Greetings from a newcomer

23POSTS

16 years ago

Dear forum-ers:

I am new in Riyadh and wanted to say hello to you.
I understand it is a sort of tradition for newcomers to ask for tips and advice about living in SA, but I won't ask for anything. I will try and figure out everything by myself...it is much funnier.

Hope to see you often on this forum.

See also

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shahab.ali ViP

1079POSTS

16 years ago

Welcome Heady...ya, its not only funny, it is easy too

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

16 years ago

Hey Heady, welcome aboard!!聽

A tip for you already:聽 SA = South Africa.聽 KSA = Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I won't ask for anything

But if you need to, please feel free.聽 We only get cranky when a topic has already been discussed 3X in a week and somebody asks the same question yet again.

You'll probably be able to help out with things you've learned here (you've been here longer than me!) so please, join in!

Ioanna Contributor

166POSTS

16 years ago

Welcome aboard Heady

Like your pic..join in the fun!

Salman Omrani VIP Member

1389POSTS

16 years ago

Good to have you with us Heady, love the pic XD

Salman

r-m Active member

40POSTS

16 years ago

very big welcome from a lovely saudi woman.

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

16 years ago

from a lovely saudi woman

This surprises me.聽 It seems not to be in keeping with the modesty/low profile expected of Saudi women, or am I wrong?聽 Please explain.

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

16 years ago

how lovely is lovely?

MadMaz EB member+

261POSTS

16 years ago

Hi Heady,

You're most welcome, I'm new here as well, you're the first one I welcome to the site since I joined... enjoy being the first!

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

16 years ago

#10

Welcome Heady...

Wow, you really don't have to hold back the questions, but please share the funniest things you encounter when you encounter them.

"It's Hedley, damn you!"
- Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamar in "Blazing Saddles"

mnd New member

9POSTS

16 years ago

#11

welcome & have fun:)

c'est moi New member

3POSTS

16 years ago

#12

Welcome if you need any info msg me

Heady Member

23POSTS

16 years ago

#13

Thank you all for your warm welcome... I mean ... not "warm" as in "it is 40 degrees Celsius outside and we swelter"... but "warm" as "cool". Euh... What I write makes no sense. I must be tired!

@alliecat:
How could I have possibly been here for longer than you ?... I just arrived in Riyadh 3 days ago!

Oh! I found it!

you actually arrived yesterday in Riyadh then you got caught in a time warping wormhole; now you are trapped in the past, giving us the illusion that you have been here for about a year. Am I right ?

Fidgety Soul ViP

1950POSTS

16 years ago

#14

Welcome Dear,I just hope u would love the place....all u need to be really active in our forum and i promise u will have fun

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

16 years ago

#15

Oh! I found it!聽 you actually arrived yesterday in Riyadh then you got caught in a time warping wormhole; now you are trapped in the past, giving us the illusion that you have been here for about a year. Am I right ?

EXACTLY right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(erm, seriously .. I thought I'd read that you'd been here since May 2009?)

Ioanna Contributor

166POSTS

16 years ago

#16

MisterStretch wrote:
"It's Hedley, damn you!"
- Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamar in "Blazing Saddles"

I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEE this scene!!
Now I want to blank out Riyadh for 90 minutes and watch this crazy movie

Thanks for the memories MisterStretch

jillndave Serial expat

367POSTS

16 years ago

#17

Watched it last month, from our DVD library.
If we play parts from the Blazing Saddles movie can I play the Wako Kid. Just love his shooting hand.

Alliecat ViP

8790POSTS

16 years ago

#18

can I play the Wako Kid

Why is it that I can easily picture you in the bean scene around the campfire?

MisterStretch ViP

805POSTS

16 years ago

#19

A classic movie, for sure, and one in my collection, as well.

Thanks Heady for joining the forum and giving us all a smile, though not at your expense.

Carry on, people.

shahab.ali ViP

1079POSTS

16 years ago

#20

musicman wrote:
how lovely is lovely?

he he he...ya even i wanna know that

CAF Serial expat

831POSTS

16 years ago

#21

Welcome Heady AND C'est Moi!聽聽We look forward to your input, conversation and involvement here on the forum.聽 Hope to meet you both when I get back!

Heady - I can see that you already fit right in!聽 And I love the Pic!

mirfarali Contributor

140POSTS

16 years ago

#22

Welcome to Riyadh. I am sure you will have lots of experiences and lots of opportunities to learn from.

The first time my wife came over to Riyadh, I picked her up at the airport and stopped on the way for pizza at Pizza inn. We went in and ordered pizza at the counter then went to sit at the tables. After a while, the guy brought over pizza all packed and ready for take out. I told the guy that we wanted to dine-in. To which he replied that it was a singles only seating joint. In all our stay here, no one had come into their outlet, which I pointed to him. He said, well if you do not go then you will get into trouble with the Mutawwa.

On our way out with the pizza, my wife asked what the hell happened. To which I replied, "Welcome to Saudi Arabia. Have a nice stay."

Welcome to Saudi Arabia.

Alethe Contributor

105POSTS

16 years ago

#23

My first week in Riyadh my my husband suddenly discovered that most of the eateries he generally visited were men only.聽 He'd never noticed before.

Fidgety Soul ViP

1950POSTS

16 years ago

#24

The only thing bother me when i see loads of people enjoying their coffee at road side when i pass by Tahlia Street.I love those cafe but i can't be there.

Alethe Contributor

105POSTS

16 years ago

#25

I agree nonz most of the cafe's for women in Riyadh have all the charm & appeal of broom cupboards.

Nelson17 Contributor

127POSTS

16 years ago

#26

women can't go in the cafe in Tahlia Street? thats rubbish!! cant say I noticed. I will probably notice a lot more when my wife turns up.

I remember reading somewhere that having a wife was an enabler here??

Maybee it is the plan of the wifes so the men all have to go and collect the take out?

Alethe Contributor

105POSTS

16 years ago

#27

We can't sit outside.聽 There are a limited set of western chain cafes that have family sections which women can go into.聽 (Most of them serve really bad coffee.)

My favorite coffee shop is Caribou had Marina Mall.聽 The coffee is nice and they have outdoor seating for families tucked behind a high fence.

musicman ViP

3180POSTS

16 years ago

#28

The Food Courts in all malls allow for mixed seating and there areb plenty of good coffee shops and fast food in there.

r-m Active member

40POSTS

15 years ago

#29

Alliecat wrote:
from a lovely saudi woman

This surprises me.聽 It seems not to be in keeping with the modesty/low profile expected of Saudi women, or am I wrong?聽 Please explain.

??????????????
why u r surprised

debgoodfellow New member

6POSTS

15 years ago

#30

enjoy Riyadh, hot hot hot, bit dry, breath deeply when you feel its all to much, always have a back up plan for everything lol.........enjoy it................ not forever D x

egyduck Guest

0POSTS

15 years ago

#31

Heady wellcome to saudi arabia and debgoodfellow wellcome back to Egypt

marypoppins07 New member

4POSTS

15 years ago

#32

Hi
I am so glad I found this forum.

聽 I would so appreciate it if anyone could please give me some guidance.聽 I place people (nannies& Exec house managers) with families in Saudi Arabia and though most of the people are happy in their jobs they find the isolation very very hard and battle to stay out their contracts.聽 Is there a group or get together place for expats i.e. South Africans in Riyadh & Jeddah that is safe and recommended for for these women to go on their off days?聽

I look forward to hear from you all.
Regards
Mary Poppins

Alethe Contributor

105POSTS

15 years ago

#33

It is very difficult for people who live with local families, as life in Riyadh is very based around connections, rather than there being open events or venues that you can go to.聽 Most western expats build their social networks around contacts from their residential compounds & their workplaces.

To my knowledge the South African embassy in Riyadh does not run regular social events.

marypoppins07 New member

4POSTS

15 years ago

#34

Dear Alethe

Thank you so much for the feedback.聽 So it would be advisable for these candidates to live in compounds away from the families and just go into their work place everyday?
Regards
Ilse

Alethe Contributor

105POSTS

15 years ago

#35

It would give them other people to interact with other than the families they interact with which I think would be really easier.聽 It also means they are only supervised by the families they work for during their working hours not their free time.聽 I have a friend who is a nanny here and she has found the constant supervision by her employers makes her feel like she is a child living at home again, accept her parents were never that strict.

marypoppins07 New member

4POSTS

15 years ago

#36

Hi

Yes my people feel like they are locked up in jail and feel like they are smothering.

I will recommend that to them - whether the families will be happy with that is quite another thing - we will have to wait and see.

Thank you for your time in answering the post
Regards

Fidgety Soul ViP

1950POSTS

15 years ago

#37

marypoppins07 wrote:
Hi

Yes my people feel like they are locked up in jail and feel like they are smothering.

I will recommend that to them - whether the families will be happy with that is quite another thing - we will have to wait and see.

Thank you for your time in answering the post
Regards

(My People)

Stevie334 Member

21POSTS

15 years ago

#38

Hi Heady,

Can you elaborate on your interest in Aviation? The company I work for had a presence at the Saudi Aviation Club a couple of months back.

Heady Member

23POSTS

15 years ago

#39

Stevie334 wrote:
Hi Heady,

Can you elaborate on your interest in Aviation? The company I work for had a presence at the Saudi Aviation Club a couple of months back.

Hi Stevie334,
Funny that you mention the Saudi Aviation Club as I was doing some research on it 2-3 days ago.
Actually, I have theoretical knowledge in flying fixed-wing aircrafts and practiced professional flight simulators quite a bit, but never really stayed long enough in one country to really fly in an aviation club.
I understood the Saudi Aviation Club is located at Thumama airport about 30 kms north Riyadh Int'l Airport is that correct ?

WTENGEL Active member

66POSTS

15 years ago

#40

I am not sure if you are interested in taking fixed wing pilot lessons, but I looked into it a few weeks ago, and it is prohibitively expensive here.

Apparently they have to import the Avgas from the UK, and the cost per hour for the aircraft with fuel and instructor is around $400.00 USD per flight hour. You read that right, and no I am not confusing SAR and USD...my jaw was on the ground!

The Saudi Aviation Club had a booth at Janadriyah this year and I visited with them for a little bit. They are doing a lot of PPG stuff lately, and I asked about skydiving. The guy basically said they do not do that anymore...

Anyway, PPG in the desert sounds rather fun...depending on what you are looking for...