On my last vacation to Bahrain, I stumbled upon a new favorite place- Alazizia Birds Kingdom. Many of the places I have visited in the MENA region that have animals haven’t really taken good care of the animals (with the exception of NOFA), so I was a bit skeptical about going to the Bird Kingdom…
Author: Kendra in KSA
I'm an Appalachian expat that moved to Saudi Arabia on an impulse. I enjoy giving the world a glimpse into my life here.
Nofa Resort: A Horse Lover’s Haven
Any horse lovers out there? (And by out there I mean Riyadh, of course!) If so, Nofa Resort is definitely the place for you. Located in Tibrak, Riyadh, Nofa resort offers an esquatrian club, golf resort, and wildlife park. The resort recently opened the wildlife park to the public, so you can take a safari…
Coffee Hour
One of my favorite things about my job is the people I work with. We are all very diverse, and come from multiple countries and backgrounds. Once a week we gather for something called “coffee hour.” The organizer brings “ghawah,” or Arabic coffee, and everyone else brings something to eat with the coffee. While we…
Hidden Talents
Riyadh’s bespoke community really has some hidden gems. With a growing number of festivals and events, you can find a lot of small businesses selling gorgeous handmade goods popping up. It is becoming increasingly common for these shops to advertise their goods through snapchat and instagram. Buyers can text a whatsapp number to place…
Dahlia
Whenever I see someone I haven’t seen in a while, I’m always greeted with a “I noticed you’ve stopped blogging.” And, in my awkward state, I always groan “yeahhhhh” awkwardly in reply. Not totally because they are right and I have stopped blogging, but mostly because I am surprised anyone at all reads my blog….
Barefoot on a summer night
It can only be described as the perfect evening as I am sitting around with my loved ones, laughing and enjoying ourselves the same as we did in old times, before everyone got busy and wrapped up in their own lives. Everyone is so jovial, content just to be in each other’s company. I’d forgotten I…
What no one tells you about being an expat
When I was still new a co-worker invited me to an event under the notion that I wasn’t Muslim. As soon as she realized I was Muslim she basically gave me the ultimatum of taking my hijab off (not that eloquently- she told me to ask my husband if I could take it off, as if its his decision) or not coming at all. Clearly I chose the latter.
Perpetual Summer
One thing I really love about Saudi Arabia is the lack of winter. It is comforting to know it will never snow here. I prefer the scorching heat to the freezing temperatures I faced back home. It’s nice to be able to enjoy a park in the winter months. Salaam, KC
When people think of the Arabian gulf the usually envision tall, glittering skyscrapers that almost reach the heavens, luxury cars, and blue oceans. While all those things are present, lets not forget that there is a lot of farm land housing camels, horses, and other animals. It’s often nice to get away from the glitz…
What’s really under the abaya?
If you ask anyone to describe what a Saudi woman wears, most likely they will say a long, black garment. Technically, that answer is correct. Saudi women are required to wear an abaya, or robe-like garment when they are in public. With that being said, just because women wear abayas in public, doesn’t mean that they aren’t…
Why do you blog?
Recently I received a message from a former professor I had in my undergraduate career at Marshall University. He informed me that he would be teaching a class in the spring semester focusing on blogging and other forms of social media, and asked me to write a few words about what I do and why…
Istaraha
There are not a lot of recreational activities in Saudi Arabia. Gender segregation is enforced very strictly not only by the government but by the people that reside here as well. One fun weekend activity would be to have an Istaraha party. An Istaraha is a small house with a giant walled in yard. Most…
Kendra in KSA 