Expert Info
on 14 Aug 2014
Hi. I am considering a contract in Medinah in Saudi, and if I accept both myself and my wife will be moving to Saudi for between 2 and 5 years depending on the contract. As you are all aware the conditions in most of Saudi seem to be very restrictive for European women, and as such it is very important for us, that my wife is located in a good, friendly and supportive ex-pat community, so that the transition for both of us can work. My wife is a fully qualified Chiropodist although I understand that she will not be able to work in Saudi if she comes with me based upon my contract and visa. After having done some research "it appears" that the only two places with any kind of ex-pat infra-structure are Riyadh and Jeddah. I have a contact for Riyadh however it is too far away for us to consider a commutable distance. Jeddah however is just about on the limit of what may be a commutable distance, and as such we are trying to get information on any communities that are in the Jeddah area. Any and all information is welcome as we are both new to this, and have never visited anywhere in Saudi before :) Thanks for any help and advice for the newbies :) :) Allan Davies
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Thanks for your question. Jeddah, like most Saudi cities, has a fairly large expat community. Most expats do live in compounds, wherein they are given a lot of freedom from the occasionally repressive Saudi culture and legislation. You can find more information on these compounds in our Accommodation in Jeddah page.
You can also learn about the kind of lifestyle available to expats in Jeddah by reading our Lifestyle and Shopping in Jeddah page.
As it will be your first time in Saudi Arabia, it may also be worth going over our Culture Shock in Saudi Arabia page, which can prepare you for the cultural differences and help you acclimatise.
All the best for your new life in the Saudi Kingdom!
Regards,
Bradley