The Expat Wife Life: The Moving Monster

So your husband accepted a job in Saudi. Woo hoo! If you're like me, your excitement quickly gives way to endless questions, worries and to-do lists that seem to be longer than there are hours in the day. Now if you are with the same company as my husband and I, they have a great team of relocation folks that help you through the big steps. For most of us, the biggest stresser is the packing process. From the first survey to the last taped up box, its a roller coaster of emotions. And you get to do it all over again when you move back to the US! Okay, okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Many women have the same questions, and these questions usually prompt them to finally surface from the sea of craziness and reach out to us more "experienced" wives for opinions and tips. Well, I'm going to attempt to consolidate that advice into one post. Not all the advice is my own - this will be a collective post with information, tips, and suggestions that I have seen shared over Facebook and in group conversations. Are you ready? Here we go!

Things to remember as you read this:

• Although we've all been through it, our experiences are all different!
• Everyone has their own priorities and "can't live without"s. Take them as such.
• For everyone that doesn't like something, someone else can rave about it - it's all about personal preference.
• You can find more things here in Saudi than you think!
• You will cook more that you realize - there really is only so much take-out you can stand.
• There are plenty of us here to help you through the adjustment process every step of the way.
• Your attitude makes the difference!

Alright! Let's get to it!

Note: Items noted with an * mean that it's debatable - many of us were able to find these items in Saudi, but if you are attached to your own, then bring it!

Air Shipment vs. Sea Shipment

Suggested for the Air Shipment:

• Floor vac (for tile floors) and filters
• Kitchen items you can't live without for a few months - specifically crock pots, coffee maker, baking dishes, specialty tools & knives, pots & pans* (these are provided in the compound, but they quality is that of a vacation rental)
• Microwave*
• Mattress toppers*
• Pillow, bedding and towels
• Small bookshelves or organizational units*
• Kids toys (batteries removed)
• Power strips*
• Craft stuff to keep you busy (if that's your thing...)
• Desktop computers, TVs, large electronics and cables (my husband's addition to the list!)
• Sewing machine - this a big group of quilters here! 
• Shoes! And Clothes...
• Bathroom items - organization stuff, bath mats & rugs, razors, feminine products, etc.
• LOTS of K-Cups if you have a Keurig - have yet to see them here!
• Scentsy bulbs

Suggested Items to bring in the Sea Shipment:

• Patio furniture & BBQ grill* - charcoal is easy to find, propane is more involved but can be done.
• A trolley or wagon - since we don't have cars, they make it handy to take things around the compound!
• Bicycle with a basket - especially if you far from the compound store, it's nice to have!
• Cupcake/muffin liners - the correct "American" size of these are tricky to find!
• Good trash bags
• Christmas light... oops, I mean "decorating" lights!
• Floor rugs*
• Home decor, pictures, etc
• Hanging equipment: anchors, the drill tips for drilling into concrete walls (my husband's tip - the compound guys will hang things for you if you call, but my guy is a little particular so we hung things ourselves...) 
• Curtains - the ones here are not the prettiest...or most neutral-colored... 

Things to Bring With You

This is a long list and much of these things can be found in Saudi, but probably not specific brands, scents, flavors, etc, so women have suggested bringing them with you.

• Laptops, Apple TVs, Vonage/Magic Jack phone stuff, chargers, camera, GPS (great for vacations if you buy the extra maps!)
• Toiletries*, sunscreen*, tampons, make up, hair products, lotions
• Favorite spices & pantry items. Recommended: 
• Chili powder
• Tony's 
• onion soup mixes
• Corn bread mix
• Vanilla and other extracts
• Lately, Cream of Chicken soup is impossible to find
• Beef broth granules

• A Bible - no, they won't confiscate it! 
• Prescription medications - once you are on the global insurance, the pharmacy should be able to give you multiple months worth of meds at a time. 
• OTC meds - Cold meds, Emergen-C packs, allergy and anti-histamines, especially kids stuff like Tylenol, Benadryl, Ibprofen, etc.

Wrapping it up...

Moving over is crazy and stressful, but it's an amazing experience! You will learn so much about yourself and what you value when you are sitting in your new place waiting for that shipment to arrive!

A few last Shipment Tips:

• Have them pack the Air Shipment first - if there is still room/weight, you can add more stuff!
• If you choose to include Christmas stuff in your sea shipment, make sure it is marked "Decorations" and is NEVER marked "Christmas"
• If you can make it work, see if you can arrange your shipment to be packed/sent 3-4 weeks before you come to Saudi - then the wait time for your things doesn't seem so long!
• Make sure to do the inventory with values and descriptions - if anything is damaged, that is your lifeline for reimbursement!