Hey Super Piper, I hear you loud and clear. I'm currently working as a Technical advisor in one of the "High Value" (translate:"Low Cost") Engineering centers. I do get strange questions from allegedly highly experience people. I do have Engineere that make the same mistakes over and over again. I've bulleted the items on checklists, they check off and sign complete, and are still not completed or are done incorrectly.

And the gem from S:

"But someone from a low-cost centre might think like this :

I am an engineer doing the same job like an engineer in Europe etc and all I am getting paid is a small pouch of peanuts while he is getting kilograms of gold.

And I think he too is completely justified in his frustration."

This is why you just don't get it. There is absolutly no justification in his frustration. You agree to take the job at the pay rate offered. As a proffessional, you should give 100% or better. What other Engineers in other countries make is not the point and should be of no concern to you. The point is, you agreed to do a job for a certain pay rate, and you should perform that job to the best of your ability. You will probably be the first one to complain when someone other than you is chosen for ex-pat assignment at a better pay rate. If you worked hard and learned your job instead of copping an attitude, it might have been you that EARNED the promotion to a better paying assignment. East, West, In-pat, ex-pat, client, contractor or any other category or location of employment, you EARN what you get by working hard, not by being jealous of others. I know people in my office are paid significantly lower than I am. I am 12,000 miles from home and it is a sacrifice. Based on their performance, their ability to adapt and learn, their ability to work to a schedule and quality procedures, and attitudes just like your example, some of the local Engineers here are OVERPAID!!!!!!!