Crystallisis

So many events have been coinciding lately. My Mum arrived from Egypt yesterday and my girlfriend finally bought the car she really wanted. The day before that, the Yemen employer confirmed that they want me and sent me a contract to sign, meanwhile my employer here in Australia gave me another contract to sign in order to approve my raise. V from V is for Vendatta doesn't believe in coincidences and he could be right

Today I caught up with a former fellow student of Arabic at IML and he is very knowledgeable on the Middle East. He was born in Australia to Lebanese parents and he speaks fluent Arabic and understands most of the dialects. I couldn't possibly be any more jealous of anyone... Anyway, he is a bit on the cautious side and he said Yemen in the last place in the Gulf that he would travel to. He would go there for 2 days at the most and get straight back out. He offered to help me find a position just as suitable but in a safer country like Egypt or Syria.

My parents live in Egypt but I don't want to learn Arabic there. I don't like how Egyptian Arabic sounds, I don't hold the same envy for hearing it spoken as I do for Lebanese or any of the Gulf dialects. And I've been there on holidays 5 times and it doesn't feel so fresh to me.

Please don't miss my point here. I'm all for living in a strange and uncomfortable place for all the rewards it could bring. I'm sure I could cope with the unsanitary toilets and bumpy roads, all of those things would be worth it for Arabic fluency but none of that is worth a very realistic chance of being kidnapped or killed.

The Australia Government has information on travelling to Yemen at:
http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Yemen

It says people planning on going to Yemen should "Reconsider your need to travel"

Now the reason for this easy job application is becoming clear and the reason for so many cancellations on this position prior to me being offered it.

Summary
We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Yemen at this time because of the very high threat of terrorist attack.
If you do decide to travel to Yemen, you should exercise extreme caution. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against Western interests in Yemen.
In August and November 2005, a number of foreigners were briefly kidnapped by tribesmen with grievances against the Yemeni government. In the past tourists, including Australians, have also been kidnapped.
We strongly advise you not to travel to the Saada region in northern Yemen because of the risk of violent civil unrest. If you are in this region you should consider leaving.