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Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Old Oct 16th 2014, 1:07 pm
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I wondered if anyone can give me some advise. I am in the process of potentially getting a job in Damman and I would be living in a compound in Al Khobar. I would like to know what it is like living there not for myself but for my wife who is very independent and how she might have to ajust and for my 2 daughters, one of 7 years (not too worried about and one of 14 years just starting to get independent. I am from the UK. Any advice and honesty would be very much appreciated as the major concern we have is my wife would be living like a prisoner and having been independent how she would deal with it and what changes she would have to make. Thank you for any help and advice given.

I wondered if anyone can give me some advise. I am in the process of potentially getting a job in Damman and I would be living in a compound in Al Khobar. I would like to know what it is like living there not for myself but for my wife who is very independent and how she might have to ajust and for my 2 daughters, one of 7 years (not too worried about and one of 14 years just starting to get independent. I am from the UK. Any advice and honesty would be very much appreciated as the major concern we have is my wife would be living like a prisoner and having been independent how she would deal with it and what changes she would have to make. Thank you for any help and advice given.

Last edited by mikewot; Oct 19th 2014 at 1:34 pm.
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Old Oct 16th 2014, 2:14 pm
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Seriously consider living in Bahrain. Life in Al Khobar is very restrictive for women.

Compound life in Khobar can be enjoyable if you get into really good one. It really depends which compound your company provides.

However, many expats live over in Bahrain and commute to Khobar and they have all voiced much the same opinion that it is so worth the commute.

Your children will enjoy school in Bahrain and your wife will have a much better social life. It is very family oriented and she will make new friends easily through the school families etc.

Remember the old adage, "happy wife, happy life".

Last edited by Work Widow; Oct 16th 2014 at 2:20 pm. Reason: Extra bit
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Old Oct 19th 2014, 10:14 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Agree with Work Widow, I live in Bahrain and commute to Jubail, happy wife, happy life, though that being said we also lived in Khobar for 4 years and had a great time, though we had no kids at the time. Life for a 14 year old in Khobar will be extremely difficult and limited.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 8:39 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Echo the above. In Bahrain, your wife is able to drive (if she wants to), and it's far less restrictive for her and your older daughter. Indeed, happy wife, happy life.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 10:00 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Bahrain would be better but Khobar is quite nice really. A nice town centre with good pavements. The driving there is fairly civilised, and it has a seafront. It wouldn't be a nightmare to be in Khobar.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 10:44 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Originally Posted by nonthaburi
Bahrain would be better but Khobar is quite nice really. A nice town centre with good pavements. The driving there is fairly civilised, and it has a seafront. It wouldn't be a nightmare to be in Khobar.
Agree to a certain extent and I had a great lifestyle in Khobar when I was single and working there but cannot imagine a 14 year old enjoying being locked down in a compound, having to wear an Abaya to go out anywhere. An independent wife not being able to drive, go shopping without her working husband. The place, as with all of Saudi, is fine in small doses, but if the option to live in Bahrain exists, it is far better for the husband to take the strain of the commute for the sanity of the family. Driving in Khobar is just as mad as the rest of the Magic Kingdom, if not more so.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 11:23 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Originally Posted by Backinthesand
Agree to a certain extent and I had a great lifestyle in Khobar when I was single and working there but cannot imagine a 14 year old enjoying being locked down in a compound, having to wear an Abaya to go out anywhere. An independent wife not being able to drive, go shopping without her working husband. The place, as with all of Saudi, is fine in small doses, but if the option to live in Bahrain exists, it is far better for the husband to take the strain of the commute for the sanity of the family. Driving in Khobar is just as mad as the rest of the Magic Kingdom, if not more so.
I concur 100%. The OP's family will almost certainly want to leave after a few months, especially if not of the Islamic persuasion.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 3:01 pm
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

I agree with Work Widow. It does depend on the compound that you would live in. She would have to take a taxi (usually ladies hook up with private taxi companies and get the name of a permanent driver or two). Khobar is not that bad, but again there are restrictions in the dress code. There are a couple of great malls here, but perhaps not a place a 14 year would like to live in.Again depends on the compound you end up in. Bahrain is much freer, more to do, cinemas for the kids (and adults( which are not available here in Saudi. Would definetly consider living in Bahrain, but not bad in the Khobar area. Would not go to the Dammam area though.
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Old Oct 20th 2014, 6:05 pm
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Originally Posted by Backinthesand
Agree to a certain extent and I had a great lifestyle in Khobar when I was single and working there but cannot imagine a 14 year old enjoying being locked down in a compound, having to wear an Abaya to go out anywhere. An independent wife not being able to drive, go shopping without her working husband. The place, as with all of Saudi, is fine in small doses, but if the option to live in Bahrain exists, it is far better for the husband to take the strain of the commute for the sanity of the family. Driving in Khobar is just as mad as the rest of the Magic Kingdom, if not more so.
Was there last week and was amazed at how civilized driving was compared to Riyadh. No immediate tooting of horns when the lights go green, and less cutting up at extreme angles.
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Old Oct 22nd 2014, 6:29 pm
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Khobar is a dream compared to Riyadh driving in which everyone is provided with cars that lack steering.
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Old Oct 23rd 2014, 4:38 am
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Default Re: Advice for wife in Al Khobar

Originally Posted by sicklyman
Khobar is a dream compared to Riyadh driving in which everyone is provided with cars that lack steering.
Yeah, guess it's all relative.
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