New to Riyadh looking for Westerners!

Whenever I see someone looking for Westerns I wonder what will be done when they are found? Do you pin them on a display board? Stick them in a jar? Poke them with a stick?

Welcome to the board! Sorry I cannot help you with the Westerners.

LOL @ Xena...

With all thats going on in the news, why come onto a board and state your looking specifically for westerners?

Just a thought....

LOl poeple  here are welcome man! Seriously!hahaha ,I guess not too hospitable !I am used to it though when I came here ,specially that am a little bit neither western ,neither pakistani or philippino so I really had a hard time to find pals here to hang out sometimes! Hope u find amigos!Welcome to Riyadh!

lol

when i first read your reply i thought you were calling me racist or something as i wanted to find some westerners to talk to instead of the other expats etc... but now i think you actually accusing me (in a funny way) of being a terrorist looking for westerners!!!

well i never saw it that way, and besides westerners aren't really hard to find just pick a compound, i wouldn't be scared of terrorism here i think the biggest threat is being robbed by a dodgy taxi driver or someone else

OMG that so much fun!starts to get intersting this thread!Cool keep on!

Calentica87 wrote:

OMG that so much fun!starts to get intersting this thread!Cool keep on!

HA!  Now you're encouraging fighting!!  I think I like you!

@i3sa  I know what you're saying.  I have friends here from all over and I really appreciate learning about new cultures and ways of seeing things.

But sometimes it's just soooo relaxing to be around people who have a common background (I can drop a Seinfeld quote without having to spend 10 minutes explaining it which, of course, kind of kills the joke lol).

You are so funny!

Dont ask me "Who is funny?"

Of course,

Xenolol

Having westerner friends are over rated… they will never truly appreciate Kabbsa, dance with after having too much 7UP's or even go streaking  in a football match fully clothed !!! ….

ahmadaq wrote:

Having westerner friends are over rated… they will never truly appreciate Kabbsa, dance with after having too much 7UP's or even go streaking  in a football match fully clothed !!! ….

I agree if the situation is NON-western with an idealized vision of westerners.  However, if you ARE a westerner it's fun to have some western friends (just as if you are Pakistani, I'm sure you want some Pakistani friends; Japanese, want some Japanese friends; Colombian, want some Colombian friends)!

The lack of reading comprehension here is appalling.

I did not say one racist thing, nor did I accuse anyone of being a terrorist.

Many people come to this board looking for Western folk, for whatever reason. Most seem like they want a collection of them, like a collection of toys, spoons, or cars to display. It was a joke. I apologize that it wasn't simple enough to understand.

Xenolol wrote:

Many people come to this board looking for Western folk, for whatever reason. Most seem like they want a collection of them, like a collection of toys, spoons, or cars to display. It was a joke. I apologize that it wasn't simple enough to understand.

I know what you're saying.  It seems to me they are looking to collect Western 'friends' as a means to have access to Western compounds (not too superficial, eh?).

But i3sa is a different case--profile says he's Welsh.  He probably just wants some mates to discuss the latest 'footie' matches

And, I could be wrong but I read the 'terrorist' thing as being a reference to Born2Network's rather ambiguous post, not yours.

Because Western compounds equal forbidden fruit.

Yes, his profile says that, and my failed attempt at humor was not directed at him but the question of seeking the Western folk that runs on this board. As if Westerners are collectors items or bound to get along with everyone else Western (which is a problem I have seen in all five countries I have lived in: this idea that everyone will be friends as long as they share a skin color or nationality, or that everyone with the same skin color or nationality knows everyone else with that skin color or nationality).

Also, most of the Western folk I have met have been very anti-Saudi and Islam which makes me do this: (Granted, not everyone is like that, I just have bad luck with people I guess.)

It could be a reference to B2N, it was poorly worded.

Xenolol wrote:

Also, most of the Western folk I have met have been very anti-Saudi and Islam which makes me do this:

I know what you're saying.  I myself have been in the very fortunate position, job-wise, of being to meet and get to know many Saudis, male and female, so I know Saudi's as PEOPLE.

Many other expats, unfortunately, don't have this opportunity and, being frustrated by the culture/government, lash out at the people and Islam.

I've come to realize that the culture/government and the people aren't necessarily the same thing.  In fact, the nationals feel many of the same frustrations that expats do.

wow sounds like i've started a war here lol

well there's a lot of things to reply to, but there is an easy way to see if someone is for real or not, and thats to have a skype video call ! That way you can be sure you're not meeting up with a racist and or a terrorist...:p

indeed i am from Wales, and its the Rugby we watch there, not football... was that a honey pot to catch me out?? just kidding! But seriously I don't like football or rugby... I grew up on computers and here I am... although I'm no nerd... not that there's much wrong with nerds!

So someone please explain to me whats life like on the green zone side of the compound, is it really a place free of the laws of this land?

Im new to Riyadh too, just got here 3 weeks ago.

Any advice on activities would be great

Cheers

i3sa wrote:

wow sounds like i've started a war here lol

You didn't.  All discussion that leads to better understanding is a good thing   And btw, welcome to the kingdom haha

It's all about balance and surrounding yourself with the right mix of people (the right one for YOU).

Once I met a young Brit who has been living in Jeddah for more than three years and he never had tried any of the area cuisines or even went to Balad. He worked and lived at the same compound and every weekend he will take the same compound bus to the same sea resort. I also met a Saudi student in UK who after spending more than a year there could not form one full sentence in English, because he only mixed with other Saudis there.

It's their life and they can live it the way that suit them, but they shouldn't comeback to me and say that I lived in this or that country and the people there are so and so !!!

Three weeks ago we had gathering of some friends… South African Bar BQ , Scottish boding, Czech toasted bread with cheese and ONE BIG ARAB APATITE ……… that's the right mix am talking about

I'm posting this all over the place in order to check the pulse of the expat community here.

A few of my good friends and I are starting an anglophone poetry/ creative writing 'open-mic'.

It will be held in Riyadh.

First one is happening June 27th.

As of today there are 6-7 people attending.

But I suspect there are many more creative types out there aching to share some work and indulge that part of their identities. 

If you're one such type, let me know and I'll send along an address.

[email protected]

Hello. 39 y/o M