Just another weekday in Riyadh

As you open your eyes to the beeping of your alarm clock, you yawn and stretch, getting ready for another day in your life of an expat in Saudi Arabia. As you walk through your Antara home, making your way to the kitchen, all you can think about is how sleepy you are. You get some coffee going and pour some cereal in a bowl. For a while you feel so cozy that you’re almost certain you are back home. That is until your phone reminder beeps to remind you to start getting ready for the commute to your work at the center of Riyadh. 
 
You’ve woken up early, so there’s no need to rush. You get dressed, put your laptop in its carrying case, and prepare some coffee for the road. A few minutes later, you’re sitting in your car, your morning music playlist blasting, pulling out towards King Khalid road. A few minutes more and one modern roundabout later you’re driving down Northern Ring road towards Rabat square, and from there to your office building. You’ve tried to get used to the sights along the route, but they never fail to impress you, even now. Ultra-modern, ultra-luxurious buildings, hotels and compounds as well as the vibrant greens of the Annakheel Park zip by you. Not to mention the treat of seeing a multi-million supercar in traffic, something that is a lot more common here than you thought.  
 
Less than half an hour after leaving home, you’re already in your office, getting on with your duties for the day. And before you even realise it, it’s lunch time. You briefly consider ordering something, but instead decide that you won’t let this beautiful day go to waste, and decide to have a leisurely 10 minute walk to that shawarma place you tried one time and fell in love with. And what better way to burn some calories after that delicious meal than a stroll back to the office?  
 
When you’re done for the day, you’re invited to a little post-work hangout at one of the local cafes, to celebrate a colleague’s birthday. You agree to meet them there, but first, you decide to take a little detour to the Riyadh Park mall to pick up a birthday present for the person of interest! A few delicious teas and a group dinner, naturally including cake, await you.  
 
As you return to your home in Antara, you think to yourself once more that aside from higher median salaries, state of the art infrastructure and higher temperatures, working in Riyadh feels remarkably similar to working in your home country in many ways. And in as many ways, thanks to the interconnected network of Antara pools and your airconditioned Antara home, car and office, maybe a little bit better.