Job Discussion Forums

markcmc · Joined: 18 Jan 2010 Posts: 262 Location: Taiwan

What's the best place to live in Saudi Arabia? For fun, getting to know people, shopping, cultural experiences and anything else.

Or what are the least bad places?

Riyadh, Jeddah ? I've been looking at a job in Hail, has anyone lived there?

johnslat · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:53 am Post subject:

Dear markcmc,

Many would say Jeddah, but Riyadh has its attractions.

They're both least bad, IM(not so)HO (I've I've lived/worked in both.)

Hail, I'd say, is a "more bad" place.

Regards,
John

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:12 am Post subject:

"Hail, I'd say, is a "more bad" place."

Bader...

NCTBA

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:01 am Post subject:

For a first-timer, I would definitely suggest you limit your job search to the three main urban areas: Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar-Dahran. All three areas have their advatages and disasvantages, but none really stands out as being head or shoulders above - or below - the others. I would not recommend a 'newbie' going to work in a provincial town in KSA.

Unless you have a particular reason to want to be in one particular place, I would focus much more on the job rather than the location. Your job will have far more impact on your qualify of life than the city you are in, provided you are in one of the three major cities listed above.

markcmc · Joined: 18 Jan 2010 Posts: 262 Location: Taiwan

Thanks for your replies. They make sense, especially about focussing on job over location. I've met people who have lived in Jeddah and Riyadh, but not Al Khobar-Daran.

NCTBA, why is Hail a more bad place. Is it the baddest place out there? Or are there worse?

johnslat · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:29 pm Post subject:

Dear markcmc,

"Is it the baddest place out there? Or are there worse?"

It's very much a subjective judgment. Some might nominate Buraidah in the Al Qasim region, the "Dead Monkey" would probably vote for Najran, while still others would say Hail.

But Cleo's advice is best: focus on the job more than the location. And stick to the three major urban areas.

Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:53 pm Post subject:

Hail is a very conservative city, even by Saudi standards. Also, you won't find the large Western expat 'communities' there that you'd find in the three major cities, so you might feel a bit isolated. However, some people who've lived in Hail have quite liked it - as so often, it depends on the job and how you are treated. It's a sizable enough city with reasonable flight connections, at least within the Kingdom, so I'd say there are worse places to live. However, I reiterate my advice that if you're a newcomer to the Kingdom, focus on job opportunies in Riyadh, Jeddah or Al Khobar.

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:44 pm Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 2:49 pm Post subject:

Dear NCTBA,

That was Demigod - he must have one of the "cushy jobs" there.

Regards,
John

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:13 pm Post subject:

Good one! (Not to laugh at Demigod's agony!) Hey! Yer "thread-blending"!

NCTBA

gibon · Joined: 22 Feb 2010 Posts: 40 Location: Warsaw

What about Jubail?

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:49 pm Post subject:

Jubail is a dream compared to Najran...Surf, Sand, 'n Sharks!

NCTBA

johnslat · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:40 pm Post subject:

Dear NCTBA,

Darn it - despite you and Demigod, I still think Najran's pretty good (well, not so bad, anyway.) But, as mentioned, it's all subjective.

Regards,
John, Agent of the Orange (insider joke)

lizziebennet · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 355

Just come off a beach in Jeddah which can compare to any I have been on in Thailand, Jordan, Singapore, Korea, Cape Town and a few other countries...

Maybe it's just me but Jeddah seems to have a lot more to offer than Riyadh.

I was thinking about Cleo's comment regarding choosing to stay in one of the three big cities and I agree and disagree. I have met teachers here that don't really appreciate Jeddah because they haven't stayed in the 'villages like Buraidah, Najran etc (a Saudi I met today called them villages lol).

I don't regret my stay in Buraidah, I have so many stories to tell of being chased my Muttawa etc. I experienced a Saudi Arabia that people in Jeddah, Riyadh and even Khober/Dammam will never get to see and I am so glad I did. I met some lovely Saudis and I walked away with a million stories. Now as I lie on the beach and tan, shop at Danube, walk around in huge malls, eat Crispy Cream Donuts or at Chillis, TGI's, On the Border or Applebees life seems almost normal in comparison...

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 7:00 pm Post subject:

Darnit! lizzie jumped in between!

"Darn it - despite you and Demigod, I still think Najran's pretty good (well, not so bad, anyway.) But, as mentioned, it's all subjective.

The disagreement of which gave the birth of the phrase of "We can agree to disagree" as I take with Cleo over the whole "Nuclear City" plan."

"To each his own"...

"Whatever makes your boat float"...

The more I type...the more I feel that I'm dating myself...

Reasonable people can overcome unreasonableness.

What I relish is hearing the "other side" to see if anything filters through...

NCTBA