TETIBA KERJA DI SAUDI?? ALKISAHNYA BEGINI...

Assalammualaikum, in the name of Allah, the most gracious and most merciful. How are you darlings, hope all of you are just doing fine, even better aite. Alhamdulillah if it is. For my update, I just pursued my dream last March. For uolls info, few years back, I could just wondering what it feels like to be working here in Saudi Arabia. Not just that, to the extend that I said to my mom "Ma, doakan nana dapat kerja kat Arab". Well, she did,and you know what!! Here I am in Riyadh currently working with the National Guards - King Abdulaziz Medical City Hospital. 

My lucky number

Once upon a time ago, to be exact it was on 9 August 2015, I went to one of the walk in interview by Firestar agency at PWTC. Listen to what other people said if you planned going to such interview, BE EARLY!!! NO JOKES MAN!!! I arrived at the venue 30 minutes earlier than the time of the interview and guessed what!! My lucky no is 118. "Aku rasa aku awai dah sampai ang tau dak, gigih dok redah jem pepagi. Padahal, dah ramai dok ready tunggu interview.. Buat research sebelum p interview, ang jangan dok taram ja pastu dok harap nak setel aritue. NO WAY MAN!!". 

TIPS!! THE MOST IMPORTANT!!

1. UPDATED CV to job applied

2. RELATED CERTIFICATES/ TRANSCRIPT/ VALID NURSING LICENCE/ LATEST APC

3. CORRECT PHOTOS 

(Background putih, size sila tanya tuan kedai untuk kerja Saudi)

4. ENGLISH TEST (STUDY!! STUDY!! STUDY) 

Datang sini pun ada english test agy! 

*Basic to intermediate level english test ..so jangan over confident and jangan careless*

(Pls refer to current ads requirement in case of any changes)

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30 September 2015, I received an email from Firestar saying that my applicant is approved. Maka bermulalah episod preparation physically, mentally and segala barang keperluan ke sana. Which mostly I referred to some FB status here. Very2 helpful, dia pesan bawa kicap and cili sos.. silalah buat, kalau tak menyesal macam I. Kalau nak bawa bahan masak dari Malaysia, tupperware and hanger sini mahal, dia tak bergurau okeh. So, selagi muat beg, BAWA JERRR!!! Segala persiapan dokumen I serahkan pada agensi so prepare duit untuk bayar agensi jer (RM1500). 

PREPARATION!!

1. DOCUMENTS 

• Passport tak expired (I renew RM200 for 3 years before gov buka offer boleh renew 5 years..I RUGI OKEH!! haish)
• VISA by hospital ( proceed after med check up completed)
• UM Testimonial/ Surat pengesahan perkhidmatan (Minta ngan bos and HR)
• Translated & verification of documents (For Saudi council) (agensi yang buatkan)
• Resignation letter (buatlah sendiri)

*Tolong check translated document supaya urusan apply Saudi Council anda tak tersangkut di kemudian hari, Make sure everything is translated especially the word 'DIPLOMA KEJURURAWATAN' atau 'IJAZAH KEJURURAWATAN' especially institusi yang mengeluarkan sijil dalam bahasa Malaysia sahaja!!*

2. MEDICAL CHECKUP (less than RM1000)

• Only at suggested panel sahaja. Other than that, is NOT RECOGNISED BY SAUDI EMBASSY!! Ada faham?? Fasting and buat appointment untuk memudahkan urusan medical check up OK!

3. SAUDI AIRLINES

• Boleh bawa 2 luggage (23Kg max each)
• 1 Hand carry max 7 Kg

4. MONEY CHANGER

• I suggest tukar kat Mid Valley. Last time I convert RM1000 sahaja and ingatkan nak tukar kat sini ja kalau perlu. Unfortunately, sampai sekarang pun tak tahu kat mana money changer and the most important thing is tak perlu pun sebab hospital dah bagi advance gaji. Maka, ambil tau bila gaji korang akan masuk so that boleh bajet duit belanja before gaji 1st masuk. BE SMART!! JANGAN BOROS!!
• Sila bajet duit untuk bayar BLS: SAR75/ SAUDI COUNCIL registration fees SAR840/ temporary SC SAR100. *Mungkin ada perubahan, So check harga latest k!*

5. INTERNATIONAL ROAMING

• Untuk contact family bila dah sampai sini, I tak bernasib baik tak dapat contact family. Tak pasti salah setting or what happened tapi Umobile I tak boleh pakai langsung. Syukurlah ada housemate yang pinjamkan wifi dia. Kalau tak dah mati katak kat sini.

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Selamat sampai sini, Alhamdulillah dah selesai General orientation 3 hari maka bersambunglah Nursing orientation selama 2 minggu and then barulah department orientation bersama Nurse manager and mostly by Clinical Resource Nurse (CRN). Kalau cerita satu-satu akan jadi panjang berjela-jela so Yana list down jer so that roughly ada idea apa yang bakal korang hadapi time General orientation, Nursing orientation and department orientation. kalau ada rezeki bertemu kita kat sini kan.. 

GENERAL ORIENTATION

1. ID Badge
2. Cash advance
3. Temporary iqama
4. English test (Tarikh test akan diberitahu time Gen orientation)
5. Bank account application (isi form ja, kena g bank sendiri untuk buka account, sila pergi main branch untuk urusan yang lebih lancar.. saya ulang SILA PERGI MAIN BRANCH!! tak ada bank account, gaji dapat cek sahaja!! tue pun kalau dapat.. INI SERIUS.. tak ada gaji merana okayh!!) dah hantar application, Follow up lah selalu account dah siap ker belum. Sini unlike Malaysia.. Your account will not be ready on the same day.. Ada paham???
6. *Time nie lah korang kena curi2 masa buat simcard Saudi guna temporary iqama and belilah unlimited access internet untuk 3 bulan.. barulah BERBALOI!! Rasa macam mahal time nak beli kan tapi bare in mind ini untuk 3 bulan = SAR300 and modem punya harga depends atas model apa yang korang beli. So bajet SAR250 keatas* FYI simcard call and internet adalah berasingan!! Ada yang skali tapi charges internet mahal. So, I personally pun off mobile data and pakai wifi jer.
7. SAUDI COUNCIL PREPARATION

• Bila semua docments untuk Saudi council dah complete barulah submit dekat person in charge Saudi council
• Note that kalau ada hajat nak balik home country dalam masa terdekat, rajin2lah follow up progress Saudi council sebab bila dah ada Saudi council walaupun temporary barulah HR passport akan proses Permanent Iqama. Dah dapat permanent iqama barulah proses Exit reentry VISA. Kalau tak ada, harap sedia maklum bahawa semuanya PENDING!!!  saya ulang - PENDING!!!
• Sejujurnya bila semua PENDING.. nescaya otak I pun PENDING buat sementara waktu... Rasa DOWN sekejap. Rasa PENAT... Rasa STRESS.. Rasa MENTAL... Segala rasa semua ada..Ini semua sebab homesick punya pasal.. *Tak pernah2 homesick duduk hostel dulu kat sini ley homesick.. kau rasa??*

Saudi council complete semua documents required baru boleh submit

NURSING ORIENTATION

1. Drug calculation test
2. Pre-Employment Clinic

DEPARTMENT ORIENTATION

1. Skills validation (Depends on CRN set date)
2. Competencies (Depends on CRN and staff available time)

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Selesailah orientation semua2 ni... So, masih ada lagi courses yang staff kena attend as booked by CRN.. Any changes or info will be updated by CRN either verbally or through emails. So keep urself updated okay.. So antara courses that I have attended are:-

1. BLS
2. Basic Medication Safety
3. Best Care System
4. ICCA
5. Basic ECG course

Cathlab team - Post ECG course

Planned training that is not yet attended

1. Moderate Sedation course

*Mungkin lain2 department ada yang lain okay! Ni yang I kena attend*

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So, soklan yang myfrens selalu tanya:-

Q: OK tak kerja??

A: OK jer.. Awal2 jer la kau rasa banyak benda kena belajar sebab follow protocol sini.

Q: OK tak gaji??

A: Errrmm.. yang ni korang kena find out berapa yg hospital offers sebab every intake mungkin tak sama... dari segi elaun.. mungkin!!

Q: Kena marah ker tak??

A: Hahah.. kat mana2 kerja pun mesti ada kena marah punya. Tapi OK jer. Dah pandai nanti OK la.

Q: Senior OK tak??

A: Yunk oi, dak cathlab sini majoriti orang Malaysia.. Jangan risau OK. Datang jer.. kalau tempat lain or department lain.. i dunno.. it's depend.

Q: English test susah tak?

A: Basic to intermediate level. Study sket grammar. Listening dengar betol2 sebab jawapan dia tricky sket. 

Q:Raya balik tak??

A: Dalam usaha.. So far, good progress.. Insyaallah balik... Doa2kanlah..

Q: Plan nk stay sini berapa lama??

A: Wallahualam.. Cer tanya balik tahun depan.. hahah..

Q: Apa beza cathlab sini??

A: Sini ada 4 cathlab, 1 untuk paeds, 2 untuk EP, 3 and 4 untuk adult. Style scrub tak ley nak elaborate sebab tak masuk cathlab agy. Tapi memang mana2 pun atas Cardiologist punya style jugak kan...

Q: Speaking ker bila kerja??

A: Me?? Mostly tak sebab majoriti Malaysian tapi kalau rajin speaking jer la sbb ada yang offended bila kita asyik cakap bahasa Melayu and diorang tak paham. 

Q: Pergi umrah tak??

A: Ngehee... plan dah,, tapi tak pergi lagi,,dak nakal kena insap2 dulu... sabaq na..

Q: Det sana beza tak ngn det Malaysia?

A: Apa kata tanya pak cik google sebab tiap ari dok p kerja spital bukan p money changer.. hahah. Adala beza sket tp xtau exact current currency berapa..

Q: Iqama tue apa??

A: Macam IC kat sini la..

Q: Stress tak dok sini???

A: Awai2 aritue stress noks.. mental down kejap.. Kalau kau stress kau buka purse, Insyaallah OK. 

Q: Temporary Iqama?? 

A: YES TEMPORARY!! Sakit jiwa an nak menghadap benda alah temporary ni sebab gigih nk kena pergi renew. Temporary Iqama valid 3 months from the date of issued. Usahakan untuk complete and submit Saudi Council. Bila dah dapat temporary or permanent Saudi council baru bley dapatkan Permanent Iqama. 

Q: Temporary bank account?? 

A: hahah.. temporary jugak bank account.. Dah dapat permanent iqama baru ley request untuk permanent bank account..

Q: Simcard phone pun kena register balik bila dah dapat permanent iqama??

A: Yup.. kena!! Kan dah cakap iqama tue dah macam IC kat sini... hahah..

Q: Permanent Iqama kena renew gak ker??

A: Haah, tiap tahun ker camna ntah.. Tak ingat lak..

Q: Saudi Council pun kena renew kan?

A: Haah.. pandai pun.. every 3 years.

Anything else nak tanya agy???