Friday, June 6, 2008
Of exchange rates and vacations home
classof72] Of exchange rates and vacations home
From:classof72@yahoogroups.com on behalf of zahid aziz (zaziz@hotmail.com)
Sent:Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:47:36 AM
Reply-to:classof72@yahoogroups.com
To: classof72@yahoogroups.com
Assalamu ‘Alaikum,
Exchange rates have never really grabbed my attention. It’s the sort of information the TV throws at you, without making much impact on your concentration. However lately the strength of the Ringgit has been the focus of much banter and chay driven conversations here among Malaysian expats in Riyadh.
We sent money home occasionally for savings and for a myriad of reasons. Never have such an innocuous activity troubled our minds so much in terms of harbouring traitorous wishes in our minds. Suddenly we find huge slippage in the funds we send home. Ringgit and Riyal is no longer par to par, Ringgit’s continued strength and Saudi Riyal obstinate peg to the Dollar means much financial pain in home transfer transactions. Hours and hours of Economics lecture at Varsity days does not drive home the intricacies of exchange rate movements as crystal clear as when it starts pinching your pockets. But hey what’s a few thousand Riyals lost here and there compared to the brimming patriotic pride that a strengthening national currency gives you. You don’t buy that huh? Neither do I. But then that’s the price of working overseas. Without wishing harm on the Malaysian currency, the expats dream of dreams may just come true; Riyal may depeg from dollar and fly. We wish.
That’s just one of the preoccupation of Malaysian expats working here. The other constant on the mind is vacation at home. Malaysia really is a bitter sweet love story to most of us. Don’t mind leaving to chart new waters and seek our fortunes but we need to recharge our batteries with doses of home vacations occasionally, or often for some. After September 11 2001, not referring to my marriage of course, European destinations are no longer pulling. Nothing beats the joy of relatives and friends as you touch home shores, even for the shortest of trips. All scenes in Malaysia are seen in new light. You smile inwards gloriously as the plane touched down at KLIA. The airport itself is a source of much quiet pride. The Aunties that wait to feed you the Malaysian goodies you have been deprived of for so long; the renewed taste of Durian, if its in season, the trip to Giant hypermarket with your family, shopping as if you have never left home; and the mandatory trip back to your wife’s kampong, are precious moments you savour slowly.
Like they say you never missed a place until you’ve left it. Try it. It’s a good feeling. Malaysians are a new breed of expats here in KSA. The Pakistanis and the Indians have done it a long time ago. Malaysian professionals are beginning to chart new waters in droves now. Dubai, Riyadh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar are beginning to see them in increasing numbers now. If leaving creates a chain of upward movements availing job vacancies for our fresh graduates, that can’t be so bad a reason to leave.
Those are my jottings on a quiet Thursday, weekend morning here in Riyadh. Coming home for a 2 weeks vacation in April insyaAllah. My best of thoughts and doa to friends wherever they might be.
Wassalam,
Zahid
From:classof72@yahoogroups.com on behalf of zahid aziz (zaziz@hotmail.com)
Sent:Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:47:36 AM
Reply-to:classof72@yahoogroups.com
To: classof72@yahoogroups.com
Assalamu ‘Alaikum,
Exchange rates have never really grabbed my attention. It’s the sort of information the TV throws at you, without making much impact on your concentration. However lately the strength of the Ringgit has been the focus of much banter and chay driven conversations here among Malaysian expats in Riyadh.
We sent money home occasionally for savings and for a myriad of reasons. Never have such an innocuous activity troubled our minds so much in terms of harbouring traitorous wishes in our minds. Suddenly we find huge slippage in the funds we send home. Ringgit and Riyal is no longer par to par, Ringgit’s continued strength and Saudi Riyal obstinate peg to the Dollar means much financial pain in home transfer transactions. Hours and hours of Economics lecture at Varsity days does not drive home the intricacies of exchange rate movements as crystal clear as when it starts pinching your pockets. But hey what’s a few thousand Riyals lost here and there compared to the brimming patriotic pride that a strengthening national currency gives you. You don’t buy that huh? Neither do I. But then that’s the price of working overseas. Without wishing harm on the Malaysian currency, the expats dream of dreams may just come true; Riyal may depeg from dollar and fly. We wish.
That’s just one of the preoccupation of Malaysian expats working here. The other constant on the mind is vacation at home. Malaysia really is a bitter sweet love story to most of us. Don’t mind leaving to chart new waters and seek our fortunes but we need to recharge our batteries with doses of home vacations occasionally, or often for some. After September 11 2001, not referring to my marriage of course, European destinations are no longer pulling. Nothing beats the joy of relatives and friends as you touch home shores, even for the shortest of trips. All scenes in Malaysia are seen in new light. You smile inwards gloriously as the plane touched down at KLIA. The airport itself is a source of much quiet pride. The Aunties that wait to feed you the Malaysian goodies you have been deprived of for so long; the renewed taste of Durian, if its in season, the trip to Giant hypermarket with your family, shopping as if you have never left home; and the mandatory trip back to your wife’s kampong, are precious moments you savour slowly.
Like they say you never missed a place until you’ve left it. Try it. It’s a good feeling. Malaysians are a new breed of expats here in KSA. The Pakistanis and the Indians have done it a long time ago. Malaysian professionals are beginning to chart new waters in droves now. Dubai, Riyadh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar are beginning to see them in increasing numbers now. If leaving creates a chain of upward movements availing job vacancies for our fresh graduates, that can’t be so bad a reason to leave.
Those are my jottings on a quiet Thursday, weekend morning here in Riyadh. Coming home for a 2 weeks vacation in April insyaAllah. My best of thoughts and doa to friends wherever they might be.
Wassalam,
Zahid
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