Chipsnsalsa

Hello, I used to live in Bahrain, and am thinking about a job in Saudi. I was wondering whether English is widely used in KSA?

In Bahrain, most actual workers in shops, restaurants, etc, are Asian expats, not locals, and they can usually make themselves understood in Shakespeare's tongue. Is that true in Saudi as well? If you go into a Chilis or KFC or wherever, will the menu be in English as well as Arabic, and will you be able to order in English?

How about signs, road signs, shop signs, etc - in Bahrain they're always bilingual, English and Arabic, is the same true in Saudi? In supermarkets, for instance, will you see signs, tags and prices in English script?

When you go to fill up the car, do you do it yourself like in the UK, or are there petrol pump attendants there like in Bahrain? What I'm getting at is, is day to day life in Saudi completely different from Bahrain, or fairly recognisable?

Cheers all xx

Ash786

Most shops usually employ staff who have some english language, some obviously more than others. Between your broken arabic/hindi and their broken english you'll be fine. Road signs are also bi-lingual, but be warned that some road signs are spelt differently for the same road (e.g. Palestine St/Falsteen/Falastin St etc). Maps will say one thing, actuality is usually another. Same with shop names, price tags, they are usually in both arabic and english. Most restuarants also have bi-lingual menues. Petrol pumps have attendents

As for the similarities between Bahrain and Saudi...now their's a 64 million dollar question...you could trawl through the entire database of BE to find thousands of similar posts but the basics are (if you dont know them already, some may be similar to Bahrain)

1. you cant drink booze anywhere (even on the flight over)
2. dont fraternize with the opposite sex (unless you live in a compound and even then its wise to be careful)
3. shops usually close at prayer times
4. dont do drugs or kill anyone (unless you fancy being beheaded)
5. keep your nose clean, if something looks and feels wrong then it probably is so dont do it
6. dont act like a prat and you'll be fine

Saudi is a lot stricter than the rest of the ME, particularly the gulf states. And even within the country life is very different between the cities. Riyadh=very strict; Jeddah=not as strict but still a pain.

Remember all of the above and you wont go far wrong

gottheTshirt

Add business is usually in English but they use the islamic (Hijri) calander.

northbadawi

English is OK in Jeddah and along the all Haramain road.
But a picture is different when you go further so:
- It is good to know at least how Jeddah (or Riyadh) is written in arabic-only road signs.
- Most menu have pictures, this helps. In country side you just point to the dish in refrigerator to be grilled.
- Price tags are not very common even in supermarkets. Prices are stored in the scanner database or in the head of storekeeper.

You can't drink booze in public.
I never met any westerner who ever had any issue when being with opposite sex.

dragonladyoz

As mentioned most of the signs are in both arabic and english - although many of the smaller shops away from the main shopping malls have names only in arabic.

You will come across people who speak English well and those that speak very little as well as those who pretend they don't speak or understand English.

I haven't been to a restaurant where I couldn't order in English, but pointing at pictures works, as does knowing the name of what you might want to eat in arabic if you happen to end up eating in smaller places. Money is never an issue because they will type it into a register or calculator.

How is it different to Bahrain - well besides what Ash786 said:
* ALL women dress in black - at least in public off the compounds
* the traffic is a nightmare - road markings, rules, traffic lights and signs are optional - no women drivers, but you do need to watch out for the 8-14 yr old boys!
* No cinemas - you need a good movie library
* All restaurants are segregated - singles and families
* Some stores are also family only as are some of the beach clubs
* No pork products at all
* Smoking in public places (restaurants, shops etc), including shisha has now been banned in Jeddah (think it already was in Riyadh) although there are plenty of people that are ignoring it here.

northbadawi

There are restaurants which are not segregated - one common section.

dragonladyoz

ok - restaurants are MOSTLY segregated - does that make you feel better?

Chipsnsalsa

Thanks everybody, sounds okay - I knew about the no drinking, women segregated stuff; was just worried that nobody would have a clue what I was on about and I'd have to do the English tourist speaking slowly in a loud voice malarkey every time I went to the shop.

Speaking of which, do most Saudi cities have malls and big branches of stores like Lulu, Geant, Carrefour, etc, as in Bahrain? Surely they would show the prices, as in Bahrain?

Is it similar to Bahrain in that there are lots of free visa Asian workers to do most menial jobs, car washing, etc, or is it more difficult for them to get into Saudi? I think nearly half the population of Bahrain are Asians, and there were always loads of them hanging around in Hoora, where I used to live.

Northbadawi said that he/she had never heard of a westerner being hassled for talking to someone of the opposite sex. Do the powers that be generally treat us more leniently than locals and Asians?

Is it easy to get a decent second-hand car? Maybe prices in Saudi don't depreciate much so I should get a new one? What do you reckon?

Oh, and are men allowed to wear (long) shorts and t-shirt in public? Walking round in such attire during the winter months is one of the things I miss most about the Gulf!

flares

you gotta go 3/4 length (which i will NEVER do)

saying that there were guys out for their nightly stroll in overcoats and wooly hats at 2am this morning as I headed to Riyadh airport - car said 12 degrees C

gottheTshirt

Except the ones that are not are only open to families. Even the queues at MacDonalds are segregated. I never had any problem communicating but the spelling of place names is erratic. My Garmin GPS never did find Jubail. Everything closing for prayer time is the most frustrating, I have been left sitting in the Barber's chair for 30 minutes, climbed out of the window at Pizza Hut, been locked in supermarkets. Sitting waiting in the petrol queue and hearing the call for prayer knowing that everything is now going to shut down for 20 minutes, just as it is coming your turn to be served, is the worst.

flares

There are exceptions to the rule - Cucina in Faisaliah Hotel case in point. Maybe lux hotels are OK

gottheTshirt

OK in most 4 star and 5 star international chain hotels.

northbadawi

And in some asian cookshops in Al Balad too.

northbadawi

In cities it is not a problem because you can find another gas station after pray ends. But in outside roads I use to fill a tank myself and then give money to a guy who comes to see what I'm doing - mostly they don't pray, just relaxing and smoking in the shadow of pumps.
BTW: not all remote stations always have 95 fuel.

Chipsnsalsa

"climbed out of the window in Pizza Hut"

One woman told me that she was swimming in a health club, and the attendant came in and insisted that she stop swimming during prayer time. So she just stood in the water for 15 minutes, with the attendant keeping watch to make sure she didn't incur allah's wrath by moving.

Where's Monty Python when you need 'em?