mrthoth

I think if I was starting again I'd probably avoid the compounds for now. Most are either not quite western i.e. "western passport holders" or they're breaking what were family homes into 1 bedroom apartments for single ... Read More

No shortage of compounds, some will even let people sub-let so you end up with 5 single guys in one house. As long as you pay the rent they'll all accommodate you. A lot of the newer compounds mentioned are very pretty marble silent prisons ... Read More

Maybe a few things to add to getting the istimara renewed First thing maybe to find the "Sequence number" for your vehicle if you haven't logged into or registered on the MOI portal. Login - MOI - Vehicle Services - find the car - ... Read More

Down Riyadh river, neer heet cave on the mountain, very few people there. Maybe an occasional old Saudi date farmer or camel herder. Excellent locations and sunny. Don't think anyone would complain in the DQ. No point in a compound just streets. Read More

Here's an idea, why don't you actually pay to live in a compound instead of expecting to take advantage of the facilities by being invited in as a guest, maybe put your hand in your pocket and pay the rent. I grew up here (GCC) , British ... Read More

Maybe you just haven't met the ones who actually live on the various compounds, I know at lease two independently singles. Or maybe as they are not expecting accommodation, flights, visas............... and have husbands working here they get ... Read More

Fred, You have the advantage of being British, and as such can understand anyone's English. This is Saudi Arabia, so the choices are not as elaborate. Let's consider a few of the options today: 1. Learn English from an American who will ... Read More

Wala, Just my opinion but your probably best doing the same as most, watch American/Americanised TV. In all my time here I have only heard one English & English teacher who speaks properly, Mary Poppins style (she's moved to Dubai). The ... Read More

Remember to tell the rental company you plan on going to Bahrain, else the might not let you leave the country with the car. Read More

I'd say a real one is one you'd be happy buying in your home country. A 1 bedroom place is likely to cost 50/60 and it's rent after all, so dead money. Last time I had a peek I thought al hamra was about 150 for a 2 bedroom place 200 ... Read More

Order the parts online. Download the workshop manual and the software SDD etc. Take it to any local garage and show the guy what you want fixed. Generally if the place is full of filipino mechanics they know and can understand what you want done. Read More

I'd have to disagree with David, if you choose to live in the real world you'll end up being at the mercy of others to attend events, and any people you meet will tend to be very wary of visiting you as "the neighbours might see ... Read More

I'd choose FAL you'll feel more comfortable there. Read More

I think it all comes down to who the person your travelling with is I've never had a problem (been here 20 years in total) and the girl always has to sit in the front seat I'm not a chauffeur. I'd avoid it if the guy doesn't look ... Read More

I'd stay where you are. Salwa and the ex military types do arrange a bunch of social things, but it will get very old very quickly. The compound is a good 30 minutes from anywhere else, and the other side of the city if you want to attend any ... Read More

All the compounds are expensive, technically.... I'd say check if you can keep an allowance or have them pay for it (the have them pay for it means probably living with your collages) Kingdom tower to the DQ is about a 20 minute drive then ... Read More

Your a foreigner, I'd say don't accept class C, it's basically the minimum they need to provide to get an iqama issued. You'll end up having to pay from your own pocket. Read More

Teachers I know PNU/KSU edEx get maybe 10-14k SAR per month. (Accomodation and travel given for free) Real (PGCE) mid 20's - most have spouses with jobs so no benefit. Read More

Depends on who you want to live amongst really. Good accomodation isn't cheap you might not get change from 200k for a decent sized house in a secure proper western (not "Western Lifestyle") compound. Read More

He could be and if Indian become an OCI or PIO, lose the right to vote, if Pakistani lose some public office rights as well. You can be born wherever you are, but if you choose to immigrate you should let that go, you weren't deported, you left ... Read More

You see this is the problem as long as you classify yourself as "British Asians" you'll get treated as one, bit like the <anything you want I did 1000 days for a passport>Canadians who proclaim how un-Canadian they are. Your ... Read More

Seems a little strange to me the fact that you call yourself a British Asian is not going to help your argument at all. I'm being told by some of the medical people I know that its about where you were born and trained more than a passport ... Read More

So who's going to host one in Riyadh ? Best way to get this started. Read More

Peculiar I went there I didn't see many western people, same as al bustan, maybe 40% ? The only one I've seen that is almost 100% western is Ishbilia village (not Ishbilia compound) and no I don't live there. I think a distinction has ... Read More

You just go there, it's not technically a closed place. Head towards al Kharj and it's after the monkey mountains. Read More

I'm sure you'd get an easy invite if you were both girls. Read More

Riyadh. But as the people on here say the groups work like musical chairs in Saudi, no one wants to take or invite anyone along incase they lose their own space. Then there's the issue of generally creepy guys who are "married but ... Read More

Always surprising the number of ex-party animal who decide to come to Saudi, surprisingly hermit like in their own counties Read More

Good, so someone will arrange one - maybe in a place where Yemeni and/or Saudi people aren't banned. Read More

Why don't one of you guys/girls arrange one and invite the rest of us 😀 Read More

:thanks: The Local One. I offer free drop-offs at the airport for anyone wanting to leave, that'll save you 100 riyals and becoming a taxi drivers "habbibi" :P Let's hope after the January break the "I hate this place, ... Read More

Any shawarma shop I can get out of with a hot shawama without explaining that not all British people are English or watch football, or that I'm not american even though my belly is growing. Read More

Downloading ? The have a client application but your best just setting up your own connection using the server and user and password ? Purevpn.com isn't blocked by the moi, strongvpn.com is though Read More

I'd go for Strong VPN across an STC or Zain 4G router. Mobily seem to block Strong VPN over pptp not L2, also bear in mind some UK sites like the National Lottery actually block VPN sourced IP - StrongVPN not PureVPN, curious. I'd say your ... Read More

Now that you've posted that on here they will :P Read More

Get yourself down to al naseem, test a few. Modern cars they'll all be reliable. To transfer a car they have to technically pass the fahas i.e.. semi MOT so they'll have steering and brakes - they might even test the lights and emission. ... Read More

Takes a day. Longest thing would be you getting the medical and the results and maybe even your company uploading their insurance details to the database. Why oh why oh why did you bother to say your an engineer - that just causes problems there ... Read More

There's nothing really wrong with the driving (but if Indians and Pakistanis keep getting licenses nothing will change) I've driven here for over 20 years and only ever had one crash (ironically into another British guy - but he was ... Read More

Get the parts shipped from the UK (usually the price you see as the VAT is usually equal to the shipping charge) DHL/TNT tend to be best. I use rimmerbrothers for most parts, DavidManners for the car bits. Buy the mongoose and download the SSD so ... Read More

None of the hash groups have a public meeting point anymore, that stopped exactly a 54 weeks ago. Too many pervs cruising up and down the street at the eye hospital caused problems. Your only option is now to be sponsored by a full member. Read More

So I have all 3, 2 STC 4G boxes - which are truly unlimited, 1 Mobily 4g which throttles back to 128k once your over a limit - seems like 20 GB per month and the zain box which is lightening quick when it does work. I live in the middle of Riyadh ... Read More

I'm not too sure where people are getting prices from here but I'd say a decent compound will cost 120/140/175 a year for a 1/2/3 bedroom place. You can pop up to 225/275 for Bustan or Ishbilia - best option is to get your company to ... Read More

Nothing is blocked or banned technically - if you use a proper VPN and actually set it up properly (i.e. static routes and different DNS servers) you'll be fine. I've never come across anything on uTube that's banned but then I don't ... Read More

My top tips are 1. Don't live with the people you work with the community is too small already. 2. Take the driving with a pinch of salt, yes that whole car length was worth cutting across 4 lanes and back for. 3. Avoid any other expats who ... Read More

I'm not America - but British and when I'm in a fatter mode I get confused for an American.......... I've never felt at risk here in Saudi irrespective of the number of "Security notices" that the American Embassy issue ... Read More

I'd concentrate more on the allowance - bear in mind if you do get "provided" accommodation you and your children will end up part of the company hierarchy and you'll be the bosses or underlings wife.I'm speaking as as both an ... Read More

I've never seen a proper Saudi (this includes the Yemeni who've been here all their lives) not wearing traditional clothing at work - and only 25% or so wearing "western clothing" outside work. But bear in mind in some cases there ... Read More

at last someone quoting a real price for accomodation Read More

I have no idea where some of these prices are coming from Riyadh accommodation prices somewhere between 12000-30000 /month - portacabin on on the Sand or student accommodation up to a proper house on a compound. public transportation fares ... Read More

If your given an allowance and want to keep it your best options are probably Sahara, Ranco or Riyadh Village........ if your company are paying direct let them spend as much as you can ishbilia or bhustan but based on the people I've seen there ... Read More

Don't quite understand it, I'm British - well Scottish, and have never been questioned on the USA with a UK passport and an H1-B or Canada - think my PR runs out this year, just a wave and a stamp even at the tunnel or rainbow bridge.... you ... Read More

Just do what everyone else does apply for Canada get the PR - do the 1001 days(Citizenship) and sneak over on a TN1 I've not idea why anyone would really want to live in a country with no free healthcare, no free higher education or social ... Read More

Didn't think you had to so anything to get access to the DQ. Usually I just drive up and wave at the guy. The guards do get a little annoyed if you use the green lane without a stripey iqama or plates, but it's worth a laugh. Read More

hmmmmmm quite sad..... are there not other websites for this kind of thing Read More

This country is awesome, you don't have to worry if your holding your phone while you drive, speeding ticket here and there, but I've never come across an unfriendly Saudi - a few who hate Americans fortunately I'm not American. I saw a ... Read More

Everyone has a masters degree nowadays.......... usually not in the original subject they studied (you know the one they really wanted to do but couldn't make a career of). I should be a case that you accept you get paid generously and ignore ... Read More

I don't know I mean £2000 a month net..........with free accommodation....... compared with £1600 net or less in the US, as a properly qualified teacher (and I mean PGCE) how can anyone complain, if you were anywhere else the bounty ... Read More

hmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,, while the country has a TCN population who think a woman on her own is wanton.......... I don't think driving will be being done Read More

Well said, The number of people who'd do nothing social in their own country then pretend to be some kind of party animal here is astonishing. Read More

Surely the Filipino mafia have a bunch of social events........ I can count the number of basket ball and desert bbq's those guys have every month on a caterpillars feet. Or you could just go hang out at the good ship lollypop I'm sure ... Read More

Just my 2 cents, When you say Canadian that doesn't really mean anything here as such as there are lost of dual nationals or "western passport holders". Most people you meet will have a MSc or Ph.D so it comes down to how good you are ... Read More

"He", I don't think that's what PNU are looking for, maybe other people know differently Read More

I don't think the person asking the question is a westerner, I've never met a gymnasium German who would use the term. I mean they generally sound like vulcans but..... "I am 25 - working in IT for 6 years. It this some solid option?" Read More

Have to agree, I tend to hang out with the same people as well. But tend to a avoid saying where I live, patricularly in the presence of teachers or nurses as I don't want to be seen as a compound lever. Sad but true. But then I'm a bit of a soft ... Read More

nothing irrelevant about it, you no doubt have the right to vote somewhere..... as the Saudis have the right as a sovereign state to make the laws and treat people as they like, who in turn will tolerate it or eventually leave. If the ... Read More

I don't know I think you get few kinds of expats (and everyone weighs up the factors before handing in their passport and getting on the plane) 1. The unskilled person who's is desperate for any job that will pay enough to eat and sends the money ... Read More

that place is like Halloween all the time........ spookiness galore, creepy lie a ghost town wooooooo I think there's a cheaper one at Seder as in not 200 Riyals Read More

I'd like to know who they are to avoid em..... With so many places out there, and everyone here paid so handsomely why would such things go on ? In saying that there are some amount of ropey beasts out here :) Read More

I have a special premium rate number, 50 halllalalas a minute, but your right most Scots women I speak to have more teeth in their handbags than their mouths - which is peculiar as the dentist and orthodontics are completely free :rolleyes: Read More

Pockets are just a tad too long for the arms to reach into. We still have £1 notes, that's a lot of cash. The accent is awesome though, mellifluous I'm told, they don't know I'm really like Raffles from the Viz . So awesome in fact it got to the ... Read More

If only I knew such beasts existed, all the diseases I could have had, and you don't even need a prescription for anti-bio-tics here :) It does make the smallest violin in the world play though when you hear of squawking about the awful conditions ... Read More

Got to say I talk to a few of the people who teach there (which I suppose is not really allowed) general consensus I hear repeatedly, and bear in mind I was what was termed "an expat brat" is that their biggest bug bears are (and this just gets ... Read More

I tend to go back and forth to the UAE/UK/Germany/Bahrain with all my cards, Iquama, Passport, license, Istamara etc.... Different companies different rules, just depends I suppose. You might find when you visit other compounds the guards ask for ... Read More

Don't know about holding passports, I'm British and work for one of the biggest companies in the world, and they don't have mine (how could I go in and out if they did), but I do know as a kid my dad held all the passports in his safe, and he ... Read More

putting out, never understood that term sounds like something mac men get arrested for in the park Read More

scants colour and medical history as well :) Read More

An Iquama takes 3 days at most once you have 1. The contract attested and your sponsor engaged. 2. The medical check stamped and attested by the ministry 3. The 4 photos 4. The health/medical insurance recorded It's not that hard a process, you ... Read More

Should just have to fill in the form and pay the 5 Dinars or give them 50 Riyals. Go to Abu Dhabi it's cheaper all round, especially the hotels and Taxis Read More

I'm always surprised by the number of people who suddenly become desperate to become more social than they ever were, after they've arrived in Saudi. I've met more drunk westerners in the gulf (and I'm Scottish so that's saying something) than ... Read More