If one goes by aramcoexpats.com seems to be a happy thriving place. Yet reading here it’s very different. Is anyone actually genuinely happy in their job?
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Never met anyone happy there. Met many in denial of this but soiled by the many others adversely affected by the piece.
In the old days, there was a term for US payroll called bulletproof, for those over 50 and 10 years under that belt. That meant you were eligible retirement with health insurance, even if they layed you off. They were happy. I was happy in that respect, in my last 10 years there.
In that respect, any expat going back to a country with decent nationL health insurance and a decent separation package should be happy enough still working there.
Probably not so much for newly hired Americans who need to think about health insurance premiums for them and their families if they get layed off.
Something important to think about.
Yea, many very happy expats working in Aramco. I was one and retired a while back. I stay in touch with my old pals still there and they are still enjoying the life!
For those interested in the history, first chapter of this book gives a graphic account.
https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/frank-gardner/blood-and-sand/9780857502438
The Brit oil exec was beheaded and had his corpse dragged from the back of a pickup through the streets. Assailants were known to the authorities and were allowed to escape as part of a bundled rescue mission.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyadh_compound_bombings
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Khobar_massacre
What happened in 2004?
Cross between an open prison and concentration camp with chain-gangs of immigrant workers in jumpsuits. Your movements are monitored 24/7.
At least you know you are being protected by guards that won’t just hide and run away at the first sign of trouble…We all know what happened in 2004.
Living in an outside compound is like living in a concentration camp.
Living off camp is no longer an option.
Choose to live out of camp, IMHO, there us better quality of living in places like Almohamadia compound.
We have happy memories here, not so crowded and security us less overwhelming plus entire camp is expat.
get yourself a filipina gf and be happy
@1jmn+1mi3KrYou on the old package? You’re probably a dying breed at Aramco. Well done for lasting so long!
I'm happy, my children are attending Switzerland boarding schools, my wife is glad shopping and taking coffee in Dhahran mall with her friends every week and Im close to retire at 60 years old taking a big bunch of money with me to my Mediterranean retirement home.
You only peruse Aramcoexpats as an info resource during your transition period but don't expect to find genuine sentiments about working at Aramco. This is a silly question, you cannot use "happy" and "Aramco" in the same sentence. Seriously, you are there to make money, find satisfaction seeing your bank account grow, throw "happy" out the window.
Actually being " happy" is a risk because longer your stay longer will be your transition coming back to western world. There is nice departments where you easily fit and keep "happy" your boss however your kids are being alienated and most likely your wife will be thinking in divorce you to leave that place.
Aramcoexpats is way out only one side. Look for book Culture Shock and keep in mind that was write in the "happy" era, reality is darker now, camp is not longer a western oasys and your colleagues are not longer to support you.
And finally to be fair, if you consider a worthy move, so try it and enjoy the magic Kingdom (I'm talking about Bahrain obviously)
The money used to make up for whatever else was making you unhappy.
If you were in your late 40s, you could work at Aramco, take nice vacations, send your kids to boarding school and retire at 60 without having to worry. You can't do that anymore, so the things that make you unhappy make you leave ... Or better yet, never come in the first place.
I was, most of the time... well to be fair I did have lots of b00ze and sm0ke to see me through.
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