Tuesday 23 June 2015

Socializing with locals in rural Al Quwayiyah

English Teacher in Saudi Arabia

January to June 2015


Background


Our financial situation in South Africa forced us to a certain extent to accept teaching positions in Saudi Arabia. We had to live on a single income in South Africa and was barely making ends meet. We were in debt and wanted to get out of it. Previous colleagues of ours who worked with us in Oman told us of a new Educational project in Saudi Arabia, with which they got involved and told us that they were looking for more teachers. I was lecturing law in South Africa, but Pearson was paying so little that we could not even afford to rent an apartment on our own, and still lived with my parents in law. 

Saudi was a good opportunity to pay off all our debts and maybe even buy property when we return after the completion of the two-year contract we signed. Our plan to stay for 2 years did not work out as we were faced with difficulties beyond our control. Our working and living arrangements in Al Quwayiyah was extremely challenging, and we lasted only 6 months. We taught ESL at vocational colleges in Al Quwayiyah. Education in Saudi is not co-ed, so I taught at the male college, and my wife at the female college on separate campuses about 2 km apart. We were not the only ones, the turn-over rate for teachers was 80%. 

To read more about our experience in Al Quwayiyah from a professional standpoint please click here.

To say that Saudi Arabia is an extreme culture to work and live in is probably the understatement of the year, especially as a Christian. We faced opposition not so much from the Saudi culture or people, but more so from our colleagues, with whom we had to live and work with 24/7. The culture of the company that employed us did not make things easier. At least we managed to pay off all our debts upon our return and have a honeymoon, we never really had, in Mauritius. I have worked in challenging places like Sudan and Somalia before, but this was by far my biggest challenge. There are however good experiences and memories that we can take away with us. To have worked in a rural dusty Bedouin town gave us a unique and privileged view of the Saudi way of life, culture, and heart. We were overwhelmed by the love and acceptance from the Saudi people with their extremely hospitable and giving hearts. In that respect, we walk away with fond memories.

The photo expose will tell the story of our experience in Saudi. One cannot get a tourist visa for Saudi, so people who gain access are those who work in Saudi. There are many expats in Riyadh and other bigger cities, but very few get to set foot where we got to, so the photos reveal 'uncharted' territory. 

View of the Al Quwayiyah hill - taken from an old school that has been restored

About Saudi Arabia


Saudi Arabia, officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is an Arab sovereign state in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula. With a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2, Saudi Arabia is geographically the fifth-largest state in Asia and second-largest state in the Arab world after Algeria. Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast and Yemen to the south. It is the only nation with both a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast. Most of its terrain consists of arid desert and mountains.

The area of modern-day Saudi Arabia formerly consisted of four distinct regions: Hejaz, Najd, and parts of Eastern Arabia (Al-Ahsa) and Southern Arabia ('Asir). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Ibn Saud. He united the four regions into a single state through a series of conquests beginning in 1902 with the capture of Riyadh, the ancestral home of his family, the House of Saud. Saudi Arabia has since been an absolute monarchy, effectively a hereditary dictatorship governed along Islamic lines. The ultra-conservative Wahhabi religious movement within Sunni Islam has been called "the predominant feature of Saudi culture", with its global spread largely financed by the oil and gas trade (Wikipedia).

Picnic with Salim and Saeed

About Al Quwayiyah


Al-Quway’iyah or Al Gwei'iyyah is a small town in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. It is located 175 kilometers by road southwest of Riyadh. As of the 2004 census, it had a population of 18,275 people (Wikipedia).


Engaging with the locals


A Community organization invited all the teachers on an authentic cultural trip and event. They took us to an old school to explain the heritage and history of Al Quwayiyah. In the late afternoon and evening, they showed us true Bedouin hospitality at a campground where we were treated with horse riding, Falconry, authentic BBQ dishes and activities around the campfire. They then concluded the evening with a ceremony where they awarded us various gifts.

Ansu and our company bus at a site they showed us - Al Quwayiyah

An old school that has been restored

With Salim and Saeed at the cultural event

falconry

Bedouin camp

Horse riding

Gift ceremony


'Streams of water in the desert'


Dam near Al Quwayiyah

Stream in the desert after a rain shower 

Stream in the desert after a rain shower 

Dam wall

Dam wall

Stream in the desert after a rain shower 

Saudi's see this as an event - Picnic goers are everywhere 

Stream in the desert after a rain shower 

Salim & Saeed (Both from the UK) - Streams in the desert - Near Al Quwayiyah, KSA

Enjoying the cool water


Other events & memorable occasions


Late afternoon with Salim and Abdul-Aziz

Late afternoon with Salim and Abdul-Aziz

While we were exploring our neighborhood,
locals stopped and gave us snacks.
They then propped their baby into Ansu's arms
and took a photo shoot

Environmental protection & awareness project: Community outreach in rural Saudi Arabia


As part of my post-grad studies, I had to undertake an Action Research project. I chose an environmental theme after I saw the condition of the environment of the community where I lived. Here are some highlights.


'Tire tree forest'

Giving a lesson on littering and recycling

Shane the PBL teacher teaching students how to make a windbreak and paraffin stove 
out of recycled aluminum cans

The final product

Teaching students to make posters on MS Word

Abdul Aziz busy making a poster

Desert clean-up & Restoration project

Desert clean-up & Restoration project

Nasr picking up litter

Saad, Satam & Yusuf

Helping

Picnic afterward

Later Pizza...

We were sent to Bahrain on a visa run. We did not manage to get visas and after 11 days in Bahrain had to fly back to South Africa, having to leave most of our stuff in Saudi behind. Upon our return to South Africa, we decided not to return to Saudi. 

To view my experiences living in rural Saudi Arabia, click here!

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