durk

Hello All, I am a newbie currently going through the relevent processes in the uk, before being thrown to the wolves in the KSA. I am happy with the contract. But I have a few concerns about being dumped by the contractor and left to get on with everything. My Main concerns are;
Finding my own accomodation in Hofuf/Al Mubarraz
Getting to and from work
Other pitfalls I am unaware of
Has anyone got any experiences they would like to share to ease this process. I am to be employed by JAL for Aramco as an industrial skills trainer (operations).

Thanks lee

sicklyman

Your best contacts are going to be the people you work with. However, it's highly likely that you won't be able to talk to them until your first day of work. It's nerve wracking perhaps, but you are going to have to trust your contractor until you get to work.

There will be taxis all over the place in Hofuf that can take you to and from work. As you go to work, talk the guy into picking you up and arrange a price for the two way ride. Get his phone number too. Don't pay him until he comes back for you. You can then arrange him to take you regularly.

There should be plenty of hotel suites (furnished) or unfurnished places to rent. There may even be compounds that are affordable although they're not going to be very good quality.

Again, resist the western urge to plan everything in advance and just go with the flow and laugh off the crap. Things will sort themselves out in time...

durk

Thanks for your reply Sicklyman. I will just go with the flow. The hardest part for me is leaving the wife and children. Does anyone have experience with this particular contractor, or are they all about the same?

lee

sicklyman

They are definitely not all the same. However, I don't know anyone with that contractor so can't comment on JAL. I feel for you on leaving family. I have also done so.

bevaan

Hi Durk
I also got a Trainer job at ITC , iwas thinking of taking my wife and kids with, as it will be to be separated from them, my concern is also the price and availablity of schools and housing. hopping to get more information about the area.

bevaan

anyone moving to to Al Muharraz from South-Africa for JATCO working at ITC

sicklyman

I highly doubt you will find any adequate schooling for your children there although I may be wrong. It's hard enough to find adequate schooling an hour up the road in the much larger Khobar/Dhahran/Dammam area and what is available is both oversubscribed and very expensive.

If I were you I would give yourself at least 6 months there before you consider bringing your family over, particularly if you have children. Saudi is not an easy place to live in and you will spend that time finding your feet, checking out housing and seeing if there is any kind of education that will suit your kids. Hofuf is better than some places here but it is not the big city.

bevaan

Hi sicklyman, i saw school in Al Muharraz it name is Nada International sckool , is that a school my kids can join? yes sure i will only bring them over as soon housing and school is sorted out. I have worked in saudi before but in Jubail , , but i dont know this area of the country. where do you live ?

sicklyman

I'm in Khobar.

the school you mention has a good website at least. Fees vary depending on the age of your child. Looks like it'll cost you around SAR15,000 a year per child.

I think it might we very worthwhile contacting the school and putting your names on the waiting list or at least enquiring how long the list is/if they have one. School year doesn't start until September, so you might consider not enrolling them until then to buy you time... if the waiting list allows that.

EDIT to mention that you need to factor in transport to/from school as your wife will not be able to drive. Sometimes there are school buses if you aren't too far from the school. Finding out from potential schools where they pick up from can influence your decision to locate your accommodation. If there aren't buses, you can regularly employ a taxi driver you trust and is reliable. It may take you some time to find one though.

bevaan

if school is a problem in Al Muharraz , maybe take the option of staying in Khobar or Dammam, then i have to drive up and down, is there good accommodation in khobar that is not too expensive, as i will pay it by myself. somewhere other expats live?

sicklyman

plenty of reasonably priced off-compound accommodation in Khobar. If your plan is long-term, going unfurnished and kitting yourself out from IKEA is one possibility. Lots of furnished suites around too though.