unsureone

Default Work in Jeddah but live in Dubai
Does anyone commute at weekends to Dubai to live with family?

Wife and 3 kids not overly excited about living in Saudi but could do Dubai (lived there 8 years ago).

Company is international with offices in Dubai and KSA so possibly sponsor family in Dubai and myself in Dubai and KSA.

This is better alternative to wife and kids staying in Australia and seeing Dad every 3 months for 10 days.

Any thoughts?

Cheers
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Johnnyboy11

I know several UK expats that live in Dubai/ Abu Dhabi and commute to Qatar during the working week then head back for the weekend. They usually arrive mid-morning on a Sunday and leave mid-afternoon on a Thursday and put in the extra hours in-between. Some decent hotels in Qatar do a very cheap room/meals deal on the 4 nights they stay. I guess the same working scenario would be do-able in KSA?

I've worked in Qatar for near six years now whilst my wife and kids remained in the UK. I'm heading back in April after concluding that the lifestyle just isn't sustainable for me and the family. Fine if you have a goal in mind, like clearing debts, paying off the mortgage or building some savings, but once you've done all that you'll find it increasingly difficult to justify being apart from the family. My experience anyway.

[J]

unsureone

Yep, not ideal situation being apart from family but with jobs scarce in Australia just now we need to follow the work and ME seems to be the place. Hoping to do 2 years max then either return to Oz or home to UK. Hoping there are more jobs about then too.

nottmbantam

I used to work in Riyadh and fly back to Jeddah every weekend where the family where. I knew it was only for 10 months but was still tough to do.

I'd actually suggest that you try living with the family in Jeddah. It's not Dubai, far from it, but IS a little more laid back than the rest of Saudi. Get onto a nice western compound and you can have a half decent lifestyle. If that doesn't work out, then you could try the weekend commute to Dubai.

scot47

2 hour flight. Jeddah is okay. My family were with me and liked it - but we were on a nice compound and the older daughter went to a good school.

co durham boy

Your family will hate you if you take them all straight to Jeddah from Oz , you're crossing the full spectrum of lifestyle . I'd go first for 3 months then make a decision on what's best , if it aint going to work then pull the pin .

I know a lot of people who like Jeddah and i've spent quite a bit of time there in and out over the years , it's not as bad as a lot of other places in Saudi by a long shot but to be honest that's a pretty shit benchmark.

Commuting from DXB is an option but that'll wear you out no doubt about it , i'd go shit or bust to be honest but it all depends on your relative circumstances.

nonthaburi

Saudi can be a great place to go with a family. Compound life can be great for kids. Your wife might find she actually likes living there. I've come across many women who do.

Don't be too judgemental about what you don't know yet.

The commute is doable, but you're going to be tiring yourself out, and you'll miss a lot of family stuff in the week.

Anyway, you'll be out there on your own for at least a couple of months before being able to bring the family over.

co durham boy

" Saudi can be a great place to go with the family " .......

The above statement is a load of shite

Millhouse

3 hour flight to Jeddah. Done it many times.

Flight times are not ideal, and not forgetting the hour long queues at KSA immigration and fully booked up flights.

But, on the more positive side - Jeddah is alright.

scot47

Do not make a judgement until you have seen Jeddah.

currentaffairs

I would make a go of Jeddah and forget the 'commute' to Dubai if I were you.... Good compounds, decent shopping, and more relaxed than other parts of KSA.

Lulu77

It is normal to see situation like that in KSA.

NorthernLad

Spot on.

nonthaburi

Why do you say that?

scot47

My family thought Jeddah was fine - but we were in a high-end compound and daughter went to a good school. Weather is a bit humid in the summer but the winters are wonderful.