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    A Year in Riyadh
    A Year in Riyadh
    A Year in Riyadh
    Ebook102 pages1 hour

    A Year in Riyadh

    By Saul Tarsus

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    About this ebook

    Dear Reader,
    My name is Saudi Saul. Well, that’s the name I decided to give myself for this adventure which I am about to begin. In about two weeks I am going to start a new life in Saudi Arabia, why? Not many people know what life is really like there or what it is like to work there. This is based on my experiences of been a primary school teacher, the people I meet and what happens there.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPaul Love
    Release dateJul 30, 2011
    ISBN9781466031227
    A Year in Riyadh
    Author

    Saul Tarsus

    I spent a year in Saudi Arabia as a teacher to rich Saudis. Previously I had spent six years as a teacher in Europe. I am still in the Middle East and I am enjoying living there. It took me four years to turn this into an E-book. I like writing and hope to write more about my experiences in the Middle East.

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      Book preview

      A Year in Riyadh - Saul Tarsus

      A Year in Riyadh

      by

      Saul Tarsus

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      ***************

      PUBLISHED BY:

      Paul Love on Smashwords

      Saul Tarsus: A Year in Riyadh

      Copyright© 2010 by Paul Love

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Contents

      Introduction

      Leaving Home

      The Letters

      Communication

      It Arrived

      Factors

      London

      Ramadan

      Travel Plans

      Almost Packed

      The Flight

      First Day in Riyadh

      Back in the USSR

      The Students

      Faisallah Tower

      Bata Buses

      New Apartment

      Unwelcome Guests

      Philip’s Vila

      A Love Affair with a Moose

      Adam

      Meeting a Parent

      Day at the Hospital

      Laura Bush’s Visit

      Henry

      Why do they Employ us?

      Working at the Zoo

      Normal Day

      Empty Promises

      The Mothers’ Meeting

      The Night of Shadows

      School Food

      The End of David

      The Bus

      Being Sick

      The Spy

      JC Losing It

      Off Roading

      Another One Bites the Dust

      Fiz and the Maths Enrichment

      Fatah, Hafas and the Passports

      The Sheik and the Speakers

      The Memos

      The Last Time

      Introduction

      17.08.07

      Dear Reader,

      My name is Saudi Saul. Well, that’s the name I decided to give myself for this adventure which I am about to begin. In about two weeks I am going to start a new life in Saudi Arabia, why? Various reasons, I suppose. The first I suppose is I worked for almost 6 years to the day. It took a house dragon to make me take off the rose tinted glasses of a life which consisted of travelling around Europe, living life to the full, not worrying about money. Now I realised, I had nothing to show, only experience. No flat, no car, you could say nothing really materialistic, but a lot of experience, meeting a lot of people, and adventures around Europe.

      Now that one chapter is coming to a close and a new one is about to begin I have decided to write about my adventures which are about to start.

      In this tale the people and my experiences are truthful and real. It started nine months ago, around New Year. For many people, New Year is about a new beginning, and new starts where you make resolutions to try and improve yourself, and this was true. It was a time of emotional upheaval and confusion in my life. My house dragon was not happy with me for not having any materialistic security. Importantly, I was happy for whom I was, as an individual, but she was looking at me from the outside.

      Things were said which seemed to be the reality of things from her side, some of it was hurtful and maybe true from her side. But in terms of who I was, I am who I am; a good man and I would do things for people for whom I really cared for. But I needed time and time was not on my side. We could not find a common ground where both of our wishes could have been met. I knew too late now that she had ambitions. She wanted someone to share those ambitions. I could have done it and I know I could have shared them. However, the time was not there to change as fast as she wanted and you cannot change people so fast, they need time. For me the proper chance was not given and it was a hard thing to do. The hurt burned inside my heart like an eternal flame that could not be extinguished.

      I am happy it is over, for now I can step back and say what was positive and what was negative. I saw a lot of negative things and I tried to put up with them. Saying to myself it will get better, it is good for me. Yes they were, but there were a lot of aspects which I disagreed with, the lack of mutual respect towards each others feelings and emotions. Not accepting the other person for who they were. I can see now that in this relationship,I was not the child, she was. She could not show the maturity to accept people for who they were, just for what they have. I feel sad for her, I really do, for I know that I had strong emotions for her and I know that I cared for her. She was blinded by her quest for the ideal man and a man who immediately who would give her a house and a car. Now I have better idea of the type of partner I am looking for: a good girl who is calm, patient, with a kind, sensitive heart who accepts me for who I am.

      The human body in a short while can repair itself from fractures, but the human soul may take a longer time. Mine is mended now and I am happy for the type of person I am. I need a new change, new goals, new soul.

      Regards,

      Saul

      Leaving Home

      31/08/07

      Dear Mum and Dad,

      I hope you won't miss me as much as I will miss you. The final journey has begun as I leave from home for the last time. Old emotions old tensions brought up again. It is sad to leave you not knowing the next time we will meet or if everyone will be there, this time next year.

      But I need to move on in my life and begin a new adventure to make my fortune. Ireland had been a nation of immigrants and I am one of them now, looking for better future, better life, leaving the past behind.

      I don’t plan to go home for Christmas and had been thinking of what to do. Two ideas sprung to mind which would be to learn to scuba dive and gain a diving licence, then dive in the Red Sea. It is supposed to be the best place to scuba dive with a rich abundance of sea life and very clear waters. The second adventure would be to go for a three day trek into the desert. Trek by night and camp by day, to test my night navigational skills, and survival skills. Mum, your probably saying now, that the sun has gone to my head. Maybe? But I am the type of person who likes a bit of adventure, and not the mundane things in life. For instance I am used to organising my time in set routines, not the type of person who likes to do the same monotonous thing week in, week out. I had that near the end of my time in Hungary, the weekends were very predictable. Some change is good and something

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