The Polish doctor in Saudi Arabia refutes the myths about Saudi Arabia: I have been here for 10 years, many things are fairer than in Poland
Polish doctor talks about everyday life in Saudi Arabia * Photo. Michał Gąsior
- It is probably 1437 here, and in Europe various things were happening at that time. The religious advancement here is as it was in Christian Europe: it was burned at the stake, etc. I disagree, but it is. You have to accept it - says on Topic Tomasz, a Polish doctor who works in Riyadh.
When did you come to Riyadh?I've been here for 10 years, and I came for a year like most people. The reason for leaving Poland was excessive work. I worked 400 hours a month. Here I work in one place and much less, because five hours a day. Work is quite responsible because I have people under me. But the hospital makes sure that I feel comfortable - almost everything is guaranteed. This is not even about money, because in Poland you can earn similar rates. The quality of work in Arabia is completely different. Free time is free time, not like in the country.
I didn't get the impression that Riyadh was a good place to live. Extreme temperatures, lack of cinemas, theaters, concert halls, restrictive rules ...
Here you can live very well. There are two types of people who come here. Some are those who, where they don't come, complain about everything. On the other hand, there are people who can find good sides of this world. I have a lot of time for trips: diving, desert ... As for bans, there are of course many, but what is banned is easily accessible.
Yes. If you want to party, you can do it. If anyone wants to visit this country, too. There are many possibilities. In addition, we as Poles are an absolute elite. It's not like in England, where someone works on a kitchen sink or steals a car radio or is a waiter. Here Poles are engineers, doctors, managers, they are in large business companies. We are also a very respected nation. It also affects the comfort of life.
But you probably came to Arabia with the baggage of the image of this country, which functions in the West?I had a very good image. My father had previously worked in Finland and his colleague went to Riyadh. He stayed there until retirement. It's very easy to live here. Even because when I run out of car insurance, I tell the secretary, then a guy comes and takes receipts, and I don't care. I do not have to deal with nonsense, and in Poland I devote a lot of time to it.
So why is Poles' opinion about Saudi clearly negative?
When it comes to the Internet, I think that Poles' assessment of this country is mainly based on blogs written by people who spent 2-3 weeks here living in "compounds", or closed estates. These are golden cages isolated from normal life. Poles have no idea about this country - they have never been to any Saudi home in the desert ... They are sitting in a "compound" where there are a lot of frustrated "westerners". How can you create an image based on their opinion? I visited this country well, by car, by motorbike, by all possible means of transport. I met Bedouins. In my life I have not met with reluctance. You don't live in "compound"?
No, I have a villa in front of the hospital. She belongs to the hospital. The same city center. We often go to local pubs, everyone knows me there. This is a completely different life. I can receive this city as it is.
You talk about the everyday life of Western people in Saudi. But you don't mind, for example, the status of women in Arabia? That they can't talk to you that they are actually the property of men in the family?
This is a custom. However, there are also very liberated women here. Certain restrictions apply, but on the other hand, if a Saudi came to Poland and wanted to drive a car in the woods, for example, he would be arrested. Here in Arabia you can go wherever you wish. So there are local customs, but not so terrible. Yes, women must wear abaya, but 10 years ago they also had to cover their heads, and today it is not like that anymore. I am not convinced. Arabia is still the only country in the world where women cannot drive a car .
They can't but have a driver. This is their custom and should not be changed. We also had to speak to all "comrades" years ago. Let's not demonize it. I know many European women here who live alone and don't feel bad, hate torture. Let's look at it this way. It is probably the year 1437 here, and in Europe various things were happening at that time. The religious advancement here is as it was in Christian Europe: it was burned at the stake, etc. I disagree, but it is. You have to accept it. If you don't like it, you don't have to live in Arabia.
Okay, but the whole world is doing business with Arabia. And the question of human rights, which we are defending, remains.
This cannot be a premise for not doing business. Money is important in business, not the death penalty. Not to mention the fact that in Poland there are also many supporters of the death penalty, and here she is adjudicated only in the most serious crimes. However, there are also many things that are fairer than in Poland. Someone broke you and you don't have car insurance? He goes to jail until he pays for your harm. There is also a very simple rule with health care. There is no corruption. There are insurance companies that treat patient treatment the same as car repair. After an accident, you must evaluate the damage, repair it and pay for it. And not some nonsense that is in Poland. Here the recipes are much simpler. Other examples?
I have examples from the medical industry. As for the care financing system, there are three types of financing. There are government hospitals - so-so, but free. Next are university hospitals - at the highest level. The rest is private. And the private ones are further divided into four classes. In class A they are the most expensive and the best. To be treated there, you need class A insurance, which costs 5-7 thousand. PLN per year. Such a hospital is a five-star hotel.
When a patient comes to my clinic, I have the right to have him tested for PLN 500-1000 without the consent of the insurance company. So basic. Then I write a report and within 20 minutes I have an answer from the insurance company whether there is consent to treatment. Then, as the patient passes through the emergency room, money is automatically transferred. If, in turn, a patient comes to us in danger of life, until the case clears up, he is taken over by the Ministry of Health.
I was convinced of the hospitality of the inhabitants of Arabia and the bad sides? For example, I am surprised that Saudis close their businesses for prayer. This very adversely must affect their effectiveness.
But they somehow deal with this business. Of course, it is a bit annoying that you cannot leave the restaurant or enter it during prayers. But this is not paralyzing. I would also point out that Arabia has changed a lot during these 10 years when I am here. There are more and more educated people, a looser atmosphere for women ... Once there was a Saudi woman selling in a shop or sitting somewhere at the cash register. And now it's the norm. Women also work at the reception.
Saudi families spend their free time picnicking outside the city
What kind of people are Saudis?
They are polite and very clean. Probably less envious than us. And mostly open. I particularly value them for one feature. Older people are very respected here. I didn't have an old man in the ward who was alone. His family is always with him, they kiss their hands ... There are no old people's homes here. They are unnecessary because children take care of their parents.
I think it is an ideal country for a family, raising children. First of all, it's easier to get help. Secondly, because of the restrictions that apply here, the country is very safe for children. They are free from all these bad sides of freedom. There is no drug even here. And there are very good schools here. The daughter after school here without tutoring passed her high school diploma from Cambridge and got to all the universities where she applied. This year he is finishing medicine. Of course, a paid school and quite expensive, but it's the best investment.
Saudi traffic. Out of town here, but in Riyadh as crazy as in Egyptian Cairo. The rules are commonly broken. What would you advise Poles who are watching Arabia from the Vistula River? How do you think they should look at this country?
They should start by coming, or at least meeting people, not by reading idiotic blogs. If you want to work here, you should know that this is a country that requires. If you are weak professionally, you can't do it. It is a place where the market verifies it quickly. If anyone is good, they will have good here. I will tell a story. When my father died, a sheikh who owns the hospital sent a wreath to the funeral, and then called a private Polish cell with condolences. Such a small thing, but one that gives a kick. Because it's just good to live and work here. This is another text from our series "
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