It has been a couple of months since my husband and I made the massive move to the Middle East, and as you can imagine, it has come with some adjustments. BUT, with adjustments comes the opportunity for growth, right?
With almost four months down and a question mark to go, these are the top 10 (out of many) things I’ve come to learn, understand, and love about living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) so far:
1. The country is progressing & progressing fast
I’ve been told we are living in Saudi Arabia at the best time. Why? Because the country is progressing every day before our very eyes. With Saudi’s Vision 2030 plan, the Kingdom is pushing itself out of its way by striving to diversify the economy, develop public service areas, and open up KSA to the world. To say I’m excited to see where things go is an understatement!
2. Abayas are the dress code
As a woman in Saudi Arabia, modesty is key. The easiest and most appropriate way to do this is by wearing an abaya- a long robe that can be thrown over any type of clothing. Traditionally, abayas are black and worn with a hijab and niqab. However, nowadays the hijab/niqab is optional and abayas can be any color, print, or pattern.
3. Saudi Arabia uses the metric system
Silly enough, this has been one of the biggest transitions for me to make because it comes up a lot throughout my day. Whether it’s needing to convert kilograms to pounds at the gym, Celsius to Fahrenheit for the oven, or centimeters to inches when needing dimensions, the transition from imperial to metric has me opening up my conversions app more than Instagram now.
4. The driving is horrendous
I’ll be the first to admit- I’m an okay driver at best. To me, speed limits are recommendations. However, bad driving has taken a whole new meaning in Saudi Arabia. The driving here is erratic and unpredictable, to say the least. Two lanes? Let’s make it 4 just because. Missed your exit? That’s okay! Just reverse until you get where you need to be! It. Is. scary.
5. The technology is A1
If there’s a task needing to be accomplished you can probably do it online. Even becoming a Saudi resident was easy because everything- literally everything- was done through your electronic device. There was no waiting in long lines, no language barrier, no sitting in government offices, nothing! Saudi Arabia also has an app that holds all of your personal information from your marital status to your COVID shots (which are mandatory) and everything in between. Although privacy isn’t a thing here, I do have to say the technology is impressive.
6. The workweek is Sunday through Thursday
Rather than the typical Monday-Friday work schedule, KSA’s workweek is Sunday through Thursday to help coordinate business and banking days with Western and multinational businesses. Friday’s are known as the holy day so many businesses don’t open until late afternoon.
7. Alcohol and pork are prohibited
Because Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country, there are strict laws against alcohol and pork. However, if you find yourself in need of either, similar options are available at the grocery store such as beef bacon or 0% alcohol beer and mock-tails, which in my opinion, taste the same without the hangover.
8. Everything is open really, really late
It seems as if sleep is for the weak here in KSA. It’s typical for stores to be open until midnight, dinner reservations to start after 9 pm, and the majority of coffee shops are open 24 hours- even on weekdays! You’ll see a family of seven strolling around the mall at 10:30 pm on a Monday, but ya know, who needs bedtime?
9. Prayer time is a sacred time
Prayer time is precious time in this Islamic country. It happens 5 times a day and many (not all) public facilities will close during those times. You can hear the call to prayer throughout the city lasting from 5 to 15 minutes, and most businesses have separate public prayer rooms for men and women.
10. Westernized stereotypes aren’t accurate
Saudi Arabia is misunderstood in a variety of ways. Whether it’s woman’s rights, terrorism, or anti-westernism, people don’t have a true grasp on reality when it comes to KSA. Can we blame our history or the media? I think that’s fair. But everyone I have met in Saudi Arabia thus far has been genuinely kind. In fact, it’s part of their culture and religion to go above and beyond to be extremely welcoming and hospitable to their guests. If this move has taught me anything, it’s to not judge a book by its cover. Especially when we haven’t experienced it in any shape or form.
cheers! -sarah
