Moving to Riyadh
Feb 8th 2011, 1:45 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1
Moving to Riyadh
Hi
I have been offered a job in Riyadh and the company wants me out within the next few weeks, i will travel out first and then my family who will join me in a few months, boy aged 9 and girl 4. I have been offered accommodation in the Fal compound.
Basically want to know
1. Has anyone experience of the Fal compound and whats it like for families.
2. Life in riyadh for families.
3. Kids have been offered a place in the british school - whats it like.
4. Will the wife go mad! with all the restrictions or is not as bad as you read.
5. Any other useful information would be appreciated.
Thanks
I have been offered a job in Riyadh and the company wants me out within the next few weeks, i will travel out first and then my family who will join me in a few months, boy aged 9 and girl 4. I have been offered accommodation in the Fal compound.
Basically want to know
1. Has anyone experience of the Fal compound and whats it like for families.
2. Life in riyadh for families.
3. Kids have been offered a place in the british school - whats it like.
4. Will the wife go mad! with all the restrictions or is not as bad as you read.
5. Any other useful information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Feb 8th 2011, 1:51 pm
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,028
Re: Moving to Riyadh
You poor sod. You have my sympathy.
Feb 9th 2011, 5:14 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Riyadh.
Posts: 1,899
Re: Moving to Riyadh
Hi, welcome to the Board, and congratulations on the job offer, well done.
Now for the bad news...Well it's not all bad. Just the first one.
FAL compound is perhaps not the best one you could have ended up on. It's opposite from where I am ( Cordoba Compound ) and although I have never been there, I've heard about it. THe main feedback as that it is because the majority of the accommodation is smaller - it ends to be dominated by bachelors, so not much of a family life going off - don't know if this is true these days or not.
THe British School is however just down the road, about ten mins by car / school bus and your kids should do well, it's the first choice for Brit expats kids. Also down the road is a big shopping mall to get your groceries etc ( Carrefour supermarket ) - Granada Mall.
Family life from a Saudi perspective is very much children friendly,and they are welcomed where ever you go, so family life with younger kids can be much better than in the UK. All the big Malls have kids playgrounds, there are loads of kids clothes shops, toy shops, fair grounds etc. If they / you are into camping out, there are plenty of opportunities to do that in the surrounding desert.
Your wife will find it restrictive, most wives tend to spend the day with other expat wives building up their own social life, so if she is asocialble creature, then she should be ok. Compound life as as Western as you can get, and behind the compound walls, you literally could be anywhere in the world.
Outside the compound, women MUST wear the all covering abbaya. No option. Women cannot drive. All the shops always close at prayer time. You will only ever be able to sit with your wife in the 'Families' section of coffee shops / restaurants and will at most times, be 'hidden' away. But, you kind of get used to it all. Most Saudi's are generally open and welcome to Westerners, if you're white skinned, you'll get treated well.
Read The Dean's Ultimate Guide to Saudi Life' article.
Good luck, and it's not as bad as Lionheart makes out...
Now for the bad news...Well it's not all bad. Just the first one.
FAL compound is perhaps not the best one you could have ended up on. It's opposite from where I am ( Cordoba Compound ) and although I have never been there, I've heard about it. THe main feedback as that it is because the majority of the accommodation is smaller - it ends to be dominated by bachelors, so not much of a family life going off - don't know if this is true these days or not.
THe British School is however just down the road, about ten mins by car / school bus and your kids should do well, it's the first choice for Brit expats kids. Also down the road is a big shopping mall to get your groceries etc ( Carrefour supermarket ) - Granada Mall.
Family life from a Saudi perspective is very much children friendly,and they are welcomed where ever you go, so family life with younger kids can be much better than in the UK. All the big Malls have kids playgrounds, there are loads of kids clothes shops, toy shops, fair grounds etc. If they / you are into camping out, there are plenty of opportunities to do that in the surrounding desert.
Your wife will find it restrictive, most wives tend to spend the day with other expat wives building up their own social life, so if she is asocialble creature, then she should be ok. Compound life as as Western as you can get, and behind the compound walls, you literally could be anywhere in the world.
Outside the compound, women MUST wear the all covering abbaya. No option. Women cannot drive. All the shops always close at prayer time. You will only ever be able to sit with your wife in the 'Families' section of coffee shops / restaurants and will at most times, be 'hidden' away. But, you kind of get used to it all. Most Saudi's are generally open and welcome to Westerners, if you're white skinned, you'll get treated well.
Read The Dean's Ultimate Guide to Saudi Life' article.
Good luck, and it's not as bad as Lionheart makes out...
Feb 9th 2011, 5:19 am
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 754
Re: Moving to Riyadh
Hi
I have been offered a job in Riyadh and the company wants me out within the next few weeks, i will travel out first and then my family who will join me in a few months, boy aged 9 and girl 4. I have been offered accommodation in the Fal compound.
Basically want to know
1. Has anyone experience of the Fal compound and whats it like for families.
2. Life in riyadh for families.
3. Kids have been offered a place in the british school - whats it like.
4. Will the wife go mad! with all the restrictions or is not as bad as you read.
5. Any other useful information would be appreciated.
Thanks
I have been offered a job in Riyadh and the company wants me out within the next few weeks, i will travel out first and then my family who will join me in a few months, boy aged 9 and girl 4. I have been offered accommodation in the Fal compound.
Basically want to know
1. Has anyone experience of the Fal compound and whats it like for families.
2. Life in riyadh for families.
3. Kids have been offered a place in the british school - whats it like.
4. Will the wife go mad! with all the restrictions or is not as bad as you read.
5. Any other useful information would be appreciated.
Thanks
if you get a 2 or 3 bed house the quality and housing is good, the apartments are small.
Its a large jail, true but hey welcome to KSA
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