Isolation, inflation hit expats during holiday

Poor and needy expats are struggling to celebrate Eid as they suffer through isolation and financial stress due to high prices.
Some expatriates have complained that heading to the traditional venues to celebrate Eid, such as parks, restaurants and entertainment centers have become too expensive.
“Eid is a very hard time to me as I have to intensify my work in cooking, house-cleaning and taking care of guests,” said Khairia, an Indian maid working for a Saudi family. “Saudi traditions in Eid call for family’s big gathering, eating together and enjoy special days in restaurants. All maids also gather every Eid, but they gather to work more and more.”
However, some expat workers are eager to work during Eid when their families are far away.
Umran Mohammed, a Pakistani who works in a resort, said that that working in Eid is the perfect way to forget his isolation.
“I do not mind if I work in Eid time, in fact I prefer to spend Eid in working. It is better than setting alone,” Mohammed said. “Since I came to Saudi Arabia I never spend Eid with my wife or family. I see all families, even expatriates, gather and enjoy Eid, but I can’t enjoy Eid like them as my salary is only SR 500 a month,’’ Mohammed said.
Hasan Humidan, a Sudanese driver who has lived in the Kingdom for 10 years, said he struggles with the high prices during Eid.
“In the past I was able to enjoy Eid with my family with the cost of SR 100. These days I can’t enjoy Eid, although that my salary is SR 1500. In the past I was able to go with my wife and daughter to mall and let my kids play. Nowadays, going to mall, or park would cost me SR 300. Moreover, If I want to get my dinner in restaurant it would cost me SR 400,” he said.
A Yemeni worker said, “I am celebrating Eid by gathering with my Yemeni friends. We all share the same lifestyle and always prefer
to go to swim and drink Shisha during Eid. As we are singles we don’t have the opportunity to visit family locations such as malls, parks or restaurants.
Some private companies organize events and festivals as part of their corporate social responsibility programs, but these programs doesn’t include poor families and workers.”