Different lifestyles

I was born and grew up in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia before I moved to Alexandria,Egypt. The lifestyle of both countries is completely different. 

When I was in Jeddah, overall things were easier than Egypt. The differences between the two places are worlds apart.

Despite popular belief, the people in Saudi were more open-minded than the people in Egypt. Overall the community was more diverse. There were people from all over the world. It could be because the area I lived in also had a dominant compound presence. Expats would move to work in Saudi Arabia, and this added to the diversity of the country. In Egypt, the people are more closed-minded. It could be because a majority of the people here are from the same place. There is not a lot of diversity, and people are used to certain traditions. Because of this, the general population is not open to anything “new” or “different”.

People in Saudi Arabia were more respectful of others in many aspects of life. This includes other people’s culture, their privacy, even the driving! In Egypt, people are more opinionated. Everyone has to tell their thoughts on every situation in people’s lives. People could be extra friendly, when strangers will come asking questions, but most of the time it is because people are extra nosey and want to know more about what’s going on all the time. And when it comes to the driving, there are no rules. Driving in Egypt is so crazy! You have to keep an eye out for people, animals, potholes, other cars, bikes, different variations of motorcycles, and the list goes on! When it comes to the driving rules, there aren’t any solid ones, or any that make sense. 

In Saudi Arabia, the country holds on to its culture and heritage. They manage to hold on to what makes them the country that they are, along with its roots. The people of Saudi Arabia are proud of where they are from. In Egypt there is a sense of culture, but at the same time there is a popular distaste for the country through out its citizens. A majority of the people I met when I moved here want to leave the country at any chance they get. I have even met some people who don’t like mentioning that they are Egyptian.

In Egypt, there is a high rate of sexual harassment. The people in general have no respect for others. Especially when it comes to gender diversity. The reaction to sexual harassment offenses is also saddening, because the woman is always at fault. Saudi Arabia tends to have a more solid form of respect regarding its women.

One thing I do prefer about living in Egypt is the integrated community. Saudi Arabia is generally a segregated country. There are limited areas where there is integration. These things only happen at international schools, compounds, and malls – however, there are restrictions to the single men that would like to enter malls at certain times.

The rest of the world does not share the segregated lifestyle, so living with that has always been like living in a bubble. In Egypt, that one aspect makes things a little bit more realistic. But that does not excuse any of the negative activities that happen between men and women, like sexual harassment.

Living in Egypt also gives me the freedom to move around freely. I would drive in Saudi in the compound, but I was limited to only driving within the compound gates. Here I am responsible for where I want to go at all times, so I drive myself around.

In Saudi another issue was that I had to be in the company of a man in my family in most situations. In Egypt, I am not dependent on the other men in my family when it comes to coming and going to certain places, or dealing with important issues related to the bank or university or even the hospital.

Egypt has a relaxed mentality when it comes to getting things done. That is something I was not used to when I was in Saudi Arabia. There, things were done more promptly than here. In Egypt everything gets done eventually, but it is done with a “what’s the rush” mentality. When it comes to registering for courses, or payment fees, I’ll have those done after I start university.  In a way it can be seen as a positive factor, because it is laid back. But at the same time it is stressful when you want to get things done, it wont happen in the time that you want it to.

That is another issue about living in Egypt. There is “real time” and there is “Egyptian time”.  If you make plans for 4 pm, expect them to start around 6. This is something I was not used to in Saudi, because there was more respect for schedules and planned times.

I wouldn't say I love one place more than the other but overall the two places were completely different. There are pros and cons of both places, but it is like that anywhere in the world.