This essay is based on a conversation with Banke Adebola, 31, an accountant who moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia. He moved to Riyadh in May 2024. It is edited for length and clarity.
My husband accepted a job offer three years ago, so I fit in my life in about three cafes and left my home in London.
Now I am an accountant who works from a distance in Saudi Arabia.
I don't lie. When my husband moved to Riyadh, I said, “We will stay a year or two, we will come back to London.” I had no idea what it would be like to live here as a Christian black woman, but my way has changed. I have surprised myself how much I like here.
There were things about Riyadh that surprised me
Since my husband already had friends living in Riyadh, finding an apartment was not difficult.
For the first year we rented an apartment, but now we live in the compound because it is closer to where my husband works.
Emigrants tend to scream to compounds because there are no restrictions on dressing and there are amenities. Europeans, Americans and people from all over the world live in a compound that is a bit valuable than a regular apartment. On the other hand, some other emigrants want to live with the locals.
One of the first things I had to accept was that Riyadh is strongly dependent on cars and driving, so most locals do not depend on public transport. The Riyadh metro station was opened last year, which is quite popular, but you still have to drive the subway.
In London, I would dedicate my Saturday morning to walking around the city and grabbing coffee on the way back. You can't really do it here because there are not so many places in London.
The Saudi government is trying to add more greenery, but it is not yet a walking city. It is too hot to walk anyway, as the temperature can reach 113 ° FNI.
The other was how to dress. If you hear from Saudi Arabia, you may think, “Oh, I have to buy a scarf or wear abaya.” You don't have to do it as an emigrant.
If you are not a Muslim or if you are not from Saudi Arabia, there is no expectation to cover as locals. You can wear everything you want if you are dressed modestly and respects culture.
Many Saudis or people living in Riyadh are Muslims, so it is a culture entrenched and you hear prayer speeches all day. During Ramadan, many shops are closed during the day because people are fasting. The local café is open from around 7pm to 2pm, which I had never experienced before. Being a Christian, it encouraged me to take my faith more seriously because they take their very seriously.
There is also a working week in Saudi Arabia from Sunday to Thursday. Sometimes I'm confused sometimes and it takes a little time to adjust it.
So far, this is the biggest impact of my life that my mental health is much better here. It's not like I hated Britain, but I always had seasonal depression.
When winter was in London, I never wanted to leave the house, but I don't have it here. Even in winter, it is always sunny in Riyadh. It has improved my quality of life and mental health. I just feel brighter here. In particular, London comes from the business world, where everything is fast.
Riyadh is a modern city that continues to grow
Riyadh has grown after I visited the first. My husband and I have met more emigrants in the last six months than ever before.
The government has something called Saudi Vision 2030. They are trying to make Saudi Arabia the best travel destination, so they have introduced a lot of new entertainment. Now there are many boxing matches and last year we organized a tennis tournament with Rafael Nadal.
When you visit, you are surprised how much you like Saudi Arabia. There are so many things that tourists can do, such as visiting museums or avenue world with exhibitions from different countries that introduce food and culture.
Saudi Arabia is much more modern than people give it credit.
