Going Saudi first

Barbie, Don't do it..waiting for the US is far better than the potential problems you could run into over there; its not getting better for females; its getting worse. Its getting more oppresive and dangerous for everyone...just my opinion

Paul

When you guys say that Saudi is oppresive, dangerous and generally an unsafe country, does it directly apply to being nurses?

My bestfriend's mom works as RN in one of the cold places in Saudi and she wants to take her daughter (my friend) with her there to work. I have not talked directly to my bestfriend's mom but she says to my friend that saudi is a good palce to work and the boarding house & food are paid for. Plus, they welcome new graduates even without an experience (which is my & my besfriend's situation). Isn't her wanting to take her daughter with her (and us too) there in Saudi to work says a lot that Saudi is a safe place for nurses?

I'm thinking kasi of gaining my experience in Saudi instead of here in the Philippines.

This news story seems relevant:

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/foreigners-face-saudi-lashing-for-party/20070205074709990001?cid=2194

i am a filipino-american. i hope that the original poster will read this.... if i were you, i will wait until the retrogression is over. i heard so many unfavorable news from nurses who works in saudi arabia., it is sad. i had a cousin who worked there for 2 years, and came back home unhappy and depressed...i understand that many new nurses are so anxious to leave the country ( philippines) because life there is very hard, but working in saudi arabia is not gonna make your life better either, paywise, to me working there is not worth it...i would go to other countries instead...pls. don't settle for something less..stay in the philippines instead. you will lose your freedom when you go to saudi arabia. just my piece of advise, i know a lot will disagree.

My preceptor worked in Saudi for awhile after leaving the phillipines. He didn't care for it but never indicated that he didn't feel safe there. Mostly what I got from our conversation was that the working conditions weren't good. I know his wife went with him. Who knows. I will ask him tonight OP in more detail and let you know what he says! Good luck!

I was just talking to a phillipino nurse on my floor yesterday. She said she worked in Saudi Arabia before coming here, she said she had to wear the full black gown and head covering. She also said she was not allowed out on her own. She also said when she came to america "it was like a dream come true" Good luck and god bless!!

i have been to saudi arabia twice and it definitely is not as negative experience as people describe. I am 3rd generation american born to an Irish Italian family..... grew up with a liberal attitude about my place in the world..... the media is unfair to some cultures. how men and women interact and/or the separation of the sexes in certain situations is often depicted as "creulty" to women..... i will say that while i was there, i was always treated with respect......i have many filipino friends that have been there and loved it so much they made me want to go...... don't be fooled by negative statements from people who have NEVER even been there, possibly never even left american soil.....good luck to you

:balloons::balloons::balloons: I second this statement. As FDR said "The only thing we have to fear, is FEAR itself". Don't be afraid to go to Saudi just becuase people report some bad experiences. I respect that, and maybe the culture and religion doesn't speak to them. But the media is not fair, nor do they show you the big picture. The Islam you see on television is not the real Islam. The government controls public opinion through fear. Everyone, open your hearts and minds to our ever-shrinking diverse world. Women being covered and seen as a spiritual being and not as a piece of meat is liberating, not oppressive. To understand biochemistry, for example, you can't just open up to page 500, and try to understand it. It takes more than just a 30 second news clip to truly understand.

P.s. Saudi women do work as nurses there, not as many, but they do.

If anyone knows whether a LPN/ Surgical Technician can contract to Dubai

let me know. I can't find any information on it.

See my profile for email address.

hi barbie, so did u go to the kingdom of saudi of a? :smiley_ab i guess that was a good mind exercise to make such decision!

Never say never, but it looks like I am headed back to the Magic Kingdom, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that is. DH has a job offer from Saudi Aramco & he's really excited. I'm trying to be excited too. After feeling settled here & having friends & a job I like 95% of the time, I guess it's time to uproot once again. I am told I can be a "casual employee" @ the local hospital, which is good, as I don't want to be locked into anything full-time right away.

Wish me luck! Back to the "shades of hell"......

At least I still have a friend there, who's moving to Dubai. I'll just have to go & visit her & do a little retail therapy too.