bodieanddoyle

forallu - I venture regularly out of my well appointed, 3 swimming pooled, beauty saloned, supermarketed, free bus serviced compound. At very best, you're original post makes me wonder what parts of Europe you've been too.
But I will once again state, your views on a single western female experience in jeddah are not valid. Happy new year!

nonthaburi

doubt lecherous taxi drivers are a problem for him.

bodieanddoyle

Spot on. It's not nice. At all.

forallu

what do all these things have to do with safety and security ?

bodieanddoyle

Just trying to demonstrate my compound is not a ghetto. In fact it's a little bit of paradise compared what's outside the security gates.

I'll say for a third and final time, as an Arab man, you have absolutely no idea what it's like for a western female on her own in Saudi. I can honestly say that I've never been felt up by a taxi driver in any other country I've visited.

forallu

Some Norway prisons have all the facilities you have in your compound. However, this is irrelevant to my main idea.

I am sorry for distracting you from the paradise and making you to have a look at the Hell outside security gates

Taxi drivers will be beaten so hard if you cry for help in any street in Jeddah.


Happy New Year

Alexa

I'd say BECAUSE people have taken and are taking a good look /venture outside the compound they are happy to live in a compound.
Mind you, I enjoyed my time in Saudi, went out pretty much every day...and was VERY happy to LIVE inside.

nonthaburi

There must be some good booze in the prisons in Norway then !

but on a more serious note my wife has had numerous lecherous taxi drivers here in Riyadh . The other day she had a stalker in Panorama Mall who suddenly disappeared when I turned up .

You might think that none of this happens because you aren't like that but others are .

Also , my wife is not white there are different levels of service if you know what I mean .

The unfortunate thing is that I generally find Saudis nice and friendly, but my wife's experience of the country is different to mine.

doodlediver

Hi GemmaRX, Hope your move goes well. I'm off to Jeddah soon and got myself an Abaya already, feels nice and comfortable.

Just wondering though, can us women wear sandals or open toed shoes? Also, what is the rule for smoking in public?

bodieanddoyle

Lol, I'm sure your abaya is very comfy - see if you think the same in 40+ degree heat!

Yes, you can wear open toe shoes. I'm not sure on the smoking rules tbh. Men smoke everywhere but the only women I've seen smoking outside are fellow expats.

laidebaruwa

coming to Bahrain by April..to live and work....hows is d country?

The Dean

You could be in trouble - they speak proper English there..........

nonthaburi

Don't know about Jeddah but I Riyadh you are going to get stared at if you're smoking in public as a woman. Never see people do it IME.

James_unlimited

Hey Guys,

I'm new to the forum but have been in Saudi for awhile now working for a large Oil Company, I have to say to be 23 year old girl coming out to Saudi you are very brave…or stupid.

I live in Dhahran in a Private Western compound. I could never bring a westernised woman out here as it wouldn't be fair on her. Life is very different from the west and the simple freedoms you enjoy at home aren't as easy to come by out here. Im basing my opinion on where I am, Dhrahan which is apparently one of the more tolerable places to live.

I have personally seen Western women being harassed by religious police in the malls for not covering their heads, being followed until they left the mall etc.

My assistant (a Saudi woman) has told me stories of "incidents" occurring with drivers and taxi's but as they are women it is seen as their fault.

As with your contract remember you will more than likely fall under Saudi labour laws, bear this in mind when you think you know your contract. A few horror stories going around about contract disputes.

I would clarify the level of health care your employer is offering too. In our office there a lot of different levels of cover floating around, some all inclusive others not so….

I will be relocating to Jeddah in the next few months, feel free to get in touch.

I wish you all the best in your adventure !

construction67

GemmaRx,

Just curious to know if you made the move? I myself and from the USA and just moved to Jeddah this past Monday.....

Greg