There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for settling into expat life in a new country, but here are a few helpful articles and personal stories that may help make your move a little easier.
Welcome to Helpxpat Relocation, your trusted partner for corporate relocation and immigration services in Saudi Arabia.They’re here to make your move to Saudi Arabia as smooth and stress-free as possible. With their experienced team by your side, you can confidently explore the beauty and… Read more
American expat Susie has been a lot of things – police officer, travel agent, bank teller, teacher, chocolatier, airline reservationist, among others. She met her Saudi husband at the University of Arizona in the late 1970s. They’ve been together for more than 43 years, 30 of which were… Read more
An Interculturalist by profession and an avid traveller, Palavi Kele moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with her husband after their wedding in 2019. She's passionate about learning languages, blogging about her travels and cultural adventures, and collecting postcards from across the world. Palavi… Read more
Aysh Siddiqua is an Indian expat living in Jeddah. She is a stay-at-home mom to three children and loves to crochet and tat lace. She is also a blogger in Jeddah. She writes about parenting, kids activities and crafts on her blog Jeddah Mom and Twitter page.
Read more about expat life in… Read more
Elriz is an expat from the Philippines. He has been living in Saudi Arabia since November 2011. He currently lives in Al Khobar in the Eastern Province, though his work takes him all over the country. To learn more about Elriz’s life as an expat, follow him on Twitter or check out his blog.
Read… Read more
James Ynson was born in the Philippines, raised in Australia, and lived in the USA for 14 years. In September 2017 he moved to Khobar, Saudi Arabia in the hopes of challenging himself to do something out of his comfort zone. After two incredible years in the Kingdom, he is now back in Australia.… Read more
Brenda Hurley is a Canadian expat who moved with her husband to a growing Saudi Arabian city on the Red Sea. They took it as an opportunity to see the world and different cultures. Brenda says that although adapting to such a conservative culture can be challenging, the key to living happily in the… Read more
Angela Harlow is an American expat who has been living in the Red Sea city of Yanbu with her husband and daughter since 2012. Here she shares some interesting perspectives on the pros and cons of living in this Saudi city.
Yanbu is a small, quiet city on the Red Sea. Located… Read more
Aisha is a Cameroonian expat living in Saudi Arabia’s coastal city of Jeddah. She moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband in 2008. Although life in the Kingdom has taken some getting used to, particularly the restrictions Aisha faces as a women, she finds the cost of living in Jeddah more affordable… Read more
Mandi is an American expat who moved to Riyadh with her Saudi husband and daughter. There are many adjustments that Mandi had to make when she moved to the Kingdom, and she has found the experience of living in Saudi Arabia to be a challenging one.
Learn more about living in the Kingdom in the… Read more
Thomas is a German expat living in Saudi Arabia. He initially moved to Jeddah in 2009 with his wife Claudia, but they now live in Khobar, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. They find expat life in Khobar drastically different from life in Jeddah, which has a thriving expat community and social… Read more
Alexander Gorin is a British expat who moved to Saudi Arabia with his wife in 2012. They live in the city of Yanbu, on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Alexander understands Arabic and converted to Islam a few years ago, so the transition to expat life in Saudi Arabia has not been as much of a culture… Read more
Andrew is a Welsh expat living and working as an English teacher in Jubail, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Although Andrew finds Jubail to be a diverse and friendly city, he found adjusting to life in Saudi Arabia to be quite hard, especially as he does not live in a compound. Here he… Read more
Erica is a South African who moved to Saudi Arabia in 2009 to pursue a job at a new university of technology just outside the coastal city of Jeddah. Nearly three years on, she is having fun and has yet to tire of the view of the Red Sea from her office window.
Read more about expat life in… Read more
Tania is a Canadian university professor who is married to a Saudi businessman. They divide their time between Vancouver in Canada and the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Being married to a local, the transition to Saudi life was not a difficult one for Tania, who has been touched by how welcoming her Saudi… Read more
Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country governed by a strict interpretation of Sharia law. This governs virtually all facets of life, with customs and traditions in Saudi based on the tenets mentioned in the Quran. This means that freedom of religion and worship in Saudi Arabia is severely limited, with… Read more
Expats moving to Saudi Arabia will almost certainly have solidified a job, negotiated their contract and squared away salary logistics prior to arrival; and in the majority of instances, foreigners lured abroad to Riyadh, Jeddah or the Kingdom’s oil-rich Eastern Province will be granted a shipping… Read more
Given the contrast between Western and Islamic norms and lifestyles, expat etiquette always seems to be a point of contention in the Middle East. More than any other time, Ramadan can be a challenge for newcomers. As the Muslim religion’s holiest month of the year, it’s more important than… Read more
Let’s face it – moving is hard work! The packing, the picking-up, and let’s not forget making space for the more pivotal members of our families – the pets.
While pets add another variable to relocation, it is possible to safely and easily move and travel with pets, anywhere in the world – even a… Read more
Terri Lundberg isn't afraid to tell you how it is. Though the notorious restrictive society of the KSA rubs her the wrong way now and again, she lives a good life and takes a moment out of her social schedule to tell Expat Arrivals about her expat experience in Saudi Arabia. For more, read her blog… Read more
Edward Musiak, an Australian expat living in Riyadh, shares his insights about doing business in Saudi Arabia.
The art of personal and business communication
In any culture, successful business dealings rely on clear communication between the relevant parties. In a complex culture such as Saudi… Read more
Sri Lankan family man and music enthusiast Fazli Sameer is a Senior IT Consultant who moved to Saudi Arabia over 30 years ago. He's now well-versed in the art of Saudi adjustment and aptly prepared to give expats moving to Saudi Arabia good advice about integrating into the expat community… Read more
Carol Fleming is an American ex-diplomat who spent most of her career in South Asia and the Middle East region; she's also travelled to more than 75 countries. She has now been living in Riyadh for three and a half years with her husband, a career Saudi diplomat.
Read more about expat life in the… Read more
Jim Veihdeffer is an American that has recently moved to Saudi Arabia to teach English.
Read more about expat life in the kingdom in the Expat Arrivals guide to Saudi Arabia, or read more expat experiences in Saudi Arabia.
About Jim
Q: Where are you originally from?
A: Arizona
Q: … Read more
Susie is an American woman living in Jeddah since October 2007. She has been married to her Saudi husband for over 30 years. She finds her new home interesting, fascinating, and colourful, with people that are warm and courteous. She writes the award-winning blog susiesbigadventure.blogspot.… Read more
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