Life as an Expat in Saudi Arabia....

- By Ginny Sealey

I am a recent repatriate from Jeddah having lived there for four years.

My husband moved to Jeddah in November 1997 and we followed in January 1998, the vagaries of the visa system causing the delay. The wait was worth it though and we loved our life there - expat life definitely suits us for the moment.

So, what's it really like ... living there as an expat (or at least the 'married with children' expat view!)

Jeddah is a real mixture - the modern, the old; the progressive, the oppressive; culture and tat! It is certainly not for everybody - it can be the easiest place in the world to live yet also the most frustrating. Of all the countries on the Arabian Peninsula - I've lived in Kuwait and Dubai and visited Bahrain a couple of times - Saudi Arabia does not pale into comparison as many would have you believe - it just depends on what your priorities are.

I should get the downsides that everyone asks about out of the way first! Booze is officially banned, women are not permitted to drive and, certainly in Jeddah, women should wear the abaya (all encompassing cloak yet not necessarily black). Cinemas do not exist. It is an Islamic country so Christmas and other Christian holidays are not recognised. (While one could argue the point that as Muslims believe that Islam is a descendant of Judaism, via Christianity, and therefore they acknowledge these as valid religions, the professed tolerance is limited to private gatherings - there are no churches or synagogues. Polytheistic religions are not recognised at all.) While the above can be too restrictive for some people, there are plus points - not being allowed to drive means I travelled by street taxi or compound car, until the advent of Abdullah my driver!! I didn't worry about finding a parking space for four years, there was always someone to help with the children and if my shopping was too heavy for my lady of leisure hands, well ....! And the abaya ... it can sometimes be a blessing - it covers up a multitude of sins!! The booze - well - your liver and kidneys are not going to get the holiday they might expect! Christmas - I had the most fabulously huge fake Christmas tree (and I was a 'chop down the biggest fresh one I could find' person before!!), bought all the decorations there and went to more carol concerts than I ever did at home - including hugely memorable ones in the desert under the stars! I have to say the thing I missed most was not being able to go to the cinema - curling up on the sofa with a huge bowl of popcorn was not quite the same thing but recently the larger compounds have been adding cinemas to their facilities.

Expatriates of all nationalities tend to live on compounds, which range from a collection of six houses around a swimming pool to self-sufficient villages of 500 houses and apartments. We lived on a medium size compound of around 250 'units'. The larger compounds have a mixture of houses and apartments and tend to have facilities such as a supermarket, hairdresser/barber, bowling alley, travel agent, tennis, basketball and squash courts, swimming pools etc. They size down by degree to the smallest which may have as few as ten houses and/or apartments around a swimming pool with no other facilities. Most compounds operate a shopping bus schedule to go to all the shopping malls and supermarkets - the larger ones also have a fleet of cars which you can book for when you need them. You can of course rent stand-alone villas but would not recommend this for anyone unless they have lived here before and have a ready-made circle of friends and, most importantly, have a full-time driver. The rule that expatriates could not buy property at all is slowly changing but at the moment they are only interested in those with GB£1m+ to spend!

Compound life has plus and minus points - there are always people around that can lend a hand should you need it but by the same token, there are always people around!! Some compounds can be more claustrophobic than others so it's wise to look at all those in your price range before making your choice - the most luxurious house may be on the tiniest compound with the least facilities. For the children though it has nothing but plus points - there are always easily accessible friends, it is a secure environment, the constant sunshine and reasonable temperatures from October to May ensure an outdoor life. The bigger compounds have on-site nurseries and preschools which in turn feed into three English-speaking schools (American and two English). Try the following links for further information on accommodation in Jeddah - admittedly they are amongst the most expensive: Arabian Homes, Mura Bustan but they give an idea of the sort of thing available.

Our two older girls attended school - Jessica started at 'big school' in September 2000 and Philippa followed in September 2001, having spent one year at a preschool on our sister compound (as did Jessica). There is also a nursery that caters from 6 months to three years which J & P both attended. There is a choice of three schools - Jeddah Prep and Grammar School, the British International School (known as the Continental School or 'Conti') and the American School, although admittedly the American School was never really an option for us as I discovered to my cost as a child that switching between the British system and the North American system can really put one at a disadvantage. The Continental School offers schooling from age two until 18, it has just introduced the International Baccalaureate.

The road systems and shopping centres have an American feel - ie they're huge! A dual carriageway is a minor road here as most roads are three lanes wide with a 'spare' lane for slow coaches to browse the shops from the outside.

Supermarket shopping is very Americanised although there are a couple of supermarkets that seem very 'English'. In all of the bigger chains you can buy everything that a basic English supermarket offers. Improvements are made all the time to the supply chain - towards the end of our time there I didn't rush out and buy a case of Marmite every time I saw it, but Branston Pickle and salad cream tended to fluctuate in their availability! Readymade dishes are not really available apart from a limited variety of frozen.

Many of the UK/American clothing brands are represented - including BHS, Adams, Next, Miss Selfridge, Zara, Osh Kosh, Benetton, Guess, Gerry Weber, Mexx, Max Mara, Mothercare, In Wear etc etc and, of course, all the haute couture designer names. One of the bigger malls, Heraa Mall has its own website. Clothes tend to be about 40% more expensive than in the UK but the sales are incredible - 50-75% is the norm. Marks and Spencer have been rumoured to be opening for at least as long as we have lived here but the rumours are gaining credence with posters on an empty shop window saying 'Marks and Spencer opening soon' ... inshallah!

There are furniture shops galore here - even the ubiquitous IKEA. The Early Learning Centre and Toys R Us have several outlets as well. Every electrical device you can think of (and a good few that you haven't) are available - certainly cheaper than the UK. While British Airways and books about Saudi will tell you that photography is forbidden, this isn't true - just the usual ie no taking pictures of military installations and airports or poking cameras into people's faces because they are 'natives'. The same applies to any other country you go to in the world. A wide range of CDs, videos and DVDs are available - for some reason CDs and DVDs are cheaper here but videos are more expensive!

Medical care is good - I happily had our third darling in Jeddah. Many of the doctors are UK or South African trained and there are about six hospitals that the expats tend to prefer. Medical insurance will soon be mandatory - if you have UK cover then they will fly you out for anything not treatable here. Women do work - and not just as teachers and nurses. The advertising, marketing, PR and legal professions here all have jobs on offer, although bear in mind that they are not 'official'. However, often you can jump in the deep end and learn a completely new skill or trade - just show willing!

The social life is good - the American, British and Italian consulates maintain a high profile amongst their respective flocks with frequent functions of varying formality from 'pub nights' to full blown black tie and posh frock evenings. There are restaurants of every kind, the private beaches offer a haven at the weekend. The diving is some of the best in the world (I am a complete convert!) and you can learn here safely and cheaply. If you're a windsurfer, sailor, waterskier or diver you can do all of these - there's an expatriate sailing club on one of the nicest beaches in Jeddah.

It is surprisingly green - 50 years ago there was one tree in Jeddah, outside the most prominent merchant's house in the old town. Today, occasional glimpses through open palace gates show a tropical paradise and the powers that be are not keeping it all to themselves. Millions of gallons of recycled water (it pongs somewhat!) nourish trees, flowers and grass across the city daily and previously barren waste ground and roundabouts become parkland almost overnight. This is all novel to the local inhabitants and they revel in it - choosing to picnic in the centre of lush roundabouts may be highly amusing to those lucky enough to take greenery for granted but a luxury to be enjoyed to its fullest otherwise!

The day to day life of a full-time mum with three children is not very different to at home in the UK. The school runs for drop off and collection take up most of the morning and the afternoon is spent entertaining them! This is easier from the point of view that most friends live within walking distance and good use of the swimming pool or nearby beach can be made as the weather is always good - if a tad hot from late June to mid-September!

And what else can you do in your spare time - kite surfing, jet biking, netball, softball, swimming (organised national leagues for children), camping, explore art galleries and museums, the old town and travel the wider country. Or just chill out and enjoy the sunshine!

Hope this helps - keep up the excellent work - I hope to be an expatmum again very soon!!

Ginny Sealey