Saturday, September 12, 2009

About People

As you know being expatriate man I am only exposed to male society of Saudi Arabia, which makes complete sense to me. Other than few spoil kids, all of them have very strong bounding with their traditional culture, language, dress and food. Large part of Saudi Society never impress by foreign culture, they neither adopt it nor admire it.

Saudia is one of those countries which highly depend on expatriate work force. You must be wonder to know that more than half of KSA population consists on foreign work force and their families. Among those foreigners many of them spent their whole professional life in this part of the world. After having such huge foreign population in their country since ages how come Saudi culture remains intact? This shows that how close they are with their roots.

I have seen that people all around the kingdom live very simple life indeed, wear simple cloths and eat simple dishes. They offer Salah [Prayer] five times a day; shut their businesses during Salah time. While traveling if Salah time is due, they stop their vehicle at first safest place, Offer Salah and then continue their journey.

Arabic is the national language of Saudia and they are very possessive about it. Prefer to speak Arabic without using vocabulary of different languages. Have lot of literature available in Arabic and also have Arabic news papers available on net and also thousand of website related to Arabic literature.

Wear plain and simple dress of white color, they say it “Toub”. One may ask a Question why this nation wears uniform dress even of same color during their daily life. Uniform dress during school life makes sense but wear uniform cloths throughout life by whole nation, which is something unique.

They admire eating food. When you saw them while eating, you almost sure about that they will finish their food without any assistance, but they hardly manage to finish it. As I have mention before they are so simple or may be not so creative in cooking food, as they are in driving. They cook only one dish, which is called Mandi, ingredient of this dish is rice and meat and that is all about their admiring habit.

Young Saudi is crazy about car driving. I know being a Saudi they really miss horse riding and they fulfill their thrust by drive a 1000 horse power engine. They drive a car same as they ride a horse, never turn the steering completely to take 180 degree turn [U turn]. Always turn the car to 90 degree by steering and rest 90 degree by rear wheel. Petrol is 4 times cheaper than drinking water. Cars are very cheap in rates compare with other part of the world. They usually own heavy cars for traveling.

In dealing they are very fair and clear, as I have seen them. They do what they commit you, no deviation.
Corruption barely exists. Law and order condition is very good. Robbing, snatching and killing or any forms of crime barely happen.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Khobar, As I see It

Al-Khobar, is a small city surrounded by a few old and commercial eastern province cities of Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf. I always call it bachelor’s city. Where being a bachelor one can live and enjoy the freedom of life compare to other cities of Saudia.

Saudia is great and Al-Khobar is great ++. One cannot feel Khobar’s calm until one has not spent his part of life here. Small city but has every single thing available which is required for a good living standard except a glass-stand, I don’t know why glass-stand is so harder to find here in Khobar malls. I am searching for a one since 3 months but have no luck yet.

Beauty of Khobar is in less traffic, numerous malls having all sorts of international brands, well maintain river side[corniche], few very unique and adventurist picnic sports like half moon( a desert place for riding bikes and trucks), boat riding, King Fahd Causeway, hundreds of Families get together places and bar-bee-Q spots at Persian Gulf.

Have variety of food outlets, which serve Arabic, Jordanian, Pakistani, Indian, Lebanese, Iranian, English and Chinese dishes. I like Saudi Mandi and Mabzi [name of Arabic dishes]. However it is harder to find good Chinese food in Saudia. Bando-Khan restaurant is not famous at all in Karachi but it has good name and reputation in Khobar. Almost everything one can find here including peace of mind. I love this city.

Khobar also have a small Pakistani Area and a Pakistani School, one can see Pakistan everywhere in this area. Commercial market is small, and in term of software market it would not exist if Al-Khobar is not situated beside Dharan City, which has Saudia Aramco and KFUPM University in it. Dharan is adjacent to Khobar, hardly 10 min of drive on highway or may be less.