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This episode is powered by Colabs. We have a brand new studio space and office and we have an exclusive discount for our listeners 👉 http://colabs.sa/inside-saudi An American woman's honest story of 15 years in Saudi Arabia. In this deep and moving episode, Carly and Vesna sit down with Micah Nicole, who reverted to Islam, married a Saudi at 19 and moved to Saudi Arabia 15 years ago, for one of the most honest conversations we have had on the show. Micah shares her revert story, the visa battle to even get here, learning to be a Saudi wife, the real pressure placed on a foreigner marrying into a Saudi family, her message to be gentle on reverts, her divorce and starting over, why every woman needs a backup, and how she became one of the first public singers in the country and a radio host for six years. Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx. Guest: Micah Nicole @micahnicolelive FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx Micah: instagram.com/micahnicolelive CHAPTERS 0:00  Welcome back, going deeper 0:51  Fifteen years in Saudi 1:15  Meeting her ex-husband in California 2:42  Her revert story, Christian to Islam 3:51  The visa battle, and "Wasta" 6:33  Moving to Saudi alone with her daughter 7:28  Culture shock, the heat, oud and the villa 9:12  "You're the bride", the welcome 10:27  Her Milka, and the makeup disaster 12:01  Her first women's gathering 14:39  Serving the gahwa, shaking with nerves 16:22  On Saudi women and femininity 17:15  What to wear, and "shave your arms" 19:17  You can't outdo the bride 21:58  Her mother-in-law choosing her outfits 23:17  The pressure on a Saudi's foreign wife 24:02  The hardest part, religious pressure 26:33  "Be gentle on reverts" 30:38  The transition for Saudis who study abroad 32:21  "You don't understand Saudi until you live in a Saudi home" 34:31  At first, she didn't want to look foreign 35:42  Her half-Saudi daughter on how she dresses 40:33  On "munbatah", and changing attitudes 44:40  Why wives of Saudis can't share their struggles 46:12  The divorce 48:24  Her lowest point, "I had nothing" 49:17  Staying in Saudi for her kids 52:33  Every woman needs a backup 57:19  Becoming one of Saudi's first public singers 58:32  Six years as a radio host 59:16  Meeting her now husband, who also reverted 1:00:10  He moved cities for her kids 1:01:01  Culture vs Islam, Yasmin's point 1:02:43  What welcomed them most 1:03:57  The misconceptions she had 1:07:20  On boundaries, and saying no

This episode is powered by Colabs. We have a brand new studio space and office, if you want to work here too comment for our discount code.  Saudi creator Senan is back on Inside Saudi, our first guest in the new studio. He teaches Carly and Vesna the Saudi word munbatih (منبطح, literally "lying flat") and explains why people use it on him, makes the case for south Riyadh over the north, and tells the story of how his sister turned him into the guy reviewing K-pop in a thobe. We also get into how Saudis talk about mental health now, what inshallah really means, why the desi community holds a special place in Saudi, his pitch to dub The Lion King in a Saudi dialect, and what it would take for Carly to eat her first shawarma in 18 years. Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. With @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx. Guest: Senan @senan_ar LISTEN EVERYWHERE (Apple, Spotify, YouTube): pod.link/insidesaudi FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx Senan: instagram.com/senan_ar Thanks to our sponsor Yammak for home services in Riyadh: massage, nails, hair, cleaning and kids' services. Use code INSIDESAUDI20 for 20% off. CHAPTERS 0:00 Teaser 1:30 Intro: Senan is back 2:46 Getting recognised, and context blindness 3:53 Planning a first trip to London 6:09 Turning 40, and knowing yourself 6:32 Fate, and leaving it in God's hands 7:31 Living with anxiety 8:07 How Saudis talk about mental health now 9:12 Zodiac signs, and trusting in fate 11:17 How having kids changes your worries 14:07 Why he cancelled Brazil 15:35 Perth, and Australia's giant bugs 17:32 Spotted at Nakheel Mall 19:29 Toning it down: the Western influencer debate 19:50 Sponsor: Yammak 21:21 Disney characters in a Saudi dialect 25:15 Munbatih: a Saudi word explained 28:33 Not all Saudis: a generation shift 29:15 Saudi and the desi community 31:48 What inshallah really means 32:55 Vecna, Stranger Things and Vesna's movie gap 34:02 The Avatar cinema chaos 35:20 One baby girl 37:22 "Unc" and Gen Z 38:08 How K-pop in a thobe blew him up 38:58 K-pop 101: what a "bias" is 42:01 Would Carly eat shawarma for 500,000 riyals? 44:32 Why expats live in compounds 45:12 Where to really live in Riyadh 48:09 His sister, his filter

A year in, and Inside Saudi finally has a real studio.   In this update episode, Carly and Vesna welcome you to Chapter 2 of Inside Saudi from their brand new studio at Colabs, and catch you up on everything happening in their world and their community.   We cover the women only pool party that sold out, how women's events actually work in Saudi, why it is so hard to make friends as an expat (and how we are fixing it), the WhatsApp community and coffee pin drops, a community MVP shout out, and exactly where to travel from Saudi for the October and Christmas breaks.   Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday.   with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx   FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx   CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 1:09  Welcome to the new studio, Chapter 2 1:33  Out of the bed, into a proper studio 2:48  Why we chose Collabs 5:36  Guests are coming soon 6:05  The women only pool party that sold out 6:51  Self care, self love and community 7:23  How women's events work in Saudi 9:25  Why every staff member had to be a woman 10:10  What the pool day actually was 11:04  Food, drinks and an all inclusive ticket 12:13  95% came alone, and left with friends 13:23  Making friends as an expat isn't easy 13:57  More pool days before winter 14:42  Yammak, the home services team 16:59  Growing the WhatsApp community 17:59  The coffee pin drops 19:33  New groups, networking, Jeddah and women only 22:10  The community organizes itself 23:44  Community shout outs 24:59  The community MVP, Abdullah 26:10  Planning the October and Christmas breaks 27:03  Where to go for the October break 28:40  Christmas plans, further afield 31:49  AlUla and a Saudi trip at Christmas 32:31  Moving to a bigger compound 34:25  Wrapping up, guests next weekA year in, and Inside Saudi finally has a real studio.   In this update episode, Carly and Vesna welcome you to Chapter 2 of Inside Saudi from their brand new studio at Colabs, and catch you up on everything happening in their world and their community.   We cover the women only pool party that sold out, how women's events actually work in Saudi, why it is so hard to make friends as an expat (and how we are fixing it), the WhatsApp community and coffee pin drops, a community MVP shout out, and exactly where to travel from Saudi for the October and Christmas breaks.   We loved using Yammak for all of our spa services at our pool event!! They gave us a discount code for you to get 20% off all services!! INSIDESAUDI20 Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday.   with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx   FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx   CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 1:09  Welcome to the new studio, Chapter 2 1:33  Out of the bed, into a proper studio 2:48  Why we chose Collabs 5:36  Guests are coming soon 6:05  The women only pool party that sold out 6:51  Self care, self love and community 7:23  How women's events work in Saudi 9:25  Why every staff member had to be a woman 10:10  What the pool day actually was 11:04  Food, drinks and an all inclusive ticket 12:13  95% came alone, and left with friends 13:23  Making friends as an expat isn't easy 13:57  More pool days before winter 14:42  Yamik, the home services team 16:59  Growing the WhatsApp community 17:59  The coffee pin drops 19:33  New groups, networking, Jeddah and women only 22:10  The community organizes itself 23:44  Community shout outs 24:59  The community MVP, Abdullah 26:10  Planning the October and Christmas breaks 27:03  Where to go for the October break 28:40  Christmas plans, further afield 31:49  AlUla and a Saudi trip at Christmas 32:31  Moving to a bigger compound 34:25  Wrapping up, guests next week

How do you actually launch something in Saudi Arabia? The honest answer surprised us too.   In this (bed) episode, Carly and Vesna share what really helped them build Inside Saudi over their first year, and it is not the business advice you would expect. It is about patience, relationships, gut feeling and serving people first.   We cover the advice that is more nuanced, why we run everything on vibes and our gut, playing to your strengths, the how can I help you mindset that defines Saudi business, setting boundaries, the licenses and language barriers we are still working through, why not everyone will like you, how to finally start putting yourself out there, and also how we choose our guests.   Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday.   with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx   FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx   CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 1:04  Welcome, and why we love the bed episodes 2:04  Today's topic, how to launch in Saudi 2:24  The launch advice nobody wants to hear 2:56  Carly's story, arriving as a full time mum 4:11  How it all happened so fast 5:04  How Saudi opens up space and time 6:47  Running a business on vibes and gut feelings 7:41  Lessons from Oprah and Mel Robbins 9:09  Women, intuition and the gut 9:50  Saying yes to everything in year one 10:57  Divide and conquer, playing to your strengths 13:20  Doing business in Saudi, put the time in 13:39  How can I help you, not what can you do for me 14:48  Boundaries, don't deplete yourself 15:54  Serving the community and the WhatsApp groups 17:56  Designing the job and life you want 21:03  Advice if you want to start something here 21:26  Don't be afraid to fail 22:07  Our biggest challenge, licenses and red tape 22:56  The language barrier, and giving grace 23:57  Feeling blocked, and changing your approach 26:17  Opportunities come from giving value 26:58  Sticking to your values, the kebab rule 27:48  Putting yourself out there online 28:51  Not everyone is going to like you 30:48  The videos made about us, and the dark times 32:51  Protecting your energy online 33:57  Just start, and be yourself 34:45  Getting ghosted, and Saudi politeness 35:42  How we choose our guests 37:40  Everyone has a platform 39:52  Wrapping up 40:56  Float and Glow, our women only pool day

Living in Saudi is not always the highlight reel. This week we get honest. Carly and Vesna talk through the hard parts of living in Saudi Arabia, the things nobody posts about. From the fear of driving in Riyadh, to the loneliness of expat life, to the real struggle of starting a business here. If you are moving to Saudi Arabia or already living in Riyadh, this episode covers what it is actually like: why everyone is scared to drive and how to get over it, buying a car in Saudi, the road rules nobody tells you, finding friends and beating loneliness, and navigating Misa, premium residency and business licensing as an expat. Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 1:04  Welcome, the bedroom episode and the new studio 2:32  Today's topic: the hard parts of living in Saudi 2:56  The number one fear: driving 3:34  Ubers with no seatbelts 5:02  Buying a car, why we went Chinese 6:52  What our car cost and how we paid for it 7:21  Getting your license and hitting the road 9:14  Which side of the road do you drive on? 13:33  Just dive in, start from day one 14:45  Driving tips, always be alert 16:25  U-turns and missed turns 18:24  What to do if you have an accident, the Najm app 19:27  Merging into aggressive traffic 20:18  The loneliness nobody talks about 22:17  Feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated 23:49  Holding it together while partners work 24:50  Compound friendships and the Mystery Pin Drop 26:49  The reality of starting a business in Saudi 27:23  The licensing struggle 28:44  The anxiety of not knowing the future 30:26  It's not always easy, and that's okay

We toured every compound in Riyadh, so you don't have to. In this Inside Saudi episode, Carly and Vesna give an honest review of the best compounds in Riyadh, from Flow Granada to Palma 2, Vives, Wadi Qortuba, Al Nakhla and more, then answer your questions in a full Q&A. If you are moving to Saudi Arabia or living in Riyadh, this is your guide to compound life: what it really costs, the Ejar rent freeze that can save you money, the best dog friendly compounds, how to actually make friends as an expat, nanny agencies and a scary nanny story, after school routines, nursery versus school, and more. Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 0:57  The bed episode, why we're recording here 1:52  Why we did a full compound tour 3:22  The Q&A questions we're answering 4:19  How Carly picked her compound online 5:02  Honest review of Flow Granada 6:55  What Flow is missing (kids and dogs) 7:46  The community at Flow 8:16  Touring the Azura compounds 9:14  Palma 2, the Bali villa compound 10:42  Carawan, the new luxe one 12:04  Hidden, a great location 13:46  Lamara, they listen to residents 15:11  Kaft, for work focused execs 16:07  Vives, renovating villas for residents 19:52  Al Nakhla and its 20 pools 20:30  Antara, the resort style pool 21:03  Renovate your own villa for 110k 23:06  Wadi Qattuba, green and walkable 24:37  The Ejar rent freeze hack 25:38  Honorable mentions (Arizona, Sedra) 27:53  The best dog friendly compounds 28:49  Compound hunt update 29:17  Why community is everything in Saudi 32:20  You pay a premium for compound life 33:15  Getting your UK house on Airbnb 33:39  Getting a job in Saudi 34:37  Travel plans, the Commonwealth tour 35:16  Nanny agencies and a scary story 37:33  After school routine with the kids 40:03  Nursery versus school 41:47  Is summer in Saudi humid? 42:28  Vesna's 40th and what's next

This one is bittersweet. It is our goodbye episode. Carly and Vesna are back from summer and packing up their studio for the very last time. In this catch up they get into everything that went down over the break, the good, the dramatic, and the completely ridiculous. From the nanny who left the baby home alone and then did a runner, to a 300 year old house falling apart, kids catching 12 fish spearfishing in Greece, dogs that look like they got run over, and the honest truth about why they are outgrowing their Riyadh compound. Grateful for the last year and everything that came with it and ready for the next chapter. Plus a big tease about what is coming next. Inside Saudi is the English language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 0:56  It's our goodbye episode 1:33  Why this is a new beginning 2:26  All good things come to an end 2:38  Coming back for year two, a different feeling 4:16  Carly's news: two months left, gave her notice 5:03  From a hobby to a real business 5:29  Carly's UK summer and the 300 year old house 7:04  The nanny who wore ball gowns 8:12  The nanny drama begins 9:14  She left the baby home alone 9:58  The nanny did a runner 10:44  Finding the new all rounder nanny 12:33  The dogs look like they got run over 13:25  The last day in the studio 13:49  Vesna's summer in Greece 16:39  The kids caught 12 fish 18:36  Setting up the apartment from scratch 20:07  Gyros and the Canadian accent 20:30  A summer of roaming free 22:44  Why we need outdoor space 24:29  Renting in Riyadh is insane 25:43  Outgrowing where we landed 28:54  Kids, dogs and needing more space 30:18  From a hobby to where we are now 31:09  What's next, a fan favorite guest 31:44  Signing off

This might be the most important conversation we have had on Inside Saudi. We sit down with Sajid Khan, a child safeguarding and education expert who moved from Birmingham to Riyadh at 24 and has spent over a decade protecting children in schools across the Kingdom. We get into what safeguarding really means, why Saudi can feel safer than the UK, the neglect cases that changed how he sees parenting, how AI is creating a whole new risk for kids, why the teacher matters more than the school, and the exact questions every parent should ask before choosing one. Whether you are raising kids in Saudi, moving here soon, or you just care about keeping children safe, this episode is essential listening. Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx, featuring @sajidkhanfcct FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx Guest, Sajid Khan: @sajidkhanfcct 🎧 Follow so you never miss an episode 💬 Parents, what would you add? Tell us in the comments.   CHAPTERS 0:00 Teaser 0:45 Intro 2:10 Meet Sajid Khan 2:40 From Birmingham to Riyadh, finance to education 4:46 Why he moved to Saudi at 24 6:03 Arriving at 2am to a cold, empty building 9:42 Becoming a lecturer, then building schools 11:08 What child safeguarding actually means 13:22 The coffee shop test, nobody had heard of it 15:02 Why Saudi feels safer than the UK 15:44 The gap in background checks 18:50 Affluent neglect, the Oreos case 20:46 How harm starts at school, and AI 23:58 Nannies, drivers and basic needs 25:26 The CCTV driver dilemma 29:08 When emotions are high, intelligence is low 32:49 Get a criminal record check for anyone you hire 35:47 Saudi is not a ski in, ski out resort 36:43 Investing in the Kingdom, hiring locals 37:16 The teacher is everything 38:06 Kids can feel if you care 41:29 Growing up online, the new dangers 42:32 The London school trip lesson 44:23 Saudi has its own child protection policy 46:53 The biggest gap he sees in schools 49:28 Teacher training and career pathways 54:49 Advice for parents, 10 minutes a day 56:35 Put the phones away at dinner 58:14 Friend versus friendly, boundaries 1:00:42 Discipline, respect and the good cop bad cop trap 1:03:57 Guilt syndrome and screen time 1:06:25 The questions every parent should ask a school 1:09:00 The grooming red flag nobody spotted 1:10:42 Why he would rather be extra 1:13:59 The UAE horror story that changed the law 1:15:13 Thank you and close

We went to our first Saudi weddings, and nothing could have prepared us. This week Carly and Vesna break down everything they have learned about Saudi weddings and gatherings, from a total newbie point of view. Dinner served at 2:30 in the morning, glam that rivals the Met Gala, and the unspoken rules of what to wear. We get into the real flow of a Saudi wedding, why you can never overdress, the coffee and chocolate before the 2:30am dinner, how the women only celebrations actually go, the gatherings that run until 3am, what to bring as a gift, and the best advice for anyone new here: say yes and be open. If you are moving to Saudi, planning a visit, or just curious about the culture, this one is for you. Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx FOLLOW Inside Saudi: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx 🎧 Follow so you never miss an episode   💬 Going to a Saudi wedding soon? Ask us anything in the comments.   CHAPTERS 0:00  Teaser 0:54  Cold open, why we made this episode 2:28  Dinner at 2:30 in the morning 3:24  Saudi is a night culture 4:20  Walking in, it felt like the Met Gala 5:16  Weddings here are women only 6:44  What we wore, and underdressing the first time 8:54  The compliment: you look like Saudi girls 10:29  The second wedding, leveling up 12:09  The flow, coffee, chocolate, tea and dinner at 2:30 15:17  Perfume stations and flowers 16:00  You cannot be on time, arrive fashionably late 16:54  People watching and the perfect night 17:44  Dancing at a Saudi wedding 20:29  Saudi ladies gatherings 22:27  What to bring as a gift 23:38  Gatherings that run until 3am 24:16  Doing life with the locals 25:12  Tips if you get invited 26:00  Say yes to the DM, how we get invited 26:54  Wrap up

From night classes in Cairo to a runway at Paris Fashion Week. This week Carly and Vesna sit down with Pacinthe, the Egyptian couture designer behind two Vogue Arabia covers, a Paris Fashion Week show, and a client list full of Arab stars and red carpet moments. We get into how she built her fashion house from the ground up, her signature draped corsets and sustainable line, dressing for weddings across cultures, and why she does her best creative work at 2am. We also go somewhere real: the burnout that led to an autoimmune diagnosis, the mum guilt, and why she believes you were never meant to do it all. She finishes with honest advice for anyone dreaming of a career in fashion. Whether you love fashion, run a business, or just need to hear that slowing down is allowed, this one is for you. Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx Find Pacinthe here: https://www.instagram.com/pacinthe_badran/ FOLLOW Inside Saudi: https://www.instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia Carly: https://www.instagram.com/caroverman Vesna: https://www.instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx 🎧 Follow so you never miss an episode 💬 What is your dream career, and what is stopping you? Tell us in the comments.   CHAPTERS 0:00 Teaser 1:22 Cold open, meet Pacinthe 1:47 How the hosts met Pacinthe 2:27 Shopping local and Egypt's design scene 5:23 How she got into fashion 7:19 Quitting her job to launch her own label 10:11 Three lines and the signature draped corsets 12:41 Getting to Paris Fashion Week 13:48 Vogue Arabia covers and red carpets 15:36 Expanding into Saudi 15:48 Wedding fashion, too fancy for a Western wedding 17:32 Saudi's booming fashion scene 19:22 Jeddah versus Riyadh 21:13 Cairo, chaos, and where creativity comes from 23:22 Why she creates at 2am 26:07 Burnout and an autoimmune wake up call 29:28 Mum guilt and making space for yourself 31:31 You were never meant to do it all 35:15 How men and women recharge differently 38:39 The Serenity collection and celebrating wins 41:19 Advice for anyone starting in fashion 43:29 Wrap up

One year in Saudi, and we finally figured a few things out. In this episode, Carly and Vesna swap the ten lessons they learned after their first year living in Riyadh, going back and forth without knowing each other's list. We get into being kind to yourself through the move, whether you really need the big compound, why making Saudi friends changes everything, the truth about getting help at home, what drivers and nannies actually cost, what to pack and what to buy once you land, road tripping across the country, and the real cost of living in Riyadh. We finish on the honest part: the peaks, the valleys, and why everything here takes time. If you are moving to Saudi, thinking about it, or already here and nodding along, this one is for you. Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx FOLLOW US: instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia instagram.com/caroverman instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx 🎧 Follow so you never miss an episode 💬 What was your biggest lesson from your first year abroad? Drop it in the comments.   Chapters: 00:00:00 Cold open 00:01:10 Welcome, and why we are doing lessons learned 00:02:16 Lesson 1, Be kind to yourself 00:02:48 Lesson 2, Do you really need the big compound 00:06:44 Lesson 3, Put yourself out there and make Saudi friends 00:08:07 Lesson 4, Getting help and being a good manager 00:12:46 Lesson 5, Drivers and nannies are normal here 00:14:39 Lesson 6, What to pack and what to buy in Saudi 00:17:10 Lesson 7, Explore Saudi by road 00:19:16 Lesson 8, The real cost of living in Riyadh 00:21:33 Lesson 9, Do not pressure yourself, it takes time 00:22:07 Lesson 10, Peaks and valleys are normal 00:23:55 Kids adjusting to a new school 00:25:41 Wrap up and where to listen

We've never done a two-parter, but there was too much to cover. In Part 2, Victor Barrero is back to talk about the next chapter: Vision 2030, Expo 2030, and what it actually takes to build a country at the speed Saudi is moving.   Victor helped launch Flow in Riyadh, close to 1,000 households across four communities, stood up in a matter of months after landing. In this conversation he pulls back to the bigger picture: the wave of development sweeping the kingdom, why capital from around the world suddenly wants in, how the compound model has changed since the Aramco era, and what separates a project that sells from one that struggles. We get into the airport that now greets you with "welcome to my country," opening a company through WhatsApp, the hidden cost of moving senior talent halfway across the world, and why Saudi "rewards patient, not fast" even in a race to 2030.   If you're trying to make sense of the Gulf right now, as a resident, a professional weighing a move, or just someone watching from afar, this is a wide-angle view from someone who's been in and out since 2009.   New here? Go back and listen to Part 1 first for Victor's story of how he got to Saudi.   with @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx   FOLLOW VICTOR HERE: https://www.instagram.com/victorinriyadh/ and follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia/ https://www.instagram.com/caroverman/ https://www.instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx/   00:00 Cold open 01:25 Welcome back: what Part 2 is about 02:30 Recap and picking up where we left off 03:00 Launching Flow: 1,000 homes on an ambitious timeline 05:59 What makes Flow different to live in 07:30 The development wave and building blocks of hospitality 10:40 Saudi capital vs. foreign capital 11:00 Before Vision 2030: compounds, Aramco and family offices 12:55 International co-living models arriving 13:55 Expo 2030: getting a country ready 16:40 The scale: 100+ countries and a temporary city 18:22 What's left behind after the Expo 18:38 The Formula One analogy 20:07 The airport test: welcome to my country 21:55 Digital life: Nafath, SIMs and banking on WhatsApp 23:00 Setting up a company in Saudi 24:17 What makes a project sell vs. struggle 27:35 What the market actually wants: hospitality 29:55 Families vs. single professionals 32:25 The hidden cost of senior talent 34:22 UK or Saudi? Not apples to apples 36:28 Saudi rewards patient, not fast 39:00 Advice for newcomers: observe, then sprint 40:18 Being a connector: 40 nationalities in a day 42:34 No back alleys: a transparent platform 44:44 Five years from now 47:04 What success looks like 47:59 Closing   Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic in Riyadh. New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow so you never miss an episode 💬 Questions for a future episode? Drop them in the comments

One of us has had a live-in nanny since September. The other has a cleaner for three hours a week and a robot vacuum called Robbie, who has just broken down. A year into life in Riyadh, Carly and Vesna compare notes on help: how to find it, how to manage it, and what it costs you when you refuse it. Carly walks through the two routes to finding a nanny in Riyadh, why she asks to see an iqama live in Absher rather than a screenshot, and why the one week trial she recommends should probably be a month. She is also honest about what she got wrong from day one, which was never setting expectations out loud. Vesna has never had help. She grew up watching her mother do everything and did the same in Australia, until a back injury and a growing podcast made that untenable. Her teenagers, for the record, do not want a nanny anywhere near their rooms. They close on mum guilt, the guilt of having help, and the boundaries they now actually hold. If you've been here longer than us, tell us what we're still getting wrong in the comments please.    Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://linktr.ee/insidesaudi Inside Saudi is the English-language podcast about daily life in Saudi Arabia today, co-hosted by two moms in Riyadh, made for Saudis, residents, and anyone trying to make sense of the Gulf during Vision 2030. With @caroverman and @vesnapetrovicx Follow us for more: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia/ Carly: https://www.instagram.com/caroverman/ Vesna: https://www.instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx/   Chapters:  00:00 A year in, real and raw 01:11 Why this one is for people in the Gulf 02:27 Finding a nanny in Riyadh: the two routes 04:10 ~ Checking status and documentation properly 05:44 Why a trial period matters, and how long it should be 07:58 Hiring from abroad: agencies, timelines, cost 11:00 ~ Qualifications, first aid, and keeping kids independent 12:23 What I'd do differently: expectations from day one 14:30 ~ Weekly check-ins and positive reinforcement 16:32 I did everything myself, until I couldn't 20:30 Robbie the robot vacuum, and outsourcing the small stuff 25:24 Having help here is normal, so why the guilt 27:30 Mum guilt and the boundaries we hold now 29:31 Send us your tips

In the summer of 2009, Victor Barrero typed "life in Saudi Arabia" into Google and got scared. He came anyway, on an eight-week flynas internship, a 25-year-old from Mexico who packed a camera and a checklist: camel market, old Diriyah, the grand bazaar. None of it looked like the photos. Diriyah was boarded up. He got into Kingdom Tower only because a guard mistook him for a diplomat. Then a friend in Mexico sent one Facebook message introducing him to a Saudi named Sultan. Sultan took him to lunch. Three weeks later Victor was at an istraha an hour outside the city with thirty Saudi men, dates and Arabic coffee, getting mistaken for an Egyptian who wouldn't come pray. That single introduction turned the whole summer around. In Part 1, Victor tells Carly and Vesna how Riyadh went from a place Google warned him about to the place that felt like home, why he taught himself to read Arabic in three weeks, what revenue management at an airline actually is, and the family decision that brought him back in 2024. Part 2 is next Monday. Listen: https://linktr.ee/insidesaudi FOLLOW VICTOR HERE: https://www.instagram.com/victorinriyadh/ and follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/insidesaudiarabia/ https://www.instagram.com/caroverman/  https://www.instagram.com/vesnapetrovicx/    Chapters: 0:00 Teaser: Landing in Riyadh, 2009 1:13 Welcome to Inside Saudi 2:15 Victor Joins the Show 3:07 First Landing in Riyadh, Summer 2009 5:43 Adjusting to Saudi Business Culture 8:19 Failed Sightseeing & Early Misconceptions 13:07 The Facebook Message That Changed Everything 13:50 Straha Nights & Saudi Hospitality 17:58 Deciding to Return & Starting a Blog 20:20 Going Fully Local 25:04 Revenue Management at Flynas 28:29 Insider Flight Booking Tips 31:40 Leaving Saudi & a Career Around the World 35:55 Pandemic Reinvention 37:42 Costa Rica & Wellness 39:41 Lessons from a Math Teacher 41:34 The Power of Real Relationships 42:24 The Fire That Shaped Everything 45:01 Returning to Riyadh in 2024 47:21 Riyadh Transformed 49:02 Joining Flow 49:45 What Expats Get Wrong About Housing 52:07 Selling a Lifestyle, Not Just a Villa 55:01 Advice for People Relocating 57:05 The Kingdom's Vision for Quality of Life 59:36 Take It Slow: First 90 Days Advice 1:01:26 Adjusting to a New Culture 1:04:31 Wrap-Up & Part Two Teaser

A year in, Carly and Vesna re-priced their whole life in Riyadh: what's gone up, what surprised them, and what they'd tell someone running the numbers before a move. This is the granular version of the cost conversation, from the two biggest line items down to the ones nobody warns you about. They walk through compounds across four tiers, from the common 300 to 350K range to the half-million luxe end, plus what an off-compound option like Sedra actually trades away. International school fees land near 100K per child once trips, uniforms and deposits are counted, and they're honest about the math that forces real choices: cheaper school or more travel, space or community, save or spend.   They get into the Chinese cars they both bought outright, fuel so cheap it changes how you move around the city, a four-tier map of where to grocery shop, and the beauty, abaya and travel spend that adds up quietly underneath everything.   No invented numbers, just what a year of living it has actually cost them. Follow Inside Saudi so you never miss a Monday episode.   New here? Start with our cost of living and relocation episodes. Follow us: Show: @insidesaudiarabia Carly: @caroverman on insta / @carlyoverman on tiktok Vesna: @vesnapetrovicx Everything in one place: https://linktr.ee/insidesaudi Got a question we didn't cover? Drop it in the comments and we'll get to it in a future episode. Listen wherever you get podcasts   Chapters: 00:00 Cold open 01:01 Welcome and what this episode covers 02:47 The biggest cost: schools vs compounds 03:37 Is Riyadh expensive? London, Sydney, Vancouver 04:27 Housing: compounds and your top-three list 06:47 The common tier: 300 to 350K compounds 09:11 Apartment-style compounds: 150 to 250K 13:53 Off-compound: the community trade-off 14:42 The luxe end: half a million to one million 16:35 Less is more: what a year taught us 17:28 Utilities, electricity and internet 19:17 School fees: roughly 100K per child 20:50 Uniforms, ECAs and the trips that add up 24:40 Visas, exit re-entry and premium residency 25:58 Cars: why we both bought Chinese, outright 28:22 Fuel: the one genuinely cheap thing 29:08 Groceries: weekly spend and where we shop 31:00 The grocery map: Spinneys down to corner shops 34:31 Beauty: nails, Botox, finding someone you trust 39:35 Abayas: 50 riyals to a few thousand 42:30 Clothing and kids' clothes 44:20 Help, nannies and cleaners 45:00 Travel: why living here makes you want to go 46:01 Wrap-up