tip and a question for expats in Riyadh

There's been PLENTY written about this.. give me a minute to search out some of the threads and I'll be back!  (oops.. just quoted Arnold lol)

Here ya go.. check out this link:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=147973

If there is a way of making friends with locals, let me know? Culture and laws here make it very difficult. Ex-pats are frightened in case they get it wrong. There are so many dos and dont's we don't want to offend.   

sandy_storm wrote:

If there is a way of making friends with locals, let me know? Culture and laws here make it very difficult. Ex-pats are frightened in case they get it wrong. There are so many dos and dont's we don't want to offend.   

I work with and know many Saudis, both male and female.  They're great work friends and just like anybody else--I'm certainly not afraid of getting anything wrong (you don't have to walk on eggshells).  Most have great senses of humor and we've had some wonderful conversations (some are even FB friends!). 

However, they are so wrapped up with their families and extended families and inlaws that they seem to have little time for anyone or anything else.  Maybe it's different with male-to-male, because men seem to have more free time.  But being friends with Saudi women?  For me, it's never gotten off the ground outside of work.