With regard to the Facebook post “Do Saudis like foreigners?” (Dec. 7), in my experience when it comes to friendship and hospitality no other country can beat Saudi Arabia. I have worked for 35 years with over 100 Saudi colleagues. From day one they helped me to feel at home. They have picked me up and taken me to work and have taken me out to the desert camping. Almost everyone has invited me at least once to their homes. Always respect your host and you will be treated as a guest. At least at work places, Saudis never look down on expats, if you work honestly. Bash Gul, Online response II. Saudis used to be simple and humble people. They were good to all the guests of Allah and they treated all of them with respect. Then the number of expats began to increase due to the building of the Kingdom's infrastructure, and that is when the media started making complications. Schools started differentiating between foreign and Saudi students, the treatment of passport office officials became worse, and the abuse of the sponsorship system increased. The difference in wealth became more visible, and the relations between Saudis themselves deteriorated. That is when the class issues began. Lu-ul Bezabih, Online reponse III. As far as I am concerned, in every country there is always a pro and anti feeling about expatriates. This is because of upbringing and education as well as cultural and tribal issues. Most of all it is about how Saudi citizens understand the reasons for expats being here and the implications that it has for their day-to-day lives. Religion and a conservative outlook play a vital role in this as well. The only thing we as expats can do is accept the fact that we are just temporary visitors in this country. Manong, Online response
