I've been meaning to do this for awhile, at least contribute to the forum in some way. This datasheet will document some of my experiences in Riyadh between 2011-2014. I'm sure that some of the info that I'll be posting will be a little bit outdated, since some of the expat events that were going on have either been cancelled or kept more on the down low as I hear from my friends there that Saudi is trying to tighten down on the scene.
Regardless of this, I hope that this can give you a better insight of living inside the city along with how to find hashish, bang some chicks(both expats and locals), and other subjects that you may want me to discuss. I will do my best to keep updating this whenever I have free time.
How in did hell did I end up in Saudi Arabia?
I was looking for an ESL job in South Korea, so I posted up my resume on eslcafe.com and some online ESL certification program contacted me about taking their course. They offered to place me in a job and within two weeks, I just left to go to a place where I thought I'd be stuck with my dick in my hand for the next year. I came in on a single-entry visitor's visa, so that was my mentality.
How to get in and visas
Who wouldn't blame you for wanting to stop by here?Unless you're very interested in the culture, want to become closer to Islam, or willing to sacrifice a portion of your life to stack some cash, I'd stay away.
If you're willing to adventure into Riyadh or Saudi Arabia in general, you definitely have to get a job to be able to touch ground in the country or have a business sponsor. If you end up coming over with a company, you'll get issued an iqama. Depending on who you go with, it can be very fast or painfully slow. A friend of mine during my last year waited a whole year before he could actually make it back in! When I say companies can be painfully slow, it can and may drive you nuts.
Some companies will try to issue you a single-entry visitor's visa. If they try that, reject them outright or tell them that you aren't coming unless they provide you an iqama.
Having the iqama can be a blessing, especially if you get it as the multiple exit/re-entry version to escape whenever you please. If you get the single exit/re-entry version of the iqama, you have to keep going back to your employer to process the visa on your behalf. It should be about 200 SAR($53.33) to get the single exit/re-entry and 500 SAR($133.33) for the multiple exit/re-entry visa. Whenever your employer provides you a contract, ask them which version of the iqama they will be giving you.
The bad thing about having the iqama is that most companies will ask you to hand over your passport to them. It's technically illegal for them to do that, but it's common practice. If you don't like surrendering your passport, you can figure out a sneaky way to keep both depending on how your company works. If you don't give a shit about your iqama, just hand it over to them and keep your passport. That's what I normally did.
I do hear that people can go on tourist visas, but I have yet to meet someone to confirm that for me.
Money
The Riyal is tied to the Dollar, so 1 SAR = $0.27
Topics I plan to cover:
Cost of living
Transportation
People
Girls
Food
Alcohol and Drugs
Nightlife
Notable things
Thanks to Chaos for making his Iran Datasheet. That helped me provide topics that I want to cover without getting scatterbrained.
Regardless of this, I hope that this can give you a better insight of living inside the city along with how to find hashish, bang some chicks(both expats and locals), and other subjects that you may want me to discuss. I will do my best to keep updating this whenever I have free time.
How in did hell did I end up in Saudi Arabia?
I was looking for an ESL job in South Korea, so I posted up my resume on eslcafe.com and some online ESL certification program contacted me about taking their course. They offered to place me in a job and within two weeks, I just left to go to a place where I thought I'd be stuck with my dick in my hand for the next year. I came in on a single-entry visitor's visa, so that was my mentality.
How to get in and visas
Who wouldn't blame you for wanting to stop by here?Unless you're very interested in the culture, want to become closer to Islam, or willing to sacrifice a portion of your life to stack some cash, I'd stay away.
If you're willing to adventure into Riyadh or Saudi Arabia in general, you definitely have to get a job to be able to touch ground in the country or have a business sponsor. If you end up coming over with a company, you'll get issued an iqama. Depending on who you go with, it can be very fast or painfully slow. A friend of mine during my last year waited a whole year before he could actually make it back in! When I say companies can be painfully slow, it can and may drive you nuts.
Some companies will try to issue you a single-entry visitor's visa. If they try that, reject them outright or tell them that you aren't coming unless they provide you an iqama.
Having the iqama can be a blessing, especially if you get it as the multiple exit/re-entry version to escape whenever you please. If you get the single exit/re-entry version of the iqama, you have to keep going back to your employer to process the visa on your behalf. It should be about 200 SAR($53.33) to get the single exit/re-entry and 500 SAR($133.33) for the multiple exit/re-entry visa. Whenever your employer provides you a contract, ask them which version of the iqama they will be giving you.
The bad thing about having the iqama is that most companies will ask you to hand over your passport to them. It's technically illegal for them to do that, but it's common practice. If you don't like surrendering your passport, you can figure out a sneaky way to keep both depending on how your company works. If you don't give a shit about your iqama, just hand it over to them and keep your passport. That's what I normally did.
I do hear that people can go on tourist visas, but I have yet to meet someone to confirm that for me.
Money
The Riyal is tied to the Dollar, so 1 SAR = $0.27
Topics I plan to cover:
Cost of living
Transportation
People
Girls
Food
Alcohol and Drugs
Nightlife
Notable things
Thanks to Chaos for making his Iran Datasheet. That helped me provide topics that I want to cover without getting scatterbrained.