The lifestyle in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia was famously known for its conservative society and rules of modesty. Recently, major social changes have been underway in the country making settling in Saudi Arabia much easier.
No more gender segregation
It was once a common practice that unrelated men and women in Saudi Arabia are not to interact in public. Nowadays they can communicate freely, as long as public displays of affection or any harassment are not involved. Since December 2019, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has ended the requirement for restaurants, cashiers and businesses to have separate sections for males and families.
Where once music and entertainment were forbidden, now malls and stores are playing the music of their liking. At the end of 2019, Riyadh hosted MDl Beast, the largest regional three-day festival of electronic music, with world-renowned artists, along with some Saudi DJs, including women. Locals, expats and tourists ( after the new tourist visas were issued in September 2019) enjoyed the first Riyadh Season - a few months of celebrations with weekly fireworks, musicals, concerts, wrestling matches, etc.
No more religious police
From 1976 to 2016, social and everyday life in Saudi Arabia used to be under the strict watch of the Mutawwa-Hai'a, also known as the Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), also known as the religious police. Their role was to make sure Saudis were punctual in their prayers, abided by all the social norms, dressed appropriately — and more. The religious police used to hold a lot of power in the country and were able to detain people for misbehavior.
In 2016, the powers of the CPVPV were sharply curtailed. While they still function today, their role is now minor. They are unable to detain, question or ask anyone for identification. If there is an offense to be reported, they need to report back to police for action to be taken.
Dress code in Saudi Arabia
Saudi women generally wear their traditional abaya — a long black robe that covers your body from shoulders to ankles. It was once limited to a heavy black material, but nowadays you will find the abaya closely resembling a long dress - in different fabrics, colours, and designs. Foreign women are required to dress modestly and cover up, but the abaya is not mandatory for them.
Men are freer to wear whatever they want, except shorts above the knee and tank tops. In September 2019, the Public decency law was established to clarify the new dress code regulations.
Gastronomy in Saudi Arabia
The official and most popular dish in Saudi Arabia is the kabsa. Kabsa is an aromatic rice dish that is served with chicken, beef, or lamb. Depending on the region, camel meat is also served with kabsa. The traditional way of eating Kabsa is for it to be served in one large sharing dish, whereby everyone sits on the floor and eats using their right hand.
Saudi Arabia has developed into a huge food gastronomy hub. You can find cuisines from all over the world.
Leisure and shopping in Saudi Arabia
It's a great time to be an expat in Saudi Arabia when it comes to leisure time activities or shopping. The popular entertainment venues of concerts and cinemas are now booming, and the country is a real paradise for any shopaholic with all fashion apparel, haute couture and luxury goods available.
Social media and censorship in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, everyone needs to be mindful of their actions and behaviors, even on social media channels. Anything viewed to be negative towards the ruling family, authorities, notable religious leaders, religion, and the country are not allowed.
Several websites are banned and inaccessible. Despite that, Saudis are very active social media users. The platforms preferred by the locals are Whatsapp, Snapchat and Twitter, with Facebook lagging behind.
