Date: April 2025Category: Voices of Saudi This month, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Afroditi Barmparousi—a Greek native and cultural infrastructure specialist who was living in London before trading city life for the tranquil beauty of AlUla. Her work supports the preservation and growth of Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and her […]
Afroditi Barmparousi on Heritage, Change, and Life in AlUla Read More »
By Southern in Saudi Date: April 2025Category: Wellness & Culture This afternoon, as the sun dipped low over Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, I met up with my longtime friend Mecah Wills for a walk through Richard Bödeker Park. The park was alive with the sounds of children playing, the bubbling of fountains, and the gentle breeze
Finding Flow in the DQ: A Walk and Talk with Yoga Instructor Mecah Wills Read More »
Date: July 2018Category: Destinations The next morning, my host pulled up, ready to show me another side of Al-Ahsa—one rooted in tradition, flavor, and heart. We spent the day visiting several date farms across the area, each one more impressive than the last. One standout was Al Ameen, a farm that’s not only known for
Savoring Al-Ahsa: Red Bread, Date Sugar & Heartfelt Hospitality | Part 3 Read More »
Date: July 2018 Category: Destinations After one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Saudi Arabia, I wasn’t ready for the day to end—and thankfully, neither was my host’s family. With the kind of ease and generosity that Al-Ahsa is known for, they planned an afternoon tour to show me the soul of their
Exploring Al-Ahsa: Date Palms, Caves & Kindness | Part 2 Read More »
Date: July 2018 Category: Culture & Connection There are some meals that stay with you—not just because of the food, but because of the people and the love behind it. In 2018, while working in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, I struck up a conversation with a colleague from Al-Ahsa. I shared how fascinated
A Southern Guest at a Saudi Table: A Friday Lunch in Al-Ahsa | Part 1 Read More »
Back in 2018, I had the opportunity to visit King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) for work—and it left a lasting impression. Nestled on the Red Sea coast just an hour north of Jeddah, KAUST feels like another world: quiet, cutting-edge, and beautifully designed. One of the highlights of my visit was the
Exploring KAUST: A Hidden Gem on the Red Sea Read More »
Mövenpick Hotel Tahlia, Jeddah: A Business Traveler’s Perfect Stay I was traveling during Ramadan, so things were definitely a bit slower during the day, but at night the hotel was bustling with activity. One of the things I appreciated most was how walkable the location was—you could take a short walk to a grocery store,
Mövenpick Hotel Tahlia, Jeddah Read More »
There’s something about long drives through the desert that makes for the best conversations. I interviewed Charles Howard while we were making our way from Bahrain to Riyadh, the vast Arabian landscape stretching endlessly on either side of us. The sun was setting, casting golden hues over the sand, and as we talked, it became
From London to Riyadh: A Journey of Discovery with Charles Howard Read More »
From Village to Vision: A Teacher’s Reflection on Change and Education in Saudi Arabia I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Mr. Ibrahim AlSaif, a retired primary school teacher who taught in Irqah, a neighborhood of Riyadh for 36 years. Our meeting wasn’t just a formal interview—it was a heartfelt conversation shared over
A Teacher’s Journey: Mr. Ibrahim AlSaif on Education & Change in Saudi Arabia Read More »
How life as an expat has changed over the years, from the 2012 era to the Vision 2030 era.
The Evolution of Expat Life in Saudi Arabia Read More »