JEDDAH — Many foreigners living in Saudi Arabia don't mix with Saudis despite living in the Kingdom for years, according to Angie Kapely who recently led a workshop for the expat community to talk about "Living in Saudi Arabia". Kapely seeks to bridge the gap between foreigners living in Saudi Arabia and locals. An American currently living in Jeddah with previous experience as an advisor for Saudi students in the United States, Kapely believes there needs to be better understanding of both cultures. "The goal of our workshops is to help foreigners adjust to Saudi lifestyle and to help them start mixing with each other," she told Saudi Gazette. "The problem is foreigners are afraid to leave their compounds and to have Saudi friends. Secondly, they need to really understand the Saudi culture because nowadays there are so many negative stereotypes." Kapely along with Dr. Sameer Tabbakh, a Saudi national who lived in the United States for six years pursuing his graduate studies, have presented over 20 workshops abroad. Expatriates of over 15 nationalities and different occupations were invited to share their experiences and compare lifestyles in their own countries and that of Saudi Arabia. "There is no right or wrong in culture," says Tabbakh. "One must be open-minded and accept cultural habits as a new thing." He adds: "On the outside, one sees the outer appearance of clothes, hobbies, food, and other practices. However, the values underneath explain the reasons behind certain behavior. That's where misunderstanding or conflict occurs." Kapeley has worked in the Middle East but says most of her understanding of Saudi culture started in the United States when a large number of scholarship students arrived. Under their founded startup GATE International Consulting, both speakers will begin hosting more for the expat community living in Jeddah as well as launch initiatives where Saudis invite foreigners to experience more social activities and occasions such as weddings. "We want to get them to go to Saudis' homes, eat local food, and get to know prominent figures," says Tabbakh. "One reason many foreigners who have resided in the country for up to 30 or 40 years was because they got to know the culture and have come to like it." Established in 2013, GATE provides consultancy for institutions in higher education that wish to provide intercultural training to their students or the staff members. Additionally, the consulting team provides services to the governmental and private sectors on intercultural communication and reaching intercultural understanding inside the workplace.
