The Middle East
“I am in Saudi Arabia, the most secure country in the world …” with this spontaneous sentence, the Ukrainian content maker “Dacha” has shortened a common feeling among thousands of foreigners residing in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where she appeared in one of the clips, and she comes out of her home, without closing the door, in an automatic reference to her feeling of safety in Riyadh, away from the stereotypes that have always surrounded the way of living in the area.
This clip is not an exception. During recent years, a new group of influencers have emerged through social media, classified as what is known as “Expat Lifestyle Influences”, documenting the details of their experience in Riyadh, and re -drawing the image of the city from the inside, in the daily language of life, not in the language of advertisements.
Among the most notably Dasha, the Ukrainian girl who is followed by more than 73 thousand people on her account in “Instagram”, where she publishes daily clips from the streets of Riyadh, its cafes and residents, and shows how the life of alienation can be rich and full of safe and beautiful moments, in content that mixes spontaneity and fascination, and reflects a resident look found in the Saudi capital unless you expect it.
The fun of walking at night
As for Polina Saduj, the Polish content maker residing in Riyadh, which is followed by more than 71,000 on Instagram, she filmed a clip saying: “I walk in the street in complete safety, and the hour is now the third in the morning … Only in Saudi Arabia can walk alone abroad after midnight without any fear.”
Polina reflects in its content an interest in personal care and beauty, but it is inseparable from the environment in which she lives, and her audience shares how expatriate women can find for themselves a safe and high -end place in the center of the Saudi capital, and the most prominent marketing and entertainment destinations available in the city.
Learning the Arabic language
On the other hand on Europe, Daraya Sotts, a Ukrainian girl who is followed by more than 83,000 people via Instagram, is considered one of the most prominent people who document the experience of expatriates in Saudi Arabia, not only from the angle of places, but from the angle of acclimatization and belonging. In one of her publications, Daraya indicated that she started learning the Arabic language, in a step that reflects a real desire to interact with local culture, not as a passing resident, but as a girl who seeks to understand her surroundings and integrate in it.
From the southern hemisphere, Kimberly, expatriate from New Zealand, shares her daily experience in the Saudi capital through its account, which is followed by more than 14 thousand people, in which it has applied practical content targeting the new arrivals, as it deals with life within residential complexes, dress patterns, entertainment options, and daily situations.
She plays herself in the place of “new expatriate”, and helps her fans to overcome the shock of the first transition, and sees in Saudi Arabia a rich country with experiences and opportunities for stability.
Cultural integration
Despite the different dialects, countries and interests, these influencers share a soft digital speech, which builds human bridges between Riyadh and the world, where they do not beauty reality, but document it as it is: a city that opens its doors, changes quickly, and contains stories that deserve to be narrated.
Also, the content provided by these influencers is not only focused on daily life, housing and work, but what is noticeable is their gradual integration with authentic cultural details in Saudi society, and this appears in their frequent surprise from local food Only a drink, it is a symbol of hospitality and belonging.
Many of them also document trips between the desert dunes, and show their fascination with the beauty of the quiet nature, the serenity of the sky, and the experience of camping on the Saudi sand. Among the destinations that are repeated in their content, Al -Ula Governorate, which represents a symbol of history, natural beauty and promising tourist future, and often describing it as “more like a plate open to time.”
Saudi experiences
As for the experience of wearing the “abaya”, it was presented as part of the discovery of the kingdom and understanding its identity, not as if it is a social registration as it is believed in some cultures, and one of the residents stated that wearing the abaya gives a feeling of indulgence in the general atmosphere, and many of them are trying to integrate it into modern looks that show their respect for culture without giving up their personality. Besides, some clips record attempts to learn and pronounce Arabic words, from “Peace be upon you” to “Thank you” and “Hello”, in a way to communicate and express a real desire to interact with the local community, even if with a broken word or apparent bonds, but the attempt in itself reflects appreciation and respect for the environment in which they live.
With the increase in the number of foreigners residing in Saudi Arabia, and the high percentage of those interested in moving to it for work or study, this type of content becomes influencing the formation of the general impression of the Kingdom, especially in light of the accelerated social and economic openness that the country is witnessing within the “Saudi Vision 2030”.
It can be said that they are not official ambassadors, but they have become a new soft power, which communicates the messages that might be unable to live directly from the lenses of their mobile phones, and through a sincere personal experience, they draw the world the features of modern life rich in the city of Riyadh.
