Nasaibah is a Saudi University student. One of the current research projects is an assignment about perceptions and experiences of expats in Saudi Arabia. If you are an expat in Saudi Arabia and wish to participate, please email your responses to n.alrajhi(at)gmx(dot)com
These are good questions posed and I am sure can generate some interesting discussions on this blog as well.
To further explain the project, following is the direct message which I recieved:
A westerners experience in Saudi Arabia is a research project I’m doing for my ENG writing class as a investigative report at my Uni in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I was hoping you can participate in this online interview questionnaire I am doing. So please help me with answering these questions here, I would really appreciate it!
Do you also mind sharing this with some of your expat friends?
Interview Questions (please elaborate and explain):
1. What’s your name? Where are you from? Age, personal status (single, married)?
2. Why are you residing in Saudi Arabia?
3. What compelled you to make that decision and come to KSA?
4. Did you have any fears, reservations and stereotype about Saudi? Do you still have those fears?
5. What are the main difficulties that arose once you arrived?
6. What has been positive about your experience?
7. Do you live in a isolated compound? Why?
8. Do you socialize with Saudi’s?
9. What’s the main lesson you have learned while you are in Saudi?
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Thank you for your time!
Add anything you think will be helpful!
Filed under: culture, politics, relationships, religion, Saudi Arabia, Saudi blogs, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Saudi education, travel, Uncategorized
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So can I rant on about how the idea of “isolated compound” is such a very wrong concept? That villa living had to be the most isolating setting I had??
but yea I’ll answer them
I’m guessing here but imagine that the reference to ‘isolated compound’ is meant whether one is “isolated from Saudis.”
I have heard the term in reference to expats that they tend to isolate themselves on compounds rather than live in regular neighborhoods or apartment buildings among locals.
yea i understand that and that is what I’m disagreeing wth. Many saudis live on compounds, I’ve met more saudis (not including family of course lol) on compounds and compound events than when i live in a stand alone villa in a regular neighborhood. I find that villa living is extremely isolated, I never saw my neighbors except for one who lived in the states for some time so picke up the habit of meeting her neighbors
Reuters chose to pick up this post so perhaps Nasaibah will get even more responses:
http://www.reuters.com/article/blogBurst/investing?bbPostId=B6kcqoGH9Pf8Bzn7nRZ5sNNoB7JObTc43SGpCz2C9OaQRBiLf