Saudi Arabia: Freedom!

At last, she could breathe the air outside. She could go back to her home after spending what? Ten days in prison? And her crime? Driving a car and posting the video online.


We are all happy that she was finally released. This brave Saudi woman in her plight to fight for Saudi women's rights, paid a price that cost her 10 days in jail, the risk of losing custody of her son, and the risk of losing her job. Who knows? Maybe she has already lost it.


Thank God! Manal AlSharif was finally released today by the AlKhobar police. It is reported that she apologised for breaking the law and promised to withdraw from the planned June 17th women's driving protest. Now there are many speculations as to whether women will still take to the streets on June 17. 


Below is a video, a creative work of art by an artist, Aafke. I found it interesting and couldn't help sharing.

Runaway Saudi Girls

Today, I learnt about another sad story from a Saudi friend. A young girl, the daughter of an acquaintance, was suspected of running away from home. She is only 17, a student in high school, with a promising future. From what her mum related, she had suddenly become rebellious and even refused to continue wearing the niqab. At that time, her mum thought she was acting under the influence of her teen friends who weren't covering their faces completely. 


She has gone missing for over 2 weeks now. Her wardrobe is half empty and she is not at any of her relatives' home. Where could she be? Her mum's best guess is that she has run away with a lover. Not surprising if she was a Western or European girl; this is so common. But a young Saudi girl?


Only a few weeks ago, Arab News reported that the number of Saudi girls running away from their homes was increasing. Just like many other things that happen in the country, cases like this are treated discreetly, and too often we do not know the real frequency of certain events.


Who is to blame here? To start with, sometimes the families are blamed for being very violent and too strict on their female children than on males. Other people accuse these bright guys that we put in our living-rooms, TV, to entertain us. And then, some of you are to blame, expatriate guys. 


Yes, expatriate guys are even accused of luring these young Saudi girls away from their families. An Arab News reporter even described them as hunks. How a young Saudi girl finds herself in such a situation, only God knows. If these girls are copying what they see on TV, then they are surely heading the wrong way because life in Saudi Arabia is definitely not the same as in Western countries. If your Romeo lets you down, you are in for trouble because not only you can't go back to your family since you brought shame on them, you can't even hope to find an odd job to sustain you. 


It is pathetic for a young girl to throw her life away and head into the unknown. May God help these lost kids.

How Weird?

The arrest of Manal Sharif has been an issue over the past week, featuring in international papers, on blogs and on the local news.

Following her arrest, there are claims that another group was created on Facebook by an anonymous person, to beat up all males and females who support the fight for women to drive. According to reports, the creator of this facebook page is calling on all men to beat their wives and who would dare take to the roads in the name of "the campaign for women to drive." The "Iqal Campaign: June 17 for preventing women from driving," as it is called, encourages males to use their iqal (the black cord that they use to hold their white-red chekered scarf) to beat women who attempt to drive on that day.

There are claims that this page was created, yet no blogger or journalist is putting up a link to this page (See here, here and here). I thought I couldn't find the page on Facebook because it was probably in Arabic, but my Arabic-speaking friends couldn't find it either. How weird? Either they do not know how to use Facebook or this page is written in some coded language. If you find it, please let me know.

News always creates news. Is someone trying to attract attention here? Or is it really true that men and women would be beaten by people who do not support the need for females to drive?

Come to think of it, everything surrounding this issue is weird.

#1 Women should not drive because they will mix with mechanics (males).

Women are already mixing with men. I went to a cafe with my girlfriend only a couple of weeks ago, and I was shocked by what I saw. A cafe in the heart of Jeddah! I heard there was even worse than what I had witnessed.

In addition, women stay with their drivers in the same car. Mind you, the family driver is not a relative. Isn't it forbidden for 2 unrelated people of the opposite sex to sit in the same car?

#2 If women drive, this will promote "fitnah" because they will buy a new car, which is new model just because they want to be the first to drive it.

Oh yeah! You need to sit with the ladies in a social gathering. Women compare jewellery, or the furniture in their homes, or the latest phone or technology on the market...and you name it. Is this not promoting "fitnah." Better still is to ban women from having any of these luxuries, if they do not want to promote "fitnah."

#3 If women drive, it will lead to overcrowding of the streets.

Waoh! I guess other countries that allow women to drive would learn from this; the ultimate solution to traffic congestion! Well-said.

And more...I wish I had the time. For a country that bans women from driving, but lets women drive in the rural areas in the cities and in special areas that have immunity, that is pretty weird. Saudi Arabia, in my opinion has a long way to go.

The Unending Fight for Women to Drive in Saudi Arabia

Many of us know her name; Ms. Manal Sharif. The 32-year old Saudi has stirred up the media these past days, raising eyebrows worldwide. On Saturday, she was arrested by the religious police after she filmed herself driving a car and posted it online. She was released a few hours later, but the local police returned to her home after midnight and arrested her again, so it is reported.


Apparently, Ms. Manal was arrested for breaking the general rules by inciting other women to drive and stirring public opinion. Since her arrest, hundreds of people, men and women alike, signed a petition addressed to King Abdullah to release her and grant women the right to drive in the Kingdom.


Will Ms. Manal's arrest serve as example to stop women from taking to the streets on the 17th of June? I doubt it. There are other activists such as Wajiha Al Huwaider, who will not stop their fight for Saudi women's rights. And it doesn't end there...There are many more people, of both sexes, who are supporting the campaign to let women drive.


It is still hard to believe that in an era like this, a woman gets caught for driving. Come to think of it, it is not un-islamic for a woman to drive a car. Is it mostly about having total control over women and fearing that they will mix with men. Oh no! Look closely, and you will see that what opponents of female driving want to avoid, is already happening.


Links to Manal's story:
The New York Times
Arab News
Saudi Women Driving

Expat Women Salaries in Saudi Arabia

Most females who come via family visa find it hard to get a job in their fields of interest. This is not the same story for our sisters who come to Saudi Arabia via a work visa. Nevertheless, if you are coming on a work visa, you should know the current salary trends of the area before moving.


Given that this country is very conservative, there are not many career options for women. Opportunities are usually available to women in the following sectors:


-Education
-Healthcare
-Hospitality/housekeeping


Now let us get to the salaries. Salaries will vary depending on your nationality (for some institutions or companies), level of education, and/or experience.

What should you expect in the education sector?


If you are a teacher, you should expect something between 1500 and 3200 USD per month. The following will determine how much you could end up getting.

1. Nationality: If you are a native English language speaker or have achieved native-level proficiency, then you are on the right path. 
2. Qualification: For mathematics, the basic sciences, and computer sciences, a Master's degree in the corresponding field would increase your chances of hitting a higher pay. For English language teachers, a Bachelor's degree in English language, Journalism, Mass Communication or Linguistics are very essential. Other certificates such as ESL, TEFL, TESL, EFL, CELTA, DELTA or TESOL attract many employers. A Master's or PhD in English is an asset.
3. Experience: Candidates who have 2 years or more teaching experience are usually preferred. Those who have also had experience teaching at a university have an added advantage.

As an aside, some international schools hire women without teaching experience. The salary will vary from one school to another and according to the qualification of the individual. There are some international schools in Jeddah for example, which hire female doctors, engineers, technicians, and nurses to teach children of different ages and levels. Usually, teachers without a university degree will get something between 530 and 665 USD monthly. Those with a university degree will get between 800 and 1500 USD monthly. Coordinators usually get a little more than this.

And what about our white-clad sisters in the health sector?

Here too, salaries will vary depending on the health institution. Female general practitioners (G.Ps) working for the Saudi government get a basic salary of about 1066 USD per month, plus other benefits i.e housing, transportation, medical etc. Specialists and consultants make a higher pay with salaries ranging between 2135 and 3200 USD monthly in addition to other benefits. Physicians working for the government enjoy a yearly raise after working for a given period of time; this is usually mentioned in the contract.

Physician salaries in the private sector vary a lot. Factors that could influence this are nationality, expertise, or level of education. G.Ps in the private sector could earn from 1066 to 2500 USD monthly; benefits may or may not be included. The lowest earners usually work in the private clinics and polyclinics. Those who earn more could be found in big hospitals and in insurance companies. The specialists and consultants get even more. They can take home between 2666 and 5333 USD monthly, depending on where they are working. There are even reports of consultants who earn more than 6000 USD per month. 

Nursing salaries also vary depending on the nationality and experience. According to some sources, these vary between 500 to 5000 USD per month, with Registered Nurses from the West (North America) apparently getting a higher pay...learn why. Workers from Asia, South Africa, and Nigeria get lower salaries.

And the ladies in the hospitality sector?

This sector offers very attractive salaries, but unfortunately most of the positions at hotels and public institutions are reserved for men. So where will we often find the women working in this sector? You will find them doing housekeeping jobs in hospitals, schools, and in the female branches of banks, female malls, shops and female entertainment areas. One thing for sure is that if you are planning to mop floors, expect between 265 and 535 USD per month. You would land a better deal if you get housing and transportation benefits in addition.

What is life if not work, work and more work. Go sisters, earn the cash and life goes on...

End of the World: Not this time?

You must have heard it again. The first time that I witnessed it, it was in 1994, if I have a good memory. I was still a teen then. I spent all of my little savings because I didn't want to risk the chance of dying and leaving my money behind. It has happened again: "The end of the world!" This time, 21st May 2011.

Search engines have been crazy over the last few days. Worldwide, people were searching for information regarding the end of the world in 2011. You must have read that Harold Camping, an 89-year old former engineer, predicited the world was going to end on Saturday, May 12, 2011 at exactly 6 p.m. How he was able to come up with this date, only God knows. After this announcement, his followers started going around, alerting people that the world was going to end on the 21st of May. There are some tracts online which say judgement day will start on the 21st of May 2011, when God's elect people would be taken into heaven, and Earth would be finally destroyed on October 21, 2011.

So what did you do on the day before the big event? Who? Me? Ah, yes. Well, I went out to spend some time with a couple of friends. I had heard of the end of the world a few days back but then, I couldn't annul this event that I had planned well before the prediction. Plus, it was a day before the said-day and none of my friends nor acquaintances seemed to be the least worried about the world ending the next day. In fact, it didn't even feature in our conversations. 

And what happened on the 21st? Um hum. It was around 10 a.m while I was at work that I remembered that the world was supposed to end on that day. Waoh! Madam had completely forgotten and did not even seem to be the least disturbed by this. My colleague wasn't the least moved by the news when I told her. Her reply was, "I guess I would stay down here with all the other sinners 'cos I haven't been really living a religious life." With that, she burst into laughter.

It was after midnight and I was still up. No one called me to say that a relative had disappeared or had been lifted up into heaven to be more specific. I was sitting right there in my living room, watching a movie and playing with my baby. And now I am writing. It is a day after the end of the world. Still nothing is happening. Surely the world is not going to end now - at least not before I publish this post. And what about the "real" last day? That is supposed to be October 21st, 2011, right? Waoh! I had made plans to go on holidays in December 2011. Looks like someone is planning to go on holidays after the destruction of Earth.

Do not be fooled. No one will know when the world is going to end. It is pointless for people to go around making baseless calculations and even giving specific dates and times. In the Injeel (New Testament), it is written: "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." [1 Thessalonians 5: 2 (NIV)]. No one would know the last day, even Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) himself said he didn't know, but talked of the warning signs of the end times.

So chill guys. Keep your calculators aside and stop scaring the hell out of some people with your end of the world predictions. Only the Most High will decide.

IELTS Classes in Jeddah

Prof. Khalid, the manager of the English language centre, Basateen institutes (AITC), invites future candidates of the IELTS to attend preparatory courses that are tailored to help them build up skills and confidently sit for the examination.

Regular and Irregular IELTS intensive classes will begin from Saturday 21st of May, 2011 at Basateen Institute as from 7 p.m. Students are required to download the registration form and submit it to the main office at Shola Centre, Basateen Institute, Medina Road, Jeddah well in time for confirmation of their seats. It is also suggested that students get an IELTS date from the British Council as quickly as possible. They can have the British Council form from the institute and guidance regarding fee and filling of the said form. The next nearest available date is 25th of June, 2011. British Council rules and policies for IELTS students would be sent to all future candidates in a separate mail.

SYLLABUS PLAN

FOR REGULAR IELTS INTENSIVE COURSE (Males)

COURSE START DATE(Saturday 21st of May, 2011)

No. of teaching hours:30

Course Book for IELTS preparation: Cambridge IELTS-4(15 hours)

Exam Preparation book: Cambridge IELTS-5(10 hours)

Unseen Exam Final Preparation Tests:(5 hours)

Week-1

Sat to Wed: 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Tea break: 8.15 to 8.25 p.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-4 Reading & writing

Week-2

Sat to Wed: 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Tea break: 8.15 to 8.25 p.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-4 Listening & Speaking

Week-3

Sat to Wed: 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Tea break: 8.15 to 8.25 p.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-5 Reading & writing

Week-4

Sat to Mon: 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Tea break: 8.15 to 8.25 p.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-5 Listening & Speaking

Tue to Wed: 7.30 to 9.00 p.m.

Tea break: 8.15 to 8.25 p.m.

Unseen Test Material LRW & S

Instructions:

• Please fill the AITC registration form and make sure that the fee is paid before you attend classes.
• Fee payment can be made in the office of Dr. Saeed at Basateen Institute, Shola Centre, Medina Road, Jeddah.
• Leaves are not allowed in any intensive course.
• Absentees are not allowed to repeat any classes.
• Fill the British Council form for getting your IELTS date well in time
• Bring IELTS-4 & 5 with you for attending classes

FOR IRREGULAR IELTS INTENSIVE COURSE (Males)

COURSE START DATE (Thursday 26TH of May, 2011)

No. of teaching hours:20

Course Book for IELTS preparation: Cambridge IELTS-4(10 hours)

Exam Preparation book: Cambridge IELTS-5(7.5 hours)

Unseen Exam Final Preparation Tests(2.5 hours)

Week-1

Thur to Fri: 10.00 to 12.30 a.m.

Tea break: 11.00 to 11.10 a.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-4 Reading & writing

Week-2

Thur to Fri: 10.00 to 12.30 a.m.

Tea break: 11.00 to 11.10 a.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-4 Listening & Speaking

Week-3

Thur to Fri: 10.00 to 12.30 a.m.

Tea break: 11.00 to 11.10 a.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-5 Reading & writing

Week-4

Thur: 10.00 to 12.30 a.m.

Tea break: 11.00 to 11.10 a.m.

Material Skills: IELTS-5 Listening & Speaking

Fri: 10.00 to 12.30 a.m.

Tea break:11.00 to 11.10 a.m.

Unseen Test Material LRW & S

Instructions:

• Please fill the AITC registration form and make it sure that the fee is paid before you attend classes.
• Irregular IELTS intensive course is designed for those who are busy in the morning/evening jobs and cannot attend regular classes or for the students of nearby cities so that they can complete their courses for IELTS preparation on Weekends from Thursday to Friday.
• Fee payment can be made in the office of Dr. Saeed at Basateen Institute, Shola Centre, Medina Road, Jeddah.
• Leaves are not allowed in any intensive course.
• Absentees are not allowed to repeat any classes.
• Fill the British Council form for getting your IELTS date well in time
• Bring IELTS-4 & 5 with you for attending classes

Contact:

Prof. Khalid

Manager ( English Language Centre )

Basateen Institute ( AITC ),

Shola Centre, Madina Road, Haya Mushareefa,

Jeddah, KSA

Mob: 0530176650

Email: interstudies2005@yahoo.com

The Best Physicians in Jeddah

There are many health institutions within the Kingdom that offer varied services to patients. The quality of service which is offered differs from one health institution to the other; from horrible to excellent.

Despite the fact that medicine has become so commercial these days with many doctors being more interested in the quota they generate each time a patient presents himself at their clinic, some doctors however have not lost the sense of respect for human life. This percentage is unfortunately very small.

Physician rating is a subjective issue which can be influenced by many different factors. According to a study, ideal behaviours that identified the ideal physician are: confident, humane, empathetic, forthright, personal, respectful and thorough. However, each patient's or individual's perception of a good physician would differ and to some extent might be inappropriate.

I will present some hospitals which are reputed to have the best physicians in terms of specialties. I am not in any way influenced by a third party for whatsoever benefit. I do not discriminate against any particular group of people or hospital. The results presented here are based on patient satisfaction, and again this is a subjective matter.

Internal Medicine

-Saudi German Hospital (SGH) Jeddah

Many patients have particularly appreciated the neurology and nephrology consultants. They are satisfied with the level of care and always have the feeling that their physicians are attentive to their health problems.

-King Abdul Aziz University Hospital (KAUH)

Many patients seem to be satisfied with the treatment they get here but however complain that it is difficult to get an appointment. 

-My Care Medical Centre

It is a small medical centre but the patients (Indians and Pakistanis especially) appreciate the senior internist in terms of patient care. In addition, the services are affordable for low-income earners.

Family Medicine:

-KAUH

The consultants and residents are very appreciated by their patients. The team is made up of well-trained Saudi physicians.

Gynaecology and Obstetrics:

-Jeddah National Hospital

Many claim they have gotten very good care, especially post-partum. In addition to the support of their physicians, patients appreciate the staff and particularly love the treats they get after discharge.

-KAUH

Patients report that the unit is very clean and the staff is competent. The only inconvenience is to get an appointment.

Surgery:

-National Guard Hospital

-Dr. Erfan and Bagedo Hopital

-King Faisal Specialist Hospital

Neuro-Surgery:

-Al Mostaqbal Hospital

-King Faisal Specialist Hospital

Opthalmology and Refractive Surgery:

-Al Maghrabi Hospitals

Many appreciate their opthalmologists and eye surgeons even though they complain that the services offered are costly.

Paediatrics:

-Soleiman Fakeeh Hospital

-Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital

-International Medical Centre

Rehabilitation:

-Abdul Latif Jameel Hospital

Patients appreciate the consultants and even seek them years after termination of their contracts. The hospital seems to have an ever-changing taste for the best rehab specialists and consultants.

There are other hospitals and clinics in the south of Jeddah that are reputed to have very good gynecologists/gbstetricians (Indians and Egyptians). Even though many patients and caretakers complain that these southern hospitals are usually crowded and not very clean, they do however comfirm that they have confidence in their healthcare providers, especially their treating physicians.

As I mentioned earlier, the information presented here is based on the satisfaction of some patients and their personal experiences at different health institutions within Jeddah. This list does not necessarily express my opinion nor reflect the current preferences of the inhabitants of Jeddah. There are certainly other hospitals within Jeddah that I believe would offer the same or almost the same standard of care.

Inflation on the Rise in Saudi Arabia

It was just last month when we went out for our big monthly shopping that I had the impression that prices had gone up again. If you live in Jeddah and are very observant, you must have noticed this too.


To the average expatriate family who lives in Saudi Arabia, it is difficult to make ends meet with this slight increase in the cost of living. It is even harder when the family has children of schooling age in their household. A typical average expatriate family has a yearly income of about 72,000-96,000 SAR (local source) which is just enough to survive during these hard times.


Transportation is another issue too. I hire a driver to take me around as my husband is out of the town nearly all the time. Within the last 3 weeks I changed 3 drivers. Know why? They were asking for more pay and were arguing that the cost of living had increased. Waoh! I have to endorse this? 


It does not end there. We are having another landlord. This is the third one we would be having in 3 years. The owners of our building just keep changing and each new one comes with an increase in rents and a new policy to pay electric bills. 


The increase in the cost of living can be felt by us all. Even the little guy who goes to school would notice that what he had the habit of buying at 1 SAR now costs 1.5 SAR. International economy analysts are predicting that the prices would rise again during the forthcoming months. According to the Arab News, John Sfakianasi, chief economist at the Banque Saudi Fransi in Riyadh, said, "Inflation seems to be on a gradual yet increasing path. The downward base effects are now winding up and headline inflation will be more accentuated."


We should expect more as we get closer to the Ramadan when the prices of basic commodities reach their highest. Disturbances in the country's political system with increasing demands of women's rights, elections, and the release of some prisoners might even make the condition worse...read more.


We hope for the best even when we expect the worst. Whatever be the case, we have to be financially prepared for the coming months.

English Language Institutes in Jeddah-Part 1

The need to learn the English language is fast increasing in Saudi Arabia and in other non-native English-speaking countries. The Kingdom has seen many language institutes sprouting in its main cities during the past decade.

Given that private English language instructors demand very high fees, and in addition do not provide a certificate at the end of the training, many students prefer to take lessons at these institutes. 


Below is a list of some popular English language institutes in Jeddah: 

British Council

Location: East Tower

              Waly Ahad Centre

              Farsi Building

              King Abdullah Street

Telephone: +966 (2) 657 6200

Women's Centre

Location: West Tower

              Farsi Centre

              King Abdullah Street

Telephone: +966 (2) 657 6200

Website: http://www.britishcouncil.org/me-saudiarabia.htm


The Oxford English Academy

Location: Obeikan Center
              Amir Sultan Street
Website: http://www.oxfordea.edu.sa/
e-mail: info@oxfordea.com

Male Section
Telephone: +966 (2) 692 7334
                 +966 (2) 692 7225
Fax: +966 (2) 692 5664

Female Section:
Telephone: +966 (2) 662 6698
                +966 (2) 662 7066
Fax: +966 (2) 662 5773

Horizon Institute for Languages

Location: Al Safa District

              Opposite Aziz Mall

Telephone: +966 (2) 677 6742

                 +966 (5) 0731 5280

Berlitz

Men's Centre

Location: Al-Rowdah Street

              Elegant home building

Telephone: +966 (2) 263 1650

Fax: +966 (2) 263 1651

Ladies' Centre

Location: Al-Rowdah Street

              Costello Centre

Telephone: +966 (2) 668 8815

Fax: +966 (2) 668 1815

Website: http://berlitz-saudi.com/

Wall Street Institute

Location 1: Rawdah

Telephone: +966 (2) 664 2131

Location 2: Andalus

Telephone: +966 (2) 652 3200

Female Centre

Location: Rawdah

Telephone: +966 (2) 652 3200

Website:  http://wsi-ksa.com/

Al Zouman English Institute

Location: Falasteen Street

              Opposite Soliman Fakeeh Hospital

Telephone: +966 (2) 663 3108

Al-Basateen Institute for Learning English Language

Location: Al Shola Commercial Centre

              Medina Road

E-mail: interstudies@yahoo.com

Kawader Altanmiah Institute

Location: Sholay Centre

Telephone: +966 (2) 663 3108


NB: This is not an exhaustive list and I have the intention of providing more after thorough research. If you know an institute that is not listed here, you can mail me to my address: allwritingsaudi@gmail.com.
The information provided here is subject to change, and I promise to update the information when and where necessary, insha'Allah.

Business Workshop for Women in Jeddah

Good news for women interested in business and management! A team of MBA professionals from the Hass school of Business, University of California, Berkeley, would be conducting a four day workshop in Jeddah.

Venue: Dar Al-Hekma College

When:

May 22 to May 25, 2011

Fee: 2000 SAR

Registration:
Open until May 17, 2011.

Contact: Ms. Dania Yaman
             +966 (2) 630 3333
              ext. 732
              dyaman@dah.edu.sa

Alcohol in Saudi Arabia

"O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasure, revel, and applause, transfrom ourselves into beasts!" (William Shakespeare, Othello).


The consumption and sale of alcohol is punishable by law in Saudi Arabia. The punishment is a jail term and flogging. Yet each year we hear of an individual or a group of individuals who have been caught again either involved in the consumption or distribution of alcohol.


What is this liquor that man will break the law just to have a drop on his tongue? What does it have that man would risk going to jail just because he wants a taste of it? In as much as I have had a couple of glasses in the past (in my home country), I do not see why anyone would want to risk facing a jail sentence and flogging because he/she wants a taste of this liquor.


No one would imagine my surprise when I met a few people who suffered from cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer at a hospital, and who revealed on history taking that they were chronic alcohol drinkers. They lived right here in the Kingdom and had been carrying on this practice for years! This happened only a year and half after I came into the Kingdom. I was shocked. To me it was inconceivable that people did really consume alcohol in this country. Yes, I was naive.


Now I am not surprised when acquaintances talk about their drinking habits. Many expats drink alcohol when they meet for certain social events in compounds and diplomatic quarters. A lady teacher I know even talked of drinking once until she lost her senses because she had not tasted alcohol for a long time. She had been in the Kingdom for only 3 months and she was already complaining of going dry!

Some people even brew their own wine. They claim they use grape juice, yeast and sugar, but the result depends on how well you can do it. Don't ask me the recipe, for I do not know and I'd rather discourage you from trying this here. It is also said that some people brew beer, but I have never personally met anyone who did.

In certain neighbourhoods such as Qarantina, there are people who distill and distribute alcohol in large quantities. Some expats (one of my in-laws inclusive) even affirm that they have been proposed to buy a bottle of well-distilled alcohol. At what price? 200 SAR a bottle of 1.5 L! Pretty cheap to me.

Only a few days ago, the police in Riyadh caught 2 individuals, who were involved in the production and distribution of alcohol. An alcohol factory in the middle of Riyadh city!...read more. They were both sentenced to 2 years in jail and 300 lashes. 

It seems that most of the alcohol available in the Kingdom does not come from local brewers but is smuggled into the country (from a local source). Unfortunately, there is no data available to confirm this as alcohol is an illegal product.


Man. Oh man! Ye who cannot do without alcohol. What profit does it bring thou?

Crime-Free Expatriate Community in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is known for its zero tolerance to drug trafficking. It even warns future immigrants at its consulates located in various countries of capital punishment if they failed to abide to the law.


The Saudi government had sought to fight crime at all levels within the Kingdom. It decided to reinforce certain laws which were not strictly implemented in the past. In 2010, all Indian immigrants who were coming to Saudi Arabia to work had to get a Police Clearance Certificate first. These certificates are issued by passport offices in India. Female immigrants are not however compelled to provide a Police Clearance Certificate before coming to Saudi to work.


This law was reinforced at the time when the Kingdom was reported to have the highest number of Indian prisoners in the gulf region (Source: Arab News). An Indian official said this law was going to help ensure that the Indian community in Saudi Arabia was free of offenders...read more.


The question that comes to my mind is this: It has been over one year now, has this law helped to decrease the number of Indian citizens who have broken the law in Saudi Arabia? Plus, is there any guarantee that individuals with clean police records would not resolve to crime later?


The point I am trying to bring out is the fact that there are so many Indians who come into the Kingdom to work and some end up finding themselves jobless for one reason or the other. Last week, I posted an advert on expatriates.com because our firm needed 2 persons for work. I had over a hundred applications in my inbox only 2 hours after posting this advert. More than 85% of the applicants were Indians. They lived in Jeddah and were prepared to transfer sponsorship to any potential employer. Most of them had studied in India but had moved to Saudi Arabia to work. Many wrote desperate cover letters and were pleading for a chance to work for our firm despite the fact that they were too qualified for the given positions.


I spent the whole week asking myself how these desperate individuals managed to go about taking care of themselves in these hard times. Maybe some had the support of their families but what about those who didn't have that? They came to this country to work and they found themselves in this kind of situation. Does the Indian government know the situation of these individuals here? Do they know of the rate of unemployment among Indians abroad? Can frustration not push a man to forget the rules that guide him and force him to resolve to criminal acts just to cater himself and/or his family? 


Programmes aimed at helping nationals in situations like this could help in rescuing these individuals. Indians wishing to come to Saudi Arabia should be well informed of the working conditions in this country. If you are planning to come to Saudi Arabia to work, you should search well, make contacts and plan well before travelling. Information regarding work in Saudi Arabia could be gotten from websites like that of the Expatguru or from expatexchange.com. Please get informed, prepare for the odds, then move. It is true no one can predict the future but these measures would help our Indian brothers and sisters to help build a stable and crime-free expatriate community here in Saudi Arabia. 
 

Who is Oppressed?

In this post, I will tell you the true story of 3 women who live in different parts of the world. I will try to present the facts as narrated to me and you can be the judge.

Helen is 34, married for the past 8 years. She works as a nurse and pursues an undergraduate degree at a university in Chicago. She has 2 kids; aged 2 and 4. She gets up every day at 5:30 a.m and prepares breakfast for the family, as well as her son's lunchbox. Thank God, her husband, Kevin, would drive their son to school. She drives to work through the busy streets of Chicago. After her shift, she drives to the university to attend lectures. She has to do this throughout the week; switching between lectures, work and housechores. When her husband isn't hanging out with his buddies, as he has the habit of doing, he would help with the housework. Running the errands is her responsibility, and even though she has a car, she has little time to go around shopping for household needs. Paying the nanny to stay with their kids in their absence costs her a small fortune and she is not ready to get a maid to do the housework. This would be peeling the skin off her back and send her bankrupt. She has to deal with the challenges...this is the real world. Besides this, if the car is down, she has to take it to the mechanic for repairs. If her car is low on fuel, she has to fill it. If the school summons the parents for a parent-teacher meeting, she has to put everything aside; Kevin would never accept to go because he says it is a "mum's duty". OMG! What a life!

Dolly is 41, a wardress at the main prison of her town. She is African and lives in a West African city, one of the most populated and crowded towns of this continent. She has 5 kids who all go to school. Every morning she gets up at 5 a.m to prepare breakfast for the family. Then she has to go to work on foot because it is practically impossible to catch a cab in her neighbourhood. The distance she has to walk to get a taxi is approximately the one she would cover to go to work. What the heck! So, she goes to work on foot. After a 30-minute walk, she gets to the prison. At the end of the day, she goes home and takes a little nap before getting up around 7:00 p.m to set the table for dinner. After dinner, she has to cook the meal of the next day, then store it in the refrigerator. No one to help her because the kids are all doing their homework with the help of their daddy. She pays a maid who works part-time and leaves immediately she comes back from duty. Her role is to babysit the kids in their absence and to do laundry every Saturday. Talking of Saturdays...Dolly has to run the errands once every week. She hires a cart pusher to go around the market and to deliver the grocery at her home as they do not have a car yet. And it doesn't end there. She has to make sure everything runs smoothly at home even when she is on 24-hour duty! Her husband is a typical African man who has little tolerance for a mother who does not perform her duties fully, even if she is working. What is this life?!

Eman is a 42 year old Saudi mum. She lives in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and works at a public institution as a programmer. She lives in an apartment with her husband, 5 children and 2 maids. She gets up everyday at 6 a.m. to supervise the maids. One of them has to give the younger kids a bath and prepare them for school. The other maid has to prepare breakfast for the family. At 7 a.m the family driver drops the kids at school while her husband drops her off at work. She comes back home at 4:30 p.m. Her lunch is on the table, set by the maid. After eating, she sleeps for an hour or two, then helps her kids to do their homework. Rasheed, her husband, would not do it because he says it is the role of the mother. Besides, he doesn't expect his kids to be geniuses at school. By 9 p.m she is tired and has to update her knowledge in programming, so she has to go online to study. Before going to bed, she has to tell the cook what to prepare for the next day. And then goes the routine again. When the kids are ill, she has to take them to the doctor; Rasheed would not go. It is her responsibility, he says. When there is parent-teacher meeting, she has to go. This time Rasheed can't go because it is an only-girls school and therefore not open to men. When it is time to run the errands, she has to prepare the list and give it to him. Waoh! Her friends do not have to do that; their men just know what to get for the house. In addition, they (her friends) just sit at home all day and give orders to their maids. Why does life have to be so unfair?

Everyone is complaining of being oppressed. In the western countries, women have fought for their rights at various levels. There are many laws that protect women, yet, they complain about the work load and the challenges that they face as wives and career women. 

Women in Africa, especially those in the rural (and remote areas) are still fighting for their rights. Many are however emancipated, but still comes in this cultural issue that an African woman has to be submissive to her husband, whether she is working or is a stay-at-home mum.

In Saudi Arabia, a few courageous women like Dr. Hatoon Al Fasi and Wajeha Al Huwaider have stood up to fight for women's rights in the Kingdom. Groups such as the Saudi Women Revolution have been created to support this cause. Some have launched campaigns to make their voices heard and have gone as far as defying Saudi laws...read more here.

And Saudi men? What about them? Do you imagine a western husband who has to drive his kids to school, drive his wife around (to the hairdresser, to see her relatives, to buy herself some clothes and jewelery, for social events...), and run the daily or weekly errands for the house (while the wife is sitting at home watching television), besides driving himself around for personal and work-related matters? OMG! Can you say that again? The typical Saudi guy (even the lazy type) does this. His father did it. His grandfather too.

Now YOU tell me who has the right to scream?

IELTS Seminar in Jeddah

A team of professionals led by Pr. Mohammed Khalid is going to hold a seminar this Thursday, 12th May, 2011 in Jeddah.

Venue: Al-Basateen Institute for learning English language
           Al Shola Commercial Centre 
           Medina Road

Time: 7:30 p.m

Fee: FREE

Participants are advised to do the following in preparation for the seminar:

i.     Please bring Cambridge IELTS 5 with you so that you may attend a 20 minutes questions/answers session after the seminar.
ii.    Download the attached registration form of our institution, and bring the filled form with you for confirmation of your IELTS seat for this course.

For any information, interested persons are advised to contact the following:
  
-Dr. Saeed 0548899083
-Prof. Khalid 0530176650
-e-mail:interstudies2005@yahoo.com

This seminar which is going to be held by Prof. Khalid is intended to give future IELTS candidates the opportunity to find out more about the IELTS test and get personal advice and assistance. After the seminar, participants are expected to:

-know more about the format and structure of the test.
-be aware of the question types in all four parts of the test.
-have some knowledge of the problems candidates have during the test.
-have some tips and strategies to help them get a higher score in the test.
-be aware of how much additional preparation they need to do before taking the IELTS test.

This one-hour seminar would consist of 2 parts; Part 1 (30 mins) and Part 2 (30 mins) and it is going to cover the following areas:

• IELTS Facts and Figures
• Overview of the IELTS Test
• Writing Task 1 Tips and Strategies
• Writing Task 2 Tips and Strategies
• Listening Tips and Strategies
• Reading Tips and Strategies 
• IELTS Questions and Answers