Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Report of what it's like to live there - 03/26/14
Personal Experiences from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Definitely not. We have lived in Canberra, Tokyo, Okinawa, Ankara, and Budapest.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington, D.C., is now home. It probably takes about 20 hours to get to post, including an unavoidable long layover in Germany.
3. How long have you lived here?
Six months.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
State Department dependent.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
There is embassy-owned housing, which is comfortable and well-maintained, with most of the comforts of home, and embassy-leased housing, which is in general shoddy construction, difficult to get the Saudi landlord to maintain, having an almost total lack of storage space except for some kitchen cabinets and small closets (so people are forced to purchase furnishings like bathroom vanities, medicine cabinets, kitchen and bathroom shelving, storage closets and such themselves), subject to flooding and sewage problems, and with the newer units lacking wired telephones, Internet connections and cell phone coverage (and no hope for any of that in the near future). Some of the older leased houses are quite nice but still have serious problems concerning water storage and the lack of any kind of cool water in hot weather. If you're coming and have a choice, I would say go for embassy-owned housing, and definitely try to avoid the newer units -- life will be quite difficult in them. Most housing is fairly close to the Embassy, except for the very newest units, which are in the middle of nowhere.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
They say "everything" is available here, and to a certain extent that's true, but it often isn't the quality Americans would expect. For example, frozen vegetables have thawed and been refrozen, almost always, and are simply a waste of money here. You can find things like American mayonnaise and cheese, but they are often their expiration date and have obviously gone bad. Meat and fresh vegetables tend to be OK, and sometimes excellent. You can find most normal household care items, or substitutes, but it does take a while to sort out what the products are actually for. In general, we have found food and supplies in local supermarkets to be pretty expensive. There is a military base about an hour away which is a pain to get to, but the products are fairly reliable when they're in stock, except for the fact that they freeze things like sour cream and cheese for long shelf life, and the results are often disastrous. Better to get those kinds of things in the local markets.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Specialty items such as cosmetics, personal hygiene brands that you want in particular, maybe American food items that could be hard to find (like horseradish, your favorite spices, perhaps a certain kind of rice, real mayonnaise that hasn't spoiled or expired). You also might be able to find the American products you like at the military base. In any case, you don't have to ship a lot of food because you'll always find it or a substitute somewhere here.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Pretty much every conceivable fast food outlet is here. I have seen them all over but only bought McDonald's once and don't recall the price.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Mosquitoes, bees and wasps getting in the door when open, but overall nothing terrible.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
We have an APO available to us as well as the diplomatic pouch. Unfortunately, many items have reportedly been stolen from the APO (especially electronics, and I even had a pair of expensive shoes go missing; even jewelry in registered mail was taken), so for anything valuable, the diplomatic pouch is a must, even though it's much slower. The embassy doesn't seem to feel it's necessary to warn newcomers about the theft problem in advance and claims that there is nothing they can do about it. Which of course there is.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Domestic help is not so easy to find. When we arrived, the CLO was at a total loss as to how we should go about getting somebody and said her list was completely out of date. Luckily a friend knew a man who does work for her, and I hired him. He leaves something to be desired in the small things like dusting, but he does the big jobs well, such as cleaning up the enormous amount of sand and dust that accumulate in just hours here. I pay him 300 SAR for a day's work, so around US$80 for eight hours. I also have a gardener who I pay more.
3. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
You might have problems with your bank using your debit card in Saudi Arabia. It has taken us several calls to the SDFCU to let them know that we actually live here and to please stop blocking our card. Credit cards could have the same problem. It's really best to cash checks at the Embassy.
4. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
None -- most everybody can speak English after a fashion, although it would be helpful to know a little bit of Arabic, even just to be polite.
5. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
I haven't paid close attention, but my guess would be yes, there would be many physical obstacles.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
There are no local trains or buses, and taxis are prohibited for us to use anywhere in the country. You will either have to rely on the embassy's woefully inadequate motor pool or bring your own car. There are also embassy shuttles to supermarkets and such, but the "system" for pickup to get home sounds pretty poor to me.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Many people seem to have SUVs but we don't, and our car has been just fine so far, although getting it serviced may prove a challenge (it's a German car). Driving here is a bit dangerous and really requires you to be ready for anything as the locals don't follow what we would call traffic rules. If you're planning to drive out in the desert, then a 4WD is mandatory.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Not in most of the housing; certainly not in the newer construction that is located on the outskirts of the DQ. I pay about US$100 a month for what is supposed to be high speed Internet connection because I need it for my remote job, but it slows to a crawl quite often during the day and crashes frequently. I can't even imagine what people put up with who don't have a wired telephone and thus no chance of having this so-called high speed connection.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I brought my iPhone from home and bought a local chip, and it's fine. Be sure that your domestic phone is unlocked, though, before coming here. The embassy issues some phones as well, but they're mainly in Arabic and hard to use. Some of the newer housing has no cell phone coverage, or very spotty at best, plus no wired telephones, so I guess in that case it doesn't really matter what kind of cell phone you have.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
No, they don't need to be quarantined, but you must go through a huge amount of work to obtain an import permit for them, and they absolutely cannot be transported during the summer. I have heard there is a vet on the military base but have yet so see it, and I have heard of one local vet. Given how much the Saudis dislike dogs, though, it's hard to imagine that this vet is too familiar with dogs. What I have found, though, is that the Saudis are curious about dogs, even if they claim not to like them. So on several occasions we'd be walking our dog and a car with a Saudi family would stop. The father would ask if his kids can "meet" our dog. We say yes and get her to sit. The kids get out of the car, wave at our dog, get back in and drive off. A real life encounter with a dog!
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Not really. There might be some teaching jobs, but my understanding is that those are pretty dreadful (and I'm also not sure dependents can take them without work permits). Most dependents work at the Embassy or related organizations. A telecommuting job could also work if you are lucky enough to get a house that can sustain a high-speed connection.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
American women don't need to wear an abaya or headscarf at the Embassy or when performing their job, but an abaya at the very least is required in public by law, and unless you want to get stopped (or worse) by the muttawa (religious police), it's advisable to wear a scarf as well and at a minimum, have one with you, always. If you get caught without a headscarf, you can be thrown out of shopping malls and such (and people have been). Some say that we don't have to wear an abaya on the Diplomatic Quarter, which is true as there are no muttawa here, but the entire place is full of immigrant workers (and a lot of Saudis live here as well), so unless you like constantly being gawked at by very large groups of men, an abaya is recommended. Men seem to be able to wear what they want, except for things like shorts.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
It's a high terrorism threat post in a volatile region of the world, so one always has to be aware of one's surroundings. We are forbidden from taking taxis for security reasons, which can make getting around difficult unless you have a car. The embassy's motor pool is totally inadequate and the subject of many complaints among the community. There is no public transportation system, but I'm sure even if there was, we wouldn't be able to use that either for reasons of security. That said, I have never felt unsafe or threatened here.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
The sand in the air is unhealthy and contributes to upper respiratory ailments. It's my understanding that the hospitals we use are first class.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Not good. The amount of sand and dust in the air is phenomenal. I have read that some 4,000 tons of sand descends on Riyadh every month.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
When we arrived in October, it was pretty hot (100 degrees F), but nowhere near what it gets in summer (120 degrees F and up). It wasn't unpleasant, except for the fact that we had no cool water available to us because of the situation of our water tanks, which the embassy is unwilling to remedy. Since November, the weather has been delightful, cool much of the time, and even cold at night. We also had a lot of rain, which unfortunately caused much flooding in housing leased by the embassy. In summer, I understand that most everybody stays inside, and with good reason in those extreme temperatures.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
People seem happy enough here -- I expected everybody to be miserable, but they aren't. People also don't seem to want to leave, which surprised me.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
People seem to have get togethers at home. I don't think restaurants are used for that kind of thing. I work most of the time so really don't have a social life here!
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
I think it's fine for families and couples; it would be quite difficult for single women here since they can't drive and it's sometimes difficult and unadvisable to go places on your own. Being part of a couple, I think a woman has much more of a chance to interact with locals, too.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
I don't know personally, but there must be some gay or lesbian expats here. Homosexuality is forbidden by law, so I would be pretty careful.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Well, certainly with gender prejudice -- if you're a woman, you're already a second-class citizen. Religions other than Islam are not tolerated, and Christians can't even celebrate Christmas and such, so religious prejudice, definitely. There are many black Saudis, so I don't think that kind of prejudice is a problem; however, if you're Southeast Asian or Filipino, as many of the immigrant laborers are, you might run into some problems of being treated like household help.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
The best places we have visited so far have been the old city of Diriyah (a UNESCO World Heritage site), which is 10 minutes from where we live on the Diplomatic Quarter. On several occasions we were invited in off the street by Saudi families for lunch or tea -- the hospitality of these people is rivaled by none! We also spent a long weekend in Jeddah, which was delightful -- a beautiful city on the Red Sea that is not as conservative as Riyadh.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Definitely visit old Diriyah -- not only does it host a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it's a charming, very friendly town. Also Riyadh's camel souk is fascinating. The view from atop Al Faisaliyah is far more than just a view of the city -- it's a very unique way of seeing Riyadh in a golden globe.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
There isn't much in the way of local crafts here, except for camels. However, there is an excellent shop in Dhahran that makes tables from old Saudi doors, frames tribal masks and has a superb collection of Saudi art. There is also the gold souk if that interests you. Additionally, one can buy designer abayas, which are far more expensive than what you'll find in the souks, but are also exquisite and make having to wear one much more tolerable (enjoyable, even).
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
A very different culture, beautiful weather in fall and winter, interesting places to explore if you just look for them, incredibly hospitable people (the Saudis).
10. Can you save money?
Yes, absolutely. I had been told that you simply must get out of here every four weeks in order to be able to stand it, so I thought all extra money would go for travel. We have been here six months and haven't even felt the urge to flee. Food, however, is expensive, as is having to furnish houses at your own expense with the basic necessities.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I didn't want to come here in the worst way because of what I had heard. I wish I had known that it isn't so bad and that there are interesting things to learn about the country and the culture and the people. My feelings might change in summer, but for now, I am enjoying our posting here.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes, I would, and I would stay longer than the posting if I had to.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Heavy winter clothes, but bring warm clothes at least for the cold winters. We're in the middle of the desert here, but contrary to what most people think, it cools down considerably in fall and winter.
4. But don't forget your:
Polarized sunglasses -- absolutely necessary with the brilliant sun here.
5. Do you have any other comments?
I thought it would be the country, customs or people that I wouldn't like here, along with the restrictions concerning women and a supposed ban on photography (which isn't true, you just have to be careful), but much to my surprise I am finding the overall experience enjoyable. Ironically it's the embassy and the way it operates that I have issues with, especially with regard to the poor housing situation. As I said before, the brutal summer could change my opinion, but if that's only for four months of the year, I think it can be survived.
