I have always been wondering about the people who are reading this blog. More importantly: in the vast dimension of the internet, how on earth did they come across my blog among so many others? Algorithms provide an interesting angle from which one can look at this question. My analytics page shows me some of the search terms which have been used before the link to this blog has been clicked. I…
living in Saudi Arabia
Service Denied
I came across something on my Facebook feed today that sparked in me a new load of thoughts that may keep this blog going. There was a video about how a Starbucks in Saudi Arabia had denied service to women and asked for their drivers to get the coffee instead. Dear haters and critics, I don’t want to proclaim that Saudi Arabia is a paradise for women (not by comparison to other places, in…
Ma’a Salama Riyadh: Last Post Maybe
By the time I am writing this I have already left Riyadh and maybe even for good. There were quite a few things happening but not as much that I could have written about up until now. Things like the last exams or prom and in the end, graduation. I must say that despite all of the differences between life in Riyadh and life anywhere else, I miss Saudi Arabia. I miss…
To Adapt, or Not to Adapt, That is the Question
Why would the average person move to Saudi Arabia? For many it is all about the luxuries, such as cheap gasoline, luxurious houses and a good salary. But unfortunately, many of those people don’t think about the differences between this country and the country of their origin. In the end, they realize that in order to have a bearable life here, one must adapt to the local customs and rules. However, by…
Cultural Pas Faux: Shaking Hands
Today, one of my western friends seemed to be very surprised about the fact that in Saudi Arabia men and women who are not related to each other do not shake hands, as it is, generally speaking, socially unacceptable. I can imagine that some of you may be very surprised as well when finding out about this, so I thought that a post about this cultural norm may end up being helpful…
Learn to Dance in the Rain Before You Get on Your Jet Ski
Even though it is only the beginning of March right now, it gets very warm here, especially at midday. I see girls come to school in dresses and skirts and whenever I go outside covered up, I already start feeling uncomfortable temperature wise. Before coming here I, as many other globetrotters, had the issue of what to take with me to Riyadh and what to leave behind. Knowing about how hot it…
Slices of Life
One day in my journalism class back in Junior year, my teacher suggested that we add a “slices of life” section to our school’s news blog but whether we actually did that or not, I can’t remember. Basically, a slices of life section contains short things that…let’s say just happened. Maybe somebody said something very funny. If so, a journalist can write that funny quote down and here you have your slices…
Experiences in a Nutshell – Advice For Future Expats
From my very arrival in the kingdom up until now, I have faced some situations, or what I would call cultural lessons, that taught me something about how to handle life here, especially as a non- Saudi. For the future Saudi expats among my readers or those who are just generally interested, here is a list of things that you should keep in mind and things you may want to do once…
There’s No Such Thing as “Just Friends”
Some people may say that making mistakes is a good thing. If you make a mistake, you will (hopefully) learn from it and whatever it is you did, you will (hopefully) not do it again. In the case of Riyadh however, learning from the mistakes of others can be just as effective and actually even better for your own good, if not for your own life. So if you are a wannabe…
365 Days Around the Sun
Just to make sure that I am still around, here a little summary of my birthday in pictures. Never would have thought I’d spend my 19th year on earth in a place like Saudi Arabia……