The lifestyle in Middle East is seen as very luxurious for many people. The reason is of everyday sunshine, warm climate, service provided by the employers and many little things that are extravagant elsewhere but are quite normal in the Middle East.
Your own experience of Middle East will be what you make it. Depending on your interests, the options for activities are endless. Some want to take it purely as a professional experience and will devote all their time to studying, some want to make it an adventure and apart from work, have as much fun as possible. And adventure it can be! You can try off-road driving in the red sands, collecting desert fossils or trecking in the desert with group called ‚Hashers’. Diving in the Red Sea of Arabian Peninnsula in Jeddah or Yambu is like nowhere else and if you prefer other sports and activities, you can join the triathlon club, cycling, running, golf, archery, even Salsa dancing classes, the list is long.
It is obvious that life in the Middle East and especially the Arabic culture is very different from the one of the European – but that’s what makes the experience so interesting. How does such a normal day in the Middle East look like? You can be sure to see clear blue sky in about 350 days a year. The temperatures reach up to 40-50°C in summer and fall down to 10°C in winter in Riyadh (Qatar or Emirates see lowest temperatures around 15-200).
When it comes to the country’s modern development, you won’t miss a thing in the Middle East and the financial benefits are comfortable more than average with a tax free salary.
The cities are clean and modern. You can still see traditional markets and beduin tents outside the city.
The Middle East is a very conservative region and especially in Saudi Arabia, in which you have to follow certain rules as a foreigner. The majority of other Middle Eastern countries are slightly more liberal and foreigners working or on vaccation there do not really have to change their lifestyle of their home country. In Saudi Arabia, women must wear abaya which is thin black coat worn over everyday normal clothes. However, abayas are not worn by medical professionals in the workplace – usual scrubs or uniforms are provided.
Women were not allowed to drive only few years ago in Saudi Arabia just like not being allowed to join the army which they now can, all those changes are proving country’s fast-tracked move to a modern country which is now even starting to open to tourism.
If you want to meet other foreigners working in Saudi Arabia in other companies or hospitals, you can do this very easily in so called compounds which is something like small city within a city and there are hundreds of them in Riyadh alone. Inside, you feel like in any European country, you don’t have to wear your abaya there, you can play golf, ride a horse, play tennis or go roller skating, visit beauty salon, dance in a disco club or sit in a bar. Needless to mention swimming pools and gyms as these are part of every accommodation. Sometimes you will feel like being on a vaccation! But don’t forget that it is still the most conservative Islamic country and certain rules have to be followed when outside the compound.
