Moving to Saudi Arabia

[Teaon]

people are exaggerating as hell in this thread, you guys will only make her worry more, the sad part is all of what bullshit you guys say is 90% a lie,

[Natiry427]

Girl here, and I moved to Saudi recently as well (American). I'll try to combat the disgusting ignorance that will inevitably fester in this thread with actual on the ground experience.

I guess my first question would be: Which city/province are you moving to? Saudi fosters deep provincial diversity, meaning that each city is quite different in cultural dynamic and infrastructure. For example, Jeddah is a "beach city" on the red sea that is close in proximity to Makkah, the holiest city for Muslims and the destination of the yearly "hajj" pilgrimage. As a result, the local populace is far more culturally and ethnically diverse than say, Riyadh, which is the capital city and home to the majority of the larger Saudi tribes.

To answer your questions:


1) I know I will have to wear an abaya, but will I have to cover my hair as well?

You will have to wear an abaya, but there is no requirement to cover your hair and no one will bother you about it. You will find this quite obvious and many foreigners leave their hair uncovered. With regard to the abaya itself, the traditional black is worn primarily by Saudis. I've seen some vibrant abayas in Jeddah with multiple colors and stylized in multiple fashions. In a place like Riyadh, however, you will still see diverse abayas but mostly the traditional black. Obviously, you can wear what you want underneath.

2) Can I go out without male escort?

Yes, I do all the time. Again, no one will bother you. I would recommend however that you do go out with someone you know. The one constant throughout all Saudi cities is the difficult traffic and navigation. It's very easy to get lost, and going out with your husband would be the best idea.

3) Since I am Jewish, will I face any problems entering the country? How bad is the anti-semitism?

No, you will not face any problems as a foreigner. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all considered "people of the book" in the Muslim religion, and cousins in faith. I guarantee no one will bother you because of this. However, if you happen to be pro-Israel, I would keep that to yourself. While it's not necessarily illegal, I can guarantee if someone heard you talking about this subject they might get offended.

4) What are some good ways to spend time? What do expats do there to have fun?

Again, this is depending on your location in Saudi, but I would advise that no matter where you end up, travel around the country and the region. In Jeddah, you have the red sea. There is the Sheraton Compound up north that hosts some of the BEST scuba diving in the world with GORGEOUS reefs. I go there like once a month, its fucking awesome. Jeddah also has some nice malls (Mall of Arabia, Red Sea Mall, Aziz Mall, etc.) so if youre into shopping, that's always nice. With regard to dining, try EVERYTHING. I find arab food, mainly syrian/lebanese cuisine to be absolutely terrific. In Jeddah, there is a famous fried chicken chain called "Al Baik". Fucking orgasmic. You'll also find all of your typical western chains including restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, and even PF Changs.

In Damam and Khobar (eastern province), you'll find a high concentration of American and European xpats. Lots of community stuff to do, and if youre lucky enough to live in an expat compound, you'll always find something to do (local sports for expats, movie nights, parties, etc.)

5) I've heard the locals are rude towards foreigners, is this true? After hearing about those terrorist attacks to western communities, I am seriously concerned about my safety as well.

That's total bullshit. My first day in Saudi, FIRST DAY, I was walking around a convenience store when a random Saudi noticed I was having a difficult time finding what I needed. He showed me where to get what I wanted, paid for it all, and offered to host my husband and myself at his house. Numerous restaurants have treated us on the house. Middle Eastern people are among the most hospitable in the world, and if we felt unwanted here we would leave, simple as that. It's quite the opposite, they will respect you tremendously because you're a foreigner. Saudi has some of the lowest crime ratings in the world, so don't worry about any of that. The terrorist stuff is rarer than being struck by lightning, so if youre not afraid of walking outside when there are clouds in the air, then you dont need to worry about that.


As a general note of advice, I would recommend staying ACTIVE. Don't hole yourself up in Saudi. Go out, dine, go shopping, travel to nearby countries like Bahrain and the UAE, and enjoy the region. Dubai and Qatar are also very close by. Be open minded, have fun, and overall you might find as I did that different cultures are beautiful in their own ways, and we're not always "right" about everything.

If you ever need help, PM me. I'll try to answer as best I can.

Take care and GOOD LUCK!

[Zantos]

Thanks for the insight, really appreciated!

I don't know why people think I am trolling...

We think you are trolling because what you are suggesting is beyond insane and crazy for you to do! Just don't do it! Stay far away for your own safety!

[Aqueous]

Er...I don't usually like to contribute unhelpful posts to people just looking for feedback but:

You're a woman and Jewish? Yeah, don't go to Saudi.

[Deleted]

Be open minded

Thats not allowed there.

[Kuntantee]

This.

Saudi Arabia is a horrible place. And that's coming from a man! It's a place where education basically consists of hardcore and radical Islamic teachings, so you being Jewish and woman will basically get society to shun you automatically. The definition of fun for a woman there is probably just playing chess with yourself.

If your husband is moving to Saudi Arabia because of a job, chances are he's completely clueless or he just doesn't give a shit about you more than his career.

I've seen some Saudi Arabs. They didn't seem like victims of radical Islamic teachings, although still religious. Maybe...just maybe you are a poor victim of sensationalist and main stream media?

[Teaon]

Girl here, and I moved to Saudi recently as well (American). I'll try to combat the disgusting ignorance that will inevitably fester in this thread with actual on the ground experience.

I guess my first question would be: Which city/province are you moving to? Saudi fosters deep provincial diversity, meaning that each city is quite different in cultural dynamic and infrastructure. For example, Jeddah is a "beach city" on the red sea that is close in proximity to Makkah, the holiest city for Muslims and the destination of the yearly "hajj" pilgrimage. As a result, the local populace is far more culturally and ethnically diverse than say, Riyadh, which is the capital city and home to the majority of the larger Saudi tribes.

To answer your questions:


1) I know I will have to wear an abaya, but will I have to cover my hair as well?

You will have to wear an abaya, but there is no requirement to cover your hair and no one will bother you about it. You will find this quite obvious and many foreigners leave their hair uncovered. With regard to the abaya itself, the traditional black is worn primarily by Saudis. I've seen some vibrant abayas in Jeddah with multiple colors and stylized in multiple fashions. In a place like Riyadh, however, you will still see diverse abayas but mostly the traditional black. Obviously, you can wear what you want underneath.

2) Can I go out without male escort?

Yes, I do all the time. Again, no one will bother you. I would recommend however that you do go out with someone you know. The one constant throughout all Saudi cities is the difficult traffic and navigation. It's very easy to get lost, and going out with your husband would be the best idea.

3) Since I am Jewish, will I face any problems entering the country? How bad is the anti-semitism?

No, you will not face any problems as a foreigner. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all considered "people of the book" in the Muslim religion, and cousins in faith. I guarantee no one will bother you because of this. However, if you happen to be pro-Israel, I would keep that to yourself. While it's not necessarily illegal, I can guarantee if someone heard you talking about this subject they might get offended.

4) What are some good ways to spend time? What do expats do there to have fun?

Again, this is depending on your location in Saudi, but I would advise that no matter where you end up, travel around the country and the region. In Jeddah, you have the red sea. There is the Sheraton Compound up north that hosts some of the BEST scuba diving in the world with GORGEOUS reefs. I go there like once a month, its fucking awesome. Jeddah also has some nice malls (Mall of Arabia, Red Sea Mall, Aziz Mall, etc.) so if youre into shopping, that's always nice. With regard to dining, try EVERYTHING. I find arab food, mainly syrian/lebanese cuisine to be absolutely terrific. In Jeddah, there is a famous fried chicken chain called "Al Baik". Fucking orgasmic. You'll also find all of your typical western chains including restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, and even PF Changs.

In Damam and Khobar (eastern province), you'll find a high concentration of American and European xpats. Lots of community stuff to do, and if youre lucky enough to live in an expat compound, you'll always find something to do (local sports for expats, movie nights, parties, etc.)

5) I've heard the locals are rude towards foreigners, is this true? After hearing about those terrorist attacks to western communities, I am seriously concerned about my safety as well.

That's total bullshit. My first day in Saudi, FIRST DAY, I was walking around a convenience store when a random Saudi noticed I was having a difficult time finding what I needed. He showed me where to get what I wanted, paid for it all, and offered to host my husband and myself at his house. Numerous restaurants have treated us on the house. Middle Eastern people are among the most hospitable in the world, and if we felt unwanted here we would leave, simple as that. It's quite the opposite, they will respect you tremendously because you're a foreigner. Saudi has some of the lowest crime ratings in the world, so don't worry about any of that. The terrorist stuff is rarer than being struck by lightning, so if youre not afraid of walking outside when there are clouds in the air, then you dont need to worry about that.


As a general note of advice, I would recommend staying ACTIVE. Don't hole yourself up in Saudi. Go out, dine, go shopping, travel to nearby countries like Bahrain and the UAE, and enjoy the region. Dubai and Qatar are also very close by. Be open minded, have fun, and overall you might find as I did that different cultures are beautiful in their own ways, and we're not always "right" about everything.

If you ever need help, PM me. I'll try to answer as best I can.

Take care and GOOD LUCK!

i quote this for truth, better than those who relay on media for bullshit

[Deleted]

If you meet the Mutaween on a bad foot you are fucked no legal security for you and your bodily wellbeing don't risk it.

[Zantos]

Girl here, and I moved to Saudi recently as well (American). I'll try to combat the disgusting ignorance that will inevitably fester in this thread with actual on the ground experience.

http://travel.state.gov/content/pass...l-warning.html
Well, that is the governments stances on it. Obviously the fear is not unfounded.

[Deleted]

There are better places to find information about Saudi Arabia (as the replies so far have proven).
Anyway, I lived in The Kingdom for 5 years, so I'm willing to help with your concerns.

1) I know I will have to wear an abaya, but will I have to cover my hair as well?

No, usually only the abaya will suffice. If the Haia sees you without a headcover, they will most likely ask you to cover your head, so better to take a scarf with you whenever you go out, but when they're not around it's completely fine to just wear an abaya.

2) Can I go out without male escort?

Absolutely. This is a completely bullshit myth, I have no idea where it started but it's not true. The problem will be that going out alone might be a bit difficult since women are not allowed to drive and there is no public transport. Taxis exist, though.

3) Since I am Jewish, will I face any problems entering the country? How bad is the anti-semitism?

If you have an Israeli passport, you won't be allowed to enter. If not, you'll be just fine. Anti-semitism is of course a problem there, there is no denying of it. Most Saudis, however, will not have any problems with this, as long as you're not Israeli. But I'm Jewish as well, and me and my family managed to live thre for 5 years, so it's definitely not that bad as many of these posters seem to think.

4) What are some good ways to spend time? What do expats do there to have fun?

Uh, you don't go to Saudi Arabia to have fun. It's a great place to save money, though. But shopping is the national sport. There are plenty of expat-gatherings too.

5) I've heard the locals are rude towards foreigners, is this true? After hearing about those terrorist attacks to western communities, I am seriously concerned about my safety as well.

Saudis can be accused of many things, but rudeness to foreigners is definitely not one of them. Saudis, and Arabs in generral, are some of the most hospitable people in this planet. The problem is that many foreigners don't event ry to integrate with the natives and just spend all their time in closed compounds with other foreigners. I'm really grateful to my parents for moving out of one and intermingling with the locals more. I relaly recommend this, try to learn some Arabic, and while it's important that you ahve some expat firends as well, spend time with the locals too. This will make your experience much more enjoyable, trust me. You shouldn't be too concerned about your safety, either. These are just some fringe nutjobs, and they exist in every country. After the attacks safety methods have improved a lot as well.

Just don't listen to these people in this thread, and go with an open mind. It will really be a great experience that you will never forget.

Also, to which city are you moving? This will affect your experience since there are some regional differences within Saudi. Jeddah is for example more liberal than the capital Riyadh.

[Kuntantee]

Who knows such are the misterys of life.

Can you also provide some material regarding German method of Jew extermination? Because you know let's extrapolate everything to entire population.

[Teaon]

She said she was an Atheist, so we aren't being the ignorant ones, you are if you are actually telling a Female Jew Atheist she will be safe in Saudi Arabia.

what makes you think that she will beheaded for that? what sort of ignorance is that? there are a lot of foreigners in there, she is not going to run around and say hey guys i am jew athiest blablabla, no one will ask her shit, no one cares and no one will be bothered with it unless she started to insult them

[Deleted]

Can you also provide some material regarding German method of Jew extermination? Because you know let's extrapolate everything to entire population.

This is legal there.

You don't move to a place where you have no legal security and it's likely you get attacked if you by accident
expose your believe or ethnicity.

Drawing the Nazi card at me for calling out that this is the legal reallity in saudi arabia is borderline racist and of course I can provide it that is not really an arcane art.

Here inform yourself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zyklon_B

[Kuntantee]

This video wasn't from the 1940s.

And that video is not entirety of Saudi population.

[Vulcanasm]

If I was a woman, Saudi Arabia would probably be one of the last places I'd go to.

I'm male and this is still true for me.

OP:
1) Saudi Arabia may not allow you to live there because you're Jewish. I'm not being anti-Saudi, I'm repeating what I've been told (I am half Jewish, by ethnicity).
2) You can also be put to death for atheism; so, because I'm an atheist of Jewish descent, someone like me going to Saudi Arabia would be like a soldier dancing in a minefield...results tragic, but highly predictable.
3) Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. This extends to foreigners. See http://travel.stackexchange.com/ques...n-saudi-arabia
4) It is against Saudi law to mingle with a person of the opposite sex who is not a relative or spouse. This extends to foreigners.

See http://wikitravel.org/en/Saudi_Arabia

If your husband says "I'm moving to Saudi Arabia, like it or not", I advise you to divorce him. No thoughtful partner would ever inflict that on his wife.

[Velshin]

Girl here, and I moved to Saudi recently as well (American). I'll try to combat the disgusting ignorance that will inevitably fester in this thread with actual on the ground experience.

I guess my first question would be: Which city/province are you moving to? Saudi fosters deep provincial diversity, meaning that each city is quite different in cultural dynamic and infrastructure. For example, Jeddah is a "beach city" on the red sea that is close in proximity to Makkah, the holiest city for Muslims and the destination of the yearly "hajj" pilgrimage. As a result, the local populace is far more culturally and ethnically diverse than say, Riyadh, which is the capital city and home to the majority of the larger Saudi tribes.

To answer your questions:


1) I know I will have to wear an abaya, but will I have to cover my hair as well?

You will have to wear an abaya, but there is no requirement to cover your hair and no one will bother you about it. You will find this quite obvious and many foreigners leave their hair uncovered. With regard to the abaya itself, the traditional black is worn primarily by Saudis. I've seen some vibrant abayas in Jeddah with multiple colors and stylized in multiple fashions. In a place like Riyadh, however, you will still see diverse abayas but mostly the traditional black. Obviously, you can wear what you want underneath.

2) Can I go out without male escort?

Yes, I do all the time. Again, no one will bother you. I would recommend however that you do go out with someone you know. The one constant throughout all Saudi cities is the difficult traffic and navigation. It's very easy to get lost, and going out with your husband would be the best idea.

3) Since I am Jewish, will I face any problems entering the country? How bad is the anti-semitism?

No, you will not face any problems as a foreigner. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all considered "people of the book" in the Muslim religion, and cousins in faith. I guarantee no one will bother you because of this. However, if you happen to be pro-Israel, I would keep that to yourself. While it's not necessarily illegal, I can guarantee if someone heard you talking about this subject they might get offended.

4) What are some good ways to spend time? What do expats do there to have fun?

Again, this is depending on your location in Saudi, but I would advise that no matter where you end up, travel around the country and the region. In Jeddah, you have the red sea. There is the Sheraton Compound up north that hosts some of the BEST scuba diving in the world with GORGEOUS reefs. I go there like once a month, its fucking awesome. Jeddah also has some nice malls (Mall of Arabia, Red Sea Mall, Aziz Mall, etc.) so if youre into shopping, that's always nice. With regard to dining, try EVERYTHING. I find arab food, mainly syrian/lebanese cuisine to be absolutely terrific. In Jeddah, there is a famous fried chicken chain called "Al Baik". Fucking orgasmic. You'll also find all of your typical western chains including restaurants like Cheesecake Factory, Shake Shack, and even PF Changs.

In Damam and Khobar (eastern province), you'll find a high concentration of American and European xpats. Lots of community stuff to do, and if youre lucky enough to live in an expat compound, you'll always find something to do (local sports for expats, movie nights, parties, etc.)

5) I've heard the locals are rude towards foreigners, is this true? After hearing about those terrorist attacks to western communities, I am seriously concerned about my safety as well.

That's total bullshit. My first day in Saudi, FIRST DAY, I was walking around a convenience store when a random Saudi noticed I was having a difficult time finding what I needed. He showed me where to get what I wanted, paid for it all, and offered to host my husband and myself at his house. Numerous restaurants have treated us on the house. Middle Eastern people are among the most hospitable in the world, and if we felt unwanted here we would leave, simple as that. It's quite the opposite, they will respect you tremendously because you're a foreigner. Saudi has some of the lowest crime ratings in the world, so don't worry about any of that. The terrorist stuff is rarer than being struck by lightning, so if youre not afraid of walking outside when there are clouds in the air, then you dont need to worry about that.


As a general note of advice, I would recommend staying ACTIVE. Don't hole yourself up in Saudi. Go out, dine, go shopping, travel to nearby countries like Bahrain and the UAE, and enjoy the region. Dubai and Qatar are also very close by. Be open minded, have fun, and overall you might find as I did that different cultures are beautiful in their own ways, and we're not always "right" about everything.

If you ever need help, PM me. I'll try to answer as best I can.

Take care and GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for making it clear for these bunch of losers who know nothing but to trust the typical media.. I was about to post the topic explaining but you beat me to it so I appreciated it that you made it clear to those kids who know nothing about the country and just spreading their ignorance because they don't know the truth.

[Kuntantee]

This is legal there.

You don't move to a place where you have no legal security and it's likely you get attacked if you by accident
expose your believe or ethnicity.

An ignorant Europeans view (fed by mass media) vs. people who live there. Yeah, you are going to be beaten/beheaded the moment you step in...

[zanxy]

Thanks a lot for everyone who has provided informative posts so far, you have been really helpful.
To the others, please stop derailing the thread.

[Natiry427]

She said she was an Atheist, so we aren't being the ignorant ones, you are if you are actually telling a Female Jew Atheist she will be safe in Saudi Arabia.

That's funny, because I'm an atheist as well, and my head seems to be perfectly located on my shoulders. I actually live here, so for the vast majority of you who have never set foot in Saudi let alone the Middle East, scaring the poor girl with your media constructed ignorance isn't going to help anyone. It's funny because I'm an atheist american female living in Saudi, and the only close mindedness I have seen here is from the other expats, and obviously what I've read in these threads.

[Kuntantee]

It doesn't matter what the population thinks, it matters what is legally acceptable. Apostasy is not by the way, it carries the sentence of death, as does blasphemy.

Still doesn't justify the ignorance in this thread.