Our hero, let us call him Dick, arrives in the sandpit for that wonderful new job. What he has been told is that it is a job and the money is OK. What he has not been told is how absolutely mind-numbingly boring the place is.
After a month the following things are driving him crazy:
- The climate/heat.
- The brown/sandy color of just about everything: buildings, roads, desert, cars.
- The calls to prayer from the local mosques (church bells are at least melodious and usually only on Sunday mornings).
- The expat life. Mixing with the same group of acquaintancies every day, every weekend, every evening. With the subject of conversation usually being how bad an employer GF/QR/EY/EK is.
- Nowhere to walk. The corniche in 40 degrees? He misses his beloved countryside back home?
- Nothing, but nothing to do except drink, go to BBQs, or spend time on PPRuNe (which is clearly why there are always more PPRuNers on the Middle East Forum than any other).
After six months the same things are still driving him crazy.
After nine months he has had enough. Back home to a slightly less well-paid job and income tax, but a life living where he wants to live, where the grass is green even without irrigation, where there are hills, valleys, fields and trees. Where people lead real lives. And where he can go to a real pub, go to football games on Saturdays, watch cricket on the village green, enjoy visits to real cities, and get in his car and drive to interesting places along interesting roads through interesting countryside.
Dick is happy again.
Maybe he will even meet Jane.