living in Saudi Arabia

Most foreign residents in Saudi Arabia live mainly in two towns; Riyadh and Jeddah, and we are all from different countries.

We live in compounds, and we live in houses that basically have an air conditioner.

We have facilities like a supermarket, a gym, private parking, a reception area, and installations to practice sports.
Some compounds are so big that women can drive inside.

When I came to live here, I was very suprised by to the way of life.

In this country it is uncomfortable to be out in the sunlight, so, you always try to be in the shade or in the car, in the mall, in the office....

Women can be dressed the way they choose, only inside the compound, but if they go outside, everybody must be dressed with an abaya,

The abayas, are like black courtains, the sensation when you are wearing one is very funny. You think that you look like a ghost.

And the colour must be dark, its is not advised wearing light colours.

When we are outside, we must be prepared to be hot, way too hot.

I have been living here for 1 year, and the worst is in July and August, we are always more than 4o degrees, and the swiming pool is a like have a bath at home, very very hot.

Nicely done, and very interesting!   I lived in Libya when I was young and remember seeing the women dressed like this.  Way too hot!  Are women not allowed to wear light colored cloth?  In Libya they sometimes wore black, but much more often a whitish cloth.