About life for women & children in riyadh

Hi dream_can, welcome on Expat-blog!

Your topic has been introduced as a new thread on the Riyadh forum for better visibility.

Good luck
Christine

I didn't go to Riyadh, but I knew ladies cannot drive there. Life is stricter but still people can enjoy it.

Life in Riyadh, for women and children are a bit difficult when compared to most other countries. Riyadh is a bit more stricter in the rules aspect since it is the capital and all.

I am sure that the ladies in this forum will soon flood this post with suggestions..

Hi dream_can, welcome to this blog and good luck with your endeavours on whether you decide to come to Riyadh.  I am saddened by azfkhan's view on Riyadh, it is so far removed from my experience here that I feel she is not talking about the Country that I am living in.  However, that is not a slight to azfkhan; no, it is just to reflect the range of different experiences a woman can have here.

My first visit to Riyadh was March 2010 and by August 2010 I was here to join my husband (he had been here since Nov 2009).  I took the decision from my first visit that this Country is one where I was just going to have to 'go for it', and I did.

My days are filled on with things like:  Spanish lessons, music lessons, online studying, Expat.com site which is a key area for where I meet new people and keep up with Expat issues and news, day trips out (through tour operators or just with a driver), meeting up with friends for coffee, shopping, spa, golf, gym, or Expat functions.  I can honestly say, I do not have enough time in any one day and quite often I have to simply cancel my day so I can catch up with other things.

Taxi's or drivers (see my article on the Guide Section, in Transport about that); are available and unless your husband sorted you a car with driver, will be how you will get around.  Having experienced the driving in Riyadh (which is listed within the top 10 worst places in the world to drive - see this link by cut & pasting it to your browser:  http://cars.uk.msn.com//features/photos … =155774190 ) a lot of women will tell you they would not and do not want to drive in this Country.

Children, depends on their ages but if at school, there are a range of activities conducted through the schools for the kids, many are sports orientated, but some are for social mixing.  If they are not at school it will depend on whether you will live on or off Compound.  Off Compound residents without a doubt have a different experience that On Compound residents, but that doesn't mean Off Compound do not have active, lively and fulfilling lives here as quite a few do.

If you have to live off Compound, you will need to get active, engage and enjoy.

If you can live on Compound, you still need to get active, engage and enjoy!

However, if you elect to stay indoors day in and day out listening to the TV, on the internet, eating - and then only venturing out to Shopping Malls, then yes; you will most probably have a very miserable life here, or anywhere else if that is how you choose to live.

So, if you decide to come to Riyadh, we will look forward to welcoming you here.

^^ A very valid and informative post for any women coming into the Kingdom.

WOW... such a quick response. it has made me feel sooo good to join this blog that is so informative. Thanks christine, mirzayasir4, redgoblin and "hats off" for gowiththeflowUK for sharing such a useful info.

More suggestions about on & off compound life are welcome as that may help other women too who have any sort of reservation like i have in moving to riyadh. Actually i m working here in my home country and leading an independant life e.g i use to go for shopping myself, pick n drop of my kid, visiting my family n friends, going on job etc.etc. In riyadh i might not invite my parents due to my self being dependent on my husband.Further, can anyone pl. share the on & off compound life with advantages as well as disadvantages of both. Which is the better option as i am concerned about my kid as well as he is the only child of mine and is 9 yrs old i want to choose for the option where he don't  feel alone and could make new friends and play.

Hi all,
It looks like a good informative forum.
i will be coming from Pakistan to a project which is paying good $$$ but almost 100km from Riyadh and have to stay at site for atleast 5 days a week. Will it be prudent to bring my family (wife & 2 kids of 2 & 5 year)to live in Riyadh, are there any compounds/areas where women can live with school going kids?
any other advices!!

gowiththeflowUK wrote:

If you have to live off Compound, you will need to get active, engage and enjoy.

If you can live on Compound, you still need to get active, engage and enjoy!

very well said.. based on my limited experience of 4 months, I think it really doesn't matter whether you live on compound or off. It depends on how social and active you yourself are. I have met people here who live off compounds and have a much more active social life than the compound residents I know.. Just basically depends on what you are looking for. Activities are not limited here.. there is soo much to do .. you just need to have the right group of people and friends to be able to enjoy it ...

dream_can wrote:

Actually i m working here in my home country and leading an independant life e.g i use to go for shopping myself, pick n drop of my kid, visiting my family n friends, going on job etc.etc. Further, can anyone pl. share the on & off compound life with advantages as well as disadvantages of both. Which is the better option as i am concerned about my kid as well as he is the only child of mine and is 9 yrs old i want to choose for the option where he don't  feel alone and could make new friends and play.

well you generally have two kind of compounds here.. one are the normal residential compounds.. they have boundary walls, play area for kids and stuff..secure and private

Then you have the bigger western compounds, which are heavily guarded by private and government security . These are relatively bigger compounds, ( both in terms of size and rental value ) with amenities like super market, and some have schools available inside the compound as well. You can drive inside the compound yourself, do grocery, and roam around.. no one to bother you.

Although you can enjoy full privacy in the smaller residential compounds as well, but they generally do not have space to drive around or shops/restaurants. So you will be very much dependent on your husband or your driver to take you out of the compound.

kami ,i appreciate u been such a helpful soul

Why is Kamii digging up old stuff?? stuff that have been lying dead!

RedGoblin wrote:

Why is Kamii digging up old stuff?? stuff that have been lying dead!

I am bored and have nothing to do .. I almost started a riot on the the topic "Things you hate about Riyadh" :S

@Kamii: i saw .. and you are making another one with Nonz..
But a fair bit of advice,.. hell hath no fury...

RedGoblin wrote:

@Kamii: i saw .. and you are making another one with Nonz..
But a fair bit of advice,.. hell hath no fury...

'Like'

i just clicked "like"

RedGoblin wrote:

@Kamii: i saw .. and you are making another one with Nonz..
But a fair bit of advice,.. hell hath no fury...

this is not even 1% of the daily riff between us ..

kamiii wrote:

RedGoblin wrote:

@Kamii: i saw .. and you are making another one with Nonz..
But a fair bit of advice,.. hell hath no fury...

this is not even 1% of the daily riff between us ..

Not to mention,its always due to "YOu"

@nonz and Kamii: does following your rants and fights consitute electronic stalking, because I am so doing that! and is it fun or what!!