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Post by London girl on Apr 17, 2015 10:49:41 GMT
Well I guess we can pretty much forget our kids getting in to any good schools for this year as most schools aren't taking applications for this school year anymore. So the most important question now is, is there enough space available in all the other schools for all the expats coming? The housing isn't so much of an an issue in my opinion, in fact it might even be better. Now we don't have to accept whatever housing Aramco offers us, we can find the house of our choice. The school issue however is a major concern. FIRSTLY getting the kids into a GOOD school and SECONDLY arranging transportation for them. At least if the kids travel on aramco BUSES they are a little more protected if , forbid, an accident were to happen than if they are traveling in a car. vpainter Bless you for providing a contact list for other compounds and trying to help. Can I ask though, what it means where you have written things like "western" "Pakistani" etc.? We now have a few tough days ahead of us where we have to decide if we want to go ahead with the relocation. The school issue may be a deal breaker for us. |
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Post by ManAtWork on Apr 17, 2015 11:18:32 GMT
vpainter,
I agree that this isn't discrimination.
Aramco have slipped up due to a lack of forward planning and impact assessment, especially with regard to schools.
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Post by ManAtWork on Apr 17, 2015 11:20:36 GMT
@london girl
I feel your pain. What a terrible situation to now be in, especially after all the upfront work re background checks, visas, medicals et cetera. All of that is now endangered.
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Post by Mav73 on Apr 17, 2015 12:30:30 GMT
What I don't understand is they have Saudis living in the compound but not expats.... how does it make sense ??
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Post by vpainter on Apr 17, 2015 15:03:20 GMT
Saudi Arabia is still very tribal. Saudis who are not from the local area need to live on camp. Other Saudis then also wanted to live on camp. Very hard for Saudis to say no to Saudis, depending on wasta involved. There is a Saudi compound supposed to be being built. I do not know if it is being built yet or just talked about. No way to know if Saudis will be required to move there, freeing up housing in DHA.
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Post by vpainter on Apr 17, 2015 15:07:08 GMT
Actually, there should be no resentment by anyone. New hires are being told what the situation is and if they don't want to come under those circumstances, they should not come. If they come knowing what the situation is, they should not be resentful, they agreed to come under those terms.
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Post by I386 on Apr 17, 2015 16:00:36 GMT
So do expats that travel around the world and have to deal with being in a very different environment, being on probation in a new job in a new company have to find temporary accommodation then permanent accommodation. Having to arrange transport to the office and then having to arrange transport for school and a place in a school. All whilst having no car and driving licence initially. I cannot see many people wanting to leave the West for these kind of conditions.
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Post by hpap2015 on Apr 17, 2015 16:15:14 GMT
In all discussion the question is why Aramco policy target families and childrens. If they cut pay for employee for a reason it is reasonable but when people arriving from different countries and having lots of questions in mind for new envirnment and on top of that Aramco bring more hassle for kids....
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Post by omega on Apr 17, 2015 16:19:19 GMT
vpainter,
Respectfully I disagree.
Whereas you are right that we have the choice of turning down the offer, in reality and after investing energy, time, thought process, endless discussions within the family and with friends about whether to make the move or not, it does cause resentment to realize that what you were initially told is no longer valid.
Granted we can say no. But with so much invested (emotionally) into this venture, how can one feel anything else but hugely disappointed by how things turned up?
Again I do understand where you are coming from, but emotions are strong now and believe me the feeling is resentment.
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Post by London girl on Apr 17, 2015 17:54:20 GMT
vpainter It's not resentment it's disappointment as this complicates things. Especially the school issue.
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Post by dubai_scot on Apr 17, 2015 18:36:38 GMT
vpainter makes a fair point.
The new deal is clear now, if you are prepared to accept the revised T&C's and everything that goes with the changes then there should be no further complaint and it will be a case of just getting on with it.
Something that doesn't seem to have been mention so far is the security aspect (or perceived lack of) living off campus.
We've come to a decision now but good luck to the rest of you all in making that choice. Hope it's the right one for you.
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Post by Mav73 on Apr 17, 2015 20:19:06 GMT
vpainter, You are kidding right... These guys are from the local area. I know some of them personally. Admit the fact that Expats are out Saudis are in. They enjoy the camp life way too much ..  ) |
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Post by ManAtWork on Apr 17, 2015 20:57:43 GMT
Isn't this policy change a symptom of the fact that there's simply not enough Aramco housing available?
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Post by I386 on Apr 18, 2015 10:35:27 GMT
Looking at the wider implications of this for Aramco I would say far fewer well educated professionals from the West that do not have a US passport will not consider the move viable. Those that do go may return very quickly when children cannot attend a good school. This could cause high staff turnover of those that do go may return in a fairly short time. Those that do stick out these conditions I am sure will find they are unable to save anything like what they were expecting with all the constant expenses of having to arrange and pay for everything yourself. A very sad time for prospective candidates and for the long term implications for the company.
To build more schools and housing simply takes money, Aramco have lots of this and therefore it should happen. What management has decided in this new policy may well turn out to be a strategic error. Those that do make a move under these conditions must think very carefully to the reality of having to arrange everything yourself in a very different country, also also think what impact will this have on how much you can save?
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Post by jbooster on Apr 18, 2015 12:50:09 GMT
omega and vpainter,
I agree that the amount of energy and effort we have spent as families planning the move under certain agreed T&Cs for months with lifestyle, housing , schooling being their major marketing items to attaract expats during the interview,orientation sessions,aramco website........changing this major benefit suddently overnight does not help, whether you call it resentment or disappointment, makes no difference. At the end of the day it is causing distress for all of us, while for aramco, its merely a legal stace ...and they have tactfully thrown the ball in our court with their hands up!
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