Compound Life in Saudi Arabia

Yasmina Al Khazen

Edited by Hilma Bjork

 

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Living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is a very different experience in comparison to living in any other country in the world. Saudi Arabia’s culture consists of a more closed/less free living lifestyle than other places around the world.

 

Many foreigners around Saudi Arabia are provided with a list of compounds to choose from that their company will pay for. As for the American International School Riyadh(AIS-R), teachers and students are welcome to move into a connected compound. Compounds also apply to those who are new to the Saudi Arabian culture. Compounds usually try hard to create a westernised environment for people from outside of  Saudi Arabia to live in, in order for the foreigners to be more comfortable and free.

 

Compounds in Riyadh are also welcome to people who don’t live there, many people tend to visit compounds for many reasons.

 

Since Riyadh does not have a wide variety of entertaining public places of such for teenagers to meet up at, Compounds are usually where most of international school students tend to visit the most.

 

According to people’s reviews of Americanized compounds in Riyadh, it shows that Al Bustan is the highest rated compound. It has also been narrowed down to Al Bustan is being visited the most by teenagers around the country.

 

Al Bustan Village compound provides the residents and visitors with many different facilities and entertaining places to hang around at. Al Bustan is also connected to one of the best schools in the middle east, the American International School Riyadh (AIS-R).  Due to the amount of teenagers asking for sign ins each day, it has drawn me into finding out more about why people are interested in visiting.

 

Throughout this time, I have been asking people about why they visit Bustan compound and how often they visit. With the information I’ve gathered, I found out a handful of information that explain a lot about why and how often people visit.

 

Caden Baker said “I like coming to Bustan because a lot of people from our grade go there every weekend. It’s a fun compound with many things to do and a lot of people to hang out with.”  From this, it shows that Caden visits bustan to visit his friends, which also could be a reason why other people like to visit.

 

Linah Shaker stated that she also visits Al Bustan to see her friends, but has the facilities draw her attention as well. “Mainly my friends and some of the facilities”

 

Nathalie Masry says that she usually visits bustan due to the soccer field and to see friends.  “The only reason I go to bustan compound is the soccer [field]. It’s a nice place to play soccer due to it’s size.”

 

I decided to make a survey based off why people want to visit Bustan and how often they visit. According to my results, it seems as if 60% of the people visit weekly, another 60% tend to visit mainly to see their friends and 24% visit for the facilities.

 

On the other hand, Living on Al Bustan can put pressure on those who are always in need of a sign in. With Al Bustan being the overrated compound in Riyadh, it has increased the amount of people asking residents to be signed into the compound, and also increases the stress and bribery being put on the residents.

 

A resident of Al Bustan and student here in AIS-R, Danya Nahas, is a victim of the pressure of always being asked for a sign in. “Its a little annoying because there are a lot of  people that come up to me and ask me to sign them in when I don’t know them or the first thing about them.”

 

Hilma, another resident, student and teachers daughter stated that she has been bribed many times to be signed in. “People have tried paying me to sign them in.”

 

From this, we can see that Al Bustan holds a very safe security system that tries very hard to protect the residents and the compound itself. With Al Bustan being one of the best compounds in the middle east, The security program is extremely strong to avoid risks that will put a negative  effect on the residents and the compound itself.

 

According to a recent email sent to all residents of Al-Bustan, they discussed the changes that will be made due to the majority of people creating problems that are against the compound rules. They have also targeted specific people who have secretly been trying to enter the compound using a fake or photocopied entry pass.

 

Not only that, but also have caught people with drugs, people using bad language towards the residents and a majority of students vandalizing areas of the compound. If anyone on the compound is caught doing this, chances are that they will have a lifetime ban from the compound, and worst case scenario, the security will contact the government.

 

Caden Baker, a student in AIS-R said: "I haven't been blacklisted before but I have seen people get blacklisted including my friend."

 

"I have never blacklisted anyone, but I have threatened to before." stated Danya Nahas, a resident of Al-Bustan and student at AIS-R.

 

Coming to the conclusion of this, we can tell that living in Saudi Arabia carries a very different effect on the teenagers that live here.

 

We can also see from our survey results and interview answers that Al Bustan is the probably the most overrated compound since it is being visited the most and also has the compound staff having to deal with many types of issues to have students from our school and other teenagers visit.