Living in Bahrain, over the rainbow

Some asked me what it is like living in Bahrain?

Well first off, the internet is slow.  I have had issue with internet service since I arrived in2014.  In Saudi Arabia a person with a business visa is not allow an expat to have a Saudi phone number.  I had to ask a friend to buy a Sim Card to have a local phone number with internet.  I asked another friend to buy a sim card for my home wifi. The internet is costing about $85 per month. Internet speed test was 1.8 download and zero up load for those that understand the internet. This post might not go out until the internet is running faster.

I have been asked why to live in Bahrain?  Well first the position was available because the folks I work for planned with the project in Jeddah was finished the project in Dhahran would start.  Out Jeddah staff was all moving to Dhahran and I could move too but had to switch companies. I knew that the project in Dhahran within driving distance to the country of Bahrain.  Gordy could not get a visa to live in Saudi Arabia but Gordy can get a visa to live in Bahrain.  She arrived at the airport and purchase a thirty-day visa.  We had to get the visa extend for two weeks while her five-year visa application is being processed.

Living in Bahrain has its advantages.  In Bahrain you can buy pork, buy alcohol, and go to church. The drivers are politer on the road and woman can drive here. In Bahrain you can rent an apartment without having resident permit.  I can buy a car here but could not in Saudi Arabia.  Woman can dress in normal western clothing and not have to wear a abaya (black outer garment worn over your regular clothing).  Woman should dress with consideration given to the local customs. Woman should at least cover their arms and keep the dress to the knees.  If possible, wear a dress that covers your legs and a top that covers your arms. There are no restrictions on woman as to where they go and who they meet.

There are areas where American should not go in Bahrain.  These areas are where the Shiites living.  The ruling class are Sunni which are the Bahrain and the Shiites are the same as Iran.  At night these neighborhoods are guarder by national police.  As you drive around in the day time you will notice concrete barriers placed on the side of the roads where the police will part there their vehicles at night. The police are on call every night in case there is a disturbance.  In some neighborhoods you see on the side of the roads stacks of concrete bricks, stone and tires that at night would be put across the road to keep the police out.  Sometimes the tires will be on fire. 

One night I was in Jaffar at the office where I rent my car.  From the location I drove a few blocks, made a wrong turn and ended up in one of these neighborhoods.  Across the road was a blockade with fire.  I looked around to see what was the reason for this stoppage.  Al the people on the road were walking around the blockade and did not seem to be acting if there were any issues.  I saw no police at this location.  I backed up and drove to another street that also have a barrier and a fire burning.  I backed up again and drove to the car rental place and checked my Google Maps.  I now could see how to find the nearest highway.  This time I could find the major highway and retuned home safely. 

The US Navy has a port in Bahrain, it is the HQ of the Fifth Fleet and Naval Forces Central Command.  Which provides the area that are considered off limits for service members and US employee.  About one third of the neighborhoods are Shiites and are the areas off limit for safety reasons.  In Saudi Arabia there were some town we were not to go and we could not travel within 75 miles of Yemen There might have been on neighborhood we should not go but not as many areas as here in Bahrain.

I live in the land of Oz, or at least it seems that way.  Yes, thing s are different here.  You can hire a maid service or have a live-in maid. The cost for a live in made in $250-300 a month but, Gordy does not what. I am hiring a driver for $400 a month.  He will drive me to work in the morning and then pick me up and take me back home.  I will be able to work on my laptop or even sleep.  The driver will take Gordy and I out shopping.  My driver is from Pakistan and he speaks Arabic, I will use him to be our interpreter if need.  I will ask him to find us stores to go to finds things like, health food, organic food, vitamers, and other places of interest.

Our apartment is call a flat, it is in a building with 10 other flats.  We are on the ground floor and have a three bedroom with two bathrooms.  It has a large living room and a nice size kitchen.  The kitchen needs more counter space and the refrigerator door opens the wrong way and no way to switch the door. I have a private entrance which means I do not see my neighbors.    The only person I have met is our building supervisor.  He is a very nice man from India and washes my car a couple of time a week.  I have an enclosed and attached garage but it is very small in width of 8 feet.  The garage has a roll up door with remote access.  My private access has a door that opens to the pool.  The pool is small but refreshing on a hot summer day.

My apartment comes furnished with utilities, the monthly rent is $1740.  My company pays for the rent.  They will pay up to $2250 a month so when my rent contract is up, I will look for rent a Villa or an apartment in one of the buildings downtown Manama. When I was living in a compound in Jeddah, we had a three-bedroom apartment which the company paid $7500 a month.  The cost included security and daily bus services.  In Jeddah I could move out and had the company pay me $3000 a month for my living.  I found an apartment furnished for $600 a month, and put in my pocket the unspent amount.

I drive to Saudi Arabia over the causeway, the distance is about 25 Km.  The drive in the morning is less than an hour and in the after work the drive is one hour.  It has taken me up to three hours to cross the border.  The cost for toll is 2.5 BD each way and for insurance is 1 BD, the total is about $13.30 a day. The ride is not bad and I have major highway to the work site.

Friday is like a Sunday for the Muslims and all the stores in Saudi Arabia are closed.  In Bahrain the stores are open. In Saudi Arabia you are required to pray five times a day and all the shops are closed.  In Bahrain they do not have a law to make you pray allowing stores to be open.  Few stores will be closed for some that will not work on Friday.  The big corporate stores will be open. 

Gordy and I will go out shopping on Friday and Saturday for food and house hold items.  We do not want to buy too much because when we leave we will have to sell what we have or give all away. The grocery stores are in the large malls allowing you can do all your shopping at one location.