just been asked if I'd consider undertaking a one month secondment to Saudi Arabia. Short of wondering whether the firm are trying to get rid of me (well….), would you do it?

I sort of have a principled objection to the place, and it wouldn't be good timing for Mrs North and me in the, er, baby making process, but at the same time it means I get to impress the right people and, in these difficult times, possibly have more chance of keeping my job….

Help me!

Everyone has a price.

"I have my morals, if you don't like them i have some others"

I sort of have a principled objection to the place

Seems like an ideal opportunity to discover if your objections are valid, then really. It's only a month, go, do your thang, impress your colleges and bosses, notch one up for experience.

Depends on what they want me to do ….

Working in Security … then forget it …..

but mostly

YES PLEASE when can I go !

oh … Forgot to mention …

My Dad worked there in the late 80s early 90s and still goes on about how good it was …

So I want to find out for myself

Only a month? why is this even an issue?

Travel broadens the mind.

I spent two years there in the late 80's, its a strange place with some very weird ways.

Yes I did see a public execution and the image of it still sits not too well with me.

Give it a go in my view, you will probably be living in a compound of some kind and that will allow you to draw back into a relativity privileged expatiate environment.

Its a country of extremes, wealth, poverty, beauty and some crazy car crashes.

go for it. once you have the baby you won't be able to consider such options in the future.

Second nickc. For a month you win every way:

1) you will eperience a new culture first hand – decide for yourself
2) give you a chance to explore some other bits of the ME
3) impress your bosses
4) save money by living on expenses for a month

What's to discuss. Just make sure they put you in a decent hotel, which over there is not cheap

Well unless you boycott their oil your principles are just something to make you feel better.

Hey, all good responses, cheers people.

Interestingly – and Iought to point out that i never usually believe a word they say and would only read them for amusement – my horoscope suggested that Thursday would be an auspicious day on the career front.

Job: lawyer. No idea who the client is, but I suspect it would be valuable to the firm and might help me get out of the career malaise I'm in. It would certainly be an argument to keep me if we have any more staffing "restructurings".

Right, now to convince Mrs North that she'll be all right without me for a month and that this month will be the succeful one for baby production..!

I thought you had ethical reasons about not going to Saudi Arabia due to them being unaware of human rights. Not that your baby maker would be OK without you.

How silly of me, this is STW after all! 😉

I was asked to go out there for a 3 week stint about ten years ago (with a view to would I like to take an upcoming job). This was shortly after the birth of my daughter.
I went. It was an experience. I came back wiser for having done it. I made a few quid in the process.
Did I want to go out there (unaccompanied) for a year or two?
NO thanks!!

Do it for the experience. When you've tried it you'll be able to make informed choices further down the line.

I have no significant principles, though my shades of grey can lean one way or another. What can I say, I am a hypocrite.

😉

To be honest it does depend on which part of the Kingdom you will be based in.

I spent most of my time in the eastern province (Al Khobar) where at the time the ARAMCO US driven culture provided a degree of openness.

Riyadh was a different picture altogether, as for the far north ! it was like going back 200 years.

Only a month, whats your problem. If its work for Aramco then good luck, I've done a few 'stints' working for them….

Hell yeah.

Why would Mrs North not be ok without you? Is she really that dependent on you?

And if she wouldn't be ok without you, she certainly will be by the end of the month. It's only 4 weeks.

Of course you should do it. Broaden your mind.

Mrs North hasn't had the best of 12 months, and I'm worried about her now, so a month apart may not do her a massive amount of good.

But, it is *only* a month, and we've spent that time apart before (though her work).

I have a pretty broad mind, and would be delighted to broaden it further. I just need to ensure that short term gains for me, don't impact on long term gaisn for us (since I'm trying to leave this job anyway, just through choice rather than in the next round of redundancies).

'Travel broadens the mind' not sure I really agree with this with regard to working abroad. You just discover that most of the racial prejudices / stereotypes are pretty spot on (with individual exceptions).

I spent 1994 working for Aramco in Ras Tanura, living in Dahran/Damman. As above, a very culturaly different place. An interesting experience and one I'm glad I had.

It's only a month, you'll see something completely different.

You think that's bad – my wife has been offered a 9 month secondment to Castlemilk in Glasgow. She's taking it too.

I have no significant principles

We know, you already told us what you do for a living 😉

We know, you already told us what you do for a living

That's the sort of support I like when I go off, ill prepared, to an apparently medieval theocracy. 😮

Anyway, after discussions with Mrs North, on the provisos that (1) it's safe and (2) it's no more than a month, then I can say yes.

Of course, sods law, they'll choose the other person who's up for it….

I know a lawyer (female) who works in Jeddah and she rather likes it (apart from the whole not driving thing). It's only a month and I reckon it'd be quite interesting.

I spent three weeks in Saudi, I am glad I did as it was an experience, I too was doing some work with Aramco (IT releated not oil)

It's would be worth it to form your own view and it's only a month.

I can be quite warm though 🙂

Only a month? Yes. On a more serious/sensible note. Your work insurance- what is the pay out max and t&c's?

That would be my only concern, the level of pay out on insurance and any clauses that are exempt.