10 Lessons From Our First Year in Saudi Arabia

One year in Saudi, and we finally figured a few things out. In this episode, Carly and Vesna swap the ten lessons they learned after their first year living in Riyadh, going back and forth without knowing each other's list.

We get into being kind to yourself through the move, whether you really need the big compound, why making Saudi friends changes everything, the truth about getting help at home, what drivers and nannies actually cost, what to pack and what to buy once you land, road tripping across the country, and the real cost of living in Riyadh. We finish on the honest part: the peaks, the valleys, and why everything here takes time.

If you are moving to Saudi, thinking about it, or already here and nodding along, this one is for you.

Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday.

with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx

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💬 What was your biggest lesson from your first year abroad? Drop it in the comments.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Cold open 00:01:10 Welcome, and why we are doing lessons learned 00:02:16 Lesson 1, Be kind to yourself 00:02:48 Lesson 2, Do you really need the big compound 00:06:44 Lesson 3, Put yourself out there and make Saudi friends 00:08:07 Lesson 4, Getting help and being a good manager 00:12:46 Lesson 5, Drivers and nannies are normal here 00:14:39 Lesson 6, What to pack and what to buy in Saudi 00:17:10 Lesson 7, Explore Saudi by road 00:19:16 Lesson 8, The real cost of living in Riyadh 00:21:33 Lesson 9, Do not pressure yourself, it takes time 00:22:07 Lesson 10, Peaks and valleys are normal 00:23:55 Kids adjusting to a new school 00:25:41 Wrap up and where to listen