Do We Have The Freedom Of Movement On This Planet??!!

Sad to hear Amin.

I believe the world order right now contributed esp when you applied with a Syrian passport.

If I were you, I'd wait for some time to get the political situation get settled a bit.

TheLegendLeads wrote:

Sad to hear Amin.

I believe the world order right now contributed esp when you applied with a Syrian passport.

If I were you, I'd wait for some time to get the political situation get settled a bit.

Thanks! And that is what I am going to do, to wait!

I would love to visit Syria but my application was rejected because I was applying in DXB and didn't have a UAE visa at the time. Such is life.

As stated above it's not a goiod time to be Syrian in the eyes of other governments.

I would love to visit Syria but my application was rejected because I was applying in DXB and didn't have a UAE visa at the time. Such is life.

As stated above it's not a goiod time to be Syrian in the eyes of other governments.

gashead wrote:

I would love to visit Syria but my application was rejected because I was applying in DXB and didn't have a UAE visa at the time. Such is life.

As stated above it's not a goiod time to be Syrian in the eyes of other governments.

Sorry to hear about your Syrian visa!

And of course not a good time to plan a trip to Syria.
May God help the poor.

TheLegendLeads wrote:

And of course not a good time to plan a trip to Syria.
May God help the poor.

Yeah, It is not a good time to visit Syria, even for Syrians!

Aminstar2 now a days the visa process is getting stronger, but your planning for a business trip and all your expenses are bearable from your company then there is no  hard deal they should accept. It aint matters about salary . Its only matter responsibility from your company.

@ wilson_derry

Even though, I got rejected, probably for the current sitiuation in Syria. They just mentioned the financial status to hide something they can't state.

Hey, but as for meeting up with your friends, why not try to arrange a holiday in a country you CAN get into?

BTW, sorry to hear about your visa problems.  I was recently very pleasantly surprised that I didn't need a visa for the UAE (airport visas are just about getting $$, anyway--certainly not about security -- had to buy one in Jordan, Turkey, etc.).

Alliecat wrote:

Hey, but as for meeting up with your friends, why not try to arrange a holiday in a country you CAN get into?

BTW, sorry to hear about your visa problems.  I was recently very pleasantly surprised that I didn't need a visa for the UAE (airport visas are just about getting $$, anyway--certainly not about security -- had to buy one in Jordan, Turkey, etc.).

Thanks for your suggestion, Alliecat!

I have dozens of friends in both the Uk and the States. The majority of them are in London and Washington DC. It makes more sense that I visit them rather than having a group of them to travel to some other country where we can meet. That could work in case of one or a couple of friends. Besides, I WANT to see London.

I believe Americans/Brits can get a visa to the majority of countries in the world. The only American I know who was rejected to enter a country was in Iran. He got the visa, but he had to spend 48 hours in prison on the border and wasn't allowed in, his father was Iranian though.

If it's any consolation, I'm sure I can't get into N. Korea

Alliecat wrote:

If it's any consolation, I'm sure I can't get into N. Korea

It is not a matter of consolation! I'm just against being rejected to enter a country because both governments of your country and the country you are visiting are not friends! It is NOT our fault!

Aminstar2 wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

If it's any consolation, I'm sure I can't get into N. Korea

It is not a matter of consolation! I'm just against being rejected to enter a country because both governments of your country and the country you are visiting are not friends! It is NOT our fault!

That was a joke.  Who in their right mind would want to go to N. Korea ?!?

@ Aminstar2 i don't agree, your visa got rejected because of cries going in Syria its your thinking. Maybe your company not showing full support towards UK embassy. If that was the case how people from UK are still traveling to Syria for business purpose. Business around the globe never stops.

wilson_derry wrote:

@ Aminstar2 i don't agree, your visa got rejected because of cries going in Syria its your thinking. Maybe your company not showing full support towards UK embassy. If that was the case how people from UK are still traveling to Syria for business purpose. Business around the globe never stops.

My company DID show full support toward UK embsaay, and that wasn't the first business visa application they apply to the UK embassy. My company owns another company in London, so all the time we have been travelling between Uk and Saudi for business purposes.

14 months ago, before the crises started in Syria, almost any national of any country could get a visa to Syria. It was much easier than getting a visa to Saudi, for exapmple! but at that same time, a Syrian appliying for the Uk or the US would often get rejected. The image is that people of the third world, like Syria, are thought to apply for a visit visa and then stay in a western country as illegal immigrants, which is not always true, as the financial situation there was better at some point, while those westerners who would come to vist a country like Syria, would be weclomed as they spend money on tourism, as the cost of living is Syria is much cheaper than that of western countries, so tourists would be encouraged to spend a lot (in Syrian standards). And westerners aree welcommed to work in countries such as Syria and they are paid almost ten times what locals or the same positions are paid.   

BTW, do you know -in person-  any British people who are still travellin to Syria for Business purposes thesedays??!!

TheLegendLeads wrote:

And of course not a good time to plan a trip to Syria.
May God help the poor.

Of course not... but oddly whenever i plan a visit to anywhere you can be sure that riots will start within days... I think I should be an adviser to Obama.

gashead wrote:

TheLegendLeads wrote:

And of course not a good time to plan a trip to Syria.
May God help the poor.

Of course not... but oddly whenever i plan a visit to anywhere you can be sure that riots will start within days... I think I should be an adviser to Obama.

So you have been in Egypt, Libya and Bahrain lately !!

Claim asylum - no doubt you will get in the UK ...

@ Aminstar2 the place where im working we have 1 syrian doctor i discus with him, after knowing he going to attn international Seminar in UK next month approved may Internation seminar. If  syrian doctor can go than how come UK  em-sassy . no idea.

wilson_derry wrote:

@ Aminstar2 the place where im working we have 1 syrian doctor i discus with him, after knowing he going to attn international Seminar in UK next month approved may Internation seminar. If  syrian doctor can go than how come UK  em-sassy . no idea.

Through the embassies eyes, doctors are not considered as transaltors (me) are as their income is probably more than the income of  transaltors. What is true is that I've got rejected three times. Every time I applied I made sure I had all the supporting documents and consulted people who applied before and got approved. My boss who is a Syrian CFO and whose Salary is 10 times more than mine was Rejected twice before he got accepted the third time.

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Claim asylum - no doubt you will get in the UK ...

YES!  Another idea:  go to Mexico.. sneak across the border into the US.. then fly to the UK from the US!

(you think I'm joking?!?)

Alliecat wrote:

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Claim asylum - no doubt you will get in the UK ...

YES!  Another idea:  go to Mexico.. sneak across the border into the US.. then fly to the UK from the US!

(you think I'm joking?!?)

It's all the same thing:lol: The back door is always open to the UK

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Alliecat wrote:

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Claim asylum - no doubt you will get in the UK ...

YES!  Another idea:  go to Mexico.. sneak across the border into the US.. then fly to the UK from the US!

(you think I'm joking?!?)

It's all the same thing:lol: The back door is always open to the UK

Since the British Embassy THINKS I am going to stay in their country as an illegal immigrant, then I do NOT want to proof they ARE right.

Alliecat, I KNOW you are joking!

Aminstar2 wrote:

Alliecat, I KNOW you are joking!

Well GOOD!  Just so you KNOW!

Those who work in the British embassy THINK that some Syrian like me dreams to settle in a country like theirs, probably to earn more money or have the government funding them, but the truth is why do British people (and many others) come to a country like Saudi, in which I'm living and working??!! I know I earn much less here than what I would in the UK (if I could find a job), but at least I still can save! I'm Satisfied!

Aminstar2 wrote:

Those who work in the British embassy THINK that some Syrian like me dreams to settle in a country like theirs, probably to earn more money or have the government funding them, but the truth is why do British people (and many others) come to a country like Saudi, in which I'm living and working??!! I know I earn much less here than what I would in the UK (if I could find a job), but at least I still can save! I'm Satisfied!

Are you nuts?!?! You earn 40k out here you keep 40k out here you earn that in the UK and before it even gets to your bank acount 40% of that goes on tax and national insurance is like 2% (or something) Then you have to pay for your house which if you want to livve in london can cost anything from 1k a month with bills. And thats just a studio apartment no bigger than a shoe box. And don't even get me started ona car. Just tax alone costs 200bucks for a 2.5litre ... feul 1.50+ a litre now.

Dude anyone who thinks they can earn more in the UK needs their head examined.

And thats pounds by the way not riyal ...

LoopyLou87 wrote:

[
Are you nuts?!?! You earn 40k out here you keep 40k out here you earn that in the UK and before it even gets to your bank acount 40% of that goes on tax and national insurance is like 2% (or something) Then you have to pay for your house which if you want to livve in london can cost anything from 1k a month with bills. And thats just a studio apartment no bigger than a shoe box. And don't even get me started ona car. Just tax alone costs 200bucks for a 2.5litre ... feul 1.50+ a litre now.

Dude anyone who thinks they can earn more in the UK needs their head examined.

I was thinking the SAME about the USA.  If it were so lucrative there, why in God's name would I be HERE?  Millions of people are out of work, hundreds of thousands losing their homes and retirement plans.  Tax is through the roof (unless you're a millionaire and then you pay almost nothing), that shoebox in London is 2K a month in NYC.  If you do manage to find a job, you may or may not get hospitalization--if you don't, you just have to live day to day, praying that nothing happens, because you won't be able to pay for it out of pocket on your minimum wage job.

Food is expensive.  Gas is expensive.  Heating oil is expensive.

What I've been able to save here in one year--due to no taxes and paid housing--it would have taken me ten to save at home.

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Dude anyone who thinks they can earn more in the UK needs their head examined.

You've probably got met wrong! I DO know why Westerners come here! I was just being sacrastic! If the UK embassy thinks I want to go to their country because I THINK I can make more money there, then THEY need THEIR head (if they have one) examined.

Alliecat wrote:

I was thinking the SAME about the USA.  If it were so lucrative there, why in God's name would I be HERE?  Millions of people are out of work, hundreds of thousands losing their homes and retirement plans.  Tax is through the roof (unless you're a millionaire and then you pay almost nothing), that shoebox in London is 2K a month in NYC.  If you do manage to find a job, you may or may not get hospitalization--if you don't, you just have to live day to day, praying that nothing happens, because you won't be able to pay for it out of pocket on your minimum wage job.

Food is expensive.  Gas is expensive.  Heating oil is expensive.

What I've been able to save here in one year--due to no taxes and paid housing--it would have taken me ten to save at home.

I Do know that, Alliecat! I have been meeting Westerners since 2003 and since then I have spent more time with them than that I've spent with Arabs! I have already heard all of what you and LoopyLou87 said.

I am NOT nuts. I just wantED to spend two weeks in London!I'm SATISFIED here, LoopyLou87!!!!!!

Aminstar2 wrote:

I know I earn much less here than what I would in the UK (if I could find a job), but at least I still can save! I'm Satisfied!

Maybe it's a language thing but I understood it the same way Lou did based on what you'd said (ie. that you thought you'd be better off in the UK).

You say you'd just like to spend two weeks in London?  If it was within my power, I'd certainly grant this simple request

Aminstar2 wrote:

[
I am NOT nuts.

I bet you are really ... you in Saudia. Everybody is nuts here it's an accepted way of life

Alliecat wrote:

Aminstar2 wrote:

I know I earn much less here than what I would in the UK (if I could find a job), but at least I still can save! I'm Satisfied!

Maybe it's a language thing but I understood it the same way Lou did based on what you'd said (ie. that you thought you'd be better off in the UK).

Dear Alliecat,
Dear Lou,

Probably it was a language thing and I should have been clearer, though I’ve mentioned in my first post that I was planning to go there for only TWO weeks: “my employer stated that they would bear all my two-week trip expenses.

Hence my phrase that you quoted was supposed to be: “I don’t intend to work in the UK, but even if I thought of it, it wouldn’t be a good idea as I know I earn much less here than what I would in the UK (if I were to look for a job and could find a one in a country where it’s hard even for locals to find one), but at least I still can save here which is something hard to achieve there! I'm Satisfied!”

Alliecat wrote:

You say you'd just like to spend two weeks in London?  If it was within my power, I'd certainly grant this simple request

I'm sure you would, Alliecat! Thanks!

Aminstar2 KEEP TRYING TILL YOU SUCCEED!           

It’s never over till you give up… so never give up! You would have heard the quote “Nothing succeeds like success” add “Try…try till you succeed” to this and you have just brewed the perfect formula for unstoppable success. And believe me when I tell you, it holds true every time you attempt to succeed.

An outstanding quality of a winner is the power to hold on despite the most adverse circumstances. Sure, you are going to fail a lot. Not every endeavor is going to be successful the first time. Some might take forever to succeed. But the secret is to never give up. A winner is not a person who does not fail but, it is he who rises up every time he fails and tries again.

Don’t ever give up trying. Be stubbornly persistent. Remember that these ceaseless efforts will eventually help you overcome your obstacles. You will need to take pains to be persistent. Every little detail needs to be taken care of. You have to do everything and do it right to reach your goal.

  try try           From Uncle Harland David Sanders

give us the treat in kfc Aminstar2 once you get your business trip visa


Im Sure this is not off topic

LoopyLou87 wrote:

Aminstar2 wrote:

[
I am NOT nuts.

I bet you are really ... you in Saudia. Everybody is nuts here it's an accepted way of life

I came from a country where life is more like that of the West, though we have some tradition like that of Saudi. It is easier for me to adapt in this country than it is for you Westerners. I’m a Muslim in a Muslim country, but this country applies Islam extremely and forces it on people, which is not Islam anymore.

It is true that Saudi is not the perfect place at which I dreamed to work and live, and the first two years I spent here (I arrived here on 29 Aug 2007) were the worst  in my whole live; having to work for 12-15 hours a day with my first employer, having a very low wage, having my car broken down all the time, lending money to people who haven’t returned it up to date, keeping broke and in debt, got caught twice by the religious police for not being in the mosque at the prayer time, ALTHOUGH I do pray every single time of the five times of the day on time, having to wait for/kill 30-45 minutes four times a day during prayer times, and the list is too long to mention here.

BUT, since I got a new employer two and a half years ago, and since I intend to stay for a long while, I started to make this place a GOOD place to live. Now, when I’m off work hours, I’m usually outdoors socializing with friends and often meeting new friends (mostly Westerners). I enjoy driving fast when I get back home right after midnight when there is no much traffic and it doesn’t seem to be too dangerous. I enjoy being in a place where a lot of things need to be changed and have the power to change (at least) the people around me into better.

The nuts people are those who have to stay here and accept the live style here as it is without trying to make theirs better! We shouldn’t always complain about the life style here, we should try to change ours! Let’s have the power to change! I have already made it!

Aminstar2 wrote:

The nuts people are those who have to stay here and accept the live style here as it is without trying to make theirs better! We shouldn’t always complain about the life style here, we should try to change ours! Let’s have the power to change! I have already made it!

Amin, Amin, Amin!!  Whatever are we going to do with you??

Lou was joking!!!!!  Now come on, dude!  If you hang around Westerners as much as you say you do, you should *get* our sense of humor by now!

That aside, what you said above is brilliant, absolutely brilliant.  You are SO right.  The power is ours--being  happy here or miserable, it's dependent upon you and your attitude.

Alliecat wrote:

Amin, Amin, Amin!!  Whatever are we going to do with you??

Lou was joking!!!!!  Now come on, dude!  If you hang around Westerners as much as you say you do, you should *get* our sense of humor by now!

Alliecat! I know it when poeple are joking. I just took advantage of the topic and tried to deliver a message. Jokes are usually based on facts, real life! I like the Western sense of humor, and especially the British. But excuse me, my English is not avanced enough to reply a sense of humor with another sense of humor.

Thank you for your kind words, Wilson!

I believe it is not a good idea to apply again soon as the embassy would assume that I’m insisting on going there which would have them to reject me again and again. I need to gain their trust by getting visas to some other countries, stay in them and get out within the period I state, and hence I gain trust. I’m not planning to go to other countries just to get the British embassy’s trust, but I would like to go to China, Italy and Germany someday.

I always keep trying until I succeed. That is me! I never give up, but when things don’t work one way or another, I try another way, and that is what I’m trying to do. For me it is never plan A or plan B. I have up to plan Z, besides the Arabic Alphabet!