Wow. That sure went fast. 52 weeks. 365 days. And yesterday marked my 1 year anniversary in Saudi Arabia. Time here passes differently. It feels like I boarded that flight from Canada to Saudi much longer than a year ago, and oddly, at the same time it feels like I’ve packed 5 years worth of memories into the last year. The weeks seem to drag on, but the months themselves seem to fly by. It’s hard to put the concept of time into words, but I reckon those of you who live here get what I mean.
Since this is my second time in Saudi the culture shock was pretty minimal. I’ve coped better emotionally this time around than that first time. I knew what to expect and was well prepared. Earlier this month I decided that I would re-contract for a second year. I’m not quite done traveling, and I’m finally debt free so really, all I make goes to traveling or into savings. That’s a bonus. I’ve got a bunch of loose upcoming travel plans. I’m going home for nearly 3 weeks for American Thanksgiving. I’ll be splitting my time between my second home (Seattle) and seeing my family up in Canada. I’m spending Christmas in Dubai, which I’m really looking forward to because I get overly jazzed about the holidays. Otherwise I’ve got a bunch of holiday time but nothing conclusively booked. I want to get to Kuwait for a weekend as it’s the only Gulf Coast country I’ve yet to visit. Both Azerbaijan and Iran are near the top of my list. I would love to go back to Bangladesh, and there’s a lot of Egypt I’ve yet to explore.
So here’s to surviving a year in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store.
Last week I told you about all the lovely reasons you should consider a job in Saudi Arabia. This week I wanted to touch on the equal number of not so great things to consider if you’re thinking about being an ex-pat in the Middle East. Obviously, as with anything really, there is the good with the bad, and working in Saudi is no exception. So here’s my list of the 10 not-so-great things you should know…..
1. Culture shock is inevitable. This is kind of a no-brainer, but if you’re a westerner you truly couldn’t pick a more different place to live than Saudi Arabia. Basically you can expect to initially be in a state of euphoria- it’s all so different and you will find it fascinating. Oh my gosh a camel. Oh my goodness the Middle Eastern attire worn by men resembles a dress. Why’s that guy got a machine gun? Why is that child hanging out the window while the car is going 100km/hr down the road? It’s like a total sensory overload and your brain will struggle to keep up with the many new things you will see. You’ll feel like a kid in a candy store. This phase is called the Honeymoon phase and you will be generally happy with your decision to move abroad. Sadly this phase ends. Often abruptly. The next phase can be called the Frustration phase. You’ll be generally bitchy or pissy. Nothing is the same, everything sucks, why the hell isn’t it like home? Why did I leave? Everything will feel challenging. Some people will spend their entire time in Saudi in this phase. Inshallah, you will pull on your big girl panties and move into the Adjustment phase which basically means that you get used to the way things are. You accept things. The final phase is Adaptation which means that things will stop feeling so foreign and that you will successfully be acclimated to the new culture. This doesn’t mean a full-on conversion to the new culture, but rather that you feel apart of the culture. I haven’t yet made it to the Adaptation phase, but quite happily navigate in the Adjustment phase with occasional relapses into the Frustration phase.
2. Bring a suitcase full of patience. No joke. If you move to Saudi Arabia from any western country, you are in for one hell of a shocker. Things are super inefficient here. It’s mind boggling at times. Simple things that might take 3 steps back home will take 10 here. Occasionally you will suffer a full blown temper tantrum in public because you will be so annoyed. Sometimes you will cry. But mostly, you will just have to accept the way it is because you are never, ever, going to change it. So just roll with it. If you want an example of what I mean read this post about my uphill paperwork battle this fall. Or this one about Saudi banking.
3. Prayer times. Unless you live under a rock I’m sure you’re well aware that Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country. And people here pray 5 times a day. And unlike other Middle Eastern countries everything closes during prayer times. Closes. Seriously. As an ex-pat you will find that you are intimately attune to what time prayer is (because the time changes a bit day to day) and you will need to be aware of this when you are heading out. It can make running errands or trying to get out for a meal difficult if you forget about prayer times. I have found myself being locked outside of a restaurant or store while we wait for prayer to finish many a times. Grocery stores will let you stay inside and keep shopping, but you won’t be able to pay or leave until prayer is over. Restaurants will let you eat during prayer, but will not serve you food or allow you to pay or leave during prayer. This is why it’s important to time things out- I like to get into a restaurant and have the food come before prayer is called so we can eat during that time. It’s also good to know that the 2 evening prayers are often quite close together, so for example if I wanted to go shopping and the mall opens at 4pm, I would only be able to shop until 5:30pm when the 1st evening prayer is called. All the stores would close, and we would wait the 20min or so until they open again. Then at 7pm prayer would be called again and this one is often 30min or so. You can see that could become a source of frustration.
4. Opening hours. Grocery stores are often open 24hours, so apart from closing for prayer you can go anytime. Malls usually open from 10am-12pm (or whenever the lunchtime prayer is) and then open again at 4pm until 11pm-1am (ish) depending on the day of the week. That being said, it’s not uncommon to show up to a shop that should be open and find out that no one showed up for work. Or they slept in. Or are just running an hour late. Same goes for the bank.
5. No driving for the ladies. That’s right. If you would’ve described yourself as a self-sufficient independent lady you’re in for a surprise. Not being able to drive is the #1 complaint of western ladies. But, to be fair once you see how absurd the drivers here are you will quickly lose interest in wanting to drive. That being said, having to rely on a driver to take you places is pretty annoying. At first it will seem cool. Oh, let me just call my driver. But the first time you’re left stranded somewhere this will lose it’s shiny appeal. You can’t go anywhere by yourself because you are now a child who needs to be taken everywhere. And sometimes you will want to go somewhere (or leave) and all the drivers are busy. So you wait, because you don’t have any other choice. It can lead you to feeling like a caged animal because you can’t freely get into the car and drive where you want to go. Just today I was stranded at the mall waiting and waiting for a driver to come get me. #annoying
6. No recycling. If you love the environment a little piece of you will die every time you throw a water bottle in the garbage. Or a can of diet coke. Or that stack of papers. Or that pickle jar. Nothing gets recycled. Ever. Or at least not where I work and live. It breaks my heart to live somewhere that totally has the resources to recycle and just doesn’t. Also, people don’t seem to be concerned about wasting water or electricity. Newsflash: Saudi Arabia is a desert. So why would you plant grass and flowers meant for North American weather and watch them wilt and die in the 50C heat. And waste water on them?? Only to replant new flowers the following month? Why? Because you’ve got money. That’s why. On the weekends when the hospital offices are closed you can walk by office areas where all the lights are left on (and I’m sure the AC) all weekend long while no one is there. It can be a hard pill to swallow.
7. The list of things considered illegal is long. We’ve already discussed women driving. It’s a no-no, along with alcohol, pork, movie theatres, and being alone with a man who is not your husband or your relative (so essentially no dating). Women are not allowed to try on clothes when out shopping with the exception of Kingdom Mall ladies floor, and the handful of lingerie stores run by women. Technically, it’s illegal to practice any religion but Islam. There are no churches or other religious groups. Pornography is obviously illegal. Many of these things can be a source of frustration for ex-pats. I personally miss coming home from a stressful day of work and sipping a glass (bottle) of red wine. I also really miss going to the movies.
8. Class system. Saudi Arabia is a class system, no two ways about it. Lives here are not measured the same as in western countries. There is literally a chart of how much your family will be paid if you are killed in a car accident, and that chart varies greatly depending on your sex, religion, ethnic origin, and country of citizenship. Many Saudis employ servants, drivers, and nannies. There are numerous reports of ill treatment of these workers- and this isn’t really a topic that I want to touch on. I have witnessed on many occasions servants being treated in a less than respectful way. It is shocking, and contrary to how I was raised or how I view equality amongst people.That being said, many westerners employ housemaids and drivers and nannies. Pay amongst different nationalities is also vastly different depending on the colour of a persons passport. This is obviously a source of contention at work where we are all essentially doing the same job, and I’m not sure that there is a proper way to correct the situation. The truth of the matter is that no North American nurse in Saudi Arabia is make 2-3times what they would back home. It just doesn’t happen. And yet many Filipino and Indian nurses are making several times more than they would in their own country. It’s a touchy topic, but cost of living and education costs are drastically different between western countries and the rest of the world, and yet, here in Saudi Arabia the price of water is the same whether you’re from Canada, or Malaysia. This is a huge topic that’s hard to properly address.
9. In sh Allah. Saudis live their lives based off the principle of Inshallah which translates as God Willing or Gods Will. It is easily the most commonly used word in these parts. Also the most annoying for westerners who typically don’t live their lives guided 100% by this premise. It is also annoying because it’s so bloody contagious. I say Inshallah easily 20 times a day. I accidentally let it slip out last week at Oktoberfest when some one asked me if I was planning on going next year. Inshallah! I replied. And then immediately smacked the palm of my hand to my forehead. Duh. Let me set the scene for you…..you’ve got some type of Saudi style paperwork nightmare, that you’ve been stressed about, and really wouldn’t be that big of a deal to work out back home, but then again, you’re not at home. So this seemingly simple thing (like opening a bank account, or getting your residency card) has turned into a colossal nightmare because you’ve now made 8 trips to several different offices over the span of a few days because half the time the office hasn’t opened on time, the guy didn’t show up, or you get there and now they’ve closed for tea time, or prayer time, or smoke break time. So finally you’ve handed in all the paperwork and things are looking real good. So you ask “How long before this is processed?” I bet you a million riyals that the guy’s reply will be 1 of 2 things “2 weeks, Inshallah.” Or “Inshallah, 2 weeks.” As soon as he utters Inshallah you can almost automatically double the time, or assume the paperwork will get lost. It’s kinda like a jinx.
10. Reverse culture shock. Homesickness. People not getting you. Just as integrating into Saudi Arabian life isn’t easy, nor will returning home. Your time here will change you. It will change the way you see the world. Returning home is hard. People will have a hard time understanding what your life here was like. Many will not be interested. When I returned from Saudi the first time I moved back to Seattle. Back to the same neighbourhood, same job, same friends. And yet I wasn’t the same. It took me nearly 6 months to settle in. Upon reentry you may find that people have a hard time relating to you. You may find that the time you spent away strained relationships. Unless you are going home often, you likely will have missed out on major events back home such as weddings, births, anniversaries and holidays. It’s not easy.
Don’t get me wrong. I still think that deciding to take a job in Saudi Arabia has been hugely rewarding, and for me the positives out weigh the negatives. At least most days they do.
Did I miss anything that should be on this list? What are your thoughts?
People are endlessly curious about what being an ex-pat in Saudi Arabia is like and what it entails. Often I get contacted regarding what it’s like to live in the Middle East and how to go about getting a job here, so I thought I would discuss the pros and cons to living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. My perspective is that of a western woman. If you’ve been reading my blog for anytime you likely know that I’m a Canadian educated nurse and that I’ve spent most of my career working in large U.S. hospitals. I’m currently working in Riyadh the capitol of Saudi Arabia in a large teaching hospital. So here are my top 10 reasons why you should consider working in the Kingdom:
1. You will most likely save money. Money is the #1 reason most people come to the Middle East. The income you make is most likely tax free depending on your residency status and tax laws in your home country. For many ex-pats housing is included with their hiring package, so no rent=more money in your pocket. Also the cost of living is WAY lower than any western country, which also makes it easy to save money assuming you’re not blowing it on designer shoes and first class plane tickets. I should note that at least for most western nurses the myth that “you’re making huge money in Saudi Arabia” is a flat out lie. What I make tax free is pretty darn close to what I made in Canada or the U.S. taxed. But I don’t pay rent or have a car payment, so at the end of the day I come out ahead. But I’m required to work about 32hrs more a month than I would back home so essentially hourly I’m actually making less, although monthly I’m making more.
2. You will meet many awesome people. Ex-pats are super fun, and also maybe a little bit crazy. I’m sure there are studies proving this. You will make friends from all over the world. New Zealand. Australia. Malaysia. The Philippines. You have to be a bit of an adventurer to want to uproot your life and move to Saudi Arabia. You will also meet people who are extremely passionate about traveling. Or salsa if that’s your thing. Or running. Or tennis. Whatever you’re into, rest assured you will find people with similar interests here.
3. You can travel the world. I get 54 vacation days per contract. Yes. 54. No joke. That’s a lot of vacation time. In fact in the year I’ve been here I’ve already visited Qatar, Cyprus, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the UAE, the Maldives, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Germany. The last time I worked here I traveled to Hungry, Austria, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Oman, India, Turkey and Greece. You can pack a lot in in a one-year contract. Trust me. I’m a professional at it. And depending on where you’re from it’s so much cheaper to travel from Saudi Arabia than it will ever be back home. For $500 the only place I can get to from the west coast of Canada is the U.S. and maybe Mexico if I found a great deal. From Riyadh I can get to Europe, the Indian subcontinent, Africa as well as Asia.
4. This is the only way you will get to see Saudi Arabia. Unless of course you’re Muslim. Cause they aren’t issuing tourist visas. So it’s quite a privilege to get to see a country and culture so vastly different than your western one. Working here gives you a perspective on a country and culture that is separate from what western media leads us to believe. Not every local you meet wants to kill you or convert you. Did you know that Saudi’s are actually very funny people? Granted sometimes they don’t get my sense of humor, but if I’m honest I laugh a lot at work. Many of my Saudi co-workers are very light-hearted. In fact, I refer to most of our male Saudi co-workers as my “brothers.” Also, being in Saudi Arabia allows you to see parts of the country that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Did you know that the famous site of Petra in Jordan has a sister site in northwestern Saudi Arabia? Have you ever been to a camel race? Did you know that camel beauty pageants are actually a thing? Take a job in Saudi Arabia and see for yourself.
5. Your life will be anything but dull. Especially if you happen to be a blond western woman like me. Trip to the grocery store=marriage proposals. Go to the bank to deposit money= getting offered tea and cookies by the male teller. Going out for dinner could turn into a full-on photo shoot with a group of local girls. Earlier this week I walked into my patients room and the patients mother held up her hands and yelled “beautiful” and then pinched my cheeks. Trust me. This kindof stuff never happened to me in North America. It’s pretty entertaining how the most seemingly easy thing can turn into some strange encounter. I personally live for this type of daily entertainment.
6. Arabic to English translations are funny. And vice versa. Quite often when I attempt to speak Arabic my patient or their family will start giggling and then clapping like they are congratulating a toddler for using the toilet. I’m not joking. It’s ridiculous. Also accents and poor language skills can lead to some pretty funny misunderstandings. The first time I was in Saudi I worked with a Finnish girl who with a thick accent would say she needed to go “shart” when she was saying she needed to chart. Trust me for 15 months this was never, not funny. Every time she said it my kiwi-sidekick and I would laugh. She probably hated to work with us. Another time an Arabic doctor came up to me and asked me a question. What I heard was him asking me “Do you have painful urination?” That’s seriously what I thought he said. I must’ve replied “what?” to him 3 times because I couldn’t believe he was asking me that. Turns out on the 4th time when he spoke v e r y s l o w l y, that he was actually asking me “Do you have pen for donation?” I’m quite certain he never asked to borrow a pen from a western nurse like that again.
7. Ladies. You will grow to love your abaya. So yes it is true that anytime you leave your housing compound you will need to don your little black dress aka your abaya. The only exception to this is if by some amazing stroke of luck you find yourself living on the DQ (Diplomatic Quarters.) If you do then I’m super jealous, and can we please be friends. Stat. Anyways, back to the abaya. It literally takes humming and hawing over what to wear out of the picture. Going for dinner with friends and not sure what to wear under your abaya? Ummm PJs. Or yoga pants. Or nothing at all. Cause who’s going to know- you’re covered in a head to toe black dress anyways. Going shopping. Same outfit. No one but you will ever know.
8 Learning Arabic will become your party trick when you return back home. After you’ve lived in Saudi and you get asked that stupid question during an interview “Tell us one unique thing about you?” I speak Arabic bitches. That’s what. BOOM. No one will be expecting that. After I left Saudi the first time I returned to my previous job at a large hospital in Seattle. We got a lot of Somali patients, and often we would get Saudi English students from the university in the ER. One time they couldn’t find an Arabic interpreter. So I was all casually like “I can try and help.” And the doctor was like “What now?” Yep. Basic medical Arabic is my party trick.
9. Embassy Parties. When was the last time you went to a Ball or Gala? Never. Work in Saudi Arabia and that will likely change. All those bridesmaids dresses you were led to believe you could wear again. Well pack one and some dancing shoes because you’ll likely need em. Also it’s fun to have the chance to celebrate 4th of July at the U.S. embassy, or St Pats at the Irish, or Bastille Day at the French.
10. Bragging Rights. How many people can look back on their lives and say “Remember that one time I lived in Saudi Arabia…..” You, that’s who if you take an adventure as an ex-pat in Saudi. The downside is that when you are old and in a nursing home chances are people will just think you have dementia, not that you actually did live in Saudi Arabia. But either way you’ll be entertaining someone with your tales.
UPDATE August 2017: Here’s a recent link to a blog post I wrote about working as a nurse in Saudi Arabia.
I was going to try and write this post yesterday as September 23rd was Saudi National Day, but I’ve been working night shift the last 3 weeks, and am flip-flopping back to day shift. Yesterday my brain was complete mush- and nothing logical or sensible would’ve been written. This year National Day coincided with the Hajj holiday. This week at work non-essential hospital services are closed- ie clinics, and non-emergent OR’s. Yesterday it was announced that the King has extended the Hajj holiday an additional week. I’m eagerly awaiting to hear whether this means extra vacation days or not. Inshallah it does!! So here’s a brief explanation about what each of these 3 holidays are about….
It’s like any country’s day of independence. Think Canada Day or the 4th of July. September 23rd marks the same day in 1932 when King Abdulaziz announced the Kingdom as a country. National pride is at an all time high and there are flags of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia all over. There are festivities for families, and I saw some excellent footage of fireworks at the Ritz Carlton hotel here in Riyadh. People take to the streets in costumes with green wigs or wearing flags, or the colours of the flag (green and white.) Traffic is reported to be a nightmare. I had wanted to run out yesterday early in the evening but my lovely driver “J “flat out refused. He said “people very crazy. They leave eggs out in the sun for a month and then throw them at passing cars. If they not throw eggs they throw rocks. Very bad.” I couldn’t really argue with that. He also said that most of the hospital drivers wouldn’t be going out after 7pm. On Canada Day back home we get day drunk. In Saudi Arabia the youth reportedly throw rotten eggs at motorists. Kinda reminds me of kids back home smashing pumpkins in the streets on Halloween. I rang in National Day from the comfort of my couch as I tried to stay awake watching Netflix until a reasonable bedtime hour with the hopes of sleeping thru the night.
Hajj Pilgrimage
Hajj takes place every year according to the Hijri calendar during the last month and lasts 5 days. It is considered to be the 5th pillar of Islam and every Muslim is required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime assuming they are physically able and can financially afford it. In 2015 it is projected that 2 million Muslims will take part. A reported 800 flights per day take off or land at the airport in Jeddah- there is an entire terminal dedicated to Hajj and is only open during this time. I won’t pretend to be any sort of expert on Hajj- most of what I’m writing is summarized off the interweb, or drawn from conversations with Saudi’s or ex-pat Muslims that I work with. I wanted to share it with you though because I think as an ex-pat living in Saudi Arabia it’s always a great idea to understand the culture. And since religion drives this culture, it’s equally important to understand the major religious practices in this part of the world.
Unlike most of Saudi life the sexes are not segregated at the Holy Mosque during Hajj. Men often wear 2 pieces of white sheet or towels while women are required to dress traditionally with their hair covered. Interestingly, women who normally cover their faces when out in public are NOT allowed to do so during Hajj. As far as I can tell the actual pilgrimage is quite orderly as each day is broken into different rites that are practiced that day. Most pilgrims travel in groups with guides and handbooks explaining the requirements of Hajj. These requirements include praying, declaring their intention to perform Hajj, and performing Tawaf which entails walking counterclockwise around the Kaaba. The Kaaba is a large black box and is the holiest site in Islam. It is considered to be the House of Allah. After Tawaf the pilgrims go to Mina for a day of prayer. This is the first day of the Hajj. The second day of Hajj is spent at Mount Arafat- this is where it is said that Muhammed delivered his last prayer. Pilgrims stand in vigil listening to a sermon and repent for sins for the afternoon. After sunset they move to a place called Muzdalifah where they have evening prayers and sleep outside on the ground. The third day pilgrims take part in a ritual called stoning the devil which involves throwing 7 pebbles at one of 3 pillars, and after that animals are slaughtered and often given to the poor. This coincides with Eid al-Adha. Male pilgrims then shave their heads and women clip the ends of their hair. Day four the pilgrims repeat the “stoning of the devil” by throwing 7 pebbles at the 3 pillars. They must then leave for Mecca that day. Before leaving Mecca they again perform Tawaf around the Kaaba. The fifth and final day is a repeat of the rituals on the fourth.
This years pilgrimage has been marred by tragedy with the crane collapse earlier this month which killed more than 100 people. Sadly, earlier this morning while pilgrims were taking part in the “stoning of the devil” there was a stampede and the latest reports say that over 700 people have died.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al- Adha is the second Muslim holiday. Eid al-Fitr is the first holiday which marks the end of the fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha centers around the story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son. Meat is sacrificed on this day and divided into 3 sections. One portion for the family, one portion is given to other family members, and the last portion is given to the poor. Eid is seen as a time of celebration. People dress up in fancy clothes, and exchange gifts. Happy Eid to all!!
I hope you’ll be kind to me if I got some of the above information wrong. I have pretty elementary understanding of the Islamic religion, but still felt it was important for you, my readers, to be informed!
Ma Salama is the Arabic phrase for goodbye. Living in Saudi Arabia one is very accustomed to meeting many new people, and then eventually saying goodbye to them, or them to you. It’s a very transient place for ex-pats. You bond very quickly, and even though you will likely live far apart after you leave Saudi, you will always be bonded by this shared experience of living here. When I left Saudi the first time I had a hard time talking about my time here. I wasn’t the same person I was prior to coming to Saudi, and my world view had vastly changed. I very much wanted to talk about it, but it’s hard for people who have never experienced the Middle East to understand what it’s like. Especially as a woman. I have a handful of friends from the first time I was here who I will be in touch with for life. Saudi bonded us to one another. They are the people I can say “hey, remember that completely ridiculous thing that could only happen in Saudi?” And they totally get it.
Ma Salama is probably the second most used Arabic phrase after Inshallah. Saudis and ex-pats say it all the time. I say it when I leave work, prior to vacation, when I leave the grocery store, when I have a bad day at work I say it but I usually add on a few not so lovely words after it. You get the picture. Almost every weekend there is a Ma Salama sale, or a Ma Salama party to send someone off.
Yesterday I said Ma Salama to one of my most favourite people here. She is my Muslim Saudi sister, and it has been such a lovely blessing getting to know her. We bonded while looking after a couple difficult patients and still laugh over the drama that ensued. For obvious patient confidentiality reasons I can’t get into the specifics, but rest assured our shared love of jackassery jump started our friendship. We are thick as thieves and I will miss her dearly, but I know that our paths will cross soon on Canadian soil. Inshallah. So to my girl R this post is for you. I wish you all the best in your new life as a married lady. Saudi won’t be the same without you. I will miss not being able to binge watch trashy American reality TV with you. And lastly, be sure to get some serious winter gear because Calgary Alberta doesn’t mess around about winter. I mean it sister!! Ma Salama.
If you live in the Middle East, or have any Muslim friends than you are likely aware that the holy month of Ramadan is over, and we are currently in the midst of Eid celebrations. Basically, Muslims are done with the fasting, and are moving into party mode. Eid is celebrated when the new moon is sighted in the sky over Saudi Arabia. It is supposed to be a time of forgiveness and giving to those who are less fortunate. So kinda like the Christmas season for non-Muslims. Eid celebrations last 3 days, although I’ve heard rumor that some government employees get up to 20 days off between the end of Ramadan and Eid. I’ve also heard rumors that sometimes the King gives a couple extra days of holiday so Saudis can keep the celebrations going for another couple days. Oh how I hope he does that this year. I could always use another couple travel days! Here at the hospital non-essential services are closed, that means most clinics and departments will have the week off. But alas, not me. This doesn’t apply to in-patient caregivers.
I worked the first day 2 days of Eid, and everyone was festive and friendly. Most of the patients I work with are quite generous. I’m often offered chocolate or Arabic coffee after I’ve finished assessing my patients, but Eid is a whole other story. “Take chocolate, take chocolate” was commanded of me every time I entered a room, for literally any reason, and taking one chocolate wasn’t enough “take more, take more!!!” At first I was like “hells yeah I’ll take a chocolate or two” but by the end of the shift I was like- I humanely can’t eat anymore chocolate. And trust me, Saudis will never listen if you tell them that you can’t eat anymore for fear of getting fat/fatter. Mostly, because as I’ve come to learn, Saudis like the ladies to be on the plus-side. Any time I’ve ever made reference to my weight, or needing to exercise they look at me like “girl you crazy. You’ve got it going on in the all the right places.” Earlier this month we had a family who would bring in enough food to feed all the staff on night shift. One of the nights they offered me this “fruit juice” which was the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted. It was like doing shots of corn syrup, and there was no way I was ever going to drink that stuff again. But being the generous people they are, the next night the only way I could get out of drinking this sugar concoction after repeatably saying “no I’m full” and then miming I will gain weight, was to literally tell them I was diabetic. Not my most honest moment. But at least I didn’t have to drink it. The other lovely thing about Eid is that there is a tradition of gift giving. Saudis will give gifts to their servants, nannies, and drivers, as well as to each other. A couple of the patients at work put together gifts for all the staff, and yesterday one of my favourite Saudi ward-clerks bought several cakes for us nurses. I’m a big fan of Eid!!
The last 2 nights there have been fireworks here in Riyadh, and tonight is the last night, so I’m heading out with some friends to catch them. So Eid Mubarak which translates to Happy Eid to one and all!!! Also, I hope this picture doesn’t offend you but someone sent it to me on Facebook and once I got the joke I thought it was a riot. I hope you do too!!
Have you ever taken part in Holiday festivities in a culture/religion that wasn’t your own? I’d love to hear about it!!
So I got back from Morocco last week and worked a whirlwind week of nights, but rest assured, I will be blogging about it over the next couple weeks. It was a beautiful country with amazing food, but truth be told, it’s the hardest country I’ve ever traveled in. Harder than India and Bangladesh combined.
We’re now part of the way thru Ramadan. Since I was working nights I wasn’t affected by the daytime fasting. Muslims here start fasting around 4am (Fajr prayer) and the fast isn’t broken until Maghrib prayer just before 7pm. Most of my patients stayed awake all night and had visitors into the wee hours. It’s very social and most of the families will offer the nurses food, chocolates and coffee. I’m back to day shift tomorrow which means most of my patients will be sleeping until mid-afternoon, and I’ll have to be inconspicuous while drinking water or snacking.
In August I have plans to visit Sharm El Sheikh for a few days. The situation in the Sinai peninsula has been increasingly problematic. Sharm El Sheikh sits on the southern tip of the peninsula, and while there have been no security incidents there, there has been an increased number of ISIS attacks in the peninsula and earlier this week tensions rose on the Egyptian/Israeli border as 2 rockets were fired into Israel. According to the Canadian and US travel alerts for Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh is still considered safe to travel to, so for now we’ll just wait and see. And maybe start researching a back-up plan should the situation worsen.
At the end of August I’ll be traveling to Malaysia and then on to Bali for 3 weeks on my own. I’m really excited to take part in a yoga and meditation retreat hosted by a fellow blogger Sarah Somewhere. I have been following her for years (in fact she was the inspiration for me convincing my 2 dearest friends to drive an auto rickshaw 3000km across India last year.) I’m so excited for some stillness and quietness, and to do yoga in a beautiful place. After the week retreat is over I’m planning on staying in Bali for another week for some R&R.
So those are my summer plans. My year contract here in Saudi ends the beginning of October. I’ll need to make a decision as to whether I’m going to extend until December, or re-contract until next year. My thoughts on it changes literally daily. If I have a good shift at work I think to myself I could stay another year no problem. Then, like everywhere I’ll have a bad shift and come home and be looking at plane tickets to fly home that night. Some days are great, others aren’t so much. But, there is always the ever addictive seemingly endless 54 calendar days of vacation that would be mine if I re-contracted for another year. Already in my head I’m planning future travels…….so we shall see…….
Today marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan according to the Hegira calendar. Fasting is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, and takes place over the month of Ramadan. In accordance to their beliefs Muslims will abstain from food, drinking liquids, smoking, or sexual relation from dawn until dusk for the entire month. Exceptions are given to those traveling, pregnant or breastfeeding, the sick and the elderly. The fasting is broken after evening prayers, typically with dates and tea. At work Muslims have the option of working shorter shifts, and less shifts than their normal hours. Non-muslims must be respectful and inconspicuous. Chewing gum, or drinking water in public is not allowed. Drinking and eating must be done in private. Restaurants will be closed during the day, and the malls are said to open after evening prayer and will stay open until 2 or 3am. The religious police will likely be out in full force, so it’s not recommended for women to go out without covering their hair.
The last time I was here, I remember Ramadan as being very quiet during the day. Patients often slept most the the day light hours, and were awake late into the night. It was very festive. I recall having to adjust medication times for patients who were fasting during the day. Some of the sicker patients wanted to continue fasting despite health concerns, so they were instead given IV fluids during the day so they could fast from food as an alternative.
I’m currently traveling in Morocco for the first 2 weeks of Ramadan, so I’m unsure how this will affect our travel plans, although I’m sure we will have to make some adjustments. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back. And for any of my Muslim readers out here Ramadan Kareem….
Its been a few months since I commented on the security situation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The reason is twofold. First I’ve spent a ton of time outside of Saudi traveling, and second, that there isn’t a ton of information put forward regarding what the actual risk level is. Information travels mostly by way of mouth here or via social media, which is good in that some information does eventually filter thru, and bad because often times these reports are embellished. Here’s what I do know. Security in public places is at the highest I have seen it during my time here (this includes the previous time I spent in Saudi after the Arab Springs.) As I’ve previously mentioned there is a much larger police presence than when I was here in 2010/2011. Since the end of April there has been a marked increase in security at local Riyadh malls amidst fear of suicide bombings. I’ve been to the malls a few times, and I can honestly say that this new “security” doesn’t make me feel any safer. Women are required to open their purses or bags for examination by an often bored lady who is most likely on her cell phone. She may or may not actually look in your bag. She most certainly will not care about what you might be hiding under your abaya. You know that large black cape women must wear that literally has room enough inside for a whole other person. Because obviously if you were going to carry something dangerous into a mall this wouldn’t be the first place you would carry it right?! It’s much less security than you would see at any concert or sporting event in the US. In no way do I feel safer by it.
Here’s what I also know from following the news……there have been several shootings of police officers here in Riyadh. Pretty much one incident a month since March. There was the arrest of some 93 people suspected of having ISIS ties, 2 of whom were planning an attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh. There was a suicide bombing last week that killed 21 men and injured around 100 others, for which ISIS has reportedly taken credit. UPDATE: Literally as I was writing this post I came across a Facebook message about a bombing that happened about an hour ago outside of a mosque in Dammam. Current reports say 4 people were killed. Reports are also suggesting that the bomber was dressed as a woman and was intending to enter the female section of the mosque. It does appear that security incidences are increasing.
That being said I have not heard of any incidents affecting ex-pat workers. While I have kept a slightly lower profile I haven’t felt anymore unsafe than I did prior to the increased security measures. In fact, last night over dinner with a couple of friends we discussed the absurdness of the fact that we went out to eat at a local mall where there was security for the sole purpose of catching someone who might attempt to take a bomb to the mall. This would seem crazy were we in a western country, but here in Saudi, such is life…..stay safe people.
So last month I moved into private accommodations. Most of the housing provided at my hospital is shared housing with another nurse. For my first 3 months here they were replacing the elevators which just so happened to be behind the wall that my headboard was against. The sound of drilling and banging does not lull one to sleep, and so subsequently I was pretty sleep deprived my first few months here. The last time I lived here I was in a different complex where the 2 bedrooms were on opposite sides of the apartment with the common areas in between. In that set-up noise was never an issue. The apartment I just moved out of was of a very different design, one that had both rooms up against each other. So, if you and your roommate were on different schedules it could be very disruptive. Luckily, I was able to get single housing.
Housing here is included as part of our work contract. It has everything you need, but it’s still pretty dated and basic. I intend to do a comparison blog post between the housing offered to male ex-pats (granted they are not nurses) to highlight the vast differences in housing and lifestyle! So anyways, I moved into a very large apartment complex. All the apartments are studio apartments with a bit of a kitchenette/hotel type feel. The kitchen in the unit I’m in is a throwback to most people’s college days. No stove or oven, but a double burner hot plate. No dishwasher, but to be honest I don’t really have enough dishes to justify needing a dishwasher. I have a sink with a faucet that has the pressure of a fireman’s hose which really gets my dishes clean, while soaking me in the process. Then I have this microwave/convection oven thingy that terrifies me a bit. I get the microwave bit, but am scared of using if for anything else. It’s like those washer/dryer combo thingy’s in Europe. It’s like magic, and my brain can’t comprehend how it is capable of 2 very different functions. The kitchen opens into the living room/bedroom/office and from there it’s just a hop skip and a teeny jump to the bathroom. I also have a teeny standing room only balcony that overlooks the pool.
Fully stocked Kitchen
Office/Bedroom/Living Room
Don’t get me wrong- I’m not complaining about the housing. It’s perfectly fine, and with many things in life it could be both worse and better. I have AC and access to a fully stocked gym, and several of my friends and co-workers also live in this building making it very convenient. And the best part is that it’s entirely my own space!
By comparison though, after spending the better part of a decade working as a travel nurse in the US and having my housing included in my work package this is on the opposite end of the spectrum. I have very fond memories of my most favourite apartment in North Beach, San Francisco, with parking, and a pool, and a huge balcony overlooking Alcatraz. Man, those where the days!!
Wow. That sure went fast. 52 weeks. 365 days. And yesterday marked my 1 year anniversary in Saudi Arabia. Time here passes differently. It feels like I boarded that flight from Canada to Saudi much longer than a year ago, and oddly, at the same time it feels like I’ve packed 5 years worth of memories into the last year. The weeks seem to drag on, but the months themselves seem to fly by. It’s hard to put the concept of time into words, but I reckon those of you who live here get what I mean.
