“Single Man Must Wear Trousers!”
I’ve written about what women typically wear in Saudi, but what about the men? You’ve probably seen photos of Arab men in long white tunics. This is their traditional outfit called a “thobe” and they’re typical throughout the Middle East. Thobes are usually made of cotton and have a stiff collar and long sleeves. Specific […]
The Expat’s Education Dilemma
Many families who live overseas tend to homeschool, but since patience fails to be a virtue of mine, I’m not ruling out other avenues of education. With such young kids, we haven’t thought much about their schooling options in Saudi yet – but the time will soon come. 📚 :: The public school system in Saudi […]
Keeping the Holiday Spirit Alive
Saudi only has three holidays- their National Day, Eid al Fitr “Festival of Breaking the Fast” which takes place at the end of Ramadan each year, and Eid Al Adha “Festival of the Sacrifice” which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael (in Islam it’s Ishmael, not Isaac). The days these holidays are celebrated […]
Attending Saudi’s First Professional Boxing Match
I think spontaneity is one of the best character traits to possess. In my life it usually leads to exciting, usually awkward, but always memorable experiences. :: Case in point: Sean and I somehow ended up at Saudi’s first ever professional boxing match – a landmark in sports and entertainment for the kingdom. Had I ever […]
In the Land of Oil
Oil – what catapulted Saudi from a Bedouin culture to one of the richest in the world in 70 some years. :: When we first came to Saudi, gas was insanely cheap. Then, three and a half months later on Jan. 1, 2018 (literally a couple weeks after we bought a car) the price more […]
Entertaining a Toddler
Ezra is finally getting to the age where he can be captivated by an activity, usually up to 30 mins max, but it’s a start. :: With the summer heat, it’s too hot to go on walks or play outside during the day and I don’t want to go to a mall every afternoon either […]
What Do I Wear in Saudi As An Expat?
What do I wear in Saudi on the regular? That was one of my biggest curiosities before moving here, and a question I’m asked all the time. I created this series of TikToks to show exactly what I wear for certain activities: grocery shopping, meeting friends at the mall, working out at the gym, etc. […]
The Tastiest, Cheapest Dinner
Vegetarian trigger warning ⚠️ This is the site in almost every neighborhood (next to the juice shops) – juicy, sizzling chicken slowly roasting on spittles or splayed out on grills. When we want a quick, cheap, tasty meal, this is our go-to. Saudi is so good at chicken that it almost makes up for the fact […]
Do I Feel Safe in Saudi as an American?
Isn’t it dangerous there? Aren’t you afraid? – We get these questions anytime we’re back in the US. To cut to the chase, I actually feel safer here, day-to-day, than I did in America. :: Petty crime is certainly not as common here, and absolutely not to the extent I experienced when I was in […]
A Juice Stop on Every Corner
Juice shops are in abundance on Saudi streets and I could not be happier about it. We have fun experimenting with new fruit combinations and we definitely never speculate which could be enhanced with a splash of rum (if we were in a different locale). Never. 🍎🍋🍓 :: Currently I’ve been enjoying Pomegranate + Apple, […]
