Fahad, 21
Born in Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia
Came to Australia in August 2019
How did we meet?
Fahad was actually one of my "suggested friends" on Instagram. I spontaneously just asked him about my project and he was more than happy to participate.
What is your occupation?
I came here as a sponsored employee of Sami, a Saudi state-owned defence company to study in Australia. I’m going to study Aerospace Engineering at UNSW until 2025, and after that, I will return to Saudi Arabia where I will work for Sami for 5 years.
Why did you come to Australia?
The company gave me 3 choices: Australia, England and the USA.
I didn’t choose America because I didn’t feel like it would be as safe as England or Australia. I’ve been to England to study English before so I chose Australia because it was something different.
I had to choose one of the Group of 8 (G8) universities so I chose UNSW because it’s the top engineering faculty in the country.
What do you like about Sydney?
It’s so much more multicultural than Saudi Arabia, which is quite homogenous. I don’t even think I have a non-Saudi friend in Saudi Arabia, at least in my town.
I love how it’s summer most of the year. I can go hiking, jogging or to the beach. The winter is perfect too because it’s not too cold or freezing.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
The biggest shock to me was how early shops closed in Australia. Back in Saudi, shops wouldn’t close until 11 even on weekdays.
There was a situation when I was on the bus going to university and there was a Caucasian man who asked me “Hey terrorist, do you have a bomb in that bag?” This shocked me a lot. After the racist guy disembarked the bus, some people told me not to “give a shit.”
Obviously, not all people are like that, but these people do exist.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Please don’t be judgmental. By that, I mean don’t judge someone based on their looks, background or ethnicity.
What languages do you speak?
English, Arabic (native)
I do want to learn Spanish one day though because it sounds so melodic.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
أبشر
abhser
I’ll do it no matter what it takes.
You can answer any question or request asked of you.
This phrase is used in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, all the Gulf countries.
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
We love guests and hospitality. We believe God loved people who had guests all the time.
People think we don’t respect women in Saudi Arabia. We used to think it wasn’t safe for women to drive so that’s the reason we had that ban, which was only recently lifted.
Heck, in the Quran, we believe that Heaven lies at the feet of your mother. What is more respectful than that?
Also, not everyone is a prince or a rich person. Foreigners think every Saudi is rich. I’m not broke necessarily, but I’m definitely not rich. It’s just like every other country, you have rich and poor people coexisting. Maybe they get this idea because the only Saudis who travel are rich.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
We think he’s going to transform Saudi Arabia from a great country to the greatest country maybe.
People are in love with him, the old, the young, my 5-year-old sister included. These people even write songs for him. He wore a Barbour raincoat last year in November 2019 and that jacket sold out within a day, everyone tried to buy it. It’s the same with those Yeezy Boost 350 shoes he wore.
What is the best dish in your native country?
Kabsa- mixed rice and meat dish. The best meat that goes with it is camel meat, which has the soft texture of fish but is still meaty like beef.
Every single family knows how to make it.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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