Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

From what I have heard from people who have lived there it is not family friendly. Non Muslims are very much treated as inferior. Sharia is strictly enforced with a lot of discrimination against Women, as women are generally are deemed to lack capacity to do anything: All Ladies, including visitors, are expected to dress in local style, certainly when out of any compound / in Public, and are not allowed to drive. One former resident told me of being forcibly herded out of the compound to the local market place to watch public beheadings. Plus no booze of any sort.

One of the alternatives some used was to put families in Cyprus.

I have heard all this too. Women must wear a Hijab although within the compound anything goes and that includes alcohol if I am not mistaken. A lot of Australian, American, Canadian and British expats there too so how bad can it really be?

Might have to test the waters a bit because they seem big on promising my family every convenience.

If it gets hairy then there is always Cyprus and I think my wife will love being with her extended family and friends there. Plus it's only a short Airfare to Jedda from Larnaca. I think CyAir have direct flights if they are still going to be around.

[Flying Horse]

My dad worked in Jeddah and Riyadh during the 80s, and thought it was bloody marvellous.....

For men.....

We were going to live out there with him, but there's a slight problem with having to 'when in Rome do as the romans do'. He couldn't have his wife and kids dress the way the women do out there. I doubt it's changed since.
A friend has her hubby out in Qatar at the moment and has visited twice with her daughter. She doesn't mind too much, but says the men have a particular penchant for telling you how beautiful your daughter is!!! She got quite alarmed at them eyeing up her ten year old.

If you move to Jeddah, learn to make Jeddah Gin, and don't get caught

[Tim Drayton]

My dad worked in Jeddah and Riyadh during the 80s, and thought it was bloody marvellous.....

For men.....

We were going to live out there with him, but there's a slight problem with having to 'when in Rome do as the romans do'. He couldn't have his wife and kids dress the way the women do out there. I doubt it's changed since.
A friend has her hubby out in Qatar at the moment and has visited twice with her daughter. She doesn't mind too much, but says the men have a particular penchant for telling you how beautiful your daughter is!!! She got quite alarmed at them eyeing up her ten year old.

If you move to Jeddah, learn to make Jeddah Gin, and don't get caught

Be careful. I have heard that the atmosphere there has changed a lot since the 80's.

[Paphitis]

My dad worked in Jeddah and Riyadh during the 80s, and thought it was bloody marvellous.....

For men.....

We were going to live out there with him, but there's a slight problem with having to 'when in Rome do as the romans do'. He couldn't have his wife and kids dress the way the women do out there. I doubt it's changed since.
A friend has her hubby out in Qatar at the moment and has visited twice with her daughter. She doesn't mind too much, but says the men have a particular penchant for telling you how beautiful your daughter is!!! She got quite alarmed at them eyeing up her ten year old.

If you move to Jeddah, learn to make Jeddah Gin, and don't get caught

Be careful. I have heard that the atmosphere there has changed a lot since the 80's.

That's really funny! I have heard some horror tales, but also some really good information is forthcoming from people already there and who have been living there for a few years.

Generally:

1. No, alochol is not permitted in the country.
2. Yes, people are beheaded aka capital punishment.
3. You should be able to bring a Bible into the country without any problems.
4. Saudis (and Arabs) are very hospitable so I'm sure you'll make some very good friends while you're here.
5. True, women can't drive here.
6. No, westerners are not hated.
7. Yes, all women have to wear a black abaya (cloak) when they leave the house.
8. Satellite TV is available.
9. It's true; oil is cheaper than water!

Accommodation is in a compound and today i got some photographs of a typical family house (quarters). There is a Saudi hummer at the gate with perimeter security and machine guns on top. It's like living in a resort or embassy.

Crime rates are much lower than in the UK. It is safe for a woman to be out at midnight, but they have to be suitably attired. There are religious police who stop people but we will be issued with a letter which we can carry and can produce if we are stopped and questioned by Saudi Police.

Alcohol is available in the compound as well, but I am not sure how that get's there. It is possible that there is some under the table arrangement or the Westerners smuggle it (which I will not get involved with under any circumstances). I believe it is insane to flout the laws of SA.

[supporttheunderdog]

. I think CyAir have direct flights if they are still going to be around.

Press reports say last flight tonight - out of Athens -

http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/top-stories/885/236235/apopse-i-teleftaia-ptisi-ton-kypriakon-aerogrammon

[Paphitis]

. I think CyAir have direct flights if they are still going to be around.

Press reports say last flight tonight - out of Athens -

http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/top-stories/885/236235/apopse-i-teleftaia-ptisi-ton-kypriakon-aerogrammon

Not good news at all!

That leaves these options:

5h 55m+
Royal Jordanian
via Amman
6h 25m+
EgyptAir, Saudia
via Cairo
6h 25m+
Gulf Air
via Bahrain Island
7h 0m+
EgyptAir
via Cairo



6 + hours is pretty buggered up.

[supporttheunderdog]

. I think CyAir have direct flights if they are still going to be around.

Press reports say last flight tonight - out of Athens -

http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/top-stories/885/236235/apopse-i-teleftaia-ptisi-ton-kypriakon-aerogrammon

Not good news at all!

That leaves these options:

5h 55m+
Royal Jordanian
via Amman
6h 25m+
EgyptAir, Saudia
via Cairo
6h 25m+
Gulf Air
via Bahrain Island
7h 0m+
EgyptAir
via Cairo



6 + hours is pretty buggered up.

Your are paxo'd in any event as CY is not serving Jeddah - http://cyprusair.com/446,0,0,0,2-Our-Destinations.aspx

[umit07]

A close relative of mine worked in the KSA for more than thirty years. His wife and two kids moved back to Cyprus once the children were around 7-8 years old. From what I've been told the Saudi's are generally tolerant to migrants as long as you're not low skilled worker from the Indian subcontinent or Southeast Asia, muslim or not you'll most probably be treated like shit. I personally don't like the idea of having to apply for an exit visa every time I need to leave the country.

From my own experiences, I once had to step in for a weekly tutorial class consisting of mostly Saudi students (All public servants back in KSA). It was an interesting experience to say the least, men and women would sit on separate sides of the room, most of the women still wore full hijab (a few wore headscarves). All of the Saudi students were sponsored by government scholarships, from what I observed they weren’t merit based. Most of the men had the attitude that simply rocking up to lectures and tutorials would be sufficient for passing the course. The women on the other hand were much more enthusiastic and really tried to grasp the subject matter.

[Tim Drayton]

My dad worked in Jeddah and Riyadh during the 80s, and thought it was bloody marvellous.....

For men.....

We were going to live out there with him, but there's a slight problem with having to 'when in Rome do as the romans do'. He couldn't have his wife and kids dress the way the women do out there. I doubt it's changed since.
A friend has her hubby out in Qatar at the moment and has visited twice with her daughter. She doesn't mind too much, but says the men have a particular penchant for telling you how beautiful your daughter is!!! She got quite alarmed at them eyeing up her ten year old.

If you move to Jeddah, learn to make Jeddah Gin, and don't get caught

Be careful. I have heard that the atmosphere there has changed a lot since the 80's.

That's really funny! I have heard some horror tales, but also some really good information is forthcoming from people already there and who have been living there for a few years.

Generally:

1. No, alochol is not permitted in the country.
2. Yes, people are beheaded aka capital punishment.
3. You should be able to bring a Bible into the country without any problems.
4. Saudis (and Arabs) are very hospitable so I'm sure you'll make some very good friends while you're here.
5. True, women can't drive here.
6. No, westerners are not hated.
7. Yes, all women have to wear a black abaya (cloak) when they leave the house.
8. Satellite TV is available.
9. It's true; oil is cheaper than water!

Accommodation is in a compound and today i got some photographs of a typical family house (quarters). There is a Saudi hummer at the gate with perimeter security and machine guns on top. It's like living in a resort or embassy.

Crime rates are much lower than in the UK. It is safe for a woman to be out at midnight, but they have to be suitably attired. There are religious police who stop people but we will be issued with a letter which we can carry and can produce if we are stopped and questioned by Saudi Police.

Alcohol is available in the compound as well, but I am not sure how that get's there. It is possible that there is some under the table arrangement or the Westerners smuggle it (which I will not get involved with under any circumstances). I believe it is insane to flout the laws of SA.

Come to think of it, more than ten years have passed since I was in Qatar, and the stories I was hearing from colleagues who had been in Saudi Arabia would have dated back a few years earlier than that, so perhaps things have changed for the better again.

[kurupetos]

Don't worry Paphiti... I don't think they consider Cypriots as westerners.

Do you really think so?

Yes, they think of us as their brothers.

But of course you are an aussie. Sorry.