Living in Jeddah
 

My husband took a job in Jeddah and we are offered housing in either Sharbatly Village or Arabian Homes. We have two children aged 12 and 13 who will visit the American School in Jeddah. Which compound would you recommend???
Thnx a million! Any advice is appreciated!

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Hi
I recently lived in jeddah for a year and i would recommend Arabian homes, there are a lot more westeners including americans in arabian homes then sharbatly.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Hi Shelley,
thanks for your advice. That sounds definetely like a big minus for Sharbatly. Do you have any further tips about living in Jeddah? We have lived in the Middle East for 7 yrs now. First Bahrain and now Qatar. How much different is the life for an European woman compared to the rest of the Middle East? Is it hardship or living in a golden cage??(I can live with the latter, if the cage is solid gold;)!And we're spending summer and winterholidays in Europe, which are combined almost 3 months).

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

You need to be more specific as, when I lived in Jeddah 3-4 years ago, there were several Arabian Homes compounds to choose from. Mind you, all were arguably nicer than Sharbatly, which has a prison feel about it. Personally, my favourite Jeddah compound was Mura Bustan.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

We are looking into Sierra Village of Arabian Homes. My husband just had a look at Sharbatly Village and he says it looks a bit worn out :(
I checked on Mura Bustan. Do they have also bigger houses (4-bedroom)? And do you know, by chance, who to contact for more info or a inspection??
Thnx again!

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Hi and greetings from Sierra Village, Jeddah.

The two you have mentioned are both quite big and have a lot of facilities - I've never been to Sharbatly, but know lots of people who live there, and really like it. We've been on Arabian Homes Sierra Village for around six months now, and are in a four bed villa.

My 14 yr step daughter goes to Jeddah Prep and Grammar School and here is perhaps my word of advice to you. Most of her school mates live on the Sharbatly compound, so during a weekend, she is usually a bit bored and at a bit of a loss as there are not many girls of her age on the compound who also go to the same school

Sierra Village is bang right next door to the American School and so therefore has a larger number of kids on the compound who attend that school. If your kids are going to that school, then I would suggest for their sake, you choose Sierra - as it will give them a better social life .

If they are going to another school ( Jeddah Grammar ) and choose Sharbatly. My step daughter has been badgering me to move to Sharbatly,but trying to explain that its down to the company who pays the lease....

Personally, I like Sierra Village, its pretty near to the airport, and also very close to one of the main roads in Jeddah, so most things are easily accessible. Sharbatly is also well located, just a little further into Jeddah.

I really like Jeddah, the feel of the place is quite relaxing, quite laid back compared to other Saudi cities ( Riyadh ). My wife doesn't cover her head when we go out, but as you know, you are expected to wear an abbaya, and also are not allowed to drive. It is restrictive in many ways, but life is what you make it.

Good luck, and if you end up on Sierra, feel free to come look us up.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Thanks for your detailed reply. My daughter is 12, turns 13 in summer, my son is 13 turning 14 in summer. But since both of them grew more or less up in the Middle East I don't expect too many problems for them to adjust. Also we are looking for their sake only at the big compounds, so that they have the chance to meet fellow teens. Because of the location my first choice is definetely Sierra Village, but we don't know yet, whether there is anything available. I heard housing is becoming a problem in Jeddah, which I honestly didn't expect.
I'll let you know, if we are lucky enough to get a villa in Sierra Village. Maybe our daughters can get together?
Thnx again,
Silke

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

I wasn't really referring to adjusting to life in Jeddah, but really talking about kids of that age, who want a peer group to hang around with, as they are about growing out of that stage of wanting to hang out with Mum and Dad. As I was saying, if they are going to the American School , then Sierra is ideal - there is a linking entrance between the compound and the school, so you can literally walk off the compound straight into the school.

I don't know how serious the housing situation is in Jeddah, you always hear that compounds are full, with long waiting lists.

It sounds like your husbands employer will do the arranging anyway with either compound, which it deffo the preferred option, rather than you running around all the various compounds doing it yourself.

Let me know how you get on - when are you thinking of being here in Jeddah?

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

We want the kids to finish the school year here, take a long summer vacation and will come to Jeddah just before school starts at the latest possible date in August, cause I think Ramadan is this year throughout August.

Another question regarding living in Jeddah is the employment of a housemaid. So far we always had housemaids under their own sponsorship, who worked only part time with us. I would like to keep it that way, cause I don't want our children to become useless in looking after themselves. They are already spoiled, no need for them to get rotten spoiled :)

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Ramadan is due to start 22nd August this year.Therefore will end roughly 21st / 22nd Sept. This is then usually followed by a week of holidays - most public offices / schools will be closed,taking that to the end of September.

The school my step daughter goes has decided that it will not re-open until the end of Sept. Check the school dates for the American school, they may have adopted a similar policy.

Housemaids - don't worry ,as soon as your newly arrived presence is known, you will have housemaids offering their services to you! Ours works on a part time basis, as you describe above, so you shouldn't have any problem sorting one out.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

My god, I thought Sharbatly Village would have been demolished by now, I lived there in the 80's when Jeddah was booming, Arabian Homes was much better - but expensive. I was there for 4 years between 83 and 87. It was a fantasic place to live then, thousands of british expats and a very lively social life mainly around sharbatly and saudia city. I bet it hasnt changed much.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

I think you will find that "thousands of British expats" no longer live and work there and that Jeddah life has changed very much indeed from those days..

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Yes, no obvious presence of thousands of brit expats - and I mean this most sincerely folks - I'm kinda pleased in a way. I'm on a pretty big Arabian Homes compound in Jeddah, and from listening ( eavesdropping! ) to other residents, I would hazard a guess at the majority are South African and a lot from France.

I was in Riyadh, living on a company exclusive compound, full of brits , I'd rather live somewhere more cosmopolitan, instead of all of the same.

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Thanks all of you,
we'll have a tour on the Sierra Village compound tomorrow. They are 100 % occupied at the moment, but we have the time to wait:)

Re: Living in Jeddah
 

Might see around tomorrow!

Have taken a couple of pics of the compound, if interested, send me a PM and will send them to you.