Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Report of what it's like to live there - 12/29/09
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?
This was my first expat experience for a period of more than 2 months.
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?
Central US. 14 hours to the east coast (via Europe) if you're flying on the USG's dime. Then another 3+ hours home.
3. How long have you lived here?
1 year.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
I worked at the US Embassy.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Embassy housing is on the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ), large and very nice but bland. The walls and carpets are the same color as the sand-and-blast walls outside. I walked to work, as did a lot of other Embassy staff.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Anything that's imported from overseas (some of the fresh fruits and vegetables, familiar US brands) is more expensive. Getting things that are produced locally or imported from Western companies' production outposts in Dubai is fairly cheap. Most fresh produce has a shelf life of only 2 days -- you can't buy produce to last for a week.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
A few household goods like razors (evidently most women there bleach and/or wax?), sedate jewelry (most stores sell things that are VERY flashy), and Christmas/holiday foods - obviously those are hard to come by in Riyadh. Board games - these are popular ways to socialize and are healthier for your liver.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
A lot of US chains are available (TGIF, Chili's, McDonald's), and there are a few nice restaurants. Prices are about comparable to those in the US.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Nothing in particular.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
APO - pretty quick from the US, as few as 8 days. Sometimes things get misrouted, though.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Pretty cheap - most housekeepers charge about $5 an hour for a minimum of 5 hours to clean houses. Cooking costs more -- but not prohibitively so. Most people got housekeepers weekly or biweekly.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
I hear that there are some out in the city, but I'm not sure. I just used the one at the embassy.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Most major cards (Visa seems to be the most popular) are accepted almost everywhere, but periodically the network will crash, and you'll have to pay in cash. The restaurant or store may or may not inform you of this before the bill is due. It's best to carry cash as a backup.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Protestant and Catholic services are held privately on the DQ. I heard that there are Mormon services out in the city, but that's incredibly risky.
6. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
Available and not terribly expensive.
7. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
No one you'll deal with in the grocery stores or restaurants is actually Saudi (and likely not even Arab), so English is the lingua franca for such scenarios. For official contacts, your interlocutors will almost all speak some modicum of English, but Arabic helps to smooth any ruffled feathers.
8. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Depends on what you want to do in Riyadh. If you just want to go to a few of the nice malls and restaurants, you'll be fine. If you want to go elsewhere, this is not a city that's well designed for fully-abled pedestrians, much less anyone with physical disabilities.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
There is no mass transit. Cabs are off-limits to USG employees anyway. I hope you don't mind everyone in the motor pool knowing where you've been and who you've seen.
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?
Wouldn't know - I'm female.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
I bought through the embassy. It's not particularly fast or cheap, but it'll do. There is heavy censorship on the internet.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I used my embassy phone for everything and had few problems. One odd thing about Saudi society is that sometimes young men will call numbers randomly until they get a woman to answer, then they'll call back incessantly, just out of excitement to hear a woman's voice, and to try to arrange a meet-up. I had one harasser calling me 4-8 times a night between midnight and 4 AM before I finally sent my phone home with a male coworker who'd been raised in Riyadh. When the harasser called at 1 AM, my coworker screamed at the caller for calling his 'wife.' No problems after that.
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.
2. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
Through the military installation nearby, as well as on the local economy. Not terrible.
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 for USG spouses.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
At work I wore business suits. On the DQ but not walking to work, I wore anything I wanted, so long as it included pants and covered most of my arms. Ond outside the DQ you can wear whatever you want underneath your abaya (neck-down black cloak). I didn't cover my hair, as expat women (esp. the white ones) aren't expected to do so. Depending on where I was, I carried a veil to cover my hair just so I didn't attract as many stares. But I would never fit in -- even if I covered my face the way most Saudi women do. Western women even walk differently than Saudi women do: more stridently. You just can't blend in.
Health & Safety:
1. Pollution index (Good, Moderate, Unhealthy, or Very Unhealthy)?
Moderate - lots of dust.
2. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Oh, God, yes! Especially as a USG employee. There are constant security concerns.
3. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
The dust and dryness gave me and everyone else horrid nosebleeds. The doctors seemed to be alright from what I heard - but I didn't have to see anyone outside the embassy.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Hot. Dusty. Dry. Nine months of hell, then two months of moderate temperatures (only 100 F during the day, but it's a DRY heat!) and one month of actual cool weather.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
No school-age dependents are allowed for USG folks. No clue about other expat communities.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Quite large.
2. Morale among expats:
Depends on what you do and how big your social group is.
3. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Hahahahaha...hope you like house parties! I never drank as much in my life as I did in Riyadh. And bring board games.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
I think if you can arrange to work at the embassy with your spouse, it can be good. The money's an obvious incentive. Dating someone of the opposite gender is very hard unless you date someone at your (or another) embassy. Unless you both have diplomatic ID, you're likely to be harassed if you try to go out to do anything in Riyadh proper -- especially if one or both of you are not white. Good luck dating someone at the US military installation 45 minutes away. The motor pool won't drive you there for personal visits, and the people stationed there usually must travel with a buddy. There's very little to do in Riyadh except sit in houses and socialize. Bahrain is good for weekend trips, but those get pricey if you try to go frequently.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Well, you can go out in public with someone of the same gender, so it's at least a little easier than heterosexual dating. With that being said, it's not a good idea to show that you're anything other than platonic!
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
YES. Saudi society is predicated on social/racial/religious hierarchies, and you will never be good enough. White westerners are accorded a special superficial respect, with women and non-white westerners given that status grudgingly. But you only need to see how Saudis treat unskilled workers (slavery's been abolished in name only) to realize how tenuous your status is.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Bahrain.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Dates and date products.
9. Can you save money?
Yes, especially with the benefits package that USG people get. Just don't get too depressed and impulse-buy on Amazon to keep yourself entertained!
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Absolutely not.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
parkas, snow boots, and trench coats. But do bring a hoodie for the one month it's actually a little chilly.
3. But don't forget your:
fancy clothes. If you go to any receptions with women only, the Americans are always the frumpiest!
