Moving to Jeddah soon.

Blackcat99 wrote:

And you'll be expected to hand over your Passport.  That is the worst feeling.  Most American Companies that operate here do the same but you will get it back when you need it.  And that's because an e-mail, call or trip to the US Consulate gets them in some hot water if they don't.

Ok that's good to know. I just spoke to my agency in London and voiced all my concerns. I pretty much sent a, NO THANK YOU, email to them :-)
They  confirmed that I will have to hand over my passport when I get there.
I have also been given all the numbers of everyone who works with the family(most of them have been there for over 5 yrs) so I can talk to them and get their opinion on the family and how they have managed to stay there for so long.
Agency says if I do go, they will take weekly updates from me and if I'm not happy, they will pull me out.

I'm trying to find  that positive spin to this.
I know an executive who wanted to move from New York to work in South Africa and all he heard was horror stories. They refused for him to take his family there and when I heard the story, being from there, I was appalled. So I'm trying to see something here even if it is for a month.  Then maybe I can make a decision based on a personal experience.

Sooo conflicted.

If you are certain your company can get you out if you want, then why not try it?  But please do remember, you need an *exit* visa to leave this country (only country in the world to do this,  I believe!).

Tale care to have an open air ticket and EXIT VISA!

pajaroflor wrote:

Tale care to have an open air ticket and EXIT VISA!

I've asked for both :-) I've also requested that the Prince, himself, gives me a call. He's supposedly modern & westernized, so let's see what happens next.

Acuteabby wrote:

pajaroflor wrote:

Tale care to have an open air ticket and EXIT VISA!

I've asked for both :-) I've also requested that the Prince, himself, gives me a call. He's supposedly modern & westernized, so let's see what happens next.

"The prince."  You've just made me laugh!  There are 1000's of them!

Alliecat wrote:

Acuteabby wrote:

pajaroflor wrote:

Tale care to have an open air ticket and EXIT VISA!

I've asked for both :-) I've also requested that the Prince, himself, gives me a call. He's supposedly modern & westernized, so let's see what happens next.

"The prince."  You've just made me laugh!  There are 1000's of them!

Yup, I see them all on YouTube. LOL!!

LOL  Yep, and each one thinks HE is 'THE Prince'!

Oh Alliecat...Oh so many of them.... Tru dat. Pfffff!

You both have totally caught my attention this morning.... This thread hits so close to home.... Simply put -  ABUNDANS CAUTELA NON NOCET... Just listen to your gut because your own instinct and good judgment will guide you. Have a plan to leave at your discretion should things not be as they appear MANY thousands of foreign workers do not have this luxury.

Hey, I would be in the same boat as you ... soon.  Hope we get to contact each other there!

I'll be teaching English though...

HaniSaeed wrote:

I am From Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I born here and I am sure you will love Jeddah because the atmosphere in Jeddah is not far from the atmosphere in some USA cities.

Oh really?  So which US cities would those be?

That is a very misleading statement to say its similar to any USA city.

Misleading?  It is actually categorically false, not just misleading!

Nymphx wrote:

I'll be teaching English though...

You situation will be nothing like the same unless you are living with a private family?

I will be having my own, furnished by the company, well, supposedly.

Easy there, Sir. Just trying not to be too in-your-face offensive to a complete stranger like @Hani ....Anyone coming to or through the KSA that hasn't done their homework is starting off on the wrong foot. Asking such question after accepting or committing to whatever offer is hind site.That goes for workers or companies.... The last time I expressed this , I got a  business member response that said I needed to relax. Who would think to expect it to be Western in that sense anyways? It's all good but hey maybe she wants an "adventure" and a change of pace. To each his/her own.

No, I won't be living with any private family.

Nymphx wrote:

No, I won't be living with any private family.

Then, as I said, your situation is nothing like hers.  You're one of the myriad English teachers while she is a "luxury concierge" who will manage the house/personal business of a member of the royal family.

You will have your own place and set work hours.  She will be living with this family and on-call 24/7 (regardless of the contract!).

You will be able to come and go as you please and will be able to meet many expats through your work.  She could be confined and her opportunities to meet other expats and make friends will be limited.

So .. your situation is nothing like hers (and it's why we were all concerned about her).

Good luck.

Dear Which Witch,

House managers and career/high-end nannies are not maids, they are college educated professionals who often make a six figure salary depending of their skills and education. They work for high net worth families who understand the value of their profession and treat them as such...as for nannies, I like to compare them with cars, you can get a Twingo or a Mercedes...it's just not comparable

Dear Acuteabby,

I am a career nanny,and have worked for a couple of Saudi royal families in the past. It was mainly based in LA but I traveled with them in the kingdom. I am starting a new position in Riyadh (with time spent in Jeddah as well) in January.

This is what I have experienced. If you are working for a royal family, most if not all of them, have and do spend tremendous time in US and Europe (studies, ongoing travels, etc). For this reason, there lifestyle is much more relaxed and you will not be expected to wear an abaya or even a burkini while being on their (most likely private) beach. You will be surprised to find out that their lifestyle is very similar to yours when it comes to clothing. The only thing I would suggest to you, is to keep some kind of modesty, just as you would do in a normal professional environment. If you went to a Butler school, you probably already know all the do's & don't in that regard. When you leave their estate, simply follow the kingdom rules to avoid any trouble.

As for the job situation, being on their property is often not a problem as they often ave separate villas within their estates. Either way, in our line of work, being dedicated to one's job is often unavoidable in terms of availability. I've worked for British, US families and it was the same. We are expected to be fully available...and we are being paid in consequence. So the key, is too make sure your salary reflects this condition. If not DO NOT go, or negotiate a higher salary.

I would suggest that you insist on speaking with your employer directly over the phone before going. You will get a sense of her personality, etc. If she is reluctant to speaking with you, that is probably a clear sign that she will not treat you with kindness and regards. Discuss the job responsibilities and your time off.  Then confirm by email (in written) the outcome of the discussion (time off etc), and if you're 24/7 or not. Then once on the job, be firm on the conditions and DO stand your ground. If they perceive you as a highly professional and valuable individual, they will respect you. If you sell yourself short, they will try to take advantage...such is the human nature no matter where.

Also these families travel almost 6 months of the year. Ask them if they travel, how often. If your travel during your time off, do your get your day off back etc..

Per my experience, I have always been treated very nicely by these families. If they like you, they will make you feel like an extended family member and will shower you with numerous gifts.They are very kind and fun to work for. They are not highly demanding compared to some celebrities I worked for here in LA, where some can be just crazy and have the weirdest demands. Yes, they will depend on you and will ask for a lot of your time. It's seems they like to have their staff with them as much as possible and at time you will feel like you need to take a break from them...but they are very nice, generous and you will be accordingly rewarded. So again the key, is to ask for a consequent salary from the get go.

Also, the new generation is very different than the older generations in regard to how they treat their staff.

To me the most difficult has been to actually deal with their staff who can be very difficult out of jealousy. So watch out for the gossips and be on your guard...but that's another story.

Anyway, feel free to inbox me if you want to further discuss it.

I sincerely wish you all the best as it can be intimidating at the beginning.

In regard to life in Saudi, it will be what you make of it. It can definitely be a very nice experience. It can and probably feel a little isolating at time, but you will also feel at peace and very relaxed. Well at least compared to life in Europe and the US.

D.