I am writing with reference to “Our thanks to all expatriates!” (Nov. 30). Thank you, sir, for such an erudite, objective and sincere article. I had the good fortune to work in the Kingdom for about three and a half years in the mid-1990s at the Arab National Bank (ANB). The project we (Saudis, Americans, English, Irish, Jordanians, Palestinians, Indians, as well as other nationalities) worked on was, at the time, the largest ever client-server banking systems implementation in the world. We all worked together to achieve the common goal. It was a privilege to be a member of such a talented and hardworking team. I gained so much valuable experience and derived an enormous sense of accomplishment. In my 29 years in IT this project is the absolute stand out of my professional career. “Some tricky sponsors” — yes, they exist, but no country or society is perfect. I can only speak well of ANB as a sponsor. Everything negotiated and agreed was given without hesitation. “Strangers in a strange land” — perhaps, but then again it is necessary to adapt to different societies and cultures. Sometimes xenophobia creeps into the mental process of some Saudis but so too does ignorance and arrogance creep into the mental process of some expatriates. In contrast to this I remember the night I had to find a suburban branch of ANB (I think it was in Nasim) to do some after hours technical work. I got lost (no Satnav back then!) and went to a takeaway shop to ask for directions. A group of young Saudi men offered to show me the way. I followed their car and in less than five minutes found myself outside the branch. My guides beeped the horn and waved to me from their car. A simple act of understanding and kindness that meant so much. In conclusion, I'd like to say thank you to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It's nice to think that I made a contribution to the building of your country. Thank you to the Kingdom for contributing to my professional and personal growth.
