In KSA for some 7 years with a new born, I fear a slip into PND and hope to get some independent and effective support.

Please relpy to ehsanrahman1971@yahoo.com. Ty.

If you are in Riyadh and need someone to talk to (such as a professional Western counselor) please email me (admin@americanbedu.com) and I would be happy to put you in touch.

My advice is not to hold the frustrations in which can only make them magnified and thankfully your husband is loving and supportive.

Bear in mind that for those from Western cultures, we are also just coming out of the prime holiday season when extended families gather and it is very normal to feel immense depression if away from those loved ones at the time.

Wishing you all the best – Carol

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/blogentries/index.html?bbPostId=B6kcqoGH9Pf8Bzn7nRZ5sNNoCz9FMmJZkq8UsBAHAdcOrcR8k

Chiara
hmmm-should move to Dubai? Naw–just spent too much time at Aafke’s blog

To all who immigrated:
A French friend of mine followed her husband to Morocco, and after a rough start and a number of years was voted “Moroccan woman of the year” in her professional category. She adapted by initially socializing with other new graduates recently arrived/ returned from France; and finding a job in a French milieu (where she got alot of adjustment advice). She gradually moved more mainstream. She spent all her vacation time in France for the first few years, but realized she needed to change her attitude and behaviours to make her life more bearable al Maghrib. For example, she stopped worrying about difficult to find parking spots, and just gave the tickets to her well-connected BIL; she stopped arguing with the ILs about her 3-year-olds hems and just let the Moroccan nanny dress her daughter whom she sent to French creche and schools. The nanny was French speaking, came full days but lived out ie. French style. She used her ILs wasta to advance her career and make life easier; and, she had a more established expat friend helping her along. She made her career in the socially acceptable mothers and children field with a foreign NGO–easier to be the cultural liaison. Overall a highly successful transition! (even though at on point near the beginning she only stayed and stayed married because she feared her ILs woul d make sure they got her daughter).

I had the same experience when I moved with my husband from Saudi Arabia*Riyadh* to the United Kingdom,,

couldn’t cope with the culture or any thing else for that matters

but just like what she said ,, don’t lose you’re Identity ,, be flexible and strong

Andrea– a great description and a cautionary tale for single professional women; I hope you decide to scrounge a social network–or at least put yourself on morning rounds/duty to get up and out .

Jeane and Betty–the beginning of a expat-bloggers-based-in-Dubai social club?

Betty–alot of expats take parttime work or volunteer work that lets them plan for frequent vacations home; many describe not feeling comfortable until they have some purposeful activity outside the home–usually after they have hit the six-month wall (house established, kids settled, shopped out). Many taken lesser positions in their own previous field to accomplish this, or start a small business based on hobbies, or freelance, etc. Have you discovered the Dubai YMCA–looks like it is just starting, family oriented, and needs ideas, volunteers and staff. I thought of it because the Y in Hong Kong has an English services department that caters to new comers with special programs, and has all the usual Y activities in English as well as Chinese. How about the Dubai USO–if you have a military friend, or maybe want to volunteer there–looks like they have excellent family oriented programs (found them on the way to YMCA) .

Jeane and Aafke–although usually well-intended, comments like “buck up” “you do not have it so bad” , “x has it worse” are most often unwelcome and often inappropriate. That said it does work for some, and focussing on your own positives and building on them does help (while getting that depression attended to )

Great topic, and comments by all!