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Banke Adebola moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia in 2024.
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Adebola said her mental health had improved while living in Riyadh.
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She said the city was growing into the best destination to travel.
This is an essay on a conversation with 31-year-old Banke Adebola, an accountant who moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia. It moved to the capital, Riyadh, in May 2024. It was edited for length and clarity.
My husband accepted a job offer three years ago, so I was responsible for my life in about three suitcases and left my home in London.
I am now an accountant who works remotely in Saudi Arabia.
I will not lie. When my husband moved to Riyadh, I said, “Let’s stay a year or two, then return to London.” I had no idea what it would be like to live here as a Christian black woman, but my tune changed. I was surprised at how much I liked here.
There were things about Riyadh that surprised me
As my husband already had friends living in Riyadh, finding an apartment is not difficult.
In the first year, we hired an apartment, but now we live in Saedinenie because it is closer to where my husband works.
Expatures tend to flow to compounds as there are no restrictions on dress and there are amenities. Europeans, Americans and people from all over the world live in a compound, which is a bit pricing from a normal apartment. On the other hand, some other emigrants want to live with the locals.
One of the first things I had to put up with was that Riyadh was highly relying on cars and driving, so most locals did not rely on public transport. The Riyadh Metro Station opened last year, which is quite popular, but you still have to drive to the subway.
In London, I would devote my Saturday mornings to the city walk and grabbed coffee on the way back. You really can’t do it here because there are not as many places around as in London.
The Saudi government is trying to add more greenery, but it is not yet an urban town. It is too hot anyway to walk for half a year because temperatures can reach 113 ° F.
It was another way to dress. When you hear about Saudi Arabia, you may think, “Oh, I have to buy a scarf or wear Abaia.” You don’t have to do this as an expat.
If you are not Muslim or if you are not from Saudi Arabia, there is no expectation to conceal itself, like the locals. You can wear whatever you want, as long as you are dressed modestly and respected to the culture.
Many Saudis or people living in Riyadh are Muslims, so they are embedded in the culture and will hear prayer calls all day. During Ramadan, many stores are closed during the day because people are starving. The local cafe will be open from around 7:00 pm to 2am, which I had not experienced before. As a Christian, it encouraged me to take my faith more seriously because they took their own serious.
Also, the work week in Saudi Arabia is from Sunday to Thursday. I still sometimes get confused and took me some time to adapt to it.
So far, the biggest impact it had on my life is that my mental health is much better here. It’s not like hate the UK, but I always had seasonal depression.
When it was winter in London, I never wanted to leave the house, but I have no one here. Even in the winter in Riyadh it is always sunny. My quality of life and mental health has improved. I just feel easier here. It is especially from the corporate world in London, where everything is fast.
Riyadh is a modern city that continues to grow
Riyadh has grown since I first visited. My husband and I have met more expatrios in the last six months than ever.
The government has something called the Saudi Vision 2030. They are trying to turn Saudi Arabia into the best destination to travel, so they have introduced many new entertainment. Now there are many boxing matches, and last year we hosted a tennis tournament with Rafael Nadal.
If you visit, you will be surprised how much you like Saudi Arabia. There are so many things that tourists can do, such as a visit to the museums or the world of a boulevard that has exhibitions from different countries showing food and culture.
Saudi Arabia is much more modern than people give it credit.
Read the original Business Insider article