Gender: Female
Status: Married
Age: 48
Sign: Libra
City: RIYADH
Country: SA
Signup Date:
07/25/06
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Friday, January 18, 2008
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Happy New Year
Category: Travel and Places
Happy New Year to those who continue to drop in on my blog here at Myspace.
Yes, I post here less and less as I have made the full transition of my blog from myspace over to wordpress (http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com) so if you wish to keep apprised of my thoughts, views and perspectives of life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, please do visit my blog hosted on wordpress.
I miss some of the myspace regulars who would view and comment. I've yet to see them on wordpress. But I find that I am unable to maintain and do justice to two blogs simultaneously. I hope to see you on wordpress.
Best Regards,
Carol
12:43 AM
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Monday, December 24, 2007
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Twas the Night before Christmas in the Kingdom...
Current mood:  happy
Category: Travel and Places
To all viewers who continue to stop in here I want to wish you a Merry, Joyous, Safe and Prosperous Holiday Season! While there may not be as many signs of celebrating Christmas in the Kingdom, for those who do, I assure you the homes are full of the holiday spirit!
And please be sure to visit American Bedu at its new home: http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com
6:55 PM
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Sunday, November 18, 2007
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Touching Base
Current mood:  good
Category: Travel and Places
I just want to remind those who have been following my postings via myspace that I have made the transition over to wordpress and do hope you will continue to view my blog there: http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com
And as always, I welcome your comments and suggestions on topics or questions you may have about Saudi Arabia.
Best Regards,
Carol
6:07 PM
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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Starting to phase out from myspace
Category: MySpace
For all who have been routinely following this blog, I wish to encourage you to bookmark http://delhi4cats.wordpress.com I will be starting to phase out from posting on myspace.
Wordpress is so much easier for me as a blogger to use. I can easily insert photos and other special graphics. It also does not insert the strange characters which I seem to get routinely within myspace postings. And certainly last but not least, you as a follower can post comments without having had to sign up for a membership as myspace forces one to do.
And, my internet can be somewhat flaky here in the Kingdom which also attributes to my focusing on which sites I am using and maximizing my online time for efficiency.
9:57 AM
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
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Salaries for ExPat Women in the Kingdom
Current mood: good
Category: Travel and Places
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Today I am posting on a topic which some followers requested information about via email. And that is what kind of salary can an expat woman expect to make in the Kingdom. What kind of jobs are available and what benefits should she be entitled to.
To begin with there are different distinctions for women working in the Kingdom such as whether they received a job offer from outside of the Kingdom and therefore sponsored by the respective employer or whether they are a resident of the Kingdom or a dependent of an expat in the Kingdom. You may be asking why should this make a difference and I will do my best to explain.
First of all, if a woman receives a job offer from outside of the Kingdom, then chances are that employer will be her sponsor. Why is this important you may ask? Well, if one is sponsored from OUTSIDE the Kingdom for a job then she should be entitled to full expat benefits which include: air fare to the Kingdom, r/t air ticket each year to point of origin and return to KSA, paid vacation days (usually averages to circa 45 – 50 days per year), health care, housing or housing allowance, driver or transport allowance. Interestingly in discussions with others it seems like very few companies offer any kind of retirement or investment options. If that is a priority one will need to make their own program. Naturally coming to the Kingdom from outside for a job, the employer will also be the sponsor. What that means is if sponsorship is taken away for whatever reason (resignation, quit, fired) then the employee must leave the Kingdom. It depends on the sponsor whether the employee leaves on an exit visa with options to return or not. This can be tricky and exceptions can be made. Additionally other benefits may include training and/or business travel. The traditional jobs for women coming to the Kingdom under employer sponsorship are teaching and in the medical professions. The salary range is typically from 7,500 to 15,000 SAR. One is paid on a monthly basis in the Kingdom.
Now if a woman is the dependent of an expat in the Kingdom the employment opportunities can be more limited. Many female dependents will have "not eligible for work" stamped in their visa. However in this case, opportunities depend on the individual. The opportunities can vary from tutoring, teaching, getting hired as a "locum" (local contract employment), consulting, etc. Also do not overlook in seeing if there are opportunities at respective embassies. In this category the salaries typically start at 3,000 SAR and go up from there depending on position. Because these positions are viewed more as local contracts the other benefits offered are typically less. It would be unusual to receive a yearly airline ticket. Paid vacation can be optional and negotiable. The same goes for housing and transport allowances. Naturally if one gets hired by a hospital as a "Locum" it is pretty much a given that health care will be included in the package.
Those with residency visas in my view have the most options (to a degree). First they are not dependent on a sponsor to bring them into the country. They can pick and choose and come and go in regards to employers. They receive pretty much all the benefits with the exception of a r/t ticket to home country but again, this can be negotiated. However in my experience if you have a residency visa it is unlikely that an employer will provide a ticket. Again the mainstream salary range is from 7,500 to 15,000 SAR per month.
Above being said, female physicians and those with Master or PhD degrees will likely receive more. Unfortunately it is still standard that a woman will unlikely receive the same salary as a man even if holding the same position and responsibilities. And in some cases, not only will a woman receive less but if working for a private company or individual may find herself being told that "you'll get your full salary next month" and receive a partial salary. Naturally the male employees will receive their full salaries as "they have families to support…"
Another factor to take into consideration as a woman working in the Kingdom is that individuals of differing nationalities will receive different pay IN SPITE OF performing the same job and duties. Many companies and institutions will have a scale which in addition to pay will have the differing nationalities listed and how the pay will vary as a result. Rightly or wrongly, Americans are on the top of the scale and those from Asian countries are on the lower end of the scale.
It is also not unusual for an employer to ask for an unpaid trial basis to see if the "working arrangement is satisfactory."
My advise under the "for what it is worth" heading is if faced with a situation of not receiving a full salary or being asked to basically volunteer services is to refuse. By allowing these situations to happen only reinforce that it is okay for a woman to receive less and make more concessions.
Men by comparison would likely receive all the expat benefits identified when sponsored by the employer. And because many of these positions are specialized, (remember, this is very much a male-dominated society and while women may be qualified for the positions, the culture may dictate hiring men) the salaries will be much more. They can start from 12,000 for a job at a hospital or school but can go up to as much as 75,000 SAR per month for a specialized job or leadership role in an organization. And in most cases for these higher paying jobs, the male employee would likely receive a nice furnished villa at a western compound as part of the package.
Last but not least in closing this posting, opportunities are what YOU in fact make of them. Jobs and opportunities are here or can be made. Be patient, be perseverant and do not give up. Skills which one may not have thought of marketing in ones home country can be very attractive and in demand here. Some suggestions include ghost writing for those whom English is not a first language; baking special dishes from your home country for sale; language tutoring (always in high demand here); if you have a skill or hobby, share it with others – for a fee. Use your imagination and be creative. Market yourself through friends, through poster boards, through newsgroups. Talk to individuals. Find out what they can not find and need. Can you provide it? And again remember…don't give up!
9:53 AM
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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Coffee or Tea?
Current mood:  sick
Category: Travel and Places
Just about anywhere one may go in the Kingdom whether to a business meeting, social gathering, maybe even to a small family owned store, one will be greeted with charming hospitality. The custom here when one is having some type of a meeting is to typically offer Saudi tea or as in Arabic, "chi" with a long "eye" sound. Sometimes one may be offered Arabic coffee, but more commonly during a meeting, tea is the preferred beverage...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Saudi tea is served in a small slender glass which is literally filled to the brim. It is served piping hot and usually sugar has also been pre-added. It may be difficult to even lift the glass to ones lips because it is so hot but the tradition is if it is not filled to the brim then hospitality is lacking. Therefore either wait until it cools a bit before taking a sip or "slurp at it quickly."
Saudi tea is traditionally made using tea leaves versus tea bags. It may also be served with a dash of mint added. Depending on the time of day, green tea leaves may be used to brew the tea instead of black tea leaves.
I find the gesture of serving tea nice and also practical. When you think about it as compared to a western coffee where American style coffee is served during a meeting, not only is the coffee served in a large cup (probably equal to about 4 servings of Saudi tea by comparison) then there is the ritual of whether to add milk, cream, sugar or sweetener. Not only does the large cup of coffee usually make someone have to pay frequent trips to a toilet but one is left with the "coffee breath" as well.
Saudi (Arab) tea sets will come in a variety of lovely and unique styles although all will have the small slender glass. A few styles can be found where the glasses will have handles but in most cases, the tradition is to have the glass without handles.
And in case you were wondering, one of the most popular brands of tea in the Kingdom is Lipton!
10:03 AM
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Monday, November 12, 2007
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The Saudi Bisht
Current mood:  tired
Category: Travel and Places
The bisht is a garment which a Saudi male will wear over his thobe. This is a regal looking garment that can range from white to a deep dark brown in color and bordered with trim which is typically made of authentic gold thread. The Saudi male will wear the bisht at formal, official and special occasions. Such occasions include weddings, engagement parties, Eid, official functions. The bisht in essence takes the place of the suit jacket...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
According to wikipedia, the bisht is described as: a traditional Arabic men's cloak popular in the Persian Gulf and some Arab countries. It is essentially a flowing outer cloak made of wool, worn over the thobe. Unlike the thobe, the Bisht is soft, and it is usually black, brown, beige, cream or grey in colour. It is usually only worn for prestige on special occasions such as weddings, or festivals such as Eid, or for the Friday prayer." Yet even in this description it does not explain why the bisht is one as it is.
This aspect of the bisht is one that continues to puzzle me. Typical of a loose flowing robe, the bisht has two sleeves. Yet one will always see the Saudi male wearing the bisht with one arm through the sleeve in the traditional manner and the other sleeve is wrapped loosely and tucked in to the side. I have asked a number of Saudis why the bisht is worn in this manner and the most common response is "because that's the way it is."
I do think the style of the bisht and how it is worn does indeed look very distinguishing but I just would like an answer so I can understand why if a garment is made with two sleeves only one is used for all practical purposes? And for the record, wearing the bisht in this manner is not isolated just to Saudis but this is the style and tradition throughout the Arab world.
10:29 PM
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
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Deeks and Dijaj
Current mood:  crazy
Category: Travel and Places
As those who know me read this post they will likely think, "oh my gosh, she's turning either into a real bedu or a farmer…."..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
First of all to kick off and begin, I find myself getting frustrated the way eggs are packaged and sold here in the Kingdom. Instead of a sturdy container with a lid, they are sold in an open flimsy container which offers little protection to the eggs. And in most cases, the eggs are barely cleaned as well with lots of "chicken stuff" in open view. I have yet to bring home one of these packages and not have at least 25 per cent of the eggs broken. They are placed in the package that one cannot tell nor inspect the package to determine in advance if any of the eggs are broken. Additionally expiration dates of eggs are not readily displayed and by the condition and sight of some eggs when I have cracked them open, I can determine that the entire package is beyond the point of "freshness."
Now I happen to have an unused courtyard off of my kitchen. This courtyard has 10 foot high wall and is totally enclosed as well as quite private. It is about 20 feet by 30 feet across so it's a decent size. However who in their right minds is going to entertain in a kitchen courtyard? So this courtyard remains empty. As I was emptying yet another carton of over-aged eggs into the trash can I happened to look outside the kitchen door to the courtyard and it was as if a lightbulb went off….I should turn the courtyard area into a chicken coop and raise a few of my own chickens.
I remember my Grandparents farm and their chickens. They had a small chicken coup which had rooms for their chicks to run around as well as to roost. I'm pretty sure one can be easily fabricated here in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Saudi Arabia. Now sadly my grandparents are no longer around for me to just pick up the phone and get their advise. Therefore I am turning to the wise readers of this blog with my questions.
First of all, must I have a rooster (or "deek" using the Arabic word) in order for the hens to lay eggs? And if so, is there a way to "decockadoodledo" the deek so we do not have to hear its noise in the wee hours when we are still wanting to sleep?
Your comments will be appreciated and I will keep you all apprised of whether this venture idea is a go or no-go.
8:05 AM
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
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Thievery at the Grand Mosque
Current mood:  contemplative
Category: Travel and Places
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This past week an Egyptian had his hand amputated as he was caught attempting to steal from others while at the Grand Mosque. Thievery at the Grand Mosque in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Mecca as well as the mosque in Medina is unfortunately a common occurrence. And many of those who steal from the unwitting who are performing hajj or umrah are quite accomplished at this fete. I have learned that what the thief typically does is carry a small razor sharp knife. He (or she) will hone in on an unsuspecting victim who is naturally concentrating on prayers and performing the rites of hajj or umrah. The victim if a woman may have a purse in view or if a male, may be wearing a "fanny pack." For those of you not familiar, the man who is performing hajj or umrah must wear two white pieces of cloth – one which covers the top of his body and the other which covers the bottom part. The cloth cannot have stitches or snaps. Therefore in order to carry a wallet or keys or mobile a man will typically wear a fanny pack around his waist. ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
So the thief has identified a male target amongst the thousands who are performing umrah or hajj. The accomplished thief will quickly come close to his victim and slash the fanny pack so the contents fall to the ground. In most cases the victim will never know what has happened until he is leaving the mosque and then is taken aback when he finds the cut in his fanny pack and his items are missing. Women usually wear their handbag over their shoulder and again, the thief will try to slash the handbag itself near the bottom so again, the contents will fall out. Other times they slash the strap of the handbag. Remember, the victims are focused on performing the rites of Islam and surrounded by many others pressed against them doing the same. Therefore they are simply not aware that may have been chosen to be the victim of a thief.
Sadly in some cases a man or woman will be walking as they perform hajj and umrah. They will find themselves growing weaker and weaker. As they slow down they then start to feel pain and notice they are bleeding. They are the ones for whom the thief missed his mark and instead of slicing the bag or the fanny pack, sliced open the individual instead. For some, the bleeding has resulted in death.
As a result, when one hears of an individual getting his hand amputated for thievery at the Grand Mosque, does one therefore feel pity, empathy or vindication?
And in case you were wondering what happens to the amputated (executed) body parts, they are properly prayed over and buried in accordance with the rites of Islam. I have also been told that in most cases the thief would likely have received an injection or given pills to numb his/her body and mind during the act itself.
I thought upon hearing of these incidents that perhaps the umrah and hajj clothing should be designed somehow to have a secure compartment inaccessible to a thief. However I am told that while that is a good idea it is unlikely to happen because of the requirements and rituals associated with the appropriate dress. At least for the men, the two pieces of cloth cannot have any stitches or snaps or buttons. Therefore one could not have a concealed velco pocket. I am sure if someone comes up with a solution that meets the requirements within Islam as well as securing ones values on their person, it would be very well received.
9:39 AM
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Friday, November 09, 2007
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Blogs which merit a posting of their own...
Current mood:  geeky
Category: Travel and Places
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While you see that I have a blogroll which you can point and click on some of my favorite blogs, there are a few which I want to give a special mention. My blog is about ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Saudi Arabia from the perspective of an educated professional American woman who happened to marry a Saudi and now has made the Kingdom her new home. As a result, I take a keen interest in identifying and following other blogs about Saudi Arabia.
In my view anyone who has an interest in the Kingdom and wants to hear unbiased views and ground truths on the reality of life and why some decisions are made the way they are, then two must follow blogs are:
Crossroads Arabia: www.xrdarabia.org This blog was created and maintained by John Burgess, a fellow American. Not only that but we served together in the U.S. Foreign Service. John had two different postings to Saudi Arabia and he specializes in media and public affairs. On top of it all, he knows Arabic. He knows of what he is speaking and posting. He is a "straight shooter" and tells it like it is. His blog, unlike mine, contains various news clippings which he posts with his personal analysis and perspectives. Towards supplementing his continued knowledge and keeping apprised of evolving changes in the Kingdom, John manages to make it to the Kingdom at least once a year. If you've not done so, I highly recommend checking out and bookmarking this blog.
Saudi Jeans: http://saudijeans.org We all know that the youth dominate in the Kingdom and are also the future. Ahmed, who is the originator and creator of Saudi Jeans is a Saudi university student. He has mastered the English language and therefore provides non-arabic speakers with an excellent understanding of the issues and challenges and thoughts of the youth in Saudi Arabia. However Ahmed is an individual much mature than his actual years. He has outstanding analytical skills which are evident when one reads his postings. His subtle sense of humor comes through as well. His blog is a nice mix of my style which consists of personal postings and musings and of Crossroads Arabia as Ahmed will occasionally post an article or notice and provide his comments and reviews. This is another one well worth a bookmark.
There are a number of other blogs and they can be found on my blogroll. My personal brief descriptions of each one are readable if you position your mouse over the blogs name. As I mentioned when starting this post, all the blogs found in my blogroll under the heading of Saudi Arabia are about Saudi and in many cases, written by Saudis. I'm just one small voice sharing my views on this subject.
And speaking of views, I always welcome your feedback. Fortunately I have not found it difficult to maintain the blog and come up with topics to address but as always, I am open and solicit your suggestions and feedbacks. I'm happy to address YOUR questions. For if it were not for you following my blog, why would I even be here in cyberspace in the first place?!
One aspect that I am curious about and would find very helpful, is what do you as a reader expect from a blogger? Do you prefer daily postings? Weekly postings?
If you wish to email me directly rather than a public posting, my email address is American_bedu (at) yahoo (dot) com
11:18 AM
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