nonthaburi

Is that an indication of the people at BAE, or the people you met?

Mate of mine has just gone there to Dhahran, he's a pretty normal guy(so far).

Bahtatboy

Make sure s/he understands non-resident issues -- it's a specialised field, and has recently undergone substantial change. Meow knows what she's talking about.

TheTrailingSpouse

We'll be out there soon but I'm afraid we're not well rounded or happy to start off with so all will be well.

scot47

I only mix with other Grouches. I swore the usual oath when signing up with the Fraternity !
Hash House Harriers had a presence in Khobar/Dhahran in my days there. "Drinkers with a Running Rroblem"

FzR

Hi imi,
I am moving to Khobar from London in 3 weeks time. Could you please advise me a good compound that has either a good primary school/nursery in it or is close to BISAK school. I have two kids, 4yr and 1yr. 4yr one has to go to Reception class in coming September so we will prefer either a compound with good nursery school or near BISAK (British Intl School in Khobar). My budget is around 145,000 for transport and accomodation. I hear that good compounds are expensive in Khobar. So we can live in a 2 bed apartment instead of villa but will prefer good security, schooling and recreational/sports facilities where we can spend some family time in evening.
many thanks for your help

scot47

BISAK is on a compound with housing but I cannot remember the name.

sicklyman

is that Oasis?

nottmbantam

No idea on Compound prices in Khobar, suspect it will be close to Riyadh prices, which can be quite high.

145k will get you onto one of the cheaper compounds in Riyadh, the better ones will obviously be more money, closer to the 200k mark. Then you have transport on top of that. You can probably hire a small car ( Hyundai Accent ) for around 2k a month, but can buy on Finance for that sort of money and get something better.

Have you tried googling compounds in Khobar?

sicklyman

your problem is not necessarily going to be cost but waiting lists. It can be very hard to get into Khobar compounds. They often require 6 months up front when they do have something too so bear that in mind.

Debowing

Yes, I have lived in UAE, Qatar, Libya and Oman, and although there are some restrictive aspects of life, here in KSA, I believe it is perfectly fine to live here, if you have the right attitude, ...I just completed a month here. The worst cesspit was Libya.

scot47

If you have reasonable accommodation Saudi Arabia can be fine. A question of attitude.

denizci

Hi everyone, after relying on this forum when I decided to move to Kuwait about 3.5 years ago from Sydney, I am again at a crossroads and seek your advice for going one better than Kuwait and move to Riyadh. I guess the first question is how difficult the life is in Saudi for a young western family with two children (5 and 1 year olds). A lot information around the restrictions imposed on women, dress, not being able to drive etc. How difficult do you or your wives, friends etc find this aspect of life?


Second question is education, my son is going to an English school in Kuwait, which we are very happy with. How is the availability of quality education in Riyadh?


Third is the accommodation. How much is a good budget for a good quality compound accommodation in a 3 bedroom villa? I am looking at the relatively high end figures here to see how my potential offer will stack up against.


Fourth, is there any travel restrictions. I know there is an exit permit requirement for some public employees when they leave Kuwait. Any rules around that at KSA?


Fifth, could friends and family visit you while you are a resident in KSA? I know there is no visitor visa and obtaining a visa to go to Saudi is difficult but is there a way around this?


Thanks very much for your advice in advance.

sicklyman

1. hard to say without knowing your wife and family.
2. dunno
3. 3 bed villa expensive but I don't know actual figures. Waiting lists may make finding immediate accommodation difficult. be prepared to put down 6 months in advance.
4. need an exit visa to leave country. Prices have just doubled (at least) so for a family of four it will cost about SAR 8,000 a year for multi-entries now.
5. only immediate family (no friends) and they would come on a visit visa yes. The fact that you are using the phrase "a way around this" in conjunction with Saudi visa red tape is revealing...

hopefully others with experience of ed and compounds in RIyadh will chip in...

denizci

Thanks for this, much appreciated.

scot47

In my working life I spent a total of 17 years in Saudi Arabia. You get used it. It is crucial to have a good employer. Choose your master with care.


It is a great place to learn Patience. (I mean the Virtue rather than the Card game !)