Greetings from Riyadh!

I came here beginning of October2008  to work at  King Faisal hospital. When I came here, I first flew to Sweden where I met Alisa, my roommate. We flew together to Riyadh via Istanbul. We arrived middle of the night, King Faisal meet and greet representative  was waiting for us at the airport and took us to our new housing. We live at e-complex, thats like big apartment house with 5 floors, our apartment is about 60 sq meters.We have own bedrooms and bathrooms, and shared kitchen and livingroom. We get along well together, but in that case that you dont its possible to change the housing once. Our apartment is 5 minutes walk from main hospital. Hospital provides towels, sheets and basic kitchen equipments, and small food packace was waiting for us when we arrived.

First we had about 2 weeks orientation with all new arrivals, there was everything about hospital rules and common things like arabic culture and fire safety.

When I started in my unit, Emergency Department, I had 10 shifts with my preceptor and then I started to work alone. First I thought its not enough but actually only then I started to learn when I had to do things by my own. And all my colleagues are really helpfull and I'm not working in most acute areas yet.

In the beginning we all had to do medical calculation test, and those who are working in critical care areas had to do also Basic dysrhytmia exam. The  hospital had sent me pre-reading material to Finland. In my unit we also have to do couple check offs during the probation period, like defibrillation, trach-care, chest tube and intubation. First we could practice those with our clinical instructors and when I felt comfortable I did my check offs. In the end they were quite easy, even though I havent done those things much back in Finland.

Shifts are 12 hours, 1 month dayshift and 1month nightshift by turns. I can start to request my  annual leaveafter 3 months when I have finished my probation period.

We were surprised that social life is so great here. You can meet people from all around the world and its easy to get invitations to so many parties so many that you don't even have time to go all of them.

Also here you can go to  the  hash (sort of day trip to desert), diving courses, horse riding, sunbathing by the pool of course and  shop- here there  several huge shopping centers.

We have to wear an Abaya outside the hospital, but not a scarf. We normally have scarf in our  bag just in case a muttawa (religious police) ask us to wear one, but this far I have seen only one, and he didnt say anything to me.

If somebody plans to come here, my advice is to change rials enough (at least 500 EUR) or take atm-card what works here, like Visa electron so you can take out money. 

On arrival you don't need to wear an Abaya, just wear some loose pants and shirts  and then you can buy first abaya from shop in hospital area.

Bring normal working shoes, they dont have to be white sneakers. And here you can find everything from shopping malls, cosmetics- and hygienic stuff, so leave everything heavy back home. If you want internet on your room, take your laptop, hospital's computers are very slow. And take some flexibility and sense of humour also, here you need it!

If you are coming here and have any questions, you can ask my e-mail address from Professional connections.

Anu