dive into my thoughts and have a scroll.
It’s the second month of 2018 and although I’m very much aware of my incredible love for blogging, I am also aware that I don’t want to become stuck. I want to grow and flourish and to be quite honest, successful. I love blogging and I think I’m pretty good at it so what’s next?
Living in Saudi means everything is halal. Yep. No more checking behind sweet packets ever so slowly muttering prayers, hoping that painful g word doesn’t greet you. No more looking at the vegetation options in certain restaurants even though you’d enjoy nothing more than a meaty dish. It feels bloody fantastic to be able to grab anything off of the shelf and buy it without a moment of hesitation. However, this has definitely had an effect on my eating habits so I’ve decided to share a few of them. Keep reading!
Hey guys,
I don’t know about you but I love listicles. They’re so quick, simple but informative. My last few blog posts (well since I’ve arrived in Saudi) have been far too long and I think it’s time to counteract that by writing a listicle so without further ado, here are the 7 greatest things about living alone.
Hey guys!
So if you read my last post , you’d know that I recently moved to Saudi Arabia. Below I’ve compiled a set of headers to take you through my journey.
London to Dubai to Bahrain
The first thing I had to do when I received the job was head off to Bahrain for a few days where I’d collect my visa and have a few tests done (blood and X-ray) to make sure I was in tip-top condition. Flying from London at 8pm having only found out that morning should pretty much be classed as an Olympic sport.
I got to the airport 100 hours early (thanks dad) but it felt like I was on the plane within an hour. Saying goodbye to my family was upsetting but I don’t think it truly hit me until my first full week in Saudi, we’ll get into that a bit later.
I distinctively remember packing all my plane essentials and thinking about all the movies and shows I’d watch during the 6/7 hour flight but things did not go to plan. Guys, I literally fell asleep like an hour and a half into the flight and I was pretty much gone until we landed, only waking up for meals in between where I’d watch episodes of black-ish.
When I found out that I’d be having a layover in Dubai, I was pretty excited. I wanted to a) finally eat some halal fast food and b) go out and explore Dubai for a bit but alas, that did not happen.
As soon as I landed in Dubai, there was a member of staff calling out my name, ready to whisk me across the airport to my flight which was taking off in about 15 minutes. It turns out that my London to Dubai flight was an hour behind schedule so unless you count the airport, I haven’t really been to Dubai. Ah, screw it. I was.
Bahrain
Listen, when I arrived in Bahrain I felt like a bloody celebrity. Not only was I met at the gate by hotel staff but the hotel I stayed in was AMAZING.
The food, the scenery and the staff were beyond my wildest thoughts. Although I spent most of the time enjoying myself and really taking in ‘being alone’, I did manage to get some pictures!
The food: Breakfast in Bahrain 
The pool: 
Bahrain was gorgeous, the weather was amazing and the vibe was great. I’ll always cherish those 3 days and especially that fantastic massage I received at the hotel spa. Damn, can I go back already?
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
During my last night in Bahrain, I was told that I’d be staying in dammam for 24 hours and would be leaving to Riyadh after that so I packed and left for dammam that night.
What a complete 180. Although the staff were nice, my accommodation in Dammam was anything but. I stayed in a small ‘university accommodation’ in the middle of NOWHERE with no wifi and the accommodation looked like it had already had a guest and a messy one at that. Although the bedroom was fine, the kitchen and bathroom were meh.
Having no wifi for an entire 24 hours was tough so when I missed my flight and had to stay another night, you can imagine my distress.
I am definitely NOT one to complain but I had to mention the wi-fi issue if I was staying there another night and they actually complied really well. I was moved to a new room with wi-fi so the second night was not spent sleeping during the day and reading Mindy Kaling’s book (the latter was actually pretty fun…ah, they were both fun.)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Arriving in Riyadh was very interesting. All of a sudden I felt unnerved. I knew this was the place I’d be spending the next year living in and I guess it was quite overwhelming to take it all in.
Now, getting picked up from the airport by a driver who had a sign with my babe on it, made me feel like a celeb and I low-key enjoyed it (HIGH KEY). My aunt (I think of her as a cousin bc we’re close in age) who lives in Saudi, also came to the airport, took me out to eat, shop for the apartment and even helped me settle into my apartment which was nice of her. I’m so glad to have her here because she’s someone I can turn to when things get tough.
My apartment, you guys, is gorgeous! I’m so thankful that my recruiting agency put me in such a great hotel. I love where I live and I’ve been thinking of doing an ‘apartment tour’ blog post. Let me know in the comments if you think I should do it.
Until next time,
L x
On Monday the 5th of February 2018, I moved away from home. No I didn’t move to another part of the city or even a country on the same continent; I moved approximately 4940 plane miles away. Here’s a little info about why and how I moved abroad.
Since graduating with a journalism degree last summer, I’ve applied for countless internship or work experience roles and the interviews always seem to go well. They describe me as fantastic, passionate and enthusiastic. So why is it then that two weeks later, I receive the same, spirit-killing rejection email. “Dear Luela, it was nice interviewing you. However, I regret to inform you…we’re looking for someone with more experience and unfortunately…”
Continue reading “Here’s a tip: stop asking us for experience if you’re not willing to provide it.”
In December of last year, I spent two wonderful weeks at Cosmopolitan magazine and so I decided (pretty much on my first day there) to write a blog post about my time. So finally, just over a week in to the New Year, I think it’s about time!
Sometimes life doesn’t exactly pan out the way you want it to or move as fast as you’d like it to but it’s important to understand that it’s okay. As much as it can be frustrating to watch everyone’s dreams and goals flourish whilst yours is still stuck in traffic, it’s key to remind yourselves that you are on your own journey in your own lane and at your own pace.
Now I’ve already made a thread about this on Twitter but I just thought I’d finish the year with a blog post about achievements i’m most proud of this year. Also, if you don’t have me on social media, here’s the place to check if out so without further ado…
Continue reading “Goodbye 2017, 7 things i did this year that i’m proud of.”
Every film carries a message and resonates with an audience but only a few find a place in your mind to nest ready for you to fawn over during one of your nostalgic days. Well I have five. Yes, 5 different movies that have taught me about life, love and even a little about myself so without further ado, here they are:
LIFE OF LUELA 