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Greg Bell, architect, Saudi Arabia
I am an architect with 30+ years of experience in award-winning landmark buildings in Ireland and UK. After the bank collapse at home, I found myself in a life-changing moment, forced to reinvent myself in Saudi Arabia after a 12-year partnership in my Dublin practice collapsed in 2010.
Saudi Arabia is in many ways much like an architect's toy box, with high rise and multi billion dollar mega building and infrastructure projects centred around the cities of Jeddah and Riyadh.
I am now in my sixth year in “The Magic Kingdom”. They say that after three years as an expat in Saudi Arabia, you become comfortable with the vagaries of life here although the women’s and human rights issues remain a concern.
Fortunately I am more comfortable than most by virtue of meeting my wonderful Canadian education director wife on a desert trek in December 2011. Together we have carved a social niche with good friends (American, Canadian, Irish and British).
The tax-free lifestyle has permitted me to pay for my kids education and old debts from the Irish recession. Now we are focused on property investments and plans for retirement in Ireland and Canada. This includes banking on a further eight years of expat life in the Middle East before retirement.
I miss going to rugby matches in Dublin and banter in my local pub in Booterstown ... the feeling of green grass between my toes, breathing cool fresh air and clean rain on my face. At least trips home to the old country where my parents and youngest child still remain are frequent enough to keep the memories fresh.
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