Expat compounds

This refers to the Abdulateef Al-mulhim’s column “A German girl in a Saudi wedding” (May 6). I always believed that compounds in the Kingdom were built, not as many believe, to protect Westerners from extremist elements within Saudi society (who are hardly found these days) but to protect Saudis from the potentially corrupting influence of the Western expats. In other words, compounds allow Westerners to be Westerners without causing offence to Saudis. So when there is an ad in the paper declaring that a compound is “For Western expatriates only,” it is for the benefit of the Saudis as well as the Westerners. Is anyone “at fault” for this? I think not. It is just one solution to the potential problems that might be caused by two very different cultures living side by side.

Although more and more expats are choosing to live in town because of the huge cost of compound housing, many others live in compounds precisely because that is where expatriates live; there is a readymade community for them to move into, which is important for those leaving home, friends and family. For much the same reason, Arabs moving to London often head straight to the Edgware Road, where they can feel a little less alienated in the company of fellow Arabs. It is a great shame that some of the new compounds in the area look like huge American “Supermax” prisons. The sprawling and supremely ugly British Aerospace compound blighting Half Moon Bay would not have passed even the preliminary planning stages anywhere in Europe. Going home to such a monstrosity every night must be very depressing for residents.