Kerry, Secretary

"Whatever you want to do, the opportunity is there."

Working abroad was something Kerry had been thinking about for several years before she finally applied to become a secretary at Saudi Aramco. She explains: "The company I was working for in the UK offered me voluntary redundancy. At the same time, I saw an Aramco ad. It all just sort of fell into place. I was ready for change and a bit of adventure. This seemed like the perfect opportunity."

So how did Kerry's family and friends react to the news? "Whenever I told people I was coming to Aramco, they always seemed surprised. I think it's because people just don't understand Saudi Arabia. They really have no idea what it's like."

But it wasn't just family and friends who had their expectations confounded. Kerry also had a few surprises of her own. "It's actually even better than I expected. People are very friendly, and it's nice living in an Aramco Community. My family was worried about me, but to be honest, I feel much safer here than I would in London."

The other thing Kerry enjoys about life at Aramco is the amount of freedom it affords. "Recreation. Travel. Meeting new people. Whatever you want to do, the opportunity is there. For example, I've had the chance to do lots of horse-riding while I've been out here. And because my salary is so good, I can even think seriously about buying my own horse. Now that's something I definitely wouldn't be able to do back home."