EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Out of Hours Magic Kingdom Biomed Expats

How do you rate the quality of life? Coming home from work, a plate of bangers, mash and peas, putting your feet up in front of the telly and watching Eastenders and Corronation street, that's the quality I can do without.

Well if that's all you were used to, I'm not surprised you rate it so highly out there.

You really are very defensive of the Magic Kingdom aren't you Neil?

Cool down mate - take a breather....

As I may have mentioned before, it's all a question of what a person wants out of life.

Myself, I spent (in total) over fifteen years in Saudi Arabia, a year and a half in Oman, plus "going out on jobs" in Jordan and Nigeria.

I loved the Kingdom. Why? Mainly because of the simple lifestyle, and peaceful environment. That coupled with the fact that people such as myself (that is, a humble technician without any qualifications worth mentioning) could succeed in posts that are simply not available (to me) in the UK. Put simply, I enjoyed it there ... and felt very much at home, in fact.

Unfortunately, I need to add, the "peaceful environment" bit was wrecked by and large due to the criminal activities of the same gang who have also caused havoc in the other country I used to love. That is, England (I say "used to", because the England of my youth no longer exists).

However (as I have definitely mentioned before), I am now able to "rub along" well enough in Modern England because I regard it in the same way as I would any other so-called Third World country (which is what it has become).

The thing is, Huw, I was never a "compound man" - no swimming pools for me (and even avoided other "expats" as much as possible - as Neil may remember), preferring to "live amongst the natives" (or whatever the correct PC phraseology would be). In short, I liked to roam around - but this became less of a sensible option post-invasion of Iraq!

Quality of life? In the ways which matter to me, it was far better than I "enjoy" now (even though the mosque is just down the road)!

By the way Neil, no doubt you'll be pleased to hear that I haven't owned a television set for at least twenty years (and then it was only used when installing satellite dishes*)!

* The muttawa in Onaiza used to blast away at them with shotguns, you know!

Not defensive actually very relaxed. I don't rate it that highly either, but I do have a lot more freedom here than a lot of people I work with. I would much rather be in Thailand with my family, just a few more years and that's where I will be retired and happy I hope.

Good Luck to you, Mate.

Never watched the 'soaps' but did get fed up listening to colleagues coming in the next day and saying "did you see last night" what a sad life. Geoff actually I live in a compound now (Arabian homes) and it is not only for hospital staff, we have a lot of different nationalities and companies here, never wanted to mingle with the people I work with during my own time unless it is my choice.

Very wise.

Back to the awards, achievements, longest stay etc. with the work I am doing with CBAHI, the greatest achievement will be the standardization of the electrical and medical gas systems throughout all the healthcare facilities Kingdom wide.

Wow! We are impressed! Not sure how that squares with "just a few more years" though, Mate.

But (if you get time), take a run down to the old hospital in Abha - the one I mentioned earlier. If indeed it is still there, you will be able to admire the medical gas pipeline there (the only one there, at that time), which was installed by my old friend Engr. Fud!*

* Fud used to travel about in an old green Pontiac, with toilets (both Western and "Asian") in the back seat. Well, he was, after all, our plumber!

We have a Royal Decree to compile and introduce healthcare standards as the MOH as usual failed to do so. Spent the past 2 days in the IMC Hospital brainstorming, Monday was spent in a smaller hospital to get a fix on how you can apply standards to this type of hospital as we know there will be a lot of resistance, but who cares, we are in the business of providing the best care for the patient and if that upsets a lot of people so be it.