Dealing with homesickness in Saudi Arabia
Being an expat in Saudi Arabia can turn out to be a wonderful human, social or professional adventure... with potential moments of nostalgia and homesickness along the way.
What are your personal tips to prevent homesickness?
How do you deal with such feelings?
Are there shops or stores offering products from your home country in Saudi Arabia? Or maybe venues with music and ambiance from your homeland?
Thanks for sharing your experience,
Priscilla
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there are not even movie theaters available to the general public. If those are banned why on Earth would you believe there are music venues here that people could go to.
I would feel less homesick if I didn't have to be segregated by gender and covered when ever I left compound or if I could drive to run an errand or take my kids to school.
Like attending national day celebrations at embassy parties
2) Just enter into to Embassy premises ... enjoy with freedom lunch or dinner or coffee with your close friends..
3) Hyper Markets are always open... good restaurants
4) Stay alone in a 5 star hotel and get enjoyed ladies swimming pool..... No letter required or guardian, direct way to check in hotel......Kempinski hotel is best.......
5) City outside tour.... with tour operators
6) Jeddah and AlKhobar quite entertainment place....
7.) Exhibitions are open for Gents and ladies.....
For further more assistance then mail me.....
Best regards,,
ARIF
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Feeling homesick can be easily resolved with making new friends whether from your own homeland or not. The fact of talking about and sharing your country's traditions, culture, food and customs would make this feeling much less. Funny enough, and from my own personal experience it makes you like and admire things you already have and do much more, you know looking at old things in a new way.
Thanks for your post.
Saudi Arabia is indeed a very different market specially for women.
More over other than eastern region where things are a bit light homesickness for non workers is at its peak.
to over come such issues first one needs to understand environment I mean culture and regulations.
Secondly avenues where you can come out and relax.
There are several avenues/places/outlets where one can feel much better based on his/her location.
I can identify locations based on residing locations e.g Jeddah, Makkah etc
More over there are several outlets delivering products to your j=home address including products of native country.
Regards
I was 31 when I first set foot in KSA. I have now spent more years than that here. This place is more home for me and my family than any other place on earth. The girls and the grand kids grew up here since their infancy/birth. They simply adore this land.
No matter where ever you are.
There is a famous saying :Ìý ÌýHome is where you're Happy !
It's simple as that. ..
Arif
Hello all, Hope all are doing well.
Dealing with the Nostalgia or home sickness is a big task for expats, every where.
Here especially in Saudi arabia,Ìý the geography may be much different from the home countries of many expats,Ìý like Indians , Filipinos etc,
especially i am from Kerala, India,
I miss my homeland, the rivers there, the sand there , rainy seasons there, some special seasonal dishes only available there and each and everything in our home country s typical for every expat,
For me , my family is with meÌý right now, my wifeÌý & kid areÌý with me in Saudi for the last 5 years.
bringing our family that is our wife/husbandÌý and children is very important which will reduce the nostalgia a little bit.
but still we will miss every thing in our area .
You can wtach Television channels particular to your areas, which will recude some home sickness
Also we have to go out with our friends/family every weekend (Friday or Saturday )to reduce the nostalgia.
also we should go every year vacation for minimum 30 days, which will also reduce our home sickness , on the feeling thatÌý we can visit our beloved homeland within a span of maximum 12 months.
as far for me, since i am a Keralite, i have Kerala market here in Sharafiya, where every thing will be available ,except father and mother. (
) When i walk through the Kerala market, i feel like i am in my home country at least for a few minutes.
But for Pakistanis, orÌý Filipinos you have to find pakistani /Ìý Filipino markets, to get the items special to your taste.
but if we spend more years in a particular place like Jeddah Riyadh ,Dammam etc,Ìý definitely itÌý will reduce your home sickness and you will feel the place like your homeland to some extent.
We are on Our u a facing Kingdom Tower.
Badmington , Hiking , Dinner meeting andÌý Bollywood nights . Internations is an excellent platform to meet other Expats and increase your friends circle .
Give more details about Internations Member ship to apply....
---------------------------------
I am here for last 6 years almost, 2 years Bachelor and 4 years married.
When you are single its quite manageable, as you have company of many singles with different intrest and hobbies.
You can be friends with your alike ( Like i use to debate with one guy most of the time on sects in Islam)
But when u get married the life gets tougher and tougher with time.
Now we are parenting two little kids, but still time at home is bit frustrating.
Here are few tips.
1. Play with your kids as much as u can give them a lot of time.
2. Its very important to live in a locality where u have people of your social circle and culture.
3. Look out to befriend with people, sply during prayers in local masjid.
4. After few interactions you may pick few of your interest, call one by one for tea.
5. let your families as well befriend and be in touch.
6. Make a group of like minded neighbors, meet twice or thrice a week.
7. Have common dinner turn by turn.
8. Go out together for shopping, park or BBQ.
9. Arrange video conference calls to your old forgottenÌý relatives and friends.
10. Discuss with your wife, your memorable moments of past and future plans.
11. Help you wife in house hold works, cooking, cleaning etc.
12. Go for a dinner once or twice a month.
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Waiting for others too to share
good Luck
I think making new friends, chatting, playing games,movies,enjoying work... are the better way to reduce it.
FELING LONELY N EMPTY
SOME1 PLEASE SUGGEST SOMETHING
2. I also like to visit nearest states like Dubai, Bahrain, and Qatar
3. I go for desert safari sometimes
4. I go for bar b qÌý with colleagues and friends
5. I talk to my family and friends back in the home country almost daily

I was months old.. My parents went off skiing. Left me with my grandparents..
But usually, growing up, my parents sent me away, I was happy.
This means. I dont really understand homesickness.
In fact - I dont really know where home was anyway
Thanks
A
Ìý
Ìý Ìý Ìý ÌýWell, for me it is nothing but hanging out with my 'jackson cmgÌý bass guitar'Ìý as well as composing songs(one of my friends helps me out with the lyrics) and recording/mixing those songs down.
Would like to know how others expats usually deal with this.
Thanks again,
Najmul Huda
Keeping contact with other Kenyans does it for me, enjoying Kenyan dishes together and dancing to Kenyan music
Creating a network of friends goes a long way. That way you get invited whenever there's social stuff going on and that kinda compensates whatever you're missing
Calling home. The world wide web has shrunk the world in leaps and bounds, made communication almost free. Just making a video call home and talking the night away with parents, children and any neighbours who pay them visits lol
Am doing masters so it takes my mind away from other stuff too
Reason : off topic + please share your "homesickness in Saudi Arabia"
1. Gym
2. Walk/BBQ in Wadi Hanifa (Near Dariya)
3. Join Expat group for hiking/music/dance etc.
4. Meet with people from different nationalities
Dr. Waqar
xxx
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Thanks for your message and for the intriguing topic like "dealing with homesickness."
Homesickness is a complex situation where a person has to deal with a new place without his/her near and dear ones. If a person is single then he/she will miss his/her parents, siblings and friends back home. If he/she is married and forced to live alone without spouse then one more addition to the problem, particularly missing one's kids. However, one to keep on moving despite hurdles and obstacles.
A few tips from me for the people who are struggling to balance career and personal life and suffering and dealing with homesickness.
1) To prevent & combat negative & depressing thoughts & feelings one must be fully occupied, I mean 24 hours a day.
2) Constantly be in touch with people back home. Either you are working or communicating through social network like Facebook, Google , WhatsApp, IMO, Line or email, but that must be healthy and fruitful and not brain draining.
3) Here in Saudi Arabia, since the life is comfortable and sedentary, people tend to become lazy and inactive, particularly office going people, so one must try to wakeup atleast ½ hour before the regular time and make time for walking, jogging, yoga, deep breathing to feel active, light and energetic throughout the day.
4) Initially it will be real hard for you to wake up early in the morning as you have been habituated for long to waking up in helter-skelter and having a bath and leave for work with or without breakfast.
5) Never skip breakfast, otherwise you will feel less energetic and inactive before lunch.
6) Never go to bed unless and until you feel sleepy and drowsy.
7) Do shavasana (corpse pose) before sleep.
8) Take atleast 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep; please remember quantity is not important.
9) Being a counsellor and health educator, I find peace in alleviating pain of near & dear ones in particular and whoever asks for help in general. My motive is to acquaint people about harmful as well as beneficial food, living habits and consumable products.
10) I promote organic products in general and DXN products in particular. I make people aware of dangers of hybrid products and discourage them from their use.
Anyone can contact me for further guidance.
Thanks & regards,
Abid
I have best tips may be some people will disagree with me but this is best solution of homesickness
1. Call one time in one week as daily talk mean you will think all the day about your home and family.
2. When you call at home, make a less duration call like 10 minutes instead of hours.
3. Make new friends
4. Attend community gatherings
5. Go at least one time in week for shopping and on entertainment places
hop evry thing don will
about the hom sickns
theres many resons for that
the mean isÌý gap times
the medicen alwyas try to full your gap yimes with sport or reading or to jion the saudian life
thancks alot
with the complement of
azizi
Here are my few tips in overcoming homesickness
1.Accept the situation you're in.
- It starts with a mindset ,once you have accepted that you are away from home ,It will unload your worries and problems.
2.Get Excited with your new environment and explore your surroundings,Sooner and later you'll begin to like it.
3.Meet new friends.
4.Learn the local language
5.Go to malls and supermarkets.Be curious on all the products and see what you have not seen on your own country.
6.Start a hobby (ex.sports and recreational activities.
7.Join an organization (ex. sports enthusiasts)
8.Strengthen your Spirituality (Join a group of your same faith)
9.Stay connected with your families and friends through social media
10.Avoid being Alone,it leads to loneliness and depression.
11.Get Busy,Just do something,You"ll forget time.Time flies so fast that you'll forget you're even homesick.
12.Lastly Smile,As they say"Smile andÌý the world will smile back at you"
Post your reply If I can be of great help for some of your specific homesickness problems.
Best Regards,
1) Make Friends with Nice people Frm Your home country and Also people who are liberal and out going.
2) Plan activities Togather At least once in a month.
3) Talk to Family members at home. E.g. Set up a Family whats Up Group and keep posted on happenings at home. Discuss issues and Ask for guidance and opinions if needed. Best way to discuss wt Family members.
4) Dont think abt Work once You are home. Do something Tht makes U happy, like watch Tv any shows that helps you Relax Or go to the Gym wt friends Or even for a swim.
5) Have get togathers Wt friends like a house party and movie evening and a chat abt fashion, places for travel and girls stuffs too. Enjoy some crazy Jokes and Laughter To keep you from feeling Home sick.
I hope these Few things might help you to overcome Homesickness in Saudi Arabia. Just Chill and Have the right community to hang out with, its not that bad afterall.
and your educational certificate to be attestedÌý by ministry of education and
then translated to ArabicÌý followed by attested by Saudi Embassy completed and you received freeÌý ticket from your agent & Medical fitness completed,
You can board plane and arrive at S.Arabia.
Sometime it took three months to get First salary so arrange personal expense of 600 Rial per month say 1800 Saudi Rials s + add 500-1000 trial for IQAMA or Work Permit. So one to exchange local currency to RialÌý atÌý homeÌý countryÌý and be ready for at least 3000 Rials before entry to Saudi Arabia..
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