Has anyone worked at the American International School of Jeddah? Or do you know someone who teaches there?
I'd really appreciate some info about the school and life in Saudi Arabia.
Life in Saudi Arabia
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
I've never lived there, but you should reflect on what is necessary in your daily life and what is your motivation for going to KSA. Is your glass half full or empty?
Hopefully someone will provide insight on your direct questions.
Hopefully someone will provide insight on your direct questions.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Saudi is an interesting place. The Haia (muttawa, or religious police) enforce standards of dress and action; however, over the past 3 years their influence has been limited due to some very embarrassing incidents that led to public outcry.
Jeddah is one of the more liberal parts of the country. Women are still expected to wear the abaya, but many do not cover their hair (we are talking expat women), although they do carry a heard scarf just in case.
Money goes quite far because things like petrol are very cheap. In fact a liter of petrol is .45 or .6 riyals. A riyal is 3.7575 to the US dollar. To fill up my Land Crruiser 's double tanks (135 liters) cost me about 60 riyals - or under 20 dollars. Water, at 1 riyal a 500 ml bottle, is more expensive! The government also subsidizes staples like flour and rice.
Jeddah is fairly cosmopolitan, although it doesn't have a Tamimis (the Saudi partner of Safeway). It does have other hypermarkets, such as Danube, that do stock western goods. Everything from low to high end is available, but never really in one place.
AISJ's housing is on Saudia City compound. It is older and nowhere near as posh as some other compounds. But, when I was there visiting, the apartments were not horrible and I could have lived in them.
Not sure about pay and benefit packages - my friends left AISJ quite a few years ago my experience with it is also not recent.
I spent 7 years in Saudi and enjoyed my time there. I wasn't at AISJ, but had friends who were and I was also there for tournaments. There are much worse schools out there, but it is not the top school in Saudi, or Jeddah. If I were looking for a job, I wouldn't turn them down.
Hope this helps,
Shad
Jeddah is one of the more liberal parts of the country. Women are still expected to wear the abaya, but many do not cover their hair (we are talking expat women), although they do carry a heard scarf just in case.
Money goes quite far because things like petrol are very cheap. In fact a liter of petrol is .45 or .6 riyals. A riyal is 3.7575 to the US dollar. To fill up my Land Crruiser 's double tanks (135 liters) cost me about 60 riyals - or under 20 dollars. Water, at 1 riyal a 500 ml bottle, is more expensive! The government also subsidizes staples like flour and rice.
Jeddah is fairly cosmopolitan, although it doesn't have a Tamimis (the Saudi partner of Safeway). It does have other hypermarkets, such as Danube, that do stock western goods. Everything from low to high end is available, but never really in one place.
AISJ's housing is on Saudia City compound. It is older and nowhere near as posh as some other compounds. But, when I was there visiting, the apartments were not horrible and I could have lived in them.
Not sure about pay and benefit packages - my friends left AISJ quite a few years ago my experience with it is also not recent.
I spent 7 years in Saudi and enjoyed my time there. I wasn't at AISJ, but had friends who were and I was also there for tournaments. There are much worse schools out there, but it is not the top school in Saudi, or Jeddah. If I were looking for a job, I wouldn't turn them down.
Hope this helps,
Shad
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Thanks Shadowjack, that's helpful. I'm not considering a position here but some friends are. They don't really know anyone with more recent experience with AISJ.
I think Middle East is interesting but not an area I am keen to live in, no matter the package or school reputation. It's probably different with a family.
I think Middle East is interesting but not an area I am keen to live in, no matter the package or school reputation. It's probably different with a family.
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
I've never taught in Saudi, but I teach in Bahrain, which is connected by the causeway at the other end of the country. Saudi's flock here every weekend to let their hair down. They drink, go to clubs, and just live it up. Yes, even Saudi women do that. Anyway, the situation is different since Jeddah is much farther away, but my primary concern would be will the teacher's be on a multiple entry visa and will they have their passports? That is very important because if so they would be able to leave whatever weekend they wanted and come to Bahrain for a little freedom. If not, then you are pretty much stuck in the fishbowl and that can become tiring. If they have their own passport and are able to leave when they want then I think KSA can be a good experience (financially good and a nice place to get some experience internationally). If there's any question about whether they could leave then I would stay away. I wouldn't even dream of going to schools that hold your passport (other than for routine visa processing).
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
I taught on the east coast, near Dammam. A couple of years ago a friend of mine was considering a position in Jeddah and mentioned the relatively liberal reputation. My reply was that the difference between Riyadh and Jeddah was like the difference between Washington D.C. and Fairfax, VA. He liked that.
Saudi can be great. There are some mildly interesting historical sites including Petra's sister city near al-Ula, the ancestral home of bin-Wahab (the name escapes me right now), and some spots along the border with Yemen. There's a few outdoors adventures to be had including diving off the west coast, exploring the mountains along the border with Yemen, and countless desert activities. The culture, however conservative, is interesting once you get into it. The people are friendly (in my experience) and well-intentioned (d'awa or not), if not a bit frustrated (socially and politically).
I just found it to be boring on the whole. If you're the type of person that spends all or most of your time indoors and otherwise in malls, if you're not picky about your alcohol (assuming you drink and are okay with violating local customs/laws--I don't recommend it), then you'll likely be fine.
Saudi can be great. There are some mildly interesting historical sites including Petra's sister city near al-Ula, the ancestral home of bin-Wahab (the name escapes me right now), and some spots along the border with Yemen. There's a few outdoors adventures to be had including diving off the west coast, exploring the mountains along the border with Yemen, and countless desert activities. The culture, however conservative, is interesting once you get into it. The people are friendly (in my experience) and well-intentioned (d'awa or not), if not a bit frustrated (socially and politically).
I just found it to be boring on the whole. If you're the type of person that spends all or most of your time indoors and otherwise in malls, if you're not picky about your alcohol (assuming you drink and are okay with violating local customs/laws--I don't recommend it), then you'll likely be fine.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Dawson,
Those are two good questions. When my friends taught at AISJ they had multiples and their passports.
My friends at AISR had multiples and passports as well. I now understand that AISR now holds your passport in their office and you can only get singles because "the government won't issue multiples to teachers".
Those are two good questions. When my friends taught at AISJ they had multiples and their passports.
My friends at AISR had multiples and passports as well. I now understand that AISR now holds your passport in their office and you can only get singles because "the government won't issue multiples to teachers".
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Jayhawk,
I was in Riyadh for 7 years. Actually, the difference between Riyadh and Jeddah is the difference between being in a small Baptist town in the south and a large American city. Riyadh, though big and the capital, has far more of a haia presence, is much more Wahabbi in nature (being in the Wahabbi heartland and only some 100 km from the start of Wahabbi-ism). Jeddah is much more Hijazi, and is influenced by the Hijazzi culture which is far more open and less restrictive than the Wahabbi culture.
To give you an example, someone I know did umrah in Makkah, and when they returned told me they were shocked. When I asked why, they said that within 2 kilometers of the Grand Mosque they had been approached with offers of a woman and offers of alcohol. In Makkah! This was a person who was not Saudi and who did not look Saudi. However, in my years in Riyadh I was NEVER approached and offered ANYTHING like that.
Jeddah is the gateway to Makkah and Madinah and it is much more cosmopolitan and less religious than RIyadh.
Personally, I liked Riyadh better because of the embassy functions, a better hash, more things to do on weekends with various groups, etc, but Jeddah would have been nice too. (as would Dammam/Dhahran with ISG schools). But I would avoid places like Hail, Hofuf, Yanbu, Khamys Mishwit, Asir, Taif, etc...
I was in Riyadh for 7 years. Actually, the difference between Riyadh and Jeddah is the difference between being in a small Baptist town in the south and a large American city. Riyadh, though big and the capital, has far more of a haia presence, is much more Wahabbi in nature (being in the Wahabbi heartland and only some 100 km from the start of Wahabbi-ism). Jeddah is much more Hijazi, and is influenced by the Hijazzi culture which is far more open and less restrictive than the Wahabbi culture.
To give you an example, someone I know did umrah in Makkah, and when they returned told me they were shocked. When I asked why, they said that within 2 kilometers of the Grand Mosque they had been approached with offers of a woman and offers of alcohol. In Makkah! This was a person who was not Saudi and who did not look Saudi. However, in my years in Riyadh I was NEVER approached and offered ANYTHING like that.
Jeddah is the gateway to Makkah and Madinah and it is much more cosmopolitan and less religious than RIyadh.
Personally, I liked Riyadh better because of the embassy functions, a better hash, more things to do on weekends with various groups, etc, but Jeddah would have been nice too. (as would Dammam/Dhahran with ISG schools). But I would avoid places like Hail, Hofuf, Yanbu, Khamys Mishwit, Asir, Taif, etc...
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
I'm teaching in Saudi right now, and want to clear up something that raises a red flag. I have my passport and a multiple entrance/exit visa, as do all of us expat teachers in our school in the Dammam/Dhahran area. (Maybe one day I might run into Dawson in Bahrain as we go regularly). It is not true that the government isn't issuing multiple entrance/exit visas to teachers. If a school is holding passports and saying that, I would be very, very, careful.
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eslteacher3
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:50 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
How is life in the smaller compounds like Abqaiq? Has anyone taught there? Any information would be so appreciated!
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Abqaiq is a small town near Hofuf, about an hour and a half from Dammam by road.
I would assume you are asking about the Aramco school. You would be on a nicer compound, full facilities, access to Western items. Abqaiq itself is small and not much going on. The school itself is a smaller center, but seemed nice. I was only in it briefly. The nice thing about Aramco is that you can transfer after you have been there.
I had friends in Ras Tanura and while it was an hour and some away from Damam, it was NICE!
hope that helps,
shad
I would assume you are asking about the Aramco school. You would be on a nicer compound, full facilities, access to Western items. Abqaiq itself is small and not much going on. The school itself is a smaller center, but seemed nice. I was only in it briefly. The nice thing about Aramco is that you can transfer after you have been there.
I had friends in Ras Tanura and while it was an hour and some away from Damam, it was NICE!
hope that helps,
shad
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Wow! Appreciate all the info and will pass it on.
Someone said AISJ had problems with getting the visas but we really don't know how true that is.
My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
Someone said AISJ had problems with getting the visas but we really don't know how true that is.
My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
Mac1030 wrote:
> My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing
> discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
Yes, I am sorry to say, it is a valid concern. How bad it would be would be determined by how international their living and working communities are. If they are the only southeast Asians in a community of mostly middle easterners (it's not just the Saudis), it could be quite bad. They might have more support at, say, a Phillipino school, which exist here. There is a huge Southeast Asian community here in the Eastern Province. Most work in service industries.
> My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing
> discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
Yes, I am sorry to say, it is a valid concern. How bad it would be would be determined by how international their living and working communities are. If they are the only southeast Asians in a community of mostly middle easterners (it's not just the Saudis), it could be quite bad. They might have more support at, say, a Phillipino school, which exist here. There is a huge Southeast Asian community here in the Eastern Province. Most work in service industries.
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
>
> > My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing
> > discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
I am an African American female, considering a job in Saudi school where 90% of the staff are local hires, is that wise?
> > My friends are Southeast Asian- they have concerns about facing
> > discrimination in Saudi? Is this a valid concern for them?
I am an African American female, considering a job in Saudi school where 90% of the staff are local hires, is that wise?
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expatteacher99
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2012 4:46 am
Re: Life in Saudi Arabia
"I am an African American female, considering a job in Saudi school where 90% of the staff are local hires, is that wise?"
There are a lot of very dark skinned Saudis who look African or African American. My African American friends have been embraced with open arms by the Saudis even more than I have as a caucasian. The ones who have medium skin tones actually get mistaken for Saudis/Arabs all the time. I do not think it would be a huge concern but I guess it might be school or city specific.
There are a lot of very dark skinned Saudis who look African or African American. My African American friends have been embraced with open arms by the Saudis even more than I have as a caucasian. The ones who have medium skin tones actually get mistaken for Saudis/Arabs all the time. I do not think it would be a huge concern but I guess it might be school or city specific.