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AMA
Original poster

I live in Saudi Arabia. AMA!

876 replies

Shmithecat · 21/07/2018 00:02

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 11:55

@LimeKiwi

The bloody prayer times shutting everything down 5 times a day

Sorry, just seen this bit. I can't even....
That's like coming to the UK and whinging and complaining about church bells ringing on a Sunday for service and interrupting your lie in, and the chimes every hour disrupting your pretty little village life...

No, its nothing like that at all. Church bells don't mean shops close for at least 45 mins at a time 5 times a day. Hmm

It's part of the country and culture you decided you wanted to live in.

I know. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 12:30

No, its nothing like that at all. Church bells don't mean shops close for at least 45 mins at a time 5 times a day. hmm

Point, head, whoosh....

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 13:07

@LimeKiwi

Or maybe your point just wasn't made very well 🤷‍♀️

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 13:09

If you say so.

ShanghaiDiva · 01/05/2019 13:10

Interesting thread:
What is health care like in KSA?
Do women attend a medical appointment alone or does a male relative need to be present if the doctor is male?

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 13:31

@ShanghaiDiva

Interesting thread:

Great!

What is health care like in KSA?
Do women attend a medical appointment alone or does a male relative need to be present if the doctor is male?

Nationals have free healthcare. All expats need private healthcare and employers/sponsors are legally obliged to provide it, but level of cover may differ. There are some very good hospitals, but it can be really confusing knowing how/if/when your insurance approves things, and there aren't really any GPs like UK, you usually go straight to a specialist depending on what the ailment is.

No, women don't need a male attendant for a Male drs appointment. My obstetrician, dermatologist, plastic surgeon and orthopedics dr etc are all male, and I've always made appointments and gone by myself.

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 13:32

Oops, bold fail. Sorry!

PattyCow · 01/05/2019 13:40

Do you get bored? It seems like not much to do outside the compound? Have you visited lots of different places within the country?

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 13:57

@PattyCow

Do you get bored? It seems like not much to do outside the compound? Have you visited lots of different places within the country?

Yeah, sometimes. Certainly not as much choice as back home, but there is the cinema now, Cirque du Soleil were here over Xmas, there's kids amusement parks, museums, strawberry picking, safari, dune buggies etc. We even have a curling team that have just played their first professional tournament. But the weather, especially in the summer (which is basically now until Oct/Nov) makes things quite difficult in the day unless it's an indoor activity.

I've lived in Jeddah, now Riyadh. Visited Yanbu. But no, not visited many other areas much more than an hours drive from any of those places. All our holiday time is spent visiting family in the UK, and weekends we mainly spend time at home or local to home.

Smotheroffive · 01/05/2019 14:35

I like to run, in shorts and short vest top, because, you know, hot exercising.

I like to listen to music on the beach and dance with my girlfriends out in the open I mean (not hidden, furtively, behind.compound doors). I have gay friends Shock that I don't need it worry about being stoned to death.

I love that my dd's are free to express themselves, which is hard enough in any patriarchal society. They don't have to cover up, and can experiment with their ids which a psychologist will agree is a fundamental part of healthy psychological development.

That's not always easy here, but at least it's not completely shut down because 'shame', control, abuse oh and money.

I find it weird that supporting such regimes can be expected by any to not be met with bad feeling, including those supporting those who support it, by living there and promoting it as a great life.

Smotheroffive · 01/05/2019 14:45

I also think its extremely important for my girls to feel on a par with their peers, male and female. To not feel shame at their sexuality.

To hold intellectual conversations with men and women without having to be chaperones or in fear of stoning, because, you know, women can't be trusted to just shag any bloke she meets. However, she'll still be raped and blamed/shamed, as that rape will be her fault have no doubt.

We have arguments still raging about that here in the UK, but women won't be pursued and stined for being raped, or driven out of their homes, and ripped away from their DC.

Smotheroffive · 01/05/2019 14:45

*stoned

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 14:52

Don't worry. @smotheroffive. If If I decide to up sticks and live there it won't matter as I'm behind my compound gates so doesn't apply to me. And anyway, I'm white and Western and have lots of money OK the last one isn't true, I have the grand total of about 50p lol

Smotheroffive · 01/05/2019 15:02

I don't think it's something anyone should be taking lightly, lives are being lost, women, girls, gays, tortured, and obviously I wasn't talking about you or I would have said so.

PattyCow · 01/05/2019 15:15

Why oh why can we not mute specific posters? If I had one Mumsnet wish it would be for that feature.

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 15:22

Why oh why can we not mute specific posters? If I had one Mumsnet wish it would be for that feature

It wouldn't be much of a discussion board if you just muted anyone who had a different opinion though, would it?
Can you imagine in AIBU?
OP - "AIBU?"
poster - yes, you are BVU. Here's why I don't agree with you.

OP - "OMG, that's it. I want opinions but only ones I like, not yours. sulk

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 16:07

@LimeKiwi

Why oh why can we not mute specific posters? If I had one Mumsnet wish it would be for that feature

It wouldn't be much of a discussion board if you just muted anyone who had a different opinion though, would it?
Can you imagine in AIBU?
OP - "AIBU?"
poster - yes, you are BVU. Here's why I don't agree with you.

OP - "OMG, that's it. I want opinions but only ones I like, not yours. sulk

Of course, I welcome debate and opinions that differ from mine. But having that opinion shoved down your throat 812 times, along with spades full of judgement and assumption really isn't a 'discussion'. It's just a tiresome tirade. I don't want to mute anyone because of their opinion. I just don't want the same opinion served to me over and over. It's very dull.

And, this isn't in AIBU. Its AMA. Any questions for me? Ones that you haven't asked me already?

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 16:15

And, this isn't in AIBU. Its AMA. Any questions for me?

I know it's not. Just saying that a mute button on here would be ridiculous and presumably not a feature for a reason.

SeaEagleFeather · 01/05/2019 16:29

It wouldn't be much of a discussion board

You and a couple of others aren't having a discussion. That would involve give and take.

Shmithecat2 · 01/05/2019 16:31

@SeaEagleFeather

😂

Orchidflower1 · 01/05/2019 16:32

LimeKiwi et al

There’s a lovely and potentially very interesting AMA titles “I live in NYC”. The op is answering lots of things so far- she’s an expat.
Nobody has asked anything about....
Trump
Gang war fare
Drugs
Abortion
The vast homelessness problem in nyc
The huge wealth divide
The corruption in public office
Illegal immigrants
Building the wall etc
The torture and investigation techniques of the CIA

So there is plenty of scope for you yet. May I suggest once you’ve made your points you don’t have the persistent diatribe seen here with this op though as the nyc lady stated in her op she’s heavily pregnant. Just a heads up.

Smotheroffive · 01/05/2019 16:34

Good god alive actually Patty

I didn't think anyone supported repression of free speech, in the 'free' world that is unless you're supporting an oppressive regime

Orchidflower1 · 01/05/2019 16:35

Op I’m plagiarising a question someone posted on the nyc thread but it’s a good question - how does the cost of living compare? Is public transport dear? Are certain things is shops extremes of costs? I know some mentioned gold up thread but I meaning more day to day aspects.

Halo84 · 01/05/2019 16:37

Windows stop with the sanctimony. You haven’t posted anything that most people don’t know. All you are trying to do is derail the thread. Furthermore, not every Saudi, including Saudi women, view their country as a hellhole.

LimeKiwi · 01/05/2019 16:37

You and a couple of others aren't having a discussion. That would involve give and take.

I've been asking questions.