Un mes...

It has been exactly one month since I arrived in KSA and what a month it has been! I have met a lot of people, and learned a lot about what the expat life is really like. So let me do a quick overview of what has happened in the past month.

We all remember my arrival and pitfalls therein. After which came my abaya shopping adventure (lecherous man included). Then I started work and well, lets be honest, that is pretty much all I've done since, work. Granted, working like a crazy person is normal for admissions at this time of year but you wouldn't think that would be so hard for five people to through 3,000 applications! But IT IS.

First, let's discuss the reading system. I would have thought that considering KAUST has spent all of these billions of dollars getting ready and bringing students and staff from all around the world, they would have invested in a good, solid tested admissions application reading system. Alas, no. They have tried to adapt a business system to fit the needs of admissions. It doesn't. What should only be taking us 10 minutes to do, actually takes closer to 30. I am supposed to have a fairly easy job (at least in the admissions world). All I really have to do is check GRE and TOELF/IELTS score, look at the transcripts and see gpa and coursework and then glance through the Statement of Purpose, the CV, and (if time allows) the Three Letters of Recommendation. Simple enough, no? Well unfortunately, I spend most of my time watching the computer think (a.k.a. the spinning circle of death)  while I have to download documents onto my computer so that they can be viewed.

Second, there is no queue, no list on the system that tells me how many files I have to read, have read or are complete. Instead I rely on an excel spreadsheet that is emailed out every week where (hopefully) all the students that have applied to the programs I'm reading are located. I then search for them by application number, determine whether or not the file is complete and then either read the file, and forward it to the faculty committee for decision, or email the student asking them to send me their missing information. Then, naturally, the frantic applicants all send me mountains of application related material that I then have to upload onto their file, so that it can be considered complete and be sent to the faculty for review. Basically there is no real way of knowing how much you've done and how much you still have left to do.

Finally, let's talk about the applications. Now, I realize that reading for Penn made me spoiled. I am used to seeing the absolute best of the best, and have to rethink what a strong application is. However, when you're job consists of "contextualizing" the applications for the faculty, this becomes a little tough. Especially when most of the professors came from places like Stanford and the like and are expecting the same quality of students. So, I have learned the art of "spin" (there are so many people who would be so proud of me) and I hope it's working!

And that in a nutshell has been my life for the last month. I work 10-11 hour work days, six days a week. So, it has been tough to get out and actually see KSA, Jeddah or anything other than my cubicle, my computer, my bed and (on occasion) the gym. I have learned that while it is hard (and expensive) to get an expat here, they are just expendable as the next person. So for now I'll keep my head down, do my job to the best of my ability and continue to hope for the best.