Freelancer’s stories about living and working in Saudi Arabia in 2021
Thankfully, technology has reached such a point to allow people to work from any place in the world. More and more people choose to freelance, as it allows them to live a lifestyle not many people could in the past. Here, we are going to explore what does it mean to be a freelancer in KSA, as we dive into some of the best freelancer’s stories about living and working in Saudi Arabia. We have interviewed several people who live and work in SA about how they came here
what have they expected, and how they are feeling right now.
“Saudi Arabia is surprisingly welcoming!”
Joseph Carter has been freelancing for quite some time. He says that he traveled throughout the world and that he never was as surprised by some country more than with Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia is surprisingly awesome”!
Joseph admits that he came with certain beliefs and thoughts about Saudi Arabia. “All of us have some prejudices about a certain country, and no country is more misunderstood than Saudi Arabia!”
When he came to SA, he said that he was immediately proven wrong as soon as he stepped out of the plane. “When I stepped out of the plane, I was surprised at how good this country looks, and how everybody is smiling at you, even when they don’t know you”!
“First of all”, he continues, “everything is clean. Second, their food is so unique and amazing to the point where I can’t even get back to our standard American diet”! He also said that people there want to please you, especially when you are coming from another country. “They want to present their country and culture in the best light possible! It is simply amazing. If you plan on visiting this part of the world, do not skip SA, as it has some of the best travel destinations in the Middle East” that will astound you!
“This country is beautiful”!
Johnatan Harrison is Joseph’s friend, and he came to SA on Joseph’s recommendation. “We often called and messaged each other after he landed in KSA, and immediately he started talking about how amazing everything is in Saudi Arabia. At one time he was even annoying, but I have to admit, he tickled my imagination”.
Johnatan is an artist and a freelance graphic designer, and he said that Saudi Arabia has such a unique culture and arts, that he doesn’t know what to do with his newfound inspiration. “When I finally came to KSA, I had an impostor syndrome. And I don’t mean that I felt like I didn’t belong in this country, but their artists and artisans create such wonderful artworks likes of which I have never seen. I thought I know how to display my art! SA made me a better artist, but I had to go through the realization that I may not be as good as I thought. Their art is just so inspiring, and my clients have never been more satisfied”.
Jonathan said that he likes to travel throughout KSA. He likes to stay in the same city for months, exploring local traditions and artistic creations.
When questioned on how he manages to travel within Saudi Arabia and are there any local domestic moving services for newcomers, Jonathan replied: “Help can be easily found. There are some really good local moving companies here, and it is so easy to travel from one place to another”, Jonathan concludes.
“Freelancing allows you to travel”
Adedapo Yakubu said that freelancing has allowed him to travel all around the world, without the need to find a job in the place of residence. “I have decided to stay for a year or two, or even three, in Saudi Arabia. My wish was always to visit KSA, and I have to say, I have wished well”.
“I come from a place where even the most qualified programmer cannot outearn the average person from KSA, or any other developed country for that matter. Freelancing, however, allows me to travel the world without having to worry about anything”.
Adedapo said that he visited and stayed in many Arab countries. “I visited everything from Morroco to Egypt, but no place is like Saudi Arabia. Everywhere I went, I only felt like staying for a couple of months, but here” he said pointing to the ground, “here I want to live. I even had my belongings shipped to KSA”!
When asked about the shipment, Adedapo said: “It is so easy to learn about the process and makes living and working in Saudi Arabia even easier. All you have to do is to call the company in question, and they will answer everything. Of course, it is not a small thing to ship almost everything you own to another country, so I was nervous at first. But from here, all I can do is to laugh at myself for being so nervous”!
“They know their business!”
Michael de la Rocha is a successful freelancer in the field of digital marketing who mainly works with SA companies. “I have heard many wonderful stories about this country”, he said in an online call. “I had certain expectations, but I have to say, I didn’t expect this country to be so business-friendly. I’m even thinking about setting up my own business in Jeddah“!
Saudi Arabia is a rapidly developing country, and even though it is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, its growth simply doesn’t stop. “It is so easy to do business with people from Saudi Arabia. They are not arrogant, they always know what they want, but they are always willing to listen and take into consideration what you have to say. If I had known how developed and advanced their business culture is, I would have moved here a long time ago”!
And indeed, living and working in Saudi Arabia comes easy. SA has a strong industry, and citizens are very business-oriented. “Saudi companies are really into marketing, as they are trying to reach global markets with their products. I predict that as their GDP grows, we can expect to see more and more companies that need marketing experts. All in all, I have too many projects right now, but it was my choice to accept all of them”
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