Like at the beginning of every year, this January we received a large number of enquiries about positions in the Arabian Peninsula. Since Saudi Arabia is, at the moment, the location of most of our positions, most people ask the same question: “What is it like to live there?”
On their September 2009 trip to the Arabian Peninsula, Donna Radey and Cindy Piccolo, two of our Senior Recruiters, asked Andrew Hoar, Supervisor of EMS at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, about his job and his life in Jeddah:
Q: To start, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Charles Andrew Hoar, and I come from New Brunswick, Canada. I was a firefighter for five years, and I've been a Paramedic going on 15 years. I moved to Saudi Arabia in October of 2004 and have lived in Jeddah ever since. The transition to Jeddah was much easier then I anticipated, and to this day have had very little difficulty here. The staff are very supportive and go out of their way to make you as comfortable as possible. …
Q: What do you enjoy about 1) working in Jeddah and 2) working at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital - Jeddah?
Jeddah has so much to offer, it’s overwhelming. First, the scuba diving is like nowhere else. I have gone diving in many countries, but the Red Sea is absolutely the best I've ever seen, and there is always someone to go with. We have all sorts of trips available, from beach diving to boat day trips, and even three-day trips on a yacht out in the middle of the sea! The night life is always hopping – not like it would be in North America, but we have great restaurants and coffee shops, and the hospital housing is five minutes from the sea, where you can sit with your friends and enjoy your evening listening to the waves.
Working here has been one experience after another, but the one thing this hospital has excelled at is improving my career. The work experiences and support for training are abundant. Since I have been promoted to Supervisor of the ambulance service, I am constantly learning and taking on new tasks and responsibilities that help me grow as a person and as a medic.
Q: What have been the challenges you have faced 1) by working in Saudi Arabia and 2) in this job in particular?
The biggest adjustment has been just getting use to the way things work and the different obstacles that we have here that you would not see in other countries. Of course, working in Saudi Arabia comes with some needed cultural adaptations. Traffic is a unique experience here as well, but manageable. As for the hospital, the biggest challenge has been understanding the process of communication between departments and the amount of time it may take to achieve some goals. In the end, we all learn from any of the experiences we see here in Jeddah.
Q: What advice would you give to a paramedic or EMT considering applying for a position at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital - Jeddah?
If you are up for adventure, want a good salary, enjoy traveling, and want new experiences, this is the place to be. Traveling is very cheap and easy from this location, and you have close to two months vacation a year! The work is challenging, the crew is like family, and the support from the rest of the hospital is great. If you’re tired of snow, and love the beach, this is the place for you!
Q: What do you do in your spare time in Jeddah?
Scuba diving is at the top of my list, while BBQing, meeting friends, sitting on the beach, fine dining, and hanging out with friends are what I do on a weekly basis.
To read the entire interview, go to: EMS at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital - Jeddah
Helen Ziegler
