Pros and Cons of Living in Saudi Arabia

"Probably that it's so totally opposite what I knew and was used to, so I learn something new everyday. I know I've grown a lot since being here, in many ways," said a person living in Riyadh.

"Many expats in Saudi Arabia find the local culture very different from their own and may struggle with cultural expectations. One of the biggest challenges for expats is the stringent gender segregation in Saudi society, including being segregated from the opposite sex when in public. Additionally, the conservative dress code can be difficult to get used to, as women are expected to wear a ‘hijab’ or veil which covers all of the hair and body except for the hands and face. Finally, conservative religious values and laws are a large part of Saudi culture, with rules specific to religious holidays, modest behaviour and restrictions on alcohol consumption," said one person in Saudi Arabia.

"Juggling your life around no entertainment and prayer times. Life can be rather boring in Saudia in many respects and that is where board games and things done back in the good old days are known here. Dinner parties with other expats was often good as you could mix and mingle with others- without alcohol of course. It was a quiet life there and sometimes I went across the boarder to Bahrain just to see a movie or to not wear my abbaya, but I felt safe there too which was good," remarked one expat in Al Khobar.

"Abnormal (lack of) male/female interaction that led to a huge number of homosexual advances being made by the obviously sexually frustrated men," explained one expat living in Dammam.