CasaNova

It's not me saying that! another dude.

Eeyore

With your wife being white (and presumably Western-looking), that would probably be a very bad idea. The compounds supposedly give some protection against terrorist attacks (although a friend of a friend who lives in one remembers an incident where a hit squad was allowed in to his compound to kill a Western oil company manager as he left his villa - his comment was "Even the people who are supposed to be looking after your security hate you") but you'd have no protection at all if you lived outside. The terrorists wouldn't care that your wife is a Muslim - all that would matter to them is that she's white and Western.

Also, by living outside I guess you'd have to live the life of a Saudi national in every respect, whereas if you're in a compound, you can have a lifestyle that at least approximates what you're used to in the UK... but that's completely ignoring the basic threat to your life that exists by being Western and going to Saudi, of course.

CasaNova

Many Syrians,Palestianians and lebenses Are blue eyed, white and many cases blonde... You can see some of them making Shawarmas! Go to aroos Damascus and see the shawarma guy yourself. You cant differenciate him from a swedish! untill he speaks arabic.



There are many of them living and working in saudia with undistinguishable European looks! Out of compounds and None of them have any bullet holes in them.

Eeyore

Oh, well that's all right then. Saudi is clearly no more dangerous than any other country in the world, all the terrorist attacks against Westerners are just figments of everyone's imagination, and the reason why expats still get the really big bucks and benefits there is solely because the Saudis are such nice, generous people they want to share the wealth as much as they can, and it's not at all to do with being *forced* to offer big money because nothing else will tempt sane people to live there.

Phew! Glad that's sorted.

CasaNova

These attacks are carried out by the friends of westerners! to scare away the others westerns and keep them away.


How come I dont hear any westerners being killed in Saudia! for the last 1yr(except for those us bases)


In Iraq they are killed on site! which we see it on al jazeera.


But still them westerners are GOING to Iraq.


Can you please sort this one as well? God Bless you

NorthernLad

You remember the attack on the compound in Khobar in 2004? Check out the nationalities of the victims.

What also never made the news was how the terrorists escaped after being surrounded, and what they actually did to the victims (not nice, and that came from a nurse in Saudi).

MJC

Write up of that incident, by the leader - who strangely enough escaped is here

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/002235.php

and the wikpedia mention is here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/29_May_...obar_massacres

Now, tell me you still want to go.

Digimax

Well here we go again - a load of doo doo written about a place where people have never been and where people are never likely to go
Having just left the KSA I can say it aint half that bad.the dosh is much better than DXB,the traffic is far less dangerous and the ladies are far more interested in finding nice relationships !!
What else can you possibly want ?

W10

Some of the people on this board have lived in Saudi, and most people here know someone who has or currently does.

Personally I know three people who live there at the moment.

Two of them are Arabs (one a female who is veiled), one is a Westerner - all three hate it but are there for the money and nothing else.

All three of them barely venture out of their compounds when not working. I was going to come visit one of them last year and was told 'I wouldn't bother'.

Are you going to tell us you are a Westerner who used to wander around freely outside your compound?

Incidentally - just out of a point of interest - Saudi is THE most dangerous country to drive in in the world. The UAE is the third (after Oman)

But as I said before - he may well enjoy it. I'm sure some people do.

NorthernLad

Spent over two years between Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah - if they offered me shares in Aramco it still wouldn't be enough to tempt me back.

Traffic fat less dangerous? I presume you took a camel to work through the desert, you can't possibly have driven there making a comment like that.

As for ladies, I couldn't comment as I didn't have a pair of x-ray specs.

Digimax

Well actually yes I did always feel comfortable walking around.A trip around Riyadh of jeddah is much like anywhere else in the ME - just respect the local culture and all will be ok - unlike DXB i may add - try walking up SZR after midnight and fight your way past all the drunken yobs,snogging couples,and half naked girls - is that what you came to the ME for ??
As for the traffic - yes it is not the best driving environment but compared to here - get real !!

shoushou

I heard once that the ladies were very hot.....But they didnt mention the word Saudi in that sentence....

shoushou

I think its useless to get a point across with you....

Digimax

If you mean its useless to discuss a point,then surely thats up to you.But to make a point on this particular issue then surely its beneficial to have actually lived in KSA so you then know what you are trying to make a point about -if you havent.then maybe you shouldnt make a point at all

NorthernLad

That's just pointless.