Tuesday, October 28, 2008

About life, citizenship, and education opportunities

1st order: What did the two engineers I met tell me: First of all that there are many Palestinians all over the Arabic Peninsula, but not just that even all over the world. Mostly they are very good educated, because this is the only way that they can make something out of their life. The unpromising situation in Palestine might be paradoxically the reason for many Palestinians to make good. But I’ve been told they are all somehow feeling homeless being refugees not able to live in their mother country.
Secondly, the education in Arabic countries is just free with full citizenship, which you only get if your father has the respective passport. The two were raised in Saudi Arabia, but couldn’t go to State University there. Just if the were paying for a private university. Therefore they went to Jordan for their studies. In fact the education and the universities in Jordan are quite known in the region and much respected. I've been told, that many people in Jordan have a university degree (even women), because education is considered to be very important. Even people from other countries just go to Jordan for their studies. But most of them, including young Jordan’s leave the country after they finished their studies. Jobs are not well paid and living costs are nonetheless ‘very’ high, I’ve been told. Why the costs are high, they couldn’t answer.
Then they worked in Saudi Arabia for two, respectively five years. They told me that the jobs are well paid, but you have no “life” there. It’s just working, sleeping and working again. No freedom, life quality, etc. That’s why they are now in Dubai. “It’s for the freedom”, they said. Going out after work and having fun.

3 comments:

  1. Education seems to be key. With regard to any practice of project management it might be worth to learn what the educational reference is. This asks first of all for the paradigmatic set of modells, methodes and instruments. And in a more reflected sense it asks for the practice of teaching an learning, its paradigmatic reference and its praactice. Is education "western" and if not so what is it like?

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  2. Okey,,, i'd like to add that one of them born and raised in Jordan and had his education there as well! and only went to Saudi Arabia right after Graduation seeking better living!

    Cost of living in Jordan is high due to simple fact! resources; lack of them! jordan is not rich in natural resource, agricultural resources or industrial raw material and it is not an oil producing country either! the country heavily depends on importing their basic needs! the local produce is not sufficient to cover the demand!

    Electrical power is produced by oil-operated motors which means that energy prices is pigged to "imported" oil prices! constant rise in oil seems to have played a major role in driving prices up over the past 6 years! everything relies on energy! and it is an integral part of any pricing structure!

    as far as saudi arabia goes,,, i always make a distinction between two things! Quality of Living! and Life Style! the first one seems to be acceptable and comparable to other gulf countries! your basic life needs are available cheaply and of the best in the world! but living style and social life! (which at one point or another intersects with the quality of living!) is not the best! as a single man! you don't have much to do outside what the walls of your home can provide! and you soon loose interest in repeating yourself!

    Married men seem to enjoy Saudi Arbia, much more,,, especially Conservative Arab Families! and they enjoy a much better social life than single men do!

    I'd say yes! having a better social life
    (maybe freedom is an extreme word! after all! i was there by my own free well! and i stayed there by my own free well! and i was free to accept the way it is or leave at anytime!) was a major factor for leaving there!

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    Answering Louis! the educational system in Jordan follows the US model especially in the Higher Education stage! and it is very well acknowledged in the region!

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  3. I WISH TO STUDY OR WORK IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

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