Job Discussion Forums

SaharaDesert · Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Posts: 260

So...I have a job offer in Saudi and have been doing lots of research about what life will be like for a single female expat.

Many have told me not to go as Saudi is too restrictive and suffocating (and this is based on their personall experiences from living there!).
One person told me it was "living hell" when they were there!

Is it that bad of place (in terms of the culture/traditions towards women) ?

I am curious to see what this forum thinks.
What are your thoughts ?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

You'll get a range of opinions here too. I'm not sure if you're single or married, a man or a woman (on another forum, you say "my wife and I"), but anyway, my thoughts are that it's really up to you and your personality, ability to adapt, openness, patience/tolerance in a restrictive society, reasons and motivation for going to KSA, expectations, previous overseas experience, etc. And of course, it also depends on the terms and conditions of the offer you received, the employer's reputation, and where that teaching job is located. You haven't provided any details about that, so...

On the other hand, if you have high expectations and are nit-picky about minor things, ethnocentric, and inflexible, then Saudi Arabia won't be a good fit for you whether you're a man or a woman. You know yourself and personally need to weigh the good and the bad about committing to a job and life in the Kingdom.

posh · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 430

It would be interesting to hear if there are any worse places for a female than KSA. I can't think of any ...

fledex · Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Posts: 342

It depends on who you are going to work for and on you. I've known some single females who prefer Saudi over other places they have worked. My guess is that Saudi probably magnifies the quality of the employer. A good one seems that much better, and a bad one that much worse. As a single female, a lot of your life will depend on the employer and what they provide for you. Check carefully for a good employer.

desert_traveller · Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 335

u mean to teach or to live?

not that either would be a honeymoon

as a single lady i think you should only go to jeddah, riyadh or dammam-khobar-dhahran

bulgogiboy · Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 803

Prepare yourself to go back about 1000 years in history, except, of course, 1000 years back in history with everyone driving giant SUVs EXTREMELY dangerously and incessantly chatting on cellphones (which they appear to be biologically at one with).

Having said that, some Saudis ARE progressive, in that their mindset is only 500 years or so in the past when it comes to gender issues (and everything else).

EVERYWHERE in Saudi is difficult to live for EVERYONE, especially women. A massive percentage of the young Saudi males I taught felt frustrated and oppressed by the ultra-conservative-cleric-dominated-system; how much more so will you, a western woman with an accustomization to being treated as an equal member of society, feel those negative emotions?

"Living hell" is pretty close to the mark, and don't think the person was exaggerating. I had more than 50 western co-workers, all male, where I worked, and almost all of them, to a man, HATED living in Saudi. Bear in mind, we had a lot more freedom than you will, as a woman.

2buckets · Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 515 Location: Middle East

Worst place to teach for single females ?

Saudi Arabia.

'nuff said.

CamTam · Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Posts: 32

If you come here and find yourself surrounded by kind, compassionate lady colleagues, then life can be tolerable.

Hatcher · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 602

I would like to ask the OP why she would want to work in SA?

johnslat · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject:

Dear CamTam,

"If you come here and find yourself surrounded by kind, compassionate lady colleagues, then life can be tolerable."

Well, now I can see where I went wrong. Very Happy

Regards,
John

Mysterious · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 170

CamTam · Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Posts: 32

Dear Johnslat,

Your answer made me LOL. I need that here. It's too bad men and women are not allowed to fraternize.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:03 pm Post subject:

Dear CamTam,

Oh, it can happen (I did it), but needs to be done the same way porcupines make love: i.e. VERY carefully.

Regards,
John

CamTam · Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Posts: 32

Dear OP,

In all honesty, some women go a little mad here and do runners. Others slowly descend into a deepish, hellish kind of depression where a person gets the impression she has put herself into some kind of life-sucking vortex. Most women gain weight. A lot of women start snacking nervously at work because they're trying to cope.

By the way, the food in Saudi Arabia is good. That's the silver lining. Saudi cuisine, though, is a little bland. Saudis eat mostly grilled meat and rice. The produce, meats, and fish, though, are mostly cheap and of good quality.

As a result, people here eat and gain weight to deal with the vacuum in their lives.

Having other women around normally helps, but you have to pick your friends carefully. For some reason, Saudi Arabia attracts all sorts of people in a mix that is just surprising.

In fact, some people would go as far as to say that anyone who comes to Saudi Arabia must be a misfit in some way. Original in some way.

The ones who seem to survive the experience tend to be intelligent, thick-skinned, and compassionate.

This is true for both men and women.

callyw · Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Posts: 7

Hi! I am a single female in Saudi and it is can be very TOUGH. You need to be pro active at finding friends (but be very cautious when dealing with saudi men in any situation) as trying to find a social life is important. As I said, keep in mind how you are seen as a western woman. Every time I pop out for apint of milk cars full of teenage lads say hurtful things and intimidate me. Not to mention my landlord and guard trying it on also.

It basically depends on your employer and your housing. Demand a compound. But it can be done:)