Job Discussion Forums

[ttgirl]

For those who are currently in or have been to Saudi, what things would you suggest one bring from home when coming to Saudi? Also, are there any items that you would suggest one not bring?

[johnslat]

Dear ttgirl,

Telling where you're headed for in Saudi would help.

A Kindle, fully loaded (or another e-reader.) Any medicines you might depend on and/or any cosmetics you absolutely can't go without (although odds are, you'll probably be able to find them in Saudi, depending on what part of the Kingdom you're going to.)
Maybe an abaya (assuming you're a lady.)

What not to bring - any religious items (unless you're Muslim,) any pork or alcohol products, anything that might be construed as being "of a sexual nature.."

Regards,
John

[ttgirl]

Hi John,

Thanks for sharing the information with me. I was told that I will be in Al Jouf (which may also be dependent upon when I actually arrive there, in which case it could be Yanbu, Tabuk, or Al Qassim). I have seen a few women wearing an abaya in my hometown, but I'm not really sure where I can get one here. I will see if I can find somewhere online that may have a store here that sells them.

[johnslat]

Dear ttgirl,

If it's Al Jouf, these might interest you:

http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/31/jouf-saudi-arabia/

http://www.expat-blog.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=71288

http://americanbedu.com/2010/07/10/saudi-arabia-interview-with-behzad-on-jouf/

Regards,
John

[ttgirl]

Thanks a bunch for the websites, John!!! This is the best information that I have seen so far about Al Jouf! These are definitely sites I want to follow-up on.

Thanks again:-)

[Bebsi]

Al Jouf is a very pleasant agricultural area in the NW of the country, with lots of green areas. Tabuk is about 4 hours by road to the west, and Hail about 3 hours to the SE. Riyadh is about 8 hours. Aqaba, Jordan, is a weekend trip (about 5 hours away), if you wish to...er partake of more western pleasures. If, as appears, you are female, road transport might present some challenges as women in Saudi are not allowed to drive, although SAPTCO runs a very good bus service to most places.

The main city is Sakaka, and there's a small airport nearby with flights to Riyadh daily, or maybe even more often, and a few flights a week (as far as I know) to Jeddah.

If you want big-city, bright-lights, Al Jouf is not the place to go! However, if you want a small-town feel, with friendly locals who are quite used to outsiders, you could do much worse than Sakaka, which is where I suspect you will be based. It's a very clean town, well-maintained, and there's a lot of history around the place. About 50 km away, is Dumat Al Jandal, a smaller town with a huge amount of history going right back to biblical times, and a big fortress on a hill, the Qasr Marid.

The climate is nice too, with summers being dry and not as hot as Riyadh or the east coast. Winters can be cold, though, and snow isn't unheard of. It is an area well known for it's clear skies and multitudes of stars.

All in all, a pleasant, relaxing place where, if you can amuse yourself and don't require bright lights, you could easily while away a few years.

Other posters will advise you on what to bring. The most important thing not to bring, however, is preconceptions. Leave them behind, and Saudi will be a much more rewarding experience.

Good luck.

[ttgirl]

Hi Bebsi,

Thank you for the information regarding Al Jouf. From your description it sounds like a nice place for me. It almost sounds like the area I was in Korea. I can live almost anywhere from big city to small towns. Since I'm pretty quiet and easy-going, I really like places that live to be more on the quiet side, too and prefer to visit the big cities. One of my reasons for coming is to experience life there, so I think I'd benefit from both.

Thanks for the travel information as well. It's definitely helpful. I'm hoping to travel inside and outside of Saudi while I'm there. Knowing that there is so much history around Al Jouf, has me even more interested about being placed there (unless that changes). Learning is something I really enjoy, especially about another culture/way of life, and I hope to learn a lot there.

The weather sounds good too. So, I know to pack clothing as I normally would for the hot and cold weather. I know I was told that it gets cold at night, but it's good to know that there could be snow, as well.

I will definitely leave any preconceptions behind. I'm looking forward to coming.

Thanks again