Why Bother?

For years now, thousands of expatriates have come here , worked and left. Many children of different races have been born and raised in KSA.

There are two categories of expatriates:

1. Those that come here with a set target, make their money and leave.

2. Those that are actually residents for years. Born here , raised here and living here.

Now, the first kind are the happiest lot. They make their money and take off. The second kind is the depressed kind. I could have easily been one of those and I USED to be one of those and I still do become one of those on gloomy days. The cause of all this negativity is the constant demand of our minds for logic and the questions that haunt us: How long will we live here? Why don’t they give us citizenship? What about our kids? Why is KSA citizenship policy so tough? etc.. etc..

I realized one day : Who CARES?? Do I need it? NO. Then why am I constantly complaining about it? I mean what difference does a passport make? Since I have forsaken the stupid belief that if I have a western passport I will make more money here or if I have a Saudi Passport I will make more here, I have found peace and prosperity.

Our citizenship is as good as we are. I know expatriates that hold South Asian passports and make millions. I know Saudis that live hand to mouth, and I know westerners that are always broke. Citizenship makes no difference!

The question of living here peacefully. Well.. ho ho ho ha!.. You create the environment you live in. I personally believe that each person has been placed in a certain land and presented with certain challenges so that they can WORK to make it better or conquer it. If they fail to do this then roaming around the world, like coming to KSA is NOT the solution. Every country DOES have opportunity, if one truly wants to do something. As for loving KSA, love where you are first. It is unfair to think of other lands while sitting in a certain land. It is unwise. Do justice to what you have first. I can bet a 1000 riyals right now that there IS a person or family that lives in .. mm.. say.. ( what would be the worst place to live in right now?.. let me just make a wild guess).. Iraq.. and is prosperous and happy. I am sure about it. I will dig out and find the person if I am challenged. And when I do find this person, I will make them an example of how one should think.

I tried to run away from KSA since I was 12. And it was because I felt I needed to be in a place where I was free to experiment. Where there was variety. I needed this to grow. But, age restrictions. So I waited until I was 17.. and PPPOOOOOF! I was OUTAHERE!!!..

Consider Cyprus. How big is it? Everyone is educated. They do not need labor so much. They are a very tight and closed society in many ways. They do love foreigners and welcome people ( who pay) but go and try live there as ONE of them. You will come to love Saudis. I lived there for ten years. And, I did not care about whether Cyprus will love me or not. I was learning. I created my business there and it was successful the first month. Then I left. Because there was not much scope there and the chief of immigration , Mr. Nicolaides ( Imprisoned for corruption after asking me for bribes and being a colossal JERK) did not like me so much ( I pissed him off once when I was in college, and when he was in charge of airport immigration – but that’s another story..).. :D..

Back to KSA because family was here. I got bored and business was LOUSY! So? I went to Karachi. I was warned. I was cautioned. I was told I had no idea how the place operated. That I had never lived there. My Saudi friends freaked out. I went there and I lived there for 2 years, and I loved every second of it! My country. I loved it. I came back again for Parents. I had come for two bloody weeks and it has been 10 years!!!! Destiny placed me here, I did not choose it! Sometimes, life presents you with responsibilities ( and I am not talking about working here and providing for my family, I could do that in Timbuktu – read my post ” being rich”) and challenges and you have to take them on. You have to do it because you are sincere to family and people around you. You cannot just up and walk away from them.

So , I stayed. But , my conditions: I will not work for anyone. I will do my own thing. And, I will do it MY WAY ( Frank Sinatra, I loved that song man!)..I did, and I do. And, I don’t even think it is an achievement. It is a choice. It is my choice to exist like this. The greatest challenge was, DO not violate the regulations of the land. I never did. In fact, I created a whole business of making money globally and not locally! Anyone can. Anywhere. I promise you this.

All this time, I have not really bothered nor cared for citizenships, nationalities , status and BS like that! Though I did get upset over the issues of some very nice people and I do blame the system for hurting them without cause, but then, I could be wrong too.

Because you see, to waste my time thinking of this nonsense will be counter productive. I have, however, commented, analyzed and reflected on the effects of certain policies such as sponsorship system and other things – but that is part of my business plus my concern for the country I am in. I have no interest in sitting here and criticizing the heck out of KSA or any other country and enjoy it. No point in it really. I am not even concerned about inflation or various scary reports and all that political garbage!..I am totally indifferent to it. I care for and love the people I live with because they are as much human as I am.

I do care about benefiting the society I am living in and I comment and review when there is a need or an issue I am INVOLVED in.

My advise to people who hate KSA for not being easy in giving citizenship : let it go. Work on being a better person, develop ideas where ever you are, build yourself – seek. Stop this negativity and nonsense and do not drive yourself up the wall with it. Shouting in protest will not do anything. Plan properly and act right.

Saudis have the RIGHT to decide how they will run their country. And, it has NOTHING to do with YOUR personal success or failure. YOU are responsible for that, not them!

I am not saying : Leave KSA nor am I saying Stay where you are. I am saying : Face what is presented to you NOW in the best possible way , while being fair to everyone and in a positive way. <—- this is the MAIN IDEA of this POST.
God gives to test. So PASS the test please!