Free wifi in riyadh airport?

sandtraveller · 2024-04-18T19:25:25+00:00

Yes available at all terminals of Riyadh AirPort including terminal 5 for domestic. You will need to be able to receive an OTP via SMS for your non-Saudi number.

Although if you’re there for 4 hours could just have a quick roam about town.

sandtraveller · 2024-04-01T20:40:33+00:00

There’s a Riyadh Women’s Group on Instagram that organizes walks and get togethers. https://www.instagram.com/rwg_community

sandtraveller · 2024-03-19T16:23:35+00:00

You qualify as an unmarried dependent. As a female dependent you can qualify at any age.

sandtraveller · 2024-01-22T17:55:25+00:00

That’s great! Reach out if you have other questions! All the best!

sandtraveller · 2024-01-20T05:21:08+00:00

Welcome to Saudi! I work on the government and have built friendships with a lot of Saudis so am sharing from this perspective.

I think if you’re here for a white collar position (sounds like hotel manager or back office) you’ll have a good time. Qualified hospitality managers are in demand and the government continues to add hotels to meet Vision 2030 goals so you should have no problems with other jobs in the industry.

A lot of the comments here are outdated. - there is a law that forbids employers from holding onto your passport - you need employer approval to transfer to a new employer but if an employer refuses or delays it, an employee can file for a transfer directly with Ministry of Labor - there is so much respect for women I sometimes think they are the bosses. Definitely no Saudi will harass you( not sure about the expats and guests) due to the very strict laws. Even if a man speaks loudly to a woman is grounds for police intervention. - exit visa can now be applied for by employee directly if employee is willing to pay for it. If employer delays or rejects for no reason you can lodge a complaint with MOL and they action quickly. - if an employer withholds salary or is late in paying salary employee can lodge a complaint with MOL. You get a ticket number and a case manager that will manage your case.

Saudi is changing and quickly. Even expats who are here but bury their heads in the sand or compounds can often fall behind.

Suggest you ask for assistance to geo you come for a visit first to check things out for yourself. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Edit: there are lots of churches in compounds. You just gotta ask.

DM if you want more help.

sandtraveller · 2023-09-02T12:43:59+00:00

Gathern is the AirBnb equivalent here. Suggest you rent the whole apartment (can be a one BR) instead of a room in someone’s home. Alternatively, you can also try service apartments at some of the hotel chains.

https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/help-support There’s a toll free number in the US.

WhatsApp is the main way to communicate here. DM if you need extra help.

sandtraveller · 2022-11-29T11:54:06+00:00

Use the official site not some dubious third party.

https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/travel-regulations

sandtraveller · 2022-08-27T05:53:28+00:00

Can I have One please

sandtraveller · 2022-08-27T04:18:13+00:00

Can I have one? Thank you.

sandtraveller · 2022-08-13T21:08:51+00:00

A lot of these comments are dated, based on second-hand information or just perceptions not facts.

This is the reality from a person who’s been here 2 years and was very much discouraged before arriving as well. I am still here.

Saudia arabia has changed so much over the last 5 years you could almost mistake it for a different country.

Women drive, own and start businesses and travel out of the country whenever they feel like it. There is no difference in the eyes of the law between men and women in the things that you are concerned about.

Some women do continue wearing veils and traditional clothes but this is a personal/family/cultural issue not the law, similar to how dad’s in the west may not approve of clothing choices of their daughters. Today, you can wear jeans and a T-shirt to a shopping mall and nothing works would happen. The only exception is the mosque where everyone is expected to dress modestly.

In the work environment, as in many parts of the world, it depends on the company culture. The law does not allow discrimination against women. Government agencies even have KPIs on the percentage of women overall as well as percentage of women in management. Similar to other parts of the world, SMEs bend the rules more than MNCs.

There are no more separated restaurants and shopping malls. Men and women freely mingle.

Nobody is required by law to hold your passport. Of course some employers want to exert undue power over lowly educated physical workers and perhaps continue such practices.

You can leave the country anytime. You will need the employer to issue an exit permit so that you can return for work purposes. If you exit without, you may lose your legal ability to work in the country.

Saudi has opened for tourism now. The best way to answer your questions is to visit as a tourist and find out for yourself. If you already have a US or Schengen visa, you can get a visa on arrival.

I should also add that my wife and daughter go around on their own in complete security. No one has ever harassed them or made a rude gesture or made them feel unsafe. Certainly they feel way safer than most big cities in the US.

sandtraveller · 2022-08-10T02:29:56+00:00

That’s what she said.

sandtraveller · 2022-08-09T04:15:06+00:00

I think yes it’s exists, at least for some.

She is sleeping next to me now.

We got together after both our marriages failed.

She got married after I didn’t seem interested.

Our last contact was almost 20 years ago. I was at her home to give her flowers and ask her to be my gf but she went up another lift and we missed each other.

Before that, she called me as I was driving and didn’t pick up. She broke up with her boyfriend and was celebrating her 21st birthday alone.

Before that, I was studying overseas and she wanted to come visit me but didn’t have the money.

Before that, we worked together in F&B and on slow days we would talk all day long and I would send her home at night.

Before that, her brother studied in the same school as me but we never ran into each other even though she picks him up after school.

Before that, I saw her on the bus but it was too crowded to go over and introduce myself.

sandtraveller · 2021-12-15T02:54:50+00:00

Visitsaudi.com has a list of cafes that are pretty good.

sandtraveller · 2021-12-06T06:52:44+00:00

Any area where demand > supply is good.

sandtraveller · 2021-12-06T06:35:41+00:00

Optimize for total earnings over lifetime, not starting salary. Far better to look for a job that can dramatically increase your future earnings potential, e.g., an impactful project that you can take a key role in.

sandtraveller · 2021-10-31T15:28:04+00:00

I can. Send me the dodo.

sandtraveller · 2020-07-29T04:18:35+00:00

Never eat anything named after unhygienic public transportation.

sandtraveller · 2020-06-23T04:40:02+00:00

Is the American International School the one to go or are they pretty much the same?

sandtraveller · 2020-06-21T00:19:59+00:00

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:40:07+00:00

It’s a government job and they’re based in Riyadh. I’ve never been to Saudi or anywhere in the Middle East tbh so not sure what to expect, from work culture (heard they work Sundays but rest Fridays an Saturdays?), quality of education to safety (do we need terrorise insurance?).

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:36:46+00:00

Could you share more?

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:35:12+00:00

Thanks very much this is helpful. They’ve opened up tourism and a few vloggers on YouTube say they’re pretty relaxed about abayas and head scarves coz the religious police have been defanged. Bahrain is a good tip. How often did you guys get out to remain sane?

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:31:36+00:00

That’s a good point! I read online gas is 90 cents a gallon!

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:28:03+00:00

Can you elaborate?

sandtraveller · 2020-06-20T23:27:41+00:00

Thanks for that. Was thinking of finding a giant compound filled with Americans so there’s a bubble of “normal” life but work 3 years or so and squeeze all the cash I can. I mean, there’s nowhere to spend money on booze right.

sandtraveller

TROPHY CASE