Internet

The internet. We all use it. We all love it. Coming from the US I'm used to high-speed on all the time internet. Not here. At least not at the Jadawel Compound.
When I first arrived I was under the illusion that I would have high-speed on all the time US internet. The reality was I had four choices:
dial-up
Wireless
DSL
Satellite
I wanted DSL but the compound told me I would have to sign up and then wait at least 6 months. Nobody liked the wireless and the Satellite--well that's expensive in the begining and it wasn't getting rave reviews either. So I chose dial up.
It works. But if I want to listen to the music on the Liddell blog I can't. If I want to watch the Britney Spears "Ice" video--I can't (well I can but it will take hours to download). But I've learned to live within the dial up.
When Laurie got here she was not happy with dial up. So we decided to explore Mobily wireless. The webpage makes it sound awesome and we have a tower righ outside the compound. So we went and paid our 1200SR. We got a USB and one month of wireless (this was on 28 July--the month was for July--we found that out afterwards). We were excited. Hey look at that spike. Wow we're on. And then--wow look how that spike has fallen. Hey we're not on. Hey I still can't listen to the music on the Liddell's blog.
I went back and talked to customer service. He assured me that they would boost the power--just give them five days maximum--inshallah--and everything would be working fine. We gave them five days. Then we went back again.
This time I spoke to another very nice desert warrior--they really are nice--he took my usb and plugged in--wow it was working great--but it's the Mobily office so of course it's going to work great. I told him I would pay extra if it worked like that at the compound. I filled out another sheet of paper with our info to include directions on how to get here. The nice man said to give them 24 hours.
We got home and it was humming. Doing really well (I should have gone to the Liddell blog--I did listen to "Hey Eugene" by Pink Martini--well I had to download it from youtube and it took 15 minutes for a 3 minute song). Today is Friday--nothing. It's been a flat line. I'm using dial-up.
Our neighbors have SATNET1 and they like it. But one of the guys at the lunch table had SATNET 2 and he was furious with it and had it taken out after 5 days and is back with the compound DSL (he's been here for 7 years--the waiting list didn't exist when DSL was first offered).
So what to do? We're going to cancel Mobily--it just isn't working--even though the desert warriors have been very very nice. We're going to call about SATNET 2 and have them come out and give us the sales pitch.
Most of the Saudis I know have Mobily or SATNET and they love it. However, they live in the city--we live in the outskirts (until about 4 years ago this was the country--but now houses everywhere--Riyadh is growing like crazy).
The driving, prayer time, inshallahs--that doesn't really make me crazy. But not having internet--come on--hire a US company and get the infrastructure for the entire country--like the Mobily commercials promise.
For you all in the US enjoy the high-speed on all the time internet. I do envy you all for having that. But have you all every had TGI Fridays in Saudi where the entire staff is Phillipino and you get to close the curtains in your booth (so the women can take off the abayya, head scraf and veil)--very entertaining.