Expatriates In Saudi Arabia

It is a woman's perspective on life in the Kingdom, and there is no question that the "d" restrictions, that is, dress, demeanor, and driving, weigh more heavily on the Western woman than the Western man. And it is compounded by that wonderfully fuzzy and gray era on quasi-legal work. Cuddihy was in that sub-set, with the right personality, to rise to the challenge. She decided to explore, and come to terms with the world around her. At some level, it would seem self-evident, but success lay in breaking out of the endless griping and gossiping of the company coffee klatches. She (and her husband) made non-company friends, explored Riyadh, took up tennis, learned Arabic, and even more seemingly bizarre, certainly from the point of view of other members of the compound, sought out Saudi friends...

In a memoir of her two years in Saudi Arabia, Lyn Stafford leaves her family behind and begins her job as medical editor at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh in 1983. She is only one of the thousands of expatriates over which the Kingdom tightens its control. Corruption reigns and lives are threatened at the Hospital, and her family back home still needs her. To even begin to understand what is happening and minimize the damage, she and expats around her turn to each other for help, and they must rely on the ham radios and smuggled-in newspapers of the expatriate underground to figure out what is really happening.

Enigmatic and intriguing, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the ultimate destination for expats who want to make bank. But for some, theres a lot more at stake than the filthy lucre. Monica relocates to Saudi Arabia because of the sharp downturn in the US economy. Yasmin leaves the confines of the UK to test her mettle. Pamela moves to support her husbands career at the expense of personal fulfilment, while Inga accidentally falls in love with a Saudi man. Set against a backdrop of Western-style compounds and institutions of higher learning, The Expats of Saudi Arabia is a mesmerizing page-turner that tells the tale of four women who struggle to preserve their personal identity in a culture that robs women of their individuality.

This dissertation investigates the potential class coherence of expatriates in Saudi Arabia. It also investigates whether expatriates in the Saudi Arabia are members of the transnational capitalist class. I examine how government regulations and corporate procedures impose strong external boundaries that separates expatriates from wider Saudi society. I argue that the diversity of the expatriate group, both in terms of motivations and factors such as job, nationality, race and ethnicity, religion and gender, fragment the expatriate group, which leads to differences in the accumulation of economic, social and cultural capital among the various expatriate fractions. Despite these fractions, however, I argue that the expatriate group does cohere as a class. In addition to the common interest of accumulating capital, the strong top-down regulations impose boundaries around the group that produce expatriate spaces where they may share capital and interests across the various fractions. I also argue that there are bottom-up structural and cultural barriers that discourage both expatriates and locals from interacting across the boundaries. The lack of external interaction supports the creation of coherence among expatriates; however it also inhibits their ability to gain cultural capital, including skills and knowledge, needed to be a member of the transnational capitalist class. Moreover, the strict Saudi government regulations and corporate procedures deny expatriates the political power and control in the workplace that are also criteria for membership in the transnational capitalist class. These findings show that the particularities of place and the nation-state still play an important role in limiting the possibilities open to the transnational capitalist class.

Secrets Under the Veil is a compilation of stories of two expatriates contracted to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a two year period. They experienced situations that were culturally shocking to them and often frustrating. The contracts they signed were misleading and incredibly restrictive. Some of the stories may or may not surprise you but you will surely be entertained. Nonetheless, the experiences these women had created memories of a lifetime and are irreplaceable.

Yasmin and Hira are two expats in Saudi Arabia living parallel lives with totally opposite experiences. Their love lives, emotions, tragedies and the experiences that shape the individuals they become are all captured in this novel written from the heart. Taken from true events, this memoir takes the reader on a journey into the lives of expats who make up the Kingdom's large demographic. Never been told before, the Saudi Expat will reveal a sensitive understanding of a culture that is still considered enigmatic and often misunderstood.

A book for anyone thinking of or about to head for work in Saudi Arabia. Taken from the perspective of an Expat, the book covers absolute basics to more complicated cultural nuances. Saudi Arabia Quick Guide for Expats will add to your existing knowledge and fill a few gaps with nuggets of information. I can safely assume you have a vested interest to read a book about Saudi Arabia. Maybe you are moving, for work purposes, or you already have. Maybe someone in your family is about to go or is there now. For what ever reason, I hope there are a few insights which can be useful to you. Think of three things that you immediately know of Saudi Arabia. I can guess that you thought of one of these; Sun, Sand or Oil. Hopefully by the end of the book, you can add a few more to the list!

Morris's experience may cause readers who are thinking about expatriate work to think again. He urges anyone considering working abroad to do research before signing anything.