Post by jadoaus on Sept 4, 2013 11:54:52 GMT
o All,
Please forgive the bad grammar in the subject line, I had to fit everything in!
I am a British ESL Teacher hired through Al Falak. I have been in Saudi for a week. Previously, I worked in Bahrain for two years, so I believe I have a reasonable idea of what to expect and how things work here.
Two questions:
1) I will in all likelihood be working the late shift (1pm till 9pm) at the ITC in Ras Tanura. Were one to leave work at 9pm sharp, get straight in the car and head for Bahrain, what kind of traffic would one expect on a Thursday night? I presume that I will arrive at the bridge at around 10pm, the same time as the Rhiyadhi hoard, and then be stuck there for HOURS. On the other hand, maybe most people will have gotten into Bahrain by then and I will fly through the check points (hope springs eternal)
Has anyone made the trip at this time, and what kind of travel time should I expect? Should I just go super early on a Friday morning instead?
2) As a contractor, I will be living off compound. The bachelor compound in RT (Al Suwaidi or something like that) is a hole. Most of the other furnished apartments will not rent to Westeners, citing 'security concerns'. I have the number of one furnished apartment block that will rent to me (Arabian Palace) but cannot find it. It seems one can rent an unfurnished apartment, but if I am only in RT for a year it would be overkill to furnish it out of my own pocket.
I am looking for information on apartment buildings or compounds in Dammam proper. That is, not Khobar or Dahran, but NORTH Dammam so that i can reduce my travelling time. The contractor had done nothing to help me in this regard so far. Any real estate agents, numbers or testimonials from anyone else working here would be greatly appreciated.
Please forgive the bad grammar in the subject line, I had to fit everything in!
I am a British ESL Teacher hired through Al Falak. I have been in Saudi for a week. Previously, I worked in Bahrain for two years, so I believe I have a reasonable idea of what to expect and how things work here.
Two questions:
1) I will in all likelihood be working the late shift (1pm till 9pm) at the ITC in Ras Tanura. Were one to leave work at 9pm sharp, get straight in the car and head for Bahrain, what kind of traffic would one expect on a Thursday night? I presume that I will arrive at the bridge at around 10pm, the same time as the Rhiyadhi hoard, and then be stuck there for HOURS. On the other hand, maybe most people will have gotten into Bahrain by then and I will fly through the check points (hope springs eternal)
Has anyone made the trip at this time, and what kind of travel time should I expect? Should I just go super early on a Friday morning instead?
2) As a contractor, I will be living off compound. The bachelor compound in RT (Al Suwaidi or something like that) is a hole. Most of the other furnished apartments will not rent to Westeners, citing 'security concerns'. I have the number of one furnished apartment block that will rent to me (Arabian Palace) but cannot find it. It seems one can rent an unfurnished apartment, but if I am only in RT for a year it would be overkill to furnish it out of my own pocket.
I am looking for information on apartment buildings or compounds in Dammam proper. That is, not Khobar or Dahran, but NORTH Dammam so that i can reduce my travelling time. The contractor had done nothing to help me in this regard so far. Any real estate agents, numbers or testimonials from anyone else working here would be greatly appreciated.
