<p>Many years back I spent some time in Abu Dhabai but I have not been to either Saudi or Qatar. I am concerned that my son, an American, will be living among other Americans in this region of the world. I am concerned that the area he will be living is a known American complex and that could very well prove to be dangerous. Have any of you done any business in these places in the last year or so? I am hoping to hear from someone who has actually spent enough time in this region to give me some real life advice on what he should or should’nt do while living there. He is already informed about the cultural do’s and don’ts, but I am more interested in what he should or should not do as an American. Would it be safe for him to travel the region on his own, take taxi service, that sort of thing? </p>
<p>I wouldn’t recommend allowing this. If it were my son, I’d set an ultimatum; he stays home or I cut off any money or assistance to this travel plans.</p>
<p>It sounds like he has a job working in the oil industry, in which case it’s not the parents decision as to whether to allow him to do this or not.</p>
<p>The jobs are high paying but are limiting because of the safety concerns. Typically the oil industry jobs you work almost all of the time (70 - 80 hour weeks) and don’t have much downtime to travel anyway. You make bank for several years, and then come back home and have a nice down payment for a house.</p>
<p>He will be 21 when he leaves. He is a very adventurous person which is concerning me even more. He will have off on Friday and Sat every week unless he needs to work. </p>
<p>We have always treated him as an adult and we do not feel like this is something we could say no to however I would like to discuss some real life issues with him. When I was in the United Emirates years ago I was very careful about where I went and how I dressed and that was before 9/11.</p>
<p>Yes it is, but he does not believe his future employment would be impacted if he did’nt go. I agree that the opportunity could be wonderful but I also have that adventure streak (fine for me but I am not comfortable with it for him). I have been reading everything I could find and it seems that Qatar is a bit less extreme than Saudi but the overall impression that I am getting is that Americans are taking a great risk. There have been many instances of American arrests and detainments for basically nothing. The American embassy has reported that they are not being notified of arrests for three and four days while the prisoner is being interrogated. </p>
<p>Our son is very proud of this offer and the pay is very good, although he is not doing it for the money but for the experience and the opportunity.</p>
<p>This situation is just another example of what we worry about when we have kids.</p>
<p>Where to work is really a personal decision for your son to make. He’s certainly aware of the security concerns of working overseas and the company will brief him on security issues. I’d just let him make the decision and support him in whatever he decides to do.</p>
<p>We have a family friend (I am being a bit vague here, for obvious reasons) who is Jewish, gay, and works in the Arab countries. He has travelled back and forth for more than a few years. (He does not work for an oil company). So far, so good.</p>
<p>Sounds like a great adventure to me. Have him check out the safety situation & report back to you. But living in a foreigners’ compound is probably safe (if limiting.) And if he hates it, I assume he can quit and come home. I’d say, carpe diem, and godspeed.</p>
<p>I have explore this opportunity myself, because I was lured by my friends who returned from there. The first question I want to ask is that if he is working for Aramco or not? If it is Aramco or its equivalent, don’t worry about it. If it is a small local company then I have reservations about it.</p>
<p>Aramco is the largest oil company in the world, they have a “town” bulit for the international workers in Saudi Arabia. The town is as large as Mahattan for example. You have everything you can think of in that “town”, including amusment parks and broadway shows and everything in between. You cannot tell the place is in middle of the desert. The compnay will provide everything from housing, cars, gas, food and yearly leaves and they are mostly free. They have company jets and will transport you to anywhere in the world for meetings. Very little money can spend over there and there is no taxes to be paid ( u pay US taxes over and above the international exclusions)… My friend was there for 10 years and he returned a happy and wealthy man. </p>
<p>It is absolutely safe in that town as it has patrols and guards surrounding the town. But when you are there you are like a prisonor, it is not wise to leave the town and travel to other parts of the country overland, although there is no restrictions for you to stay in town. Since the town is so hugh, you do not feel you are confind there. You can take vactions anywhere in the world and they are fully paid by the company up to 4 weeks or whatever allowed.</p>
<p>Sounds like a real adventure, but I wouldn’t suggest hiking anywhere near Iran…</p>
<p>The oil industry has lots of experience keeping their people safe in dangerous places (I have 2 sibs who work in the industry). If you abide by their rules and not blow them off, he should be all right. </p>
<p>My brother tells me that there are some locations that are so dangerous that workers have to be dropped and removed by helicopter. My sister consulted on some Nigerian oil wells where the surroundings were so rife with kidnappings that all meetings had to be held in European cities (she got some real cheap vacations to great places).</p>
<p>Unfortunately, a lot of the big oil deposits are in less than safe places…</p>
<p>momma-three, Oil companies have a lot invested in keeping their employees safe. We have friends whose daughter just returned from Saudi Arabia. They had company housing, althought not a company “town”, and a driver on call if they wanted to go shopping or out for the evening. The company also arranged for them to take several interesting trips, from deep sea fishing to a resort in the middle of the desert. </p>
<p>My level of worry would rest on the reputation of the company. My husband did two combat tours in Iraq, so I know it would be safer than that at least! However, my son is gay so I would hope he would not go at all.</p>
<p>My son, age 24, has been living and working in Riyadh since Aug 1. He is not in the oil industry, does not live in a compound and will be there 6 -12 months. He is happy and has adjusted to the societal standards, including Ramadan. He found this book to be helpful and entertaining:</p>
<p>Saudi Arabia - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture</p>
<p>You can PM me if you want more information.</p>
<p>Thank goodness! I have that book Culture Shock - glad to hear it’s useful! I was just reviewing it this weekend. I went to an Islamic clothing store in my city and bought the abaya / burka and headscarves for my trip.</p>
<p>^ I already plan on visiting him, so I guess I will need to do the same.
Cincy gal… I will pick up the book, read it, and pass it along to my son.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if he would need to leave his American music and movies at home? I would assume they would pose a problem. Are things like that checked upon entering the region now?</p>