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…
saudi arabia expat life
Why Do You Write About the Good Things?
Those of you who have been reading my blog might have noticed that the significant majority of my articles on this blog have a positive tone to them. Considering the fact that I have dedicated this site to live in Saudi Arabia, which is unfortunately not seen in a positive light by many people from the outside, many of my readers probably ask themselves why I am keeping a blog that talks…
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…
A Visual Intro to Saudi Art
Many people who have never been here and are convinced that Saudi society is backwards, often think that Saudi Arabia does not have a culture. That also includes the opinion that in Saudi Arabia there are no artists who create fabulous paintings. For those of you who stumbled upon this post and (falsely) believe all the things listed above, let me share with you my favorite painting exhibits from a booklet that…
A Little Party Never Killed Nobody: On the Other Purpose of Embassies
Most of us know embassies as places where you get travel documents or where you go if you have a “diplomatic hold up” in another country etc. But have you ever thought about what else an embassy could be useful for? Think for a moment… Yes, you are absolutely correct! In Saudi Arabia, embassies are also places for social gatherings that sometimes, depending on the level of effort, can be considered a…
Things That You Thought Are Banned in Saudi Arabia But Actually Aren’t
Some people think that Saudi Arabia is a place where things go backwards, meaning that people live like they did in ancient times. That may be true for some things which I probably should not be discussing on here but one of the things that contribute to this general opinion are the things that are (supposedly) banned in this country and to which this post is dedicated. At the very beginning, I…
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…