I live in Saudi Arabia. AMA!

[Shmithecat]

I still hear so many daft claims about certain aspects of living in KSA. Happy to confirm or deny what you've been told!

Oh God here comes another one....
@LunaTrap you are aware that in some provincial parts of the UK, that gay men and lesbian women still experience hate, prejudice and violence? I'm off to visit a friend of mine this afternoon who has just been discharged from hospital after being badly assaulted. His crime was to walk along a road holding hands with his male partner - in a small UK city.

Frazzled2207

I think you're getting a hard time OP.

Meh. It's ok. I was expecting worse. No one has diagnosed me with Stockholm syndrome yet

I couldn't live there but willing to believe that I might feel differently if there was an extremely lucrative job opportunity.

Same - we never sat and decided to look for work there. Dh was head hunted and we decided to go for it.

Do you worry about your son growing up and thinking the kind of things going on there are ok? And/or do you intend to shield him from it as much as possible?

Yes, and yes. I want him to understand the country for all its good and bad. I'm raising him no differently to how I would in the UK. Well adjusted, appreciative of the opportunities he has and respectful of all people, regardless of sex/gender.

Queen I wasn't intending to contribute further to this thread but OP made a dismissive comment and I'm entitled to address it. This is an AMA, and you are not the thread police. That is terrible what happened to your friend, I sincerely hope the hate crime legislation we have in the UK is utilised. Tell me again the legislation on gay rights in Saudi Arabia?

I've only been to the UAE, so: have you visited the UAE? Is Saudi much more conservative compared to the UAE from your point of view? Have you ever been discriminated (sorry if it's been asked)?

LunaTrap
That's pretty flippant tbh OP. I assume you are aware of the treatment of gay men in the country where you live?

Yes. But unlike some who only get their info from the web/daily fail, I know how it actually is, day to day. You say flippant. I say knowledgeable.

@LunaTrap you are entitled to address it but the OP is no more responsible for how gay people are treated in SA as we are for what happened to my friend in the UK. That's just ridiculous. There are people ads of policies and procedures I am appalled at in the UK but I ain't responsible for them.

Loads of not people ads 🙄 bloody autocorrect!

Queen you equated an illegal assault with state sanctioned flogging, execution and murder. I'm sure the moment before the sentence is carried out the man in question would give anything to be living somewhere in the UK, 'provincial' or otherwise. And no, OP isn't responsible for gay rights in SA. She is responsible for comments she makes on a public forum minimising the issue though.

So are you saying that the reported punishments aren't happening then OP? Men aren't being sentenced to trumped up death sentences or flogging contrary to reports? That's great if so.

@LunaTrap how has she minimised it? You've joined the realms of @Moussemoose in somebody who's just looking for a fight, which is a pity really.

I have chosen to question the OP based on a specific issue and comment, you have chosen to address me personally with 'god here comes another one' and repeatedly take issue with my posts, yet I'm the one looking for a fight?

musicalxo
I've only been to the UAE, so: have you visited the UAE?

No, I haven't. Not massively interested in it tbh!

Is Saudi much more conservative compared to the UAE from your point of view?

Much more conservative. I other parts of the ME, things like alcohol and pork products are available. Women have always been able to drive. Abayas don't have to be worn (although hopefully KSA is heading the same way in that respect). Sex segregation in KSA has only recently started to ease off a bit - Saudis first cinema opened a few months ago! Sounds daft, but that in itself is huge.

Have you ever been discriminated (sorry if it's been asked)?

Not personally, no. I've been treated well. The laws are crazy. But most of the people aren't!

@LunaTrap am definitely not looking for a fight, my perception was that was what you were doing in being ridiculous by thinking that the OP was responsible for various aspects of life in SA, over which she has no control whatsoever 🙄 got better things to do than pick fights with randoms on t'internet, believe me.

Loving this thread. Very interesting. How long do you plan to stay there? How do you think your son will adjust to life back in the UK?

If you can tell me where I said OP was responsible for laws in SA that'd be great thanks.

Babysharkdoodoodoo
Loving this thread. Very interesting. How long do you plan to stay there? How do you think your son will adjust to life back in the UK?

Another couple of years I think. Not sure. With what's going on in the UK at the moment with Brexit, crime (acid attack on a 3yo 😧😧😧😧) etc, I'd be pretty ok with staying here for now.

We come back to the UK in the school holidays. He's been back and forth since he was born and takes everything in his stride!

That's pretty flippant tbh OP. I assume you are aware of the treatment of gay men in the country where you live?

Of course the OP will be aware of them - but like you and I are aware of such situations in the UK, we alone are powerless as an individual to change them, nor are we responsible for them. That would just be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Your posts to the OP appear to be accusatory and militant, which is sad really.

So I didn't say OP was personally responsible did I? I questioned what I thought was a flippant comment about a serious issue. OP has also stated that she has knowledge about gay rights which is different to what is reported so I have asked her to expand on that. What is actually sad is you being a self appointed bouncer and jumping on any question that isn't 100% positive. It is tiresome and derailing any opportunity for meaningful discussion.

Trialsmum We lived in Dharan 90's, early 00's too!

Shmithecat It is an interesting thread, so thank you. Some things sound eactly the same from my experience, others completely new!

I enjoyed the part of my childhood i spent there, we then went back to visit my father who stayed working there, twice a year for 8 years afterwards. I enjoyed the freedom and the relationships we built on the compounds we lived on, but as I got in to my teenage years I yearned to be back in the U.K.
It took my parents a long time to realize we could go to the shops at any time of day and not avoid prayer times

So interesting the Mutawa are no longer in force, I have some horrible memories of them from my childhood. So glad to hear things are moving somewhat in the right direction.
I found it a very 'us and them' way of living when we were there, but would love to go back and visit family friends that remained out there when we left.

my question would be have you had any moments that have made you want to pack up and turn around back to the U.K?
Also how old will your DS be when you plant to return home?

Crunchie14
my question would be have you had any moments that have made you want to pack up and turn around back to the U.K?

Daily!!! 😂😂. Either because of the dust, or a feral cat that i just can't manage to trap, or because it's too hot, or because dh has been a twat, or because I want a pork chop, etc etc etc... seriously though, when we first arrived, I cried every day for about 6 months. It was such a shock. As has been proven in this thread, you can read up and research all you like but you cannot prepare in reality for it. Especially as a woman. It's only been the past year or so that I've really settled.

Also how old will your DS be when you plant to return home?

We were planning on returning when he was 5, but I'm not so sure now. We may stay a bit longer.

Shmithecat

There's nothing that can prepare you, I loved the freedom of the compound and how safe we felt, yet the level of freedom you feel upon returning to the UK is unreal.
I was 12, out shopping with my DF and brother, wearing baggyish normal clothes when someone approached my dad, he has never told me what was said but that afternoon we went and bought 2 abaya's and I think around that time onwards my eyes opened a lot more to things I'd never paid attention to before! Glad to hear you are settling more now.
I think you've handled the grilling from others pretty well!

Great thread OP. thank you

@LunaTrap at is actually sad is you being a self appointed bouncer and jumping on any question that isn't 100% positive. It is tiresome and derailing any opportunity for meaningful discussion.

Really? Really? 🙄

Very few people would turn that opportunity down.
You're wrong about that. I know a number of people who were offered jobs in the ME, and only one of them accepted. I think most people DO have moral objections to making money from a country governed in that way, and many don't want to live the expat life.
The OP has basically said they are only in it for the money and are going to leave asap, which is another way of saying she actually finds it shit. I don't know why some posters seem to be reading "it's a nice place to live" into her replies.

Gosh it must be so hard work being so right on all the time. Oh I can't buy this vodka because it's Russian and I don't like Putin - but not only that, I need to bully and hector this British woman I don't know who's living in Russia about that too. And that reminds me, I really should start a thread criticising anyone who visits Florida or eats Reese's Pieces because, you know, Trump. And lets not forget China, there's all sorts of stuff going on over there, so I'll picket the local pound shop for stocking made in China goods and harangue anyone going inside because they have to THINK MY WAY.

Anyway. OP, what's Saudi food like? Is it like a lot of other Middle Eastern food like falafel, couscous and so on?