Memories Of Summer- 50 Images From Finland

My beautiful home country Finland. I often dream of those cool and breezy summer evenings in Finland. Sitting on the porch listening to seagulls and watching the water and skies turn pink, I am in no hurry to go anywhere. The air is fresh and there is no breeze, the sea is calm. I will go for aRead more

Guide To The Edge Of The World in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Your Ultimate Guide to visiting the Edge of the World outside Riyadh! Find out all you need to know about the amazing Edge of the World on your own with the help of this guide. Best times to visit, how to get there, opening times, where to hike, safety tips, driving directions and GPS co-ordinatesRead more

Finnish Cinnamon Rolls Korvapuustit

Many people have been asking me for the recipe of “pulla” or the delicious Finnish cinnamon rolls I’ve mentioned a few times on the blog.  The word pulla basically refers to any kind of sweet pastry made from this particular dough which makes the most moist and delicious cinnamonRead more

Saudi Dude’s Guide To Finnish Coffee Drinking Ceremony

So you’re a lucky Saudi dude and you find yourself visiting Finland for the first time. You think Finland is full of polar bears, Angry Birds and drunks. That is only partly true. There’s also lots of reindeer. A Finnish family has invited you to their house for some coffee and you getRead more

Saudi Salary Racism- What is the Color of Your Passport?

You might have heard how employees in Saudi Arabian workplaces get different pay for the exact same job based on their passport alone. Western passport holders might earn ten times more than their just as qualified Asian country passport holder colleagues for the same amount of work. How does thisRead more

Blue Abaya Interviewed- What is Life in Saudi Arabia Really Like?

I did some interviews for a couple of magazines which focus on what life in Saudi Arabia is like from my personal point of view, as a Finnish expatriate nurse. I think these interviews will be beneficial in answering questions of readers who are new to Saudi Arabia and/or new to Blue Abaya blog.Read more

15 Things to Do in Riyadh in the Summer

Many expats and locals find themselves “stuck” in Saudi for the summer with nothing to do, fearing death caused by boredom. Not everyone is lucky enough to escape the Saudi heat. With the schools now closed, children and youth get very bored! This causes frustration in parents, what toRead more

Saudi Hospitals, Bureaucracy And Bullying

A colleague I used to work with recently asked me, don’t I miss work at the hospital? My first reaction was yes in a way I do miss it. I miss the patients mostly. I miss interaction with them and the opportunity of meeting so many different Saudis from all levels of society and learning aboutRead more

Saudi Women On Top Of The World

We often hear people say the word “can’t” when talking about Saudi women. I’m always very happy to say oh yes they CAN. Climb Mount Everest that is! A campaign called “A Woman’s Journey: Destination Mount Everest” headed by Princess Reema Bint Bandar AlRead more

Expats Guide: Flying To Saudi

Many expats find themselves worrying about their arrival to the Kingdom. The first flight into Saudi-Arabia and the initial shock experienced at the airports can be eased a bit by this simple guide! Checking-in When boarding the plane at the country of origin, the passenger should have his/herRead more

10 Things I Miss From Finland

I find myself missing my family, friends and my country a lot lately. It’s been a while since I was last there (well ok 5 months..but still). I make sure to go to Finland every summer because I just love how the nature is so wonderful and the weather is at its best. Last summer I spent almostRead more

Saudi Positives-The True Stories We Rarely Hear Of

In response to the negative behaviors seen in line cutting post, I was asked by a Finnish reader to write about an example of a very good behavior or a nice deed I witnessed done by a Saudi. No problem! It’s very easy to write about positive incidents in Saudi-Arabia because theyRead more