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Dhahran General Information
Townhouse in the Hills
Townhouse Pictures
Updated
26th November 2001
The following text has been adapted from Aramco's relocation and orientation guide for new employees.
Dhahran is Aramco's worldwide
headquarters, and the centre for the company's finance, exploration,
engineering, drilling services, medical services, materials supply and other
company organisations. Aramco has a very large multi-national workforce,
totaling over 56,000, including approximately 9,000 expatriates from around the
world.
Aramco has several self-contained communities to house its employees in the
Eastern Province. Dhahran, the largest of the Aramco communities has a total
population of around 9,700.
The community of Dhahran is composed of 2 sections: Dhahran main camp and
Dhahran Hills. These 2 sections are separated by Dhahran's grassless 27 hole
Rolling Hills golf course and club house. The term 'camp' has stuck with Dhahran
and the other communities, since its early development in the 1930's and 40's.
However, in reality, Dhahran is an attractive community with tree-lined streets,
stone houses and grass lawns.
Dhahran main camp is located at the site of the original Dhahran camp and
contains the administration complex, health centre, dental clinic, dining hall,
library and theatre. The community's Al Mujamma service centre is a mall-type
complex which houses the mail centre, barber shop, travel office, photo shop,
laundry, dry cleaners, housing office, community bulletin boards and ticket
office for community events. The supermarket and florist are adjacent to Al
Mujamma, as is the bank. The Dhahran dining hall is also on the main camp, not
far from Al Mujamma.
There are 2 recreation complexes on the main camp. One complex is next to the
middle school and includes a youth centre, swimming pool, gym, tennis courts,
squash courts and games fields. The other is situated near the community
library. Included in this complex is the bowling alley, movie theatre, games
room and dance hall.
Most homes in the main camp are constructed of brick or fieldstone, and many
have undergone recent modernisation. There are also some newer, modular homes in
this area. The gardens and landscaped areas of these homes are surprisingly
green with large shade trees and flowering bougainvillea and oleanders.
Dhahran Hills, which is mostly residential, is located about 2 miles west of
Dhahran main camp, just beyond the community's golf course. Most houses in the
hills were constructed in the early 80's. The Dhahran Hills school, for kids
aged 5-10, is located in the hills. Adjacent to the school is a large community
recreation centre similar to the ones in the main camp.
Dhahran also has a hobby farm (horse stables), bike/jogging paths and a rugby
field.
Dhahran's marina and adjoining beach facility is at Half Moon Bay, a small inlet
of the Arabian Gulf. It is just 40 minutes from the community of Dhahran.
Sailing, fishing and water-skiing facilities are available.
Having been fortunate enough to have
been offered a position as a regular
Aramco employee, I am able to live in Dhahran. Below are some
pictures of the house which I have been allocated in the Dhahran Hills camp. The
pictures are dated 26th August 2001.
ABOVE
- The standard Dhahran camp townhouse which I have been allocated.
At the time of the picture it had probably been empty for some time, as can be
inferred from the broken TV aerial in the front garden and a rather scruffy
lawn.
ABOVE
-
The picture shows 2 adjacent townhouses.
'My' house is in the shade of the tree and includes the garage on the right.
ABOVE
-
The floor plan of a Dhahran Camp townhouse,
like the one pictured. Employees on 'family status' and eligible to live on the
camp, get allocated a house with a number of bedrooms sufficient to accommodate
no more than 2 persons to a room. A 3-bedroomed
house is about as large as an expat can get. Larger houses are generally for Saudi-sized families.
ABOVE
-
The view north from the
front driveway of the house.
ABOVE
-
The view south from the driveway. The
road to the right leads to the Dhahran Hills School, around 200m further on.
This school teaches a US-based curriculum for kindergarten (age 5) and grades 1-5 (ages 6-10).
Recreational facilities, including tennis courts, squash courts, gym, and
outdoor games fields are located just the other side of the school.
The following links offer close-up views of the house. Their main purpose is to assist the family in planning their move to Dhahran. All pictures were taken in late November 2001.
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Upstairs
© 2002. If you wish to use any pictures from this site, go ahead, but please let me know.