DOUGLAS CREEVEY

26 October 99

My esteemed colleagues..
just for the record.Following '84 Brian Enari and I went to NZ for 7th Form, boarding at Gisborne Boys High School. Contact was still kept with many of you at UPY and elsewhere in NZ. The setup wasn't too bad, (the hostel was co-ed), and every morning we headed in opposite directions from our fellow Gisborne Girls boarders. The major change for us was the obvious cold weather - I remember and some of our dormitory windows did not close so there was always a freezing draft - in addition to this a whistle blew every morning at 6am for a run around the block, winter was hell!! There was a good strong rugby, sports and academic tradition, though it was frustrating at the time that they kept sending us to bed when we were trying to study late at night for final exams.  

My Bachelor of Engineering degree (Electrical / Electronics) at Auckland University followed. I caught up with many of you at the annual Samoan Students So'otaga over the years, which became an excellent way of seeing NZ and all the University campuses. I became involved heavily in the Cultural side of preparations, moreso than ever was back in Samoa, and it was very satisfying to keep learning, while passing on what limited knowledge I did have to others. I was eventually President for the Auckland Samoan Assoc.in 1989. Having a very brief stint at beginning a Eng. Masters I decided to give it up and work.  

It was while on a holiday in Rarotonga, Cook Islands visiting my Uni sweetheart I was offered a job with Telecom Cook Islands for a big project which involved putting Satellite Stations and Telecom exchanges on 7 of the outer islands. A very exciting and culturally enriching 4 years which included roughing it out on remote atolls.. introduced me to home brew which must have been a pre-sign of Saudi to come much later. It was good to be able to nip over to Samoa for a weekend when needed, but head hit the ceiling after the project wrapped up and the IT job in its place didn't stimulate enough brain cells ..otherwise I would be a major family man with the kids and the mortgage and no net income today... so off to NZ I went.  

After many interviews in Auckland and even being flown to Brisbane I decided on a Mobile Radio Systems Engineer stint in Christchurch. What a beautiful city that is, where my father grew up and all. Lasted until the following late autumn with winter again knocking on the door when my sweetheart landed a transfer offer from Rarotonga to Hong Kong. We decided to give it a go.  

So the Asian experience took hold from mid 1996 to mid 1999. What a new experience this fast city life was. Work hard - work hard - party hard - work hard. Rolling out a new mobile cellphone network in Asia is quite an experience - everything expected yesterday and working with brilliant people with non-logical minds who can't do things other than by the book requires major patience, leeway and understanding. I was one of five engineers working a million hours a day who started the design and build of this new network from nothing, right through to one of the most competitive and fastest growing networks in Hong Kong today, it now has over 50 engineers.. very satisfying and I was still the only non-Chinese engineer as well. Again my head hit the ceiling, the Chinese guy would always be favoured for Senior management, but this is understandable with localisation anywhere... Unfortunately the hectic pace and stress had also cost me my long time relationship (engagement actually) and I decided the new placement had to be elsewhere. We remain best of friends.  

Which brings me to this assignment in Saudi Arabia, an offer which came out of nowhere while I was in NZ over Easter this year for a knee operation as some of you will remember. It was a challenging prospect - careerwise as a Project Manager in charge, and both the harsh environmental and religious/cultural conditions expected. Well as I have mentioned regularly it is quite manageable and comfortable once you accept the heat and know the ropes. There is a huge underground scene here for everyone with the similar motive for stress relief, I should have no problem surviving - the first year at least!  

Family wise, I can honestly say that I already lived the married life for 10 years. I have been supporting my retired Mum and family, including two nephews and a niece, back home and will always continue to do so... and when I read people like Moana's letters it just confirms there is A LOT LEFT TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE OUT THERE!!  Last time in Apia was Xmas of 1997 and hopefully next trip home end of January at the latest - six monthly extra I had written into my contract!

Here endeth my scripture, right on 2000 words, no conclusion which may cost me some marks, but it took three sittings and I only get so much free time.... Tofa Soifua.

25 JULY 99

Talofa again all,

Just to let you guys know the whereabouts of this Samoan..

Well here I am then.. following in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia where he roamed, conquered and pillaged..

Firstly the heat takes getting used to, its bloody HOT.. hotter than any hottest day in Samoa, so arriving in the middle of the Summer was certainly harsh in that sense, but work-wise it has been a good time to get here and settle in since many people are away for annual holidays and business is generally quiet.. working week is Sat to Wed (8am to 5.30pm) then Thurs (8am to 1pm) and Friday off. Office is close to home and very nice, staff a mixture of Arabic, Egyptian, Indian, Pakistani, Phillipines and now Kiwi/Samoan.

After 4 days I am still trying to get used to cruising down the road at a meazly 140 km/h with no marked lanes and people changing lanes and turning without indicating..!! ...the knuckles were white gripping the car seat on the way from the airport. So as of yet I am still not driving my car but being picked up and transported. Have already been taken to the older bargain areas of Ryadh, Indian and Philipines shopping areas to buy misc household stuff for my place ..the bargain basements and electronics prices are very good, although they havent heard of DVD players. Will need to buy a VCR though so I can set to record the rugby matches (more rugby on TV here than Hong Kong) as the working week starts on Saturday and the All Black matches played in NZ will be around 9am here.

There is a lot of food and malls for shopping and prices are reasonable to cheap when compared to Hong Kong and similar to NZ, everything just shuts down for a half hour about four times a day during Islamic prayer times.. Always see the separate and private family eating booths in the restaurants, otherwise just men in the restaurants and banks (separate tellers for the ladies always totally covered in their long black dresses and veils) whereas back in the residential compound it is totally relaxed for ladies, they sunbathe by the pools during the evenings.. my compound has about 200 villas, with every 15 to a pool. Then there's tennis and squash courts, a small gym and recreation centre, restaurant/supermarket, and I'm told there are contacts for bacon (pork is illegal here) and beer (home brew I believe, alcohol totally illegal also) on the compound but I haven't found them yet... nor have I found the singles club  ...yes, also not allowed to be in company of women in public, or have them in your car (women are not allowed to drive) unless married ...gulp..

Please update my email address in your respective address books and lets start to get some news flowing again... ua 'livaliva' aso, e le faalogo atu i se tala... as Mrs Collins in Leifiifi used to say.

So take care and fa for now, 

Dougie :)