With these posts about these great employment opportunities in the wonderful
kingdom of Saudi Arabia...and this does sound great, right?  Please consider
the following as well, before rushing to the phone to call and apply.  The
kingdom is a very different place than the US, Canada, Europe and many other
places...

This is not to be considered "Saudi Bashing" - far from it.  Each country
and region has their customs - but folks in the US, many times, get culture
shock when they go to the kingdom...  It's better to know this in advance,
than to get there, and find out the hard way...  That said...

1.  If you're female - really think hard about applying...the dress codes in
the kingdom are very strict (and rather hot and uncomfortable for the
weather) - the same applies for the spouses and female children of male
applicants...  Are your legs exposed?  Women have had henna sprayed on their
exposed legs and arms by the Sharia...the religious police ... quite
embarrassing.

2.  The "expat" tax advantages, *were* great - but have been tightened in
recent years...it's not the gravy train it used to be...

3.  When it says two years --- one better be ready for two years.  Even
though it's "employee status" - there's a contract involved...one that's not
easily broken.  (Unless this is something so totally different than what is
mostly done in the kingdom).

4.  If you enjoy alcohol, be ready to give it up...  Get caught, and it's
three years in a 6-by-6 cell, with a wooden cot and a hole in the middle of
the floor (called a hammam - you can guess what this is for)...  and as for
the stuff that's illegal here - it's 15 years.  There are Americans there
with "stills" - and "sadeke" (White Lightning to us here in the states :-)
is used as a base for some really great alcoholic beverages...but beware...2
drinks can knock a horse on its rear...and then there are the legal
issues...

5.  If you're single - don't let your eyes wander...  You'll end up either
wrangling with one ticked off father - or married to her...one or the other
<g>.  Same goes for possessions...  I know a guy who just marvelled at a
camel - the owner tried to give it to him as a gift!  Turning down a gift is
considered rude...but we got him out of it --- hehehe...

6.  Americans enjoy great benefits in the kingdom - but the kingdom is a
"class" society - unless it's changed recently - which I doubt.  You are
paid and employed into positions based on nationality.  Americans and
Europeans (mostly British, from my experience) are higher-level managers.
Experience counts, by so does your nationality.  There are positions which
are only given to other nationalities (don't ask - it's not pretty - this is
one of the things - even though an American - that I hated).

7.  Lastly, ask about your living quarters.  If you're a single male, it
could be a trailer, with two of you sharing a bathroom (but you will have
your own bedroom!)...  (These trailers have 24 bedrooms - 12 bathrooms - and
that's for the Managerial Class level...  Others, known as TCN's (some
nationalities) are in the trailers that house "dormitory style" --- don't
ask how many).

There's just so much more to consider...even more than this list...so - if
you are really interested - ask LOTS of questions, and don't sign anything
until an attorney looks it over and explains it fully...  Take it from one
who's "been there" (but not for two years - hehehe)...

PS:  One good thing?  Gold is one heck of a buy there...  If you like gold -
it can be had for a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world.  (How does
a piece of jewelry valued at over US$750 here in the states - bought at the
price of SR300 at the time, which was about US$80.00)

Joe