living in the UAE not Saudi Arabia and the UAE is more liberal from what I understand.

I wouldn't mind working in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. Those are two countries in that region that are pretty safe.

 

[Expat]

The whole reason I left my rather well paying job with a major American carrier and restarted my life in the middle east was due to the general racist attitude and xenophobia people in the United States exibt towards Arabs. Even third generation Americans like myself.
Living in Saudi is not perfect. I agree, some of the local customs take some gettign used to. My wife is not happy about not being able to drive. However, we do get nice benefits from my new job with a VIP, including her being flown out commercially to join us on long trips.
My children are enjoying a world-class english-speakign education, as they never learned arabic from eithe rof this. My 16-year old son misses football, but does not miss his coach publicly telling the rest of his team that "people like him" were to blame for Sept. 11. Nor do I miss 2 Capts calling in sick on the same day, or snide remarks about "Rashid the Raghead"
I am immensely proud to be an American, as was my father and my grandfather. But until things settle down in the US, I'd rather be in Saudi Arabia than be subject to the toment myself and my family went through after 9/11.
So my honest suggestion is, take the job in Saudi. The money is good, the country is nice. Just don't knock the locals because they are different.

 

[taz]

An honest reply

Hi Expat
I know exactly how you feel. During the desert storm conflict i was a captain at a major airline and was also made the but of jokes from "small minded" & arragant Americans who really didn't know or think about what they were talking about, ( more like kindergarten kids on the playground) Never-The-Less 10 Plus years later & we are in the same or similar senario again. And again they brush aside all their University education and life experieces to jump on the Xenophobia and Racist bandwagon!. If that's what gives them an orgasim then more power to them!!!
The fact is that America is for the first time in its history filled with people like me and you WHO ARE BORN IN THE USA!!! but as such don't fit the profile...i.e NONWHITE/BLOND HAIR BLUE EYE !! who are actually the "new Majority" and are now the convient scapegoat for the innate childish beheavior by these same "college educated sons & daughters of the Republic".
Like you this is my home and I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!! but like the African Americans before me we are denied that right!!...
I have like you moved on with my life and though i still live here i have chose to make charge of my life and remove..that negative element!
And i have found that there are places that you can go and make allot of money and not have all the necessary baggage of the "American experience".
In my travels throughout Europe, Aisia , the Middle east and the Caribbean I have met many different people who lived through WW2 and they "ALL" tell met the exact same thing that "America Today" has become more & more like Europe in 1938 when Hitler
came to power and the Socalist policies of "The Third Reich". which were firmly embraced by the "ARIAN" Citizenry......
So as they say"Hind sight is always 20/20.

Cheers

TAZ!!

 

[metrodriver]

Taz and ex-pat, you guys are right. Have you seen the new website from uncle sam for the background check? It goes a bit overboard and very privacy invasive. (www.flightschoolcandidate.gov)

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Blah Blah Blah

Whatever you guys say still doesnt change the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers (I cant remember the exact numbers) were Saudis. The rest were also of middle eastern origin. Two wrongs dont make a right. We did nothing to provoke such a cowardly attack by Rashid and his bunch. Maybe we (the USA) are not perfect it still doesnt give people the right to kill 3000 innocent people. Thats something that the bleeding heart liberals have a hard time understanding.

If you dont like it here leave, I will be very happy that you did. Theres no reason to stay here if you dont like it. This is the greatest nation ever on this planet, we enjoy more freedoms here than just about any country in the world.

I do fully support the backgorund checks of all people of middle eastern, persian, and arabic descent. It has to be done to make this country safe again for my children to live.

 

[DC10]

Sometimes I read things on this board that just make me cringe.

After reading B-J-J Fighter's post I've thought long and hard about how to respond and feel that mere words can't even begin to convey my disgust towards him.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

My earlier post

What did I say that made you cringe? I guess the truth does in fact hurt sometimes. I dont see anything wrong with my post.

 

[Ty Webb]

Expat and TAZ:

I have nothing but respect for the Arab-American pilots that I know, and who stuck it out through difficult times here, and I have no doubts about their loyalty. I would gladly work with any of them, and I have not heard any of my fellow pilots say anything different.

You two clowns, however, do not fit into that category. Maybe the pilots at your carrier were reacting to you differently because of the way you handled the situation- and in running off to Saudi Arabia, and bad-mouthing us form a distance, you pretty much proved them right . . . . . . .

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Excellent Post

Ty you hit the nail on the head. Someone comes over here to enjoy the freedom we have here and then they run back to Saudi to bad mouth the US. Do me a big favor and the rest of us loyal americans, please dont come back, its a much better place with you 2 gone.

 

[DC10]

Expat and TAZ,

If the opinions of Ty and Blow Job Fighter are typical of the treatment you received in the US, I'm sure that you are far better off living in another country. Please try to ignore them.