Yup. Wasta.
There was an expat I heard about who got rammed by a huge SUV at ludicrous speed who them spent three months in the hospital. When he emerged he asked the police what the status of his case was, and was told that there was no case and he should just forget the whole thing.

Wasta.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Mon 13 Oct 2014, 7:03, 1 reply)

This is always what I think about
when someone is wittering on about how great their life is in Dubai or places like that. I have a lot of clients based there, and get it all the time.

For every one that has a massive flat and a 911 turbo, there seem to be three who have been thrown in jail for wearing odd socks, been fired and had to leave the Porsche at the airport on the way out. They all seem to get home penniless as well.

I spent a decade living in the 3rd world, was treated much better and managed to come out of it ahead.

Yeah, ex-pat lifestyle. I don't think so.
(username failed moderation, Mon 13 Oct 2014, 10:08, closed)

interesting

It never occurred to me that Saudi Arabia / other generic Arabia would have so much in common with Russia
(Carpe Cyprinidae, Tue 14 Oct 2014, 18:44, closed)

Even if it's going 'well' it still seems to me that you're living in nothing more than a tacky, cultural vortex.

( Slippery Mick ‏, Tue 14 Oct 2014, 20:01, closed)

It has its benefits.
I actually do enjoy it. We don't have a flash car or go to the expensive restaurants- our life here is pretty low-key- but I do get to drive my Jeep in the desert, go camping on the sands whenever I like and can go to Oman as the mood takes me. My friends here are from all over the globe, so I get to know people I would otherwise never encounter.

But yeah, it's also full of idiots over here who get carried away by making good money and go apeshit.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 15 Oct 2014, 8:53, closed)