A cruise ship worker has revealed the one country he refuses to work in is Saudi Arabia.
Seasoned crewman Jerzy Rzepka has spent years travelling the world on luxury liners, but says the cultural differences in the Gulf kingdom were more than he could handle.
“I’ve gained a lot of experience in many countries, but Saudi Arabia made a particular impression on me,” Jerzy, from Poland, told Need To Know.
“The culture and religion of this country are completely different from what I’m used to.
“I worked on the Aroya ship on the Saudi Arabia–Jordan–Egypt route.
“Most of the passengers had two or three wives on board.
“I received special training on how to interact with them.
“The women there seemed happy, but I saw sadness in their eyes.”
Although he said his Saudi colleagues treated him with respect, the culture shock was ultimately too much.
He admitted: “I turned down an offer to return to the ship.”
Saudi Arabia has been opening up to tourism in recent years, but working there can still be a bureaucratic minefield.
Foreigners need a work visa and a local sponsor, usually an employer, who must handle the application process.
Workers also need a valid passport, medical certificates, and proof of qualifications translated into Arabic before arriving.
Once in the country, a residence and work permit, known as an iqama, is required to stay legally.
Travel influencer Karolina Wachowicz said: “My friend’s mother, a Taiwanese woman, worked in Saudi Arabia as a nurse.
“Women employed in healthcare are required to adhere to strict social and cultural norms.
“For example, they have to cover up, which can make working conditions difficult.
“But hospitals and medical centres ensure their safety and provide good working and living conditions, often including accommodation.
“Despite the attractive salary, she decided not to renew her contract after it expired and returned to her home country, just like Jerzy.
“Similarly, a friend of mine from China, working in the financial sector, said he wouldn’t return, despite the good salary.
“He told me ‘we were forbidden, under penalty of a hefty fine, from talking to local women.
“‘It wasn’t about flirting, because that’s unheard of in this country, but even simple questions like directions to the office’.
“‘Ramadan was also a demanding time, they wouldn’t sell me water’, he told me.”
Saudi Arabia employs around 13 million foreign workers, making up a massive 77% of its workforce.
While there’s no income tax, employees do have to pay social security contributions, and a new pension and savings scheme has recently been introduced for expats.
