Moving in December - List of Questions

1. If you bring it from the states, you'll want it unlocked. If you purchase it there, ask for the unlock code, explaining you'll be in KSA and want to use it here when you're here and use it when you're back home. AT&T gave me my unlock code - I did have to write a letter about living here verses traveling here. They rejected my request first then gave me the code after I wrote the letter.
2. There are some pictures and floorplans on the forum, I can email you some later when I'm back at my desk - away right now.
3. Youtube, facebook and skype do not need a VPN, but many people have one set up for netflix and other sites not available outside the U.S. Set up which ever one you want.
4. This was discussed in a recent topic.
5. Local plan versus long distance plan. We have both, use our STC one inside KSA and our AT&T one when traveling or in the U.S.

Regarding unlocking an iPhone, I'd be careful assuming ATT will give you an unlock as technically they don't have to.

I'm curious, Vpainter which model you have? That might be the difference.

Here is a discussion re: iPhone 4 and even mention of a court case which upheld that ATT doesn't have to disclose unlock to customers.

forums.att.com/t5/Apple-iPhone/O ... -p/2706091

Dec. 16 iPhone 4S and some unlocked version go on sale in Saudi, but you could just as easily buy unlocked iPhones here in the States.

take care...

Regarding unlocked iPhones; Apple now sells unlocked versions as well (~ $750):
store.apple.com/us/browse/home/s ... t_unlocked
I would buy it in the US, as apple products are more costly in KSA.

Credit Card: I had a bad experience with Capital One. Their customer service is horrible and they dinged me on exchange rates. I much prefer the Chase Preferred card. They have a annual fee of 95 bucks but easily pays for it self with the annual point bonus they give you. No foreign transaction fees, good exchange rates and you speak to a live person anytime you call (priceless!).
creditcards.chase.com/sapphire/ ... erred-card

I will be joining my husband next week in Dharan with our 8 week old baby. Will there be an orientation for us or will I have to figure it out on my own? I also wanted to know if they have mommy and me classes on the camp. Hope to make some friends.

You may need to be proactive about some of the new arrival things.

We've been in DH a few months now. We never received the spouse tour; no one called or contacted my husband about that. His online access at work was all messed up for two weeks, and we had no internet at home for one month. We never got the tour through our house, either. We were dropped off in the dark with a key. After a couple of weeks of transportation woes (stranded in the heat with kids, bus dropped us at wrong neighborhood in the dark, no taxis during the day, trying to grocery shop for a family using shopper's buses, etc.), the smartest thing we did was rent a car. I recommend you do that the first day possible. Also, get acquainted with someone in HR who can point you in the right direction if paperwork gets messed up. My husband didn't have one go-to person, and we had many critical things pop up that we didn't know how/where to address. Fortunately, we found someone in HR who took pity on our experience and became our unofficial go-to. Bless her heart.

We had our US smart phones unlocked, but were disappointed that a local SIM card wouldn't work with the BB, and at the malls, the cell phone companies turned their noses up at our Androids, and said they didn't have anything that would work with them. Should have saved our upgrade dollars and bought smart phones here, and not assumed our US phones would work here with a simple unlock code, apparently. We bought cheap talk/text phones and replenish with STC minutes. I really miss my apps, but can't justify the cost of a new smart phone here right now.

Exactly, Booky. I like your pay it forward approach. We're trying to do the same here. It's not like things are impossible, there are just awkward steps in getting there sometimes. I think we were misled a bit by this forum. There's a tendency for responses to questions to gloss over what we've since learned are common challenges for new arrivals.