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Post by vpainter on Jul 14, 2013 19:43:28 GMT
The Rakkah compound - (DLC-Dhahran Local Compound) is near the Dhahran International Exhibition Center. It is 30 to 35 minutes from DHA. When we went our trip was 25 mins one way.
It has a restaurant dining hall (seats 500) and snack bar, both run by the Carlton Hotel.
It has an olympic size lap pool and a pool with diving boards and a kiddy pool. (pools are chilled in summer and have covered areas)
It has a covered playground, a artificial turf football (soccer) field, it has tennis courts, squash courts, racquetball courts, and auditorium for movies and events, barber shop, beauty shop, Mail Center, Bowling Alley, Library, Billards Room, Aerobics room, Exercise Gym with machines and free weights, Basketball court, Volleyball Courts, Equestrian Center with 2 horses and 2 ponies for residents with riding instructor on camp.
Pre K3 - K school inside Rakkah compound, then students to DHA schools.
Medical Clinic, Fire Station, bank and ATM, commissary run by LuLu's Hypermarket, Samara taxi service based inside the compound. Aramco shuttle buses hourly to Dhahran from 6am - 10pm (also buses for work, shoppers and medical and school), Community Information Center office, gas station, weekly BBQ's and other events/activities.
The houses are 2375 Sq FT. Houses are 110V with a 220V plug in Kitchen and laundry room. Sweet Water throughout the homes. Provided TV service (provided service, does not mean provided TV- TV provided by you) and high speed internet. Free local and national calls with discounted flat rate long distance to other countries. Free rent for furniture and appliances.
Yes, you can have pets, keep them on a leash when outside. There are grassy areas behind the houses. They are considering a dog park.
Wives can drive within the compound.
There are 525 homes in this compound. Yes, there are more houses, but they will be used for other offices and facilities on the compound.
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Post by SA Kid on Jul 15, 2013 19:33:12 GMT
o, I'm interested in finding out more about this new compound. Do you know if golf carts will be allowed and if the new compound is big enough where this may be an advantage (if you are carless)? It doesn't seem like there are private, walled gardens, but to confirm, are there private gardens for each unit? Also, I'm very interested in the potential dog park! Count me and my dog in!  |
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Post by vpainter on Jul 15, 2013 22:41:12 GMT
No, the units did not have walled in garden areas.
The dog park is a possibility, when asked they said they were considering it. But there is a large stretch of grass between the lines of housing units. It is narrow, but looked like it ran all the way down the middle.
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Post by fios on Jul 16, 2013 3:33:43 GMT
Hi vpainter,
When you mentioned free rent for appliances and furniture, am I assuming right that there's no need to bring our furniture with us since it's already fully furnished?
We were just told by our relocation adviser that we will be moving in this compound. We are scheduled to arrive next month. We were a little disappointed at first cause we would rather be in the main dhahran camp but based from your description it seems like a nice compound.
Thank you so much for all the info. They have been invaluable.
I do hope that the dog park will come to fruition. That will be awesome for our dog.
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Post by nomads4life on Jul 19, 2013 19:33:10 GMT
I was informed at orientation golf carts will be allowed and can be used anywhere (unlike Dhahran where you can only use to/from the golf course).
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Post by vpainter on Jul 19, 2013 21:42:52 GMT
fios,
Living in Rakkah, you do not need your furniture unless you want it.
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revive
Senior Member
Posts: 180
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Post by revive on Jul 23, 2013 20:56:40 GMT
Is microwave already provided, or do we need to bring one from Houston?
Is the utility room also wired for 220V?
Is K (for 5 year-olds) available in Rakkah or DHA? Per the brochure, the Rakkah school " will offer day care for ages 3 and 4 years old. Children K-9 will be transported to the Saudi Aramco schools in DH."
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zsb
Advanced Member
Posts: 59
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Post by zsb on Jul 23, 2013 21:04:26 GMT
Revive,
Looking at the pictures, I don't believe microwave is provided. My understanding is that Rakkah only provides schooling for K3 and K4 for half a day. For kids ages 5 and over (K-9) will be send to DHA for schooling.
Also the houses do come with one TV in the living room.
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Post by vpainter on Jul 23, 2013 21:08:17 GMT
There is not a microwave in the houses. Bring one with you.
If you are calling the laundry room the utility room, there is a 220V plug in that area for the dryer.
Things keep changing. When in the meeting I attended, there was going to be PreK3 and PreK4 and K, but I talked to the Assist. Principal over Preschools in DHA and she said PreK's for sure, not sure yet on K. The teacher who is in residence already is a Kindergarten teacher, but she may be teaching the PreK programs, she wasn't sure.
So your brochure may be correct. They were talking about having Mom bus monitors for the school buses, just as DHA has.
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Post by nomads4life on Jul 24, 2013 2:03:03 GMT
Is there daycare for children under 3 years old? Not an all day thing just a place I can drop off my little guy for an hour while I workout, buy groceries, etc.
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revive
Senior Member
Posts: 180
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Post by revive on Jul 30, 2013 21:32:18 GMT
I wonder if there is an extra stoe space where one can store luggage, boxes, bulky items, etc.? Since the house won't have a gae, is this something that we can request from the company?
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Post by vpainter on Aug 1, 2013 20:56:16 GMT
Depending on family size, you may want to use the study room for a store room and the area at the top of the stairs as your study. Nice closets in each room.
If you find you do not have enough stoe for your things, talk to the housing manager, they may have a solution for you.
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Post by Bms1 on Aug 2, 2013 7:03:43 GMT
Are there any recent photos for Rakkah? Is it still mostly under renovation? Is delivering from DHA Grocery an option for Rakkah residents. The one in Rakkah seem to be small.
What are the nursery option for 3 month - 3 years at Rakkah children?
How does the gym and other facility compared to DHA ones? Is spinning classes, yoga dance classes will be offered in RAkkah?
Have we heard from current residents currently in Rakkah.
Is one pool enough for 500 villas since the other one is not indented for swimming ? Is swimming classes available for children by experienced instructors?
Most of the concerns I have read is basically comparing the limited options available in Rakkah compared to any other Aramco community specially DHA and the fact that children and moms have to commute to use the facilities available to DHA residents.
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Post by vpainter on Aug 2, 2013 13:20:27 GMT
Under the discussion group Living in Aramco Communities: Living in Rakkah, there is a link to current photos.
The Rakkah commissary is run by LuLu's and they will bring anything you need from their large store in Khobar for you, just ask. You can also shop at tamimi and the large LuLu's and HyperPanda, Carrefour and Danube on the shoppers buses or by taxi. You can shop in the Dhahran Commissary when on the compound, or any other Aramco compound if visiting them.
At this time there is not a company run daycare, but wouldn't hurt to ask for one. The Ladies in Dhahran are working on trying to get a daycare/indoor playground for the kids here. They are working with recreation and it will be a self directed group, meaning run by the residents, not the company. Otherwise, there are ladies who do childcare and private preschools in their homes as a business, the preschools actually have other moms on camps working at them. Residents of Rakkah would be able to do the same. Also there are babysitting exchange groups where parents have gotten together and work out a rotation of keeping each others kids so everyone has a night out. Being in KSA and not back home, there are not daycares everywhere, you figure out and plan with others how to meet your needs.
There is a PreK3 and PreK 4 class on the Rakkah compound - half days. Teacher is already in residence for the next school year.
The gym is equipped as well as the ones in DHA, with new equipment and weights.
Rakkah residents can work with recreation to get spinning classes, etc and there are already some fitness instructors who have become residents and they are planning different classes for the compound. Rakkah has the unique ability to form and implement just about anything they want on the compound. Aramco is working closely with the residents to meet their needs. The DHA Rock and Country line dancing group are already going to Rakkah, other DHA self directed groups are being active or are planning to be active with activities being held in Rakkah.
I have heard from current residents in Rakkah and am in contact with them. They are not using the forum at this time. This is a volunteer site.
Considering you have the 2 family pools and a kiddy pool of equal size that DHA has (DHA does have one other pool the size of the larger one), and there are 20,000+ residents using them. I think you will not have any problems using your pools. Your lap pool can be used for swimming with a few lanes lined off for swimming laps until there is more demand for lap swimming, just talk to recreation. They are working well with residents.
Even in DHA swimming instructors come through the residents. Hopefully someone will be that person or persons for Rakkah.
You can read a list of current amenities on Rakkah under Living in Aramco Communities: Living in Rakkah.
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Post by nxpat on Aug 2, 2013 20:29:09 GMT
vpainter since you are being so kind and answering all these questions, I going to ask some more.
I read in the earlier post that the mattresses are new. What about the pillows, sheets, dishes, utensils, pots and pans, blankets, comforters. Are they new?
Do they have mats and such for the bathrooms and kitchen.
Do the houses come with small appliances such as toaster or waffle iron, Vacuum cleaner, hard surface vacuum cleaners, blender?(though we probably will find a way to pack them in our baggage)
I am not complaining. I just want to be prepared. If these and other small things are not coming with the house then I might ship them. Right now we are under the impression that people moving to Rakkah don't need to choose the shipment option. But I don't want to be stuck spending more money than we'll get from taking CIL. Maybe we will be better off taking partial shipment. So, just want to be prepared.
thanks again for your prompt replies.
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