The International Schools Review Forum

Do you have experience working in the Saudia Arabia Aramco schools of which you could give insight into the schools culture etc.

Thank you,
-todd

We worked for the Aramco Schools for several years and had an excellent experience. The schools were well-funded, the student body diverse, the salary and benefits outstanding.
It is a different lifestyle that takes some getting used to, and some expats never do. There are many restrictions on personal freedom, and it is not a place to go to experience local culture. Even after many years of living there, I cannot honestly say I understand much about the Saudis.
However, there are opportunities to explore and to travel, and much to enjoy within the Aramco communities. I cherish our time there.

when you say restriction on personal freedoms, could you give a littel more specific information.

Thank you for your insights


-todd

Sure. It's important to understand that the limits on personal freedom are imposed by the Saudi government and religious rulers, not the Saudi Aramco company or the schools, although they must abide the rules as well. Some examples are:
women cannot drive outside of the Aramco compounds
alcohol is illegal (although obtainable) in the entire country
conservative dress is a must
women must have a male guardian's permission to travel solo out of kingdom
all magazines, literature, video tapes, even school yearbooks are subject to scrutiny by censors, who attack anything offensive by ripping pages out, blackening with ink, or simply discarding
all shops must close for prayer 5 times a day
there are separate lines for men and women at many shops and restaurants
There are more examples, and you could read about it in a guide book.
I would not say that such prohibitions diminished our quality of life- in fact, in many ways, it made the experience interesting. But at times it is undeniably a hassle, and made us relish our American homecomings and out-of-kingdom trips.

The guest, reply on Nov. 29th has covered many of the restrictions, there are more. Thanks for reminding me..... Wayn jamaliy waynaha ureed alagiha......