Final Visit to my old Company

The next day I went to my old company's office for two things.  First, I wanted to see if what Suleiman was telling me was true, that they still couldn't issue a final exit, or if he was just saying that because he wanted me to stay.  Second, I wanted to see if perhaps they would give me my old job back, but with a raise, and allow me to live out of the accommodations.

So I flagged down a taxi and we headed for the office. We had the usual trouble finding it, since, between exits 1 & 2 isn't really enough information for anyone.... but after a few wrong turns I finally recognized where we were and could tell him how to get there.  It's pretty sad that I had spent so much time at this place I finally knew the way.

It being the first week of Eid, a lot of the employees weren't around, even thought they wouldn't officially close until the following week.  If things were impossible to get done before, they were even worse now with fewer staff.  It seemed like the key person you needed to see was never there.  I went in and asked Mohammed if he could give me a final exit.  He told me I needed to go see Saed in the government affairs office.

I went upstairs and after waiting the usual obligatory 10 minutes, he called me in.  I asked him about my iqama, and he told me it was all in Suleiman's hands now.  I asked him If I had an iqama number, which Suleiman had told me I now had.  He said he didn't know and I should ask Suleiman.  I asked him if he had any papers or records showing that my case had been transferred to Suleiman, or any records of the iqama number, and again, he told me no. I was incredulous.  You keep no paperwork indicating that it is no longer in your hands?  Isn't that a bit foolish business wise?  He just looked at me blankly and told me I should go, there was nothing he could do for me.  Even though I didn't really believe that that was true, I left.  It was clear he wasn't going to give me anything.

My favorite piece of promotional
material from my old company.

I wandered downstairs again to speak with Osama, and while I was waiting I saw a lot of familiar faces.  Mohammed and I chatted a little about his favorite topic, his car.  Some of the girls I had met the last time I was in the office were still there, waiting to be sent to Dammam or Al Jouf or to stay in Riyadh.  After a few hours, Osama finally had time to talk to him.  I asked him If I could come back, and he said, yes, of course, we always want you.  Then I asked him If I could live out of the accommodations, and he told me that no, it wasn't a possibility anymore since they had turned down a lot of other teachers who had asked recently and it wasn't fair.  I asked if they could match the salary I had been given at the new place, and he told me that no, because I didn't have a masters degree, they couldn't give me any more money. I think because he knew I had lost my new job, he thought I was desperate and would take anything.  I thanked him and told him that it just wasn't a good enough offer and wished him the best.  He told me wait and offered a few hundred more riyals a month, which was really just peanuts.  I told him I was sorry but I would rather just go home.

The old company's office and van.  Notice the glaring error
 "How is my Drive" on the back of the van?   

I asked Mohammed one more time about a final exit, figuring he would give me a straight answer, he said that even if I didn't have the iqama card, if  a number had been issued, he could give me a final exit. I asked him if he was sure, and he said, he thought so, but that it would still need to be signed by Saed, and that saed wouldn't want to sign it because of whatever deal Suleiman had made with them to get me into the new, now old job.

I thanked him for his candor, and asked if I could have a ride back to my hotel.  I figured that they owed me at least that small bit of kindness.  I said goodbye to everyone who I'd come to know so well over the last few months of frustrating exchanges... and hoped, really hoped, that I would never see this place again.