Arrival in Saudi Arabia
Fear drives all actions! After a 12-hour flight, I land in Jeddah shortly after Ramadan in September and experience the arrival hall and the Saudi customs area, filled with people from many nations: Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Bengalis, Sudanese and many others. A real experience: tired people, crowded into five lines, served by only two customs officers. A helpful tip: choose the line with light-skinned people who speak English — it moves faster. Doesn’t help much when the pre-arranged hotel pickup is missing, it is 00:35 after 12 hours in the sardine can, and I don’t speak Arabic!
Being charming helps; soon I’m sitting in a taxi going in an unknown direction. Around 01:30 I reach the hotel, the reception has my data, and I get a room. First call to the family to confirm my arrival, then a shower and to bed. No sleep — the air conditioner hums. Next morning breakfast and waiting for the driver from the company.
After four weeks in Jeddah, I receive my Saudi residence ID, the Iqama. Now I can move to the Eastern Province. A colleague who has already been in Saudi Arabia for three years meets me in Jeddah and accompanies me to Khobar. I am placed in a hotel in Khobar and later travel to Jubail to get familiar with the area around SABIC (the fifth largest chemical company worldwide).
Journey to Jubail
The trip to Jubail is chaotic: cars at 120 km/h, construction sites on the highway and overtaking on the shoulder by all kinds of vehicles. The company provides a room in a housing unit: 3m x 7m, asbestos walls, wobbly air conditioner, toilet, shower and a mini fridge. Coming from Cape Town, this is unacceptable, so I call my colleague who takes me back to the hotel in Khobar.
Jubail is industrially shaped, mainly populated by young Asian men. Eventually I receive an automatic car. After weeks of commuting between Khobar and Fanateer, I move into a hotel in Jubail, still under construction, but with an apartment in a residential complex for Saudi staff — clean and far from the industrial plants.
Life in Jubail
The Corniche/beach areas are green, equipped with Wi-Fi, and families enjoy their evenings outside. Children play, parents barbecue and work remotely. Singles live on the outskirts. Many residents are Saudis who return from abroad to support the industrial development. The city is designed for families, with schools, playgrounds and safe recreational areas.
European and American residents live separately, with their own religious practices. Muslim colleagues pray together five times a day — an impressive dedication. Conversations about religion are respectful and open.
Family life in Jubail is ideal for young families. Children enjoy excellent facilities: playgrounds, skateparks, roller-skating areas and grassy zones near the beach.
By Gregory D.