Well most of what you have read is true. Some quick updates of Yanbu and Parson:

1- Western expat influence is becoming less and less in the RC area. There are expats moving in, but they all reside on the only secure compound in Yanbu. Parsons, unlike 95% of the other western companies, works, lives and is confined in the RC area. As other comments have stated, they live among the locals and TCNs...As I am told, not the best situation.. This I say mainly because the "quality of life" is poor, unless you like being a hermit.

2- The international school is not the best curriculum wise as I am told by many parents...not only that, the Muslim influence is trying to change the traditional western format. Again, this is due to low western (non-Muslim) children attending and the mass influx of Muslim children attending these days...ie, has become an economic reason to let these folks in the school...

3- In general, if you do not like to dive or fish...there really is a limited amount of activity you can do there as a family in a western type of setting. Socially, there is no gathering place for western expats...again, this is due to the fact folks do not live on a compound...therefore, small home parties is as good as it gets...in short.

4- The housing is by far below standards for any western expat...although some of the long term folks have stated they like living close to work..but even today, due to the locals moving in..the once dominate expat neighborhoods are crumbling... Of all of the compounds/living arrangements that I have seen throughout the kingdom, the Parsons arrangment in Yanbu is among the worst....

5- I suggest that you ask their HR folks to give you some info about the Yanbu area and work first...ask for an email of one of the employees on site...again, a western expat, not a tcn or one of their many "paper western expats"....

Hope this helps, I am sure more will comment as time goes...I have summed up much from conversations with the parsons folks I see on occasions during business or at functions.

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Hi---about Yanbu...
Parsons is one of the 2-3 largest US international engineering & management companies, headquartered in L.A. They've been a direct competitor of and partner with Bechtel several times, with pretty solid experience in Saudi Araiba. Yanbu is the sister city of Jubail, which formed the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, started over 20 yrs ago to build the largest planned community in the history of the world. Yanbu is a ways up the Red Sea coast from Jeddah, which would probably be the last civilized jumping off place for destination Yanbu. Even by Saudi standards, Yanbu is pretty isolated and desolate. No urbanization, no particular history, nothing in particular to see or do or visit. I was the original procedure writer for the creation of Jubail some 22 years ago but never actually got to visit Yanbu, which was mostly on the drawing board then. Being fairly isolated I'd say Yanbu is consequently safer than the established big cities of Saudi Arabia, tho probably a bit more conservative. Parsons used to offer subsidized dependent schooling in Europe (Switzerland, etc.) but budgets, even in Saudi Arabia, have shrunk noticeably since then. I lived in Saudi Arabia, both coasts and in Riyadh, for almost 5 years, before 9/11, and liked every day of it. Now, you could not pay me enough to go back there. Americans, if that's what you are, are targets now. Be warned! But good luck anyway.

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Thank you for your responses. I do have some additional questions starting with a comments as follows.

So Westeners/Americans are targeted while others "TCN" are mistreated. I dont understand how any work gets done over there.

What about the medical treatment availibility? Are god facilities available? Would a prescription from the US be honored there? Are all US prescriptions or equivalent available?

Additionally, what is the process for obtaining a vehicle upon arrival in Yanbu? Are there any car dealerships? Would it better to get an older car in the beginning and are they available? How is the purchase price compared to the US? What about vehicle insurance?

Is there a library in Yanbu? Is children's literature available? My kids are used to going to the local library at least twice a week and it would be a shame to have to give that up.

I know these are a lot of questions but I thank you in advance for the insight.

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