Inside Saudi Arabia

helloinsidesaudi
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Before moving to Saudi Arabia, we searched everywhere for a glimpse of what everyday life would be like. Inside Saudi Arabia was born from that search — a podcast exploring culture, family, style, wellness  and life in today’s Kingdom. Hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic, each episode blends our personal experiences as expats with the everyday rhythms of a country in transformation. Whether you’re moving here, already living here, or simply curious about life inside Saudi Arabia, we’ll give you our perspective on the trends, shifts and conversations shaping the Kingdom right now.

  1. MAR 5

    Three Perspectives, One Conversation About Life in Saudi | Inside Saudi Live

    Saudi Arabia is changing fast, and people around the world are starting to pay attention. In this first ever Inside Saudi Live, we bring together three very different perspectives on what life in Saudi is actually like. Ali Almeshaal is a Saudi media professional and tourism entrepreneur who began his career in television and now works across communications and tourism in the region. Micah Nicole is a long time Saudi radio host and musician who has lived and worked in the Kingdom for more than a decade, witnessing the country’s cultural shifts firsthand. Coach Kaiser is a fitness creator who came to Saudi for five days and ended up quitting his job and moving to Riyadh shortly after. Together we talk about misconceptions about Saudi, how the country has changed over the past decade, what it’s really like living here as an expat, and why so many people are suddenly curious about the Kingdom. From culture and social media to tourism and expat life, this conversation explores the realities of building a life in Saudi Arabia. If you are curious about Saudi or thinking about visiting or moving here, this episode is for you. Podcast Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Inside Saudi Live 01:40 Welcome to the live podcast 02:28 How the live show came together 05:18 Introducing Ali Almeshaal, Micah Nicole and Coach Kaiser 06:24 Ali Almeshaal’s first viral YouTube video 08:15 How music used to operate in Saudi 09:46 Saudi fitness culture vs Australia 11:12 Communicating in Saudi culture 12:46 Handling negativity online 14:38 Why creators are documenting Saudi 16:44 Coach Kaiser’s five day trip that led to moving to Saudi 18:46 How Riyadh became international 21:00 Advice for people moving to Saudi 23:25 Misconceptions about living in Saudi 25:28 Riyadh vs other Saudi cities 26:40 The moment Saudi started feeling like home 28:12 The phases every expat experiences 30:30 The viral video that started Coach Kaiser’s content 32:01 Why expats sharing Saudi is valuable 34:58 Understanding Saudi culture as a foreigner 38:50 Saudi tourism and the Red Sea projects 42:22 Why the world is curious about Saudi 43:32 Work life balance in Saudi 44:22 Travel habits in Saudi vs the West 46:14 The biggest assumption about living in Saudi

    49 min

  2. FEB 25

    We're Fasting for Ramadan in Riyadh… Here’s What Surprised Us

    It’s just us, Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic, for a real time Ramadan catch up in Riyadh. We’re recording on Day 6 of Ramadan and yes, we’re fasting, with a short pause while traveling. In this episode we share what it actually feels like as non Muslim expat moms. No water. No coffee. The midday slump. Breaking fast with our kids. Ramadan events. And the unexpected reset we didn’t see coming. We also talk about: • Why we paused fasting during our Qatar trip • How workouts change during Ramadan • The charity side of Ramadan and what is actually allowed • Why being on the same wavelength as Riyadh matters If you’re in Saudi or just curious about Ramadan from an expat perspective, this one is for you.   00:00 — Ramadan catch-up: it’s just us 00:22 — Day 6 of Ramadan (and yes, we’re fasting) 01:42 — What fasting really means (no water, no coffee) 02:32 — Iftar breakdown: dates, Arabic coffee & traditions 03:34 — Qatar trip: why we paused fasting 04:36 — Ramadan rules + social media reactions 05:00 — Why we chose to fast as expats in Riyadh 08:40 — Events vs wholesome family iftars 11:26 — The Ramadan reset: discipline & clarity 16:44 — Spiritual side + charity intentions 19:08 — Charity rules confusion + official ways to give 22:02 — Gym & workouts while fasting 25:58 — Ramadan travel tip: hotel deals + weather 29:06 — “Why are you fasting?” + local encouragement 32:00 — The daily stages of fasting 33:36 — Q&A + community call-out

    35 min

  3. FEB 19

    He Started With 1 Penny… Now He Has 400K Subscribers | Rayan Shaded

    He started with one penny. At 16 years old, Rayan set himself a challenge to turn a single penny into something bigger. That decision changed his life. From couch surfing in New York to almost playing Cristiano Ronaldo for 1 million dollars, to gaining 100,000 subscribers from one short, this is one of the wildest creator journeys we have heard. In this episode we talk about: • The 1 penny challenge • Getting a call connected to Mr Beast • Almost competing in a 1 million dollar Ronaldo challenge • Living in the Bronx during his US challenge • The hook strategy that changed his content • Growing from 23K to 400K subscribers • Why one video can change everything If you are building something, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more real stories from Inside Saudi Arabia.   Follow Rayan here: https://www.youtube.com/@RayanShaded https://www.instagram.com/rayanshaded/  https://www.tiktok.com/@rayanshaded?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc    00:00 First Ever Podcast Appearance 00:21 How He Found Us Through 5M Twitter Views 02:06 Growing Up in Saudi Arabia 04:14 “When I’m Sad, I Make Content” 06:36 The Mr Beast Call 07:04 The $1 Million Ronaldo Challenge 08:20 The 50 Meter Bungee Jump 09:28 Wanting to Skydive 10:54 Transition From Gaming to Serious Content 12:36 The 1 Penny Challenge Begins 14:22 Making Money in Dubai 17:42 The Car Crash Before Meeting His Idol 19:18 The Moment That Changed His Life 20:04 Selling Water to Survive 21:22 Starting With the Hardest Challenge First 23:18 Running Out of Money in Dubai 26:04 Learning the Power of the Hook 28:00 100K Subscribers From One Short 28:24 Trying to Break Into Ronaldo’s House 29:44 5 Million Views Overnight 31:00 The Truth About YouTube Money 33:10 “Now I Can Make Any Video Go Viral” 33:48 The ChatGPT Watermelon Video 37:42 Becoming the “Ronaldo Pizza Guy” 39:42 The 30 Day Football Challenge Idea 41:28 The $100 US Challenge 43:00 Couch Surfing in New York 46:58 Living in the Bronx 48:04 Getting Kicked Out in Miami 49:26 Buying the Car 50:46 Selling the Car for an iPhone 52:00 Is Saudi Good for Creators 53:42 Advice for Young Creators 59:16 23K to 400K in One Year 01:01:00 Meeting Georgina 01:03:00 The 1 Million Subscriber Goal

    1h 6m

  4. FEB 11

    Saudi on Fast Forward: 17 Years Building Creativity & Community in Riyadh | Brandie Janow

    Brandie Janow moved from Tennessee to Riyadh in 2009.. long before Saudi’s creative boom, design strategy conversations, or packed cultural calendars.   In this episode, she shares what early Riyadh was really like (when grocery stores were the hangout), how she founded Smuug to celebrate Saudi culture through design, and how she's part of building the foundation of design and the creative economy in Saudi.   We talk about:   The evolution of Saudi’s creative ecosystem   Starting Riyadh Coffee Club before mixing was normal   Launching Kingdom Creatives   Researching and documenting the future of Saudi design   “Saudi time” and life on fast forward   And why being intentional matters more than ambition   If you’re curious about women building careers in Saudi, the creative economy here, or what it’s like to grow alongside a country in transformation.. this one’s for you.     CHAPTERS 00:02:15 Welcome + the Tennessee accent 00:03:20 From Tennessee → Chicago → DC → Riyadh 00:06:25 What early Riyadh was really like 00:07:45 Watching Saudi evolve “like a plant growing” 00:10:40 The origin of Smuug 00:12:45 Why Saudi culture inspired her first brand 00:15:10 Why Saudi is an amazing place for designers 00:15:40 “We’re building a country” 00:17:20 Researching Saudi’s creative ecosystem 00:20:30 Riyadh Coffee Club (and mixing before it was normal) 00:22:25 The first meetup was packed 00:24:35 How coffee culture changed in Riyadh 00:26:30 Why Kingdom Creatives was created 00:30:35 “Saudi time” and life on fast forward 00:33:55 What her role looks like now 00:36:15 Documenting Saudi’s creative growth 00:41:50 Perfectionism and taking your time 00:43:05 Design futures + continuous learning 00:47:00 Why saying yes to everything can hurt you 00:48:05 Living intentionally, not just working 00:50:00 What really matters at the end of your life 00:54:55 Riyadh recommendations: JAX, Diriyah & more 00:59:00 What’s next + Ramadan reflections

    1h 1m

  5. FEB 4

    Riyadh Author Reveals How Her English Novel Became a #8 Bestseller in Saudi

    Mariana De’ Carli Orti is a Riyadh-based author and publisher with a global story that runs from Brazil to London to Saudi Arabia. In this episode, she explains how her English novel hit #8 on Saudi’s bestseller list, what publishing really pays authors, and why Riyadh feels like home. We also dive into AI in books, the future of publishing, and the Riyadh Writers Conference (Feb 6–7). Topics covered: Expat life in Riyadh and why Saudi feels like home Writing a book in Saudi + #8 bestseller in Saudi Publishing realities, royalties, and AI bans Riyadh Writers Conference and Saudi creatives Chapters 00:00:00 Intro: Mariana De’ Carli Orti + Accent Mystery 00:00:55 Book Release + AI “Bible Model” Moment 00:01:25 Guest Intro: Riyadh-Based Advisor + Author 00:02:35 Global Background: Brazil, Miami, London 00:03:50 Family Story + Expat Kid Life 00:04:45 King’s College + Neuroscience Pivot 00:05:40 Languages, Law, and International Career Path 00:06:15 Move to the Middle East: Why Saudi 00:07:30 London vs Saudi Lifestyle + Community 00:09:10 Financial Crisis → Dubai Opportunity 00:10:40 Zero-Hour Contracts Explained 00:12:05 Dubai Work Culture + Regional Travel 00:12:35 Egypt + Seeing the Nile 00:13:10 Move to Riyadh in 2020 00:14:55 London vs Dubai vs Riyadh Work Culture 00:16:05 Changing Industries + Curiosity Mindset 00:17:05 Riyadh Writing Community Begins 00:18:20 Imposter Syndrome → Book Published 00:19:20 Book Success: #8 Bestseller in Saudi 00:20:45 Saudi Character Representation in the Novel 00:22:35 Second Book Coming This Year 00:22:55 How She Balances Work, Writing, Conference 00:24:05 Productivity: Block Scheduling 00:25:00 Writing as Self-Care + Creativity 00:26:10 Riyadh Social Life + FOMO 00:27:35 Boundaries + Time Off 00:28:20 AlUla as a Writing Retreat 00:30:30 AlUla Recommendations + Hidden Spots 00:31:15 Languages Spoken + Arabic Goal 00:32:00 Save the Cat + Story Structure 00:33:40 Writing Resources + Courses in Saudi 00:35:30 Publishing Disrupted by Tech 00:36:40 AI in Books + Amazon De-platforming 00:37:10 AI Lawsuits + Industry Controversy 00:39:05 University AI Policy + Ethics 00:40:30 Copyright Risks for Authors 00:41:50 Law + Writing Crossover 00:42:25 Being a Woman in Saudi + Safety 00:44:30 Misconceptions About Saudi 00:46:30 Why Riyadh Feels Like Home 00:48:00 Publishing House Mission in Saudi 00:49:15 Publishing Royalties Reality 00:50:50 Bestseller Math + Amazon Categories 00:52:20 Why Start a Publishing House 00:54:55 BookTok + Social Media Marketing 00:56:55 Riyadh Writers Conference Feb 6–7 00:58:35 Where to Follow Mariana 00:59:40 First Draft Advice + Outro

    1h 1m

  6. JAN 28

    Why We Chose Homeschooling in Riyadh (School Fees, Safety & Identity) | Yasmin Rehman

    In this episode of Inside Saudi, we're joined by Yasmin, a Muslim expat mother who has lived in Riyadh for five years and made the bold decision to homeschool her children. We talk honestly about why international school fees, often 40–75k SAR per year, and long school hours didn’t feel right for their family, why she chose no nanny, and how homeschooling has changed their daily life. Yasmin also opens up about what it’s like to live between cultures, not fully fitting in anywhere, and why raising children in Saudi Arabia feels safer and calmer than life back in the UK. This conversation also dives into: • motherhood without family nearby • identity, faith, and belonging • Ramadan and the meaning behind fasting • a powerful, emotional story about being on Westminster Bridge during the 2017 attack and what it was like to be Muslim in the aftermath This is a raw, thoughtful conversation about motherhood, faith, safety, and choosing a different path. 🎧 Listen now and let us know what resonated most with you. Episode Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:50 Trying a nanny in Riyadh 05:45 Choosing no nanny and teamwork 14:10 Living between cultures 16:05 School fees in Riyadh 18:10 Why we chose homeschooling 19:25 School hours for young children 28:00 Safety and raising kids in Saudi 30:45 Parenting anxiety and feeling calmer 33:15 Why she is starting a moms circle 41:45 What Ramadan really means 46:50 Being on Westminster Bridge 51:10 Being Muslim in the aftermath 59:30 Final reflections

    1 hr

  7. JAN 21

    How a French Entrepreneur Built Bonjour Arabia & Is Redefining Saudi Tourism (Vision 2030) | Cecilia

    Cecilia, the French founder of Bonjour Arabia, shares how she built a cultural tourism business in Saudi Arabia—from early exploration trips to launching in Riyadh and expanding into AlUla. We talk the realities of starting a company, building community outside compounds, creating heritage-based experiences (food, crafts, desert nights), and how tourism is growing under Vision 2030—plus a viral moment that led to an unexpected royal visit.   Chapters 00:00 — Intro: Cecilia from Bonjour Arabia 01:15 — Welcome + what Bonjour Arabia does (Vision 2030 tourism growth) 02:00 — How you first discovered her content after moving to Riyadh 02:40 — Deep dive: where she’s from + travel background 03:30 — Moving to the UAE during COVID (and what that was like) 05:15 — Energy sector job + working with Emirati women (real immersion) 07:30 — Starting cultural experiences / first company in the UAE 08:00 — Saudi road trip in 2022 (before the big expat wave) 09:45 — Moving to Riyadh in 2023 + early shocks & challenges 11:45 — No compound: finding a flat + building life from zero 14:50 — Building community: ladies gatherings + meeting Saudis 18:50 — French community + embassy/cultural work in Riyadh 19:05 — When she decided: “I’m going to build my own thing here” 20:00 — Discovering Diriyah-area/Nia: the coffee shop moment 20:45 — Viral video → message from Mansour (future business partner) 21:50 — Becoming business partners + entrepreneur license process 23:30 — Opening the first “house” + restoring heritage space 24:55 — Why that neighborhood matters + the hidden-gem vibe 26:15 — What Bonjour Arabia offers now: trips + heritage corporate events 27:00 — Workshops, artists, and how Instagram built the network 28:00 — The chef collaborations + viral cooking experiences 31:05 — Where they run trips: south (Abha), eastern region, beyond 33:05 — Her top Saudi must-visits (Jeddah, AlUla, + more) 36:10 — Kids-friendly travel: why AlUla works for families too 36:20 — Building a team + learning to delegate 40:05 — “Saudi dream”: energy, opportunity, creativity 42:10 — Royal visit story: how it happened (X/Twitter went viral) 47:15 — Saudi business culture: relationships, patience, last-minute plans 48:45 — Ramadan rhythms: working nights + adapting your business 52:50 — Top cultural experiences: cooking, desert, coffee culture 56:00 — Expanding to AlUla: why it’s different + what’s next 59:20 — Learning Arabic: classes, tools, and tips 01:02:25 — Advice to newcomers: get out, explore, it’s easier than you think 01:04:10 — Eid myth-busting: what’s actually open + where to go 01:07:05 — Final thoughts + goodbye

    1h 7m

  8. JAN 14

    From Hustler to Housewife in Saudi Arabia | Mama Sandie, Unfiltered

    In our first-ever guest episode, we sit down with the one and only Mama Sandie. The Realest Housewife of Riyadh. From becoming a mother at 18, to building a career, surviving sepsis, a spinal fracture, and eventually relocating to Saudi Arabia, Mama Sandie shares her unfiltered story with honesty, humor, and depth. We talk about: Identity loss and reinvention after moving to Saudi Postnatal depression, loneliness, and COVID lockdowns Motherhood across different life stages Authenticity vs toxic positivity on social media Expat culture, stereotypes, and finding your people Health, resilience, and rebuilding after trauma Love, marriage, and starting over later in life Why Saudi Arabia is one of the most misunderstood countries in the world This is a long, raw, laugh-out-loud and deeply emotional conversation about womanhood, survival, and choosing yourself.. again and again. Settle in. This one stays with you. Podcast Chapters: 00:00 – Cold open & Real Housewives energy 01:30 – Welcome to Inside Saudi + introducing Mama Sandie 03:15 – Why Mama Sandy was the perfect first guest 04:05 – Motherhood: four kids across four life stages 05:30 – Life before Saudi & identity shift 07:15 – Postnatal depression & loneliness 08:05 – COVID lockdowns in Saudi Arabia 10:00 – Shame, struggle & toxic positivity 11:05 – Authenticity and being “the realest housewife” 12:20 – Social media, perfection & showing real life 14:20 – TikTok fame & being recognised in Riyadh 16:05 – Confidence, anxiety & self-image 17:25 – Becoming homeless at 18 with a newborn 19:15 – Survival, grit & refusing stereotypes 21:35 – Career, ambition & hustling as a single mum 22:40 – Entering the fitness industry 24:00 – Sepsis, organ failure & rebuilding health 27:00 – Slowing down & redefining success 28:00 – Horse riding accident & spinal fracture 31:00 – Recovery, pain & listening to your body 33:00 – Misconceptions about Saudi Arabia 35:00 – Raising grounded kids in a privileged environment 37:00 – Unexpected pregnancy & second chapter of motherhood 38:30 – Love story: meeting her husband 42:15 – Marriage, femininity & partnership 44:00 – “Jane”: expat culture & social satire 47:00 – Finding your people & protecting your energy 49:20 – Labels: expat, immigrant & identity 51:00 – Almost leaving Saudi & why she stayed 53:00 – Social media criticism & boundaries 55:00 – Mother guilt & choosing presence 58:00 – Brand deals, boundaries & integrity 59:30 – Speaking, purpose & future plans 01:02:00 – Healthcare in Saudi Arabia 01:06:00 – Medical trauma & reconstructive surgery 01:10:00 – Gratitude, resilience & paying it forward 01:12:30 – Finding friends in Saudi 01:14:45 – What expats should stop doing 01:18:30 – Real Housewives of Riyadh casting 01:28:00 – Final reflections & goodbye

    1h 29m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Before moving to Saudi Arabia, we searched everywhere for a glimpse of what everyday life would be like. Inside Saudi Arabia was born from that search — a podcast exploring culture, family, style, wellness  and life in today’s Kingdom. Hosted by Carly Overman and Vesna Petrovic, each episode blends our personal experiences as expats with the everyday rhythms of a country in transformation. Whether you’re moving here, already living here, or simply curious about life inside Saudi Arabia, we’ll give you our perspective on the trends, shifts and conversations shaping the Kingdom right now.

Information

  • Creator
    helloinsidesaudi
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Inside Saudi Arabia

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