HELLO!.... my first post/intro/Hello!

Apologies for taking this off topic !!!

Saimans,

No need to be sorry! I was serious when I said all's good, so long as it's Saudi related.

The kid on the lap is real dangerous.I still insist on my son wearing a seat-belt, some risks are not worth taking.

so far we have covered Child Safety, compound Vs non-compound living, and Road Safety.

I'll ask more questions as and when they come to me...

thank you all for the responses

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

Saimans,

I'll ask more questions as and when they come to me...

thank you all for the responses

Go ahead and shoot them, Experts like 'TLL' are always there. I will also chip in with my limited knowledge.

Good Luck

@all who have answered thus far, thank you, and thank you again

Saiman i appreciate responses from yourself, the legend and all who have responded.

I hear a lot about racial discrimination and gender bias...

has anyone on this forum been subject to discrimination? If yes, in what form did this happen? Was the issue ever resolved?

details please!

thank you all once again in advance

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

@
I hear a lot about racial discrimination and gender bias...

[b] has anyone on this forum been subject to discrimination? If yes, in what form did this happen? Was the issue ever resolved?

details please!

thank you all once again in advance

As such there is no racial discrimination, But the white skin people having British or US passports are the privileged ones.

But yeh gender bias, will always be there....

saimans wrote:

As such there is no racial discrimination, But the white skin people having British or US passports are the privileged ones.

But yeh gender bias, will always be there....

I second this!

TheLegendLeads wrote:

saimans wrote:

As such there is no racial discrimination, But the white skin people having British or US passports are the privileged ones.

But yeh gender bias, will always be there....

I second this!

Does that mean you dont agree to this ????

No mate

Seconding someone means: to be the 2nd person to say the same.

Blogging language or formal english; I ain't sure!

TheLegendLeads wrote:

No mate

Seconding someone means: to be the 2nd person to say the same.

Blogging language or formal english; I ain't sure!

Enlightenment all the way !!!

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

I hear a lot about racial discrimination and gender bias...  details please!

thank you all once again in advance

First of all, welcome to the forum! *hugs* I'm the cheery kumbayah kinda girl too! <3 <3 <3

I don't have a kid yet but my knowledge of gender bias comes from the experiences of my younger brother (he's 18). I'll leave the racial discrimination topic to everyone else since my bro's bi-racial and he doesn't seem to have any problems fitting in with his friends. Hopefully they'll be a bit helpful since you have a son. Anyway:

1. Single guys (especially teenagers) who go to certain malls together as a group without adult supervision on family days (thursdays and/or fridays) won't be allowed to go inside the mall on grounds that they're probably only going there to oggle girls who are out with their friends. They'll be turned away by security at every gate they go. (This doesn't happen in all malls though).
2. Single guys who get caught by the muttawa (social police) for rowdy behavior or improper dress code have a higher chance of being physically harassed by muttawas than girls. Girls will be yelled at; guys can be searched.

I think that's about it.=P Saudi Arabia's mostly more enjoyable for guys than it is for girls. I know my bro gets to enjoy all the things normal kids his age enjoy in other more liberal countries as well (drugs, girls, and real booze included). Kids are just more discreet about it here. So on the whole, it's still a very well-rounded environment for kids to grow up in.

Sorry for writing too much. Hope I helped a bit.=3

x0mi07 wrote:

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

I hear a lot about racial discrimination and gender bias...  details please!

thank you all once again in advance

First of all, welcome to the forum! *hugs* I'm the cheery kumbayah kinda girl too! <3 <3 <3

I don't have a kid yet but my knowledge of gender bias comes from the experiences of my younger brother (he's 18). I'll leave the racial discrimination topic to everyone else since my bro's bi-racial and he doesn't seem to have any problems fitting in with his friends. Hopefully they'll be a bit helpful since you have a son. Anyway:

1. Single guys (especially teenagers) who go to certain malls together as a group without adult supervision on family days (thursdays and/or fridays) won't be allowed to go inside the mall on grounds that they're probably only going there to oggle girls who are out with their friends. They'll be turned away by security at every gate they go. (This doesn't happen in all malls though).
2. Single guys who get caught by the muttawa (social police) for rowdy behavior or improper dress code have a higher chance of being physically harassed by muttawas than girls. Girls will be yelled at; guys can be searched.

I think that's about it.=P Saudi Arabia's mostly more enjoyable for guys than it is for girls. I know my bro gets to enjoy all the things normal kids his age enjoy in other more liberal countries as well (drugs, girls, and real booze included). Kids are just more discreet about it here. So on the whole, it's still a very well-rounded environment for kids to grow up in.

Sorry for writing too much. Hope I helped a bit.=3

Hi xOmi07,
Thank you for the welcome! (((((hugs)))) <3<3<3
no need to be sorry hun, I'm truly grateful for the personal detailed response you gave!

lol, I find that the gender bias you suffer is a result of your brother, I shouldnt laugh but its so cutely funny.

In regards to the first point, single guys who go to malls alone, does that mean that on family days women enter malls with their husbands/teenage kids etc? can they also do this in women only malls?

p.s. you didnt write too much, please contribute anything you feel I may benefit from knowing.. thanks again!!

I'm pleasantly surprised that the forum with the most multicultural  number of expats has little negativity to offer in relation to life in Saudi.

@ saimans and thelegend I dont think Saudi is the only country in the world that has that bias.... I guess Saudi then is better than say Dubai, where I know people from Asia are treated despicably--- would you agree?

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

Hi xOmi07,
Thank you for the welcome! (((((hugs)))) <3<3<3
no need to be sorry hun, I'm truly grateful for the personal detailed response you gave!

lol, I find that the gender bias you suffer is a result of your brother, I shouldnt laugh but its so cutely funny.

In regards to the first point, single guys who go to malls alone, does that mean that on family days women enter malls with their husbands/teenage kids etc? can they also do this in women only malls?

p.s. you didnt write too much, please contribute anything you feel I may benefit from knowing.. thanks again!!

Hey!^^ Thank you for your warm reply!^^ <3 <3 <3

I don't really experience any gender bias cuz of my younger bro since we barely go out together (by virtue of different circle of friends & age difference). But I do feel for him cuz he and his male friend aren't allowed to go to the malls by themselves on certain days (to prevent a potential gathering with a group of girls; i.e. group date!)

As for your question, women can enter malls by themselves, with their female friends, with their kids, or with their hubbies, any day of the week. My sister and I like to go malling by ourselves. Our parents will usually drop us at the gate and pick us up when we're done.

In women-only malls, all males are strictly forbidden because in these malls, females usually automatically remove their abayas and hairdress once they're inside. Their male companions can pick them up outside the mall in designated areas.

Did I answer ok? I hope I did okay.>,< I'm usually on the asking side

x0mi07 wrote:

Did I answer ok? I hope I did okay.>,< I'm usually on the asking side

your very welcome for the warm reply, it was a response to your warm welcome, lol

and yes you have given me a very clear picture on how the malls work. thank you again! <3<3<3

Btwn-Fear-N-Hope wrote:

@ saimans and thelegend I dont think Saudi is the only country in the world that has that bias.... I guess Saudi then is better than say Dubai, where I know people from Asia are treated despicably--- would you agree?

Yeh I completely Agree with you on this. And any concept of one person being superior to another can lead to racism.