Goodbye Yemen!

As of July 28, 2009,we are no longer in Yemen!  Its bittersweet for us as we will miss our home of almost six years, but happy that our whole family is finally back together after 4 years, masha Allah.

So obviously I won’t be providing “real time” updates as one visitor put it.   

Insha Allah, I’ll be around on the blog for the next few months as I didn’t get the chance to finish reorganizing it. So if you still have general questions, I may be able to answer them. If you’ve written or commented recently, insha Allah, I will try to respond soon.

I hope that it (the blog) has been beneficial and will continue to be beneficial for some time.

 

This blog is linked to my main homeschooling blog so if you make comments in the future, I will still seem them, insha Allah.

Voltage Converters/Regulators

A visitor had requested to know a little more about the voltage regulator I spoke of (in a post on the electricity here in Yemen).  I suggested getting one if you will have American  electrical products (computers, etc) for the purpose of being able to use them here (110) (as 220 is used here), but also for the purpose of protecting your products from surges/jumps in the electricity which could fry your electrical products.

 

Here is a picture of one.

(Voltage Transformer/Converter)

This one doesn’t have a meter/needle on it. Ours has a meter so that you can see the power that’s coming in (you can see if its dipped below 220, which is  helpful because then you know that maybe you shouldn’t turn on quite so much stuff at that time.

 

Also, make sure that it says 110 on it (if you will be using American products) because some are only for 220. We purchased one that stays on for 15 minutes after the power turns off if its been charged up for around $60.

 

Update: after a little more searching, I found  one that show a meter:

(Voltage Regulator)

If you are electronically challenged (like me) , here’s a FAQ page about them:

http://www.voltageconverters.com/faq.htm

 

 

What is the difference between a voltage converter and a voltage regulator?

 

A voltage regulator functions as a voltage converter as well as a voltage stabilizer.
A voltage stabilizer will stabilize the electricity to fixed current.
This unit is usually used in countries where the voltage currency is not stable.
The voltage regulator will stabilize a voltage fluctuation between 75v-130v to 110v (+- 4%).
The voltage regulator will stabilize a voltage fluctuation between 180v-260v to 220v (+- 4%).

 Source: http://www.voltageconverters.com/faq.htm

 

BOTTOM LINE

Instead of just a transformer/converter (to be able to use 110V products), you will probably want to get a voltage regulator  (to convert as well as stabilize) for Yemen because the voltage currency is NOT stable here.

Cultural Differences: Children

One thing that I have noticed in the middle East is that children here seem to be, for the most part, fearless.

When we were in Egypt, I remember looking across the field from our house to a building across from us and there was a little girl, no more than 2 or 3, sitting between the balcony railings side straddled, on the fourth or fifth floor.

You see children here as young as 2 or 3 walking down the street by themselves.  I remember one time     seeing a cute little couple, perhaps a little boy and his sister, (he looked about three and she looked about 2 or  younger) walking down the street together, he having his arm around her. It was cute, yet scary as this was a pretty busy street.

This is a picture of a girl on the third story (US stories)  in our neighborhood. Its not uncommon to see the children walking from one window to the next on this little piece. ………………..

More President’s Masjid pictures

We usually come upon the masjid on the sabieen side and got a chance to view the south side……

 

Yemeni “Graffiti”

Some artwork that we saw on the outside walls (gates surrounding the house)) of some private homes during a recent walk………

Change in British Embassy Fees

The British Embassy in Yemen has new fees as of 6/30/09.

You can visit the website to see the new fees. (Check posts here at TJ Yemen for the website address)

The exchange rate has been set at the embassy at 1pound = 350 YR.

All visa fees are payable by Yemeni riyal bankers draft and only payable at the time of application.

Job Listing: Secretary

Deloitte & Touche is looking for an office secretary.

Apply by July 12, 2009.

Email CV to lalkalife@deloitte.com

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Administration or equivalent
• 2+ years of experience in office administration
• Excellent typing/formatting skills
• Fluent in English
• Excellent knowledge of MS applications

Job Listings: Teaching Positions

The Raimaan School is looking for primary and Middle school teachers in all subjects.

Send CV/resume to raimaanschoolyemen@gmail.com  before July 10.

 

If you are looking for a school for your kids, Raimaan School offers teaching in English/Arabic and transportation is available.

They are currently open for admissions for the 2009-2010 school year.

 

Phone: 442 0258  or 442 057 or mobile: 714243616

 

This is in Sana’a .

Job Listings

Total E & P Yemen (part of Total, the “world’s 5th oil and gas company”)  has several openings:

 

Radio Operator (Sana’a)

Work Permit Controllers (not in Sana’a)

Chemical Treatment Technician (not in Sana’a)

 

Deadline to apply is July 10, 2009.

to apply, logon to www.careers.total.com and apply.

Job Listing: British Embassy

The British Embassy is looking for an Accounts Assistant. The deadline to apply is July 11, 2009.

The applicant will need to take a written account and English test.

The salary is from 20,000 YR to 170,000 riyals and is for 35 hours per week.

 

Look on the embassy’s website for more information (you should be able to find the web addres here at TJ Yemen if you don’t know it).