Single Female Expats?

Hello Talanathas!

I hope that other members will advise you soon.

Good luck,
Harmonie.

if i were you, id stay in egypt. there is no such things as "life" out here in saudi.

I'm currently located in Canada and looking into moving to possibly Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Turkey.

I know the KSA has little tourism oppurtunities, so I've been exploring more secraterial and basic office admin jobs. I'd be happy in Retail, but I doubt anyone would want to bring someone from overseas just to work retail for them lol
I'd prefer professonal setting childcare position (like a daycare) and would really like something that abled me to interact with children.

I've been reading up on life in KSA for quite some time- I find a lot of expats more pessimistic about their experience, but it's just one of those things I feel I want to do.I just want to know if it's even possible for someone with little experience jump right into the Saudi job market.

All the best talanathas..... Nice idea of setting up daycare here. ..... good luck

why on earth would a single 22 year old girl want to come to saudi??? There are few job opportunities, unless related to medical, teaching, or oil business. The social life is almost non exsistant ( read all the other blogs) you cant drive, there is virtually nothing to do. You have to wear an abaiya, so if you like to go cycling, jogging, walking, FORGET IT. Follow btbw advice, stay where you are..............

Bernex, you get a high five!!

Curiousity mostly. The history of the country fascinates me and I'd love to see it all first hand. Would I go crazy from culture shock? Perhapes. Will I actually ever get a job in KSA? Not likely at this point. I realize where I'm younger and don't have relevent experience to fields that are typically for expat women.
A lot of people seem to get very bored in KSA... but I think it'd be a pretty intense spiritually testing experience.

I can keep asking and trying. Doesn't hurt.

Thats the point you will not be able to see or really get to know the culture unless you happen to make friends with a local family which is highly unlikely as you will not be able to go out and freely socialise and if you can the local women cant, and most are very suspicious of us, even me at 52, so at 22 years old they will not be happy at all!!! I know i sound negative, but beleive me i am a real go getter and get in there kind of girl after being an expat for 25 years and many different countries and cultures, i have finally met my challenge. So far, I am bored silly and am frustrated by the restrictions put upon western women............but thats a whole other issue and one that cant be discussed or argued on this forum. With my hand on  my heart, I cant think of one reason that you should come here............ as far as the spiritual experience, well yes a lot of meditation as you will have so much time on your hands.........sorry to be so brutally honest

They only hire single females for teaching or medical fields, as far as I know.  I've been offered a teaching job and I'm a single female - what others have said is pretty much true - you're very restricted as a single female in Saudi - you can't drive, it's rare to see a female alone in public, so unless you're prepared to live like a cloistered nun, I wouldn't advise it.  It's not too bad if you live on the Aramco compound or in Jeddah, Khobar, or Damman (from what I've heard).  But if you're in a smaller place or in the interior where there are expat to local ratio is low, life will be harder.  Good luck - if you do come down, look me up, I'll have a better feel for the place once I land in September (inshallah! - God willing - oh, and get used to the God references - every sentence begins and ends with God).

just be careful not to get mistakenly traded for a herd of sheep! lol

Most  expats are here for the comparatively handsome salaries, since that's the only way to get most expats here is to throw a LOT of money in our faces.  It took a lot to get me here.  And it will take a lot to keep me here for any length of time.  If you want to pay student loans, or a mortgage, or build your dream-home somewhere, this is THE place to get out of the lving-paycheck-to-paycheck rut. That being said, however, no other good reasons for being here come to mind, whether one is male or female. Cheers.

did u consider uae? its really nice here for a young lady.. ur free u can go out whenever you want and do anything u like preferably in a group..

i think comparatively speaking turkey is better than ksa but ofcourse salaries are higher in ksa.. if its for the history and tourism maybe you can visit here but not live. its living in four walls.

Im thinking to coming to saudi but def with a friend at the same place. for the sake of the cv otherwise i wouldnt give up uae. i couldnt find the same job opportunity in uae.

goodluck hon hope u dont regret ur decision..

I will give u idea why don't u choose teaching field and come here after 2 years . KSA wants western English teachers to teach their Saudi girls to  speak like an English woman.

Well really i would love to be your friends after looking to ur thoughts 4 saudia.

Talanathas wrote:

Curiousity mostly. The history of the country fascinates me and I'd love to see it all first hand. Would I go crazy from culture shock? Perhapes. Will I actually ever get a job in KSA? Not likely at this point. I realize where I'm younger and don't have relevent experience to fields that are typically for expat women.
A lot of people seem to get very bored in KSA... but I think it'd be a pretty intense spiritually testing experience.

I can keep asking and trying. Doesn't hurt.

Hi
I invite you to visit tourism places in Egypt
Love
Abdel
00201001985269

hey i admire an adventurous spirit and one who wants to experience the world for themselves. too much criticism too much hate. i know some1 is not gonna like my comments. but yeh in terms of saudi arabia, it does have a rich arab culture, one that some enjoy. it may be a little different to what we are used to but if u approach any situation with a positive attitude u gonna enjoy. the jobs will be mainly teaching posts or admin assistant. the money is good. still dunno why ppl who dislike the culture still stay here. i am not arab but i have good friends here and will be happy to talk to you at anytime about my great time in saudi.

So many people just hating on Saudi ... People say they don't have a life because they don't look for one??? There are functions at loads of embassies, not all good but still you're getting out and meeting people that perhaps have better plans for next time ... Always out on a desert trip, or excursion somewhere. Plenty of sport to get involved in on various compounds. And if you're lucky enough to take up shopping as a proffession then great. Countless stalls to rumage through as well as chain stores. Granted tourism is seriously lacking but that's nothing new, Saudi Arabia never claimed to be any kind of tourist attraction. Perhaps it depends on the life you are leaving back home? But i don't think friends,acquintances, co workers are in short supply, i think there is plenty to do and I am glad I got a chance to experience Saudi Arabia ... including the awfully fetching abaya ... got to love a bit of bling on it too