Dear Expat-Blog friends
It is with great sadness that we bid you farewell from Riyadh.
While we were away on our vacation to Greece, Bill was sent 17,000km back to Australia to renew his visa which expired in the middle of Eid. After he arrived,his client notified Bill's Area Manager, that a change of leadership was required and Bill was not to return to the office. This under handed and wimpish attitude highlighted the style of management Bill faced daily during his 6 month stay here.
You can read the whole saga on my blog Jeannie's Arabia (entries are titled, 'The Game's Up' and 'The Naked Emperor-A Pragmatic Approach'
MusicMan, I am writing this from Greece, where I innocently stayed behind while Bill went back to renew his visa in Australia.
Our Company, has licked and scraped at the feet of the Arab client, using Bill as a 'scapegoat' and now leaving us living out of a suitcase-without a job-and without accommodation.
We were given the opportunity to basically return to Riyadh - to say, our goodbyes but I could not stomach the trip back in (I'm also suffering a major ear infection)and have chosen to say my peace here where everyone can read it and be warned about the type of situation you can face, not only in Riyadh, but as an expat.
Many of you may have heard me share how we innocently took a two-week vacation to Thailand inbetween assignments,(our belongings in a container on a UAE port)only to be informed that the position had been cancelled and the project(India) suspended!
To make matters worse, today, Bill's father wrote and told us he has incurable cancer (that has metastised into his bones) and has only a short time to live.
As soon as I am well I will return to Melbourne and together we will visit him.
I want to thank all those people here I got to know, especially my very first contact - AllieCat (back in March); Nonse - who was ready to help me move into my villa Oct 1; Salman - who offered wise advice; MusicMan - who was waiting eagerly for the house warming party; JillnDave - for his great hospitality; Shahab - who I got to meet on one of our excursions and CAF - who took me in and befriended me and with our spouses we had some great times laughing, sharing our cares and woes and encouraging each other to 'hang in there'. I'm sorry I won't be able to hug you all goodbye, yet, never expected such a large and reputable company to act in such an infantile manner.(I must remind myself that they were desert dwellers sixty short years ago.)
We don't know where tomorrow will lead us, but we are not quitters..you will be sure that we will go on, in a different country, perhaps, and certainly we'll 'meet again' through Expat-blog.com
Have a wonder-filled life!
Praise God, I'm free
Peace,
Bill and Ginnie Tucker