Inselaffen

have never been to Saudi! went to a Client weekend held in Oman by the big Saudi Steel company and the Saudis were very hospitable hosts!

working in Saudi is pretty unlikely to pop up in my line of work though!!

beebee

All the Saudi ppl I have met have been lovely..

maranelloman

LIved in Riyadh and its a different way of life. Women have to be covered when away from the compound including the face. Riyadh is stricter than other cities in Saudi. If you and your family can adjust to that its a rewarding place to live. You have a lot of family time together, and the compounds mean socialising is made easy.

Would I go back? Well im currently negotiating a role in Jeddah, so yes.

reecefam

Thanks for your help...but why do so many people seem to say it is a terrible place to live and work?

Dago

Yes I would!

Blue Cat

I think that is mainly because of the strict rules regarding religion and the way that women are treat. I would imagine that it would be an easy transition for you but think about it long and hard for your wife. She won't be able to work, or drive and will have to wear an abaya. It wouldn't work for my husband and I. Although I asked if we could go to Saudi Aramco a while back and he point blank refused. He did 7 years in Saudi before coming to Dubai and his words were - I would rather chop my dick off than set foot in that country. One of our regular posters Jammy Dodgers is familiar with Saudi also and he hates the place. Do a search on here and see what comes up. There should be an interesting link in the wiki to a newspaper article regarding life in Riyadh.

Good luck with your decision, just make sure it is worth it financially if you do decide to up roots.

maranelloman

The main issue is adjusting to the culture. Like BC said women cant drive, or do much without the husband. The compounds have buses that will go to the shopping malls etc, so its not all bad.

We really took a positive view though as it meant we spent a lot of time together in everything we did. It made our relationship stronger, which is a big plus.

There are a lot of frustrations, like how long it takes to do the simple paperwork. But when the paycheck comes in at the end of the month, it all becomes worth it.

Alexa

BC, I worked in Riyadh, actually quite a few western women work there.
Yes, it may be difficult for some women to live there, but the ones I knew enjoyed it.
I think it can be harder for men to live there because they have much more contact with the "outside" world.

reecefam

What are the locals like, that you work with and mix with daily? I would be working in a retail shop so working with locals and serving them.
Do most of the locals speak english?

maranelloman

Locals are a mixed bag. Im assuming you will working with the educated (wealthier) lot, so you shouldnt have a problem. I've not had any bad experiences. But the middle to lower classes might not speak english. I had a minor car crash when i was there and i had to take my security guard from the compound to the police station as no one there spoke english. He was my translator.

reecefam

Big Food shop...so will be a cross section, i would imagine!

maranelloman

Im sure you will be fine. A supermarket im assuming.

Like I said its just a matter of adjusting to the culture. women tend to find that harder, but i know many expats who have lived there for years, and happily.

Amazing Grace

My husband and I worked in Saudi Arabia in a military hospital, he was the hospital engineer and I was the PA to the CEO. Working was my saving Grace, pardon the pun. We joined the local rugby club within BAe which was a very big part in our social life. I would re-iterrate what other posters have said think very carefully about your wife and children going there. People I knew in our compound with very young children had a very restricted life so it depends if your wife can put up with this on a long term basis. I wouldnt call it Hell, Libya was Hell but it is a very restricted existence. I wish you and your family well in whatever you decide to do.

reecefam

Thank you for your help.

The Dean

Maranelloman - women most certainly do NOT have to cover their faces. Some non-Saudi/expat women don't even cover their hair (although they all carry a scarf with them to put over their heads if the muttawa get uppity).

The big stores (including good old kosher M&S) mostly have 'women only' floors these days so that they can walk around freely, trying on clothes etc, without an abaya at all. The M&S at Kingdom Tower is one such place.

The authorities have clamped down on the muttawa lately, so there is a bit of a breathing space in that sense. More people are standing up to them, including Saudi women.

You asked about work. Since I assume you are not going to be working on the check-outs, you will no doubt come into contact with some well-educated Saudis and others of Arab persuasion. The Saudis are the best of the lot, hands down, thumbs up. They are more willing to learn, they show more respect for your 'Western' experience, and if you have your family with you they respect you even more (as THEY know how tough it can be for expat women). I've worked in every GCC country except Qatar - as far as locals are concerned, you can keep the lot of them, especially the Emiratis and the Kuwaitis - the Saudis will do nicely.

And if you make an effort to learn and absorb some of their culture, the sky is the limit. I'm proud to say I did that, and more. On a number of occasions I was invited to the family homes of Saudi colleagues to share Friday lunch with them and their families - unusual honour for a Westerner.

I've been back (for the fourth time) for exactly two weeks - and it feels like I've never been away. It sounds strange to those who haven't experienced it, but there is something about the place that drags you back. I gave up Dubai to be here.

Compound life? It's fine, as everyone knows everyone else is in the same position, so they all seem to try harder for each other. I am still in regular (albeit only e-mail) contact with people I met when I first went there in 1992 - and they are now scattered everywhere from NZ to Sweden.

The hardest thing to get used to in some ways is........ no easy way to say this........ the machine-gun posts, which are now scattered everywhere that is considered a 'Western' location. They have had them outside compounds for years, but this time I notice them outside hotels and government buildings. They are also outside the bank where I work. I'm used to them now, so I just wave at the sentries and drive through, smiles all round.

It seems to be working, as there hasn't been any 'trouble' for some years.

Still, I can't decide for you - but you might also want to bear in mind that there's nothing to spend your money on, so you'll come back wealthier than when you went in.