Life was going to be very different - Imogen spoke to us about growing up in Saudi Arabia.
What was it like having to adapt to a new culture?
It was fairly straightforward for me because we lived in a British household and on a compound, so it was not too different for me and didn't take that much adapting. When we left the compound it was different though; sometimes my mum would have to wear an abaya (a dress covering all parts of the body except the head, feet and hands) which was unusual for me to see. Also, women were not permitted to drive so when we came to the UK and I saw my mum driving that was really weird for me to get used to!
Are any moments nostalgic for you?
Yes, when anyone mentions Saudi Arabia in lessons, or when we look at Muslim culture in RE. I have flashbacks then to what it was like to live in a different culture. I learnt all about Muslim practices while I was there and I took part in some as part of my daily routines.
How long did you live there for, and when did you move back?
We moved there in 2010 and moved back to the UK in 2017. My dad had a job out there, which is why we moved. We moved back so that my brother could got to college in the UK.
What was the hardest thing about leaving?
I missed my friends. Because I moved there when I was so little, they were all I knew. So it was very hard to move away from them and from the compound. Life was going to be very different.
Was there anything that surprised you about the UK when you returned?
Probably the weather! It was so much colder than I expected. Even in the summer it gets to 20-30 degrees here, whereas in Saudi it was 50 degrees. It felt very cold to me! Also, people in general - you don't see as many different types of people in Norfolk. I was in an international school so I knew lots of people in the compound from different places. It felt very different to be back amongst only British people.
What was it like having to adapt to a new culture?
It was fairly straightforward for me because we lived in a British household and on a compound, so it was not too different for me and didn't take that much adapting. When we left the compound it was different though; sometimes my mum would have to wear an abaya (a dress covering all parts of the body except the head, feet and hands) which was unusual for me to see. Also, women were not permitted to drive so when we came to the UK and I saw my mum driving that was really weird for me to get used to!
Are any moments nostalgic for you?
Yes, when anyone mentions Saudi Arabia in lessons, or when we look at Muslim culture in RE. I have flashbacks then to what it was like to live in a different culture. I learnt all about Muslim practices while I was there and I took part in some as part of my daily routines.
How long did you live there for, and when did you move back?
We moved there in 2010 and moved back to the UK in 2017. My dad had a job out there, which is why we moved. We moved back so that my brother could got to college in the UK.
What was the hardest thing about leaving?
I missed my friends. Because I moved there when I was so little, they were all I knew. So it was very hard to move away from them and from the compound. Life was going to be very different.
Was there anything that surprised you about the UK when you returned?
Probably the weather! It was so much colder than I expected. Even in the summer it gets to 20-30 degrees here, whereas in Saudi it was 50 degrees. It felt very cold to me! Also, people in general - you don't see as many different types of people in Norfolk. I was in an international school so I knew lots of people in the compound from different places. It felt very different to be back amongst only British people.