Well Kids here it is. The last anniversary before I leave Saudi Arabia. 8 Months down and my contract expires in August while I'll be gone on vacation. I'm set to head out near the end of the month and return in the beginning of September.
Wish I could be a little cheerier about this one, but I'm just not feeling it today. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the fact that its the 11th of July and the majority of instructors including yours truly have not been paid. No word has ever come from the bosses, not the executive level bosses nor the middle managers. No excuses, no apologies, no explanations...nothing. The last time this happened, I made it very clear that I work for money, not goodwill, although once the money's in the bank, please, by all means bring on the goodwill! Guess I didn't make myself clear enough.
The good news is that I get on a plane bound for London in 19 days, from London I head over the Atlantic to Chicago and then on to St. Louis I wish I had short timers syndrome, but I don't. I'm just damn lonely. I'm so happy to get out of the house and go to school its ridiculous. I bought another Instructor lunch today just for the company (well that and he deserved it). Summer here is ridiculously boring and lonely for expats. Next year, I might very well take the 60 days and spend 30 of it in Mexico just to escape Saudi during the summer.
Nothing very profound tonight sorry, poor old Uncle Bill is going to worry that I've contracted a case of the blues. Nothing could be further from the truth, I've just got a case of the Saudi's. In 19 days we'll see how my reintroduction to the land of freedom, trees, hills, rivers, women, beer and pork goes. This trip paid really well (when I actually get paid). But it's cost, while no fault of the Kingdom was still exponentially greater.
**Update, Finally I got not one, but two of the bosses to call me back tonight! They say that Regarding salary were looking at In'shallah Saturday, guess we'll see if my theory about In'shallah is accurate, for the sake of my bills and responsibilities, I hope not**
Best of luck .
ReplyDeleteI am happy for you. You are gonna be with normal people, and to normal place.
ReplyDeleteWill any book about your adventure in KSA in published come?
It should com. And tile should be "Suadi's in'shAllah"
I always love reading your comments, thanks for reading. Hmm...Book...I've thought about it, but I don't quite think I'm interesting enough. And on this trip I've been too self absorbed with my own problems to do much. Maybe I'll compile all of my best blog posts and self publish an e-book or something. As to normal people, well not really. They'll just be a different kind of strange. I guarantee you that within the first 3 days at home I tell at least 1 person to "shut up" that "I didn't come home from the middle east to my own country just to listen to their ignorant whiny opinion". But that's why I'm so popular wherever I go. I'm actually really looking forward to a little spiritual/religious talk and guidance. I've had so much time to think and listen to my inner voice in solitude that I want some trusted opinions on what I've discovered, what I went through and how it made me feel (both good and bad). That and I really, really, really, want some bacon and some sausage. :)
DeleteOh welcome. I love reading your post. they are real and funny. I like humor in it. And I want to write like that LOL.
DeleteI am sorry about your problems. Can I help?
Yeah sure you can compile your post and do ..Dude, do it. It would be great. I am telling you.
I am not that intelligent to talk about spiritual or religious . You can ask on your blog.
Take care.
No help needed, but thank you. And actually you're comments and just the fact that someone other than me is reading the blog DO help! You ever get to the Eastern province of Saudi, look me up, I'll by you a cup of coffee and we can discuss the crazy world we live in. (oh wait, that's illegal here..:) As far as spirituality goes, I'm actually looking forward to meeting a few well educated people at home to see what they think. Also though, you sell yourself too short, I read your blog, I'm quite sure you're more than intelligent enough to discuss it. Your passion and spirit come across very well in your blog, however if you ever have any questions about English, I'm always here sitting in Saudi without a whole heck of a lot to do, so I can probably answer a question or two fairly quickly.
DeleteThank you, and thank you.Hope our path cross one day .
DeleteI have so many question about English. Don't offer, you will go mad.
And you know its cool to be inked permanently.
What tat do you have ?
Take care.
You never know our paths may very well cross some day, 2 years ago if someone had told me that I'd be teaching paramedics in Saudi Arabia I would have laughed at them and said "no, I think I'm done traveling, I won't be leaving home again" And yet, here I am, back in the lifestyle of planes and hotels and new places. Seriously though if I can help in any way with English just ask away, if I can help I will. I always help any of my students and friends that want to improve or learn. I find that it helps me understand them better as wll as helping them understand me. As to tat's, well I'm in a place that isn't that appreciative of tattoo's, especially not on professionals, so I keep them covered and try and make sure people don't think of them. Therefore I can't really answer that question publicly, I don't want anyone to tell my boss that I showed them or encouraged them to get tattoo's. I have a "few". lol
Deleteyes, Dude...we really never know. Though I am in Karachi all my life LOL.
DeleteI will sure ask way about English with out any hesitation.
I am gonna find you on Facebook. So I will ask over here. Hope you boss not there.
See ya :)
I looked, I haven't seen anything on facebook yet...and my boss? haha, we run our own department here, especially during the summer!
DeleteI was mentioned in your blog. I'm famous! You had to make a really tough choice about your short term future over a year ago. It should have been a fantastic adventure. Maybe if they let you travel on weekends out of the country so you can blow off some steam next semester, it will get better. Or you could capitulate and find an expat compound and shelter yourself for the next storm. Hope you have a moment for a drive by howdy, but I'm guessing you have a really full plate for your vacation.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a pretty good adventure. I'll be starting this next academic year with a totally different mindset so it may be a bit different and therefore a bit better. I would love to travel, I'm hoping that by signing my second contract, I'll somehow prove to the owner (my sponsor) that I won't runaway, and then be allowed to have a multi-entry/exit visa. If not, I plan to go home next year via Egypt to Morocco to Lebanon and then over to London and across the Atlantic. It'll cost me a little bit, but I think it'll be worth it. I really want to see India and Pakistan as well, and I wouldn't mind throwing Jordan on the list, but while I do make good money, I'm by no means rich!
DeleteI've considered the compound thing, but they're a couple of issues with that, first of all the cheap ones aren't worth it, and the expensive ones are EXPENSIVE (200k SAR/year= 53k USD) My housing allowance (when its actually paid) would cut that down a bit, but not that much. The difference would have to be paid by me. I've seen some people who come here for money, and then go deeper in debt just to enjoy their life. Big house, fancy car, Rolex or Omega watches, weekend trips every weekend. I want to be happy and I want to be comfortable, but I do not want to come home broke. Unless you think the US economy will completely recover in the next 12 months and my house won't be 10k undervalue anymore!
I am planning a Southern US road trip for at least half my time home, gonna head south on 55, stop in MS, continue on to NO LA, and then down the gulf coast all the way to my moms place in FL. My plan is to have no plan. If that beech looks nice I'm gonna stop, if that beer looks cold I'm gonna drink it, if that girl looks pretty I'm gonna say hi. I have an abortion (wedding) to go to in IL midway through the month, but that's about it. There's a lot about me that people have wrong, but they're all right about one thing. I like the freedom to just go. Its not that I want to necessarily go anywhere, but if I wake up and want to get on my motorcycle and see Mt. Rushmore, I'll be damned if anything is going to stop me anymore.
However, all that being said, I will definitely find an evening to stop by and smoke a stogie and have a glass of wine or two.