It talks about the massacre of foreign employees (Westerners and Australians) of an oil company... Halfway through the article, it talks about two Canadian citizens who were injured in the attack - one of those Canadians was the father of our good friend Gary Moffatt. I can get you his phone number - he has some very disturbing stories about what his father saw while stationed there. The reason for the attack: they didn't like white people.
The concern I have is that yes, you seem to have spoken to a lot of people who love it there... but were the people you talked to affiliated with the school that was giving the presentation? I think it would be wise to speak to people who have had all sorts of experiences in Saudi Arabia - good AND bad. From what I understand, women there ARE revered - but not foreign women.
I know what you're thinking - I've got a track record for not wanting my friends to go teach overseas. Well, you're right. And after the argument we had, I can imagine you scoffing at and ignoring what I'm saying. I'm not telling you it's not safe, or that it's a bad idea, or that you shouldn't go. Sounds like they're going to pay you a shitload of money, and that's ALWAYS a good thing. But I've read lots of stuff on the internet that makes me worry that maybe it's not the safest place to be. I'm just saying you should maybe join a few Expats in Saudi Arabia message boards or whatever before you go over there. The sad truth is that there have been attacks on Westerners there. Expats have died, and less than a year ago, too. No amount of money in the world is worth living in fear of your life - your fear and the fear of your family/friends. I'm by no means a feminist, but not being allowed to drive or ride a bike? Being told how to walk/talk/dress/act? I can see you being okay with that for like, ten minutes.
Yer friends love you and just want you to be happy. And safe.
I"m not sure if i should resent this or not yet. First, a "friend" should be supportive, not trying to scare the shit out of you. Secondly, the people i met and talked to were not employees of the school, they were people from Hamilton, Nova Scotia and some Americans. People die everywhere. They die here for being gay. They still die in the US for being black. There are terrorists in in the U.S (timothy mcvey)... no place is perfectly safe. Look where the tsunami hit, virtually "safe" but there you go...
I understand people are scared about what is going on in the world, and I am happy that people care enough about me to worry, but i wish people had some amount of eloquence in telling me so, and especially making assumptions on how i think and feel.
I didn't walk into this job blindly. We were offered several jobs. I know that I will be told how to dress in some instances. I have agreed to that style of life by signing the contract. I'm not going over there to change the world. I'm going over there for an experience, to see how other people live and to respect that.
I'm going out there as an experience. To grow as a person. To develop tolerence. Nowhere is perfect, nowhere is completely safe, but it shouldn't mean that we should stop living.
Okay, well I know that no matter what I say, offense will be taken, so what the hell. You're right. A "friend" should be supportive. But let's not go there today. If you're accusing me of not being supportive, I'll take it. But you weren't exactly supportive, or understanding, of me flying off the handle last month when I quit smoking. (And I did apologize for that. I feel rotten.) I don't care if you're mad at me, Michelle. You are my friend and I love you. Your being mad at me is not going to change that. You are and always will be one of the best friends I have, and whether or not you feel the same way doesn't change how I feel. People fuck up, and a friend is measured, among other things, by their understanding and capacity for forgiveness. That being said. I'm glad the people you spoke to were neutral sources, and not paid advertisers of the school you'll be working for. What they say has a lot of value. But don't just listen to the lovey dovey. You're right, people die everywhere... nowhere in the world is safe... doesn't make it okay to walk head on into terrorist country. (Not that is it, I'm just saying...) And as for eloquence, honey... I'm a Sag. I have NEVER claimed to be eloquent. Just the opposite, in fact... I'm blunt to the point of offence sometimes. But always, always with the best of intentions. I am saying what I am because I CARE ABOUT YOU. If I am wrong about the risks involved in going there, I will for the first time in my life be THRILLED that I am wrong. Knowing how intelligent and mature you are, I know you didn't walk into this job blindly. I'm just worried that you're dismissing the real dangers out there in your quest to gain world experience. A friend who didn't worry would be no friend at all. To make a long story short, Michelle, I (and I'm sure your other friends as well) support you no matter what. We wish you happiness and fulfillment and safety and love and laughter and all that other shit. Please don't be mad. Since you've already made your decision I will never mention any of this again. I will always support all of your decisions. I just want you to know everything there is to know about the decisions you make, that's all. *shrugs* Just chalk it up to being a mom. Moms worry - not only about their kids, but about everyone else on the damn planet too :P
http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=920881&TABLE=HANSARDR <- Specific to Al-Qaida attacks in Khobar
This one is a definite read:
http://www.rednova.com/news/display/?id=57270
It talks about the massacre of foreign employees (Westerners and Australians) of an oil company... Halfway through the article, it talks about two Canadian citizens who were injured in the attack - one of those Canadians was the father of our good friend Gary Moffatt. I can get you his phone number - he has some very disturbing stories about what his father saw while stationed there. The reason for the attack: they didn't like white people.
The concern I have is that yes, you seem to have spoken to a lot of people who love it there... but were the people you talked to affiliated with the school that was giving the presentation? I think it would be wise to speak to people who have had all sorts of experiences in Saudi Arabia - good AND bad. From what I understand, women there ARE revered - but not foreign women.
I know what you're thinking - I've got a track record for not wanting my friends to go teach overseas. Well, you're right. And after the argument we had, I can imagine you scoffing at and ignoring what I'm saying. I'm not telling you it's not safe, or that it's a bad idea, or that you shouldn't go. Sounds like they're going to pay you a shitload of money, and that's ALWAYS a good thing. But I've read lots of stuff on the internet that makes me worry that maybe it's not the safest place to be. I'm just saying you should maybe join a few Expats in Saudi Arabia message boards or whatever before you go over there. The sad truth is that there have been attacks on Westerners there. Expats have died, and less than a year ago, too. No amount of money in the world is worth living in fear of your life - your fear and the fear of your family/friends. I'm by no means a feminist, but not being allowed to drive or ride a bike? Being told how to walk/talk/dress/act? I can see you being okay with that for like, ten minutes.
Yer friends love you and just want you to be happy. And safe.
Reply
First, a "friend" should be supportive, not trying to scare the shit out of you. Secondly, the people i met and talked to were not employees of the school, they were people from Hamilton, Nova Scotia and some Americans.
People die everywhere. They die here for being gay. They still die in the US for being black. There are terrorists in in the U.S (timothy mcvey)... no place is perfectly safe. Look where the tsunami hit, virtually "safe" but there you go...
I understand people are scared about what is going on in the world, and I am happy that people care enough about me to worry, but i wish people had some amount of eloquence in telling me so, and especially making assumptions on how i think and feel.
I didn't walk into this job blindly. We were offered several jobs. I know that I will be told how to dress in some instances. I have agreed to that style of life by signing the contract. I'm not going over there to change the world. I'm going over there for an experience, to see how other people live and to respect that.
I'm going out there as an experience. To grow as a person. To develop tolerence. Nowhere is perfect, nowhere is completely safe, but it shouldn't mean that we should stop living.
Reply
You're right. A "friend" should be supportive. But let's not go there today. If you're accusing me of not being supportive, I'll take it. But you weren't exactly supportive, or understanding, of me flying off the handle last month when I quit smoking. (And I did apologize for that. I feel rotten.) I don't care if you're mad at me, Michelle. You are my friend and I love you. Your being mad at me is not going to change that. You are and always will be one of the best friends I have, and whether or not you feel the same way doesn't change how I feel. People fuck up, and a friend is measured, among other things, by their understanding and capacity for forgiveness.
That being said.
I'm glad the people you spoke to were neutral sources, and not paid advertisers of the school you'll be working for. What they say has a lot of value. But don't just listen to the lovey dovey. You're right, people die everywhere... nowhere in the world is safe... doesn't make it okay to walk head on into terrorist country. (Not that is it, I'm just saying...) And as for eloquence, honey... I'm a Sag. I have NEVER claimed to be eloquent. Just the opposite, in fact... I'm blunt to the point of offence sometimes. But always, always with the best of intentions.
I am saying what I am because I CARE ABOUT YOU. If I am wrong about the risks involved in going there, I will for the first time in my life be THRILLED that I am wrong.
Knowing how intelligent and mature you are, I know you didn't walk into this job blindly. I'm just worried that you're dismissing the real dangers out there in your quest to gain world experience. A friend who didn't worry would be no friend at all.
To make a long story short, Michelle, I (and I'm sure your other friends as well) support you no matter what. We wish you happiness and fulfillment and safety and love and laughter and all that other shit. Please don't be mad. Since you've already made your decision I will never mention any of this again. I will always support all of your decisions. I just want you to know everything there is to know about the decisions you make, that's all. *shrugs* Just chalk it up to being a mom. Moms worry - not only about their kids, but about everyone else on the damn planet too :P
Reply
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