Saudi-Brasileira? Fernanda’s Picture-Perfect Family Life
A mom, a partner, an expat, and a bit of a foodie, Fernanda’s life in Saudi Arabia is a colorful whirlwind of cafes, shopping, sports, and more. Originally hailing from Brazil, the sunny climate suited her just fine, but Fernanda was also pleasantly surprised by the diversity of Saudi Arabia, the safe and welcoming cities, and perhaps most importantly, the huge football fandom!
Fernanda has lived in Saudi with her husband and two (adorable!) kids for just over a year now, so we sat down with her to hear some of her reflections as the summer winds down and the new school year starts back up.
Q: Lovely to see you, Fernanda! Let’s jump right in, tell us all about you.
My name’s Fernanda Caroline. I’m mom to two amazing kids, a wife to my awesome husband, and a Brazilian who loves to travel and see the world. In fact, I’ve been living abroad for over 20 years now, and living here in Saudi Arabia is the latest adventure. I love to eat, love to cook, and as Brazilian, I love football, too! And of course, I always make time to take care of myself so I can be at 100% for my family – whether it’s at the gym or the salon.
Q: Speaking of the kids, how are they adjusting to getting back to school?
They’ve just started their second year of school in Riyadh, and I think they’re really looking forward to it. They meet people from so many different places, and they get to do so much creatively, like art, gardening, swimming, ballet, even travel. Growing up, a field trip meant a bus ride to the zoo or the cinema for me, but my son Mathias got to fly to the UAE with his classmates! No wonder they’re always so excited to get back to school. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt that they get to go shopping for new shoes and backpacks, either, I’m sure.
Q: A year into life in Riyadh, what’re your mornings like?
Every day starts with the kids of course, making sure Mathias and Caterina get a good breakfast and then driving them to school on time. Then I’m off to the gym of course, for some cardio, weight training, and core exercises. Not only does it get the endorphins going, but it also boosts my confidence and keeps me at my best. After that, it’s a well-deserved lunch, or maybe brunch if I really went hard at the gym and can’t wait to eat!
Q: Every great mom needs a support network too, though, right?
I’m so grateful for mine, because I often say being mom is like having to run a restaurant, hotel, and taxi service! You have to unwind. I have my Brazilian bestie who’s always up for going to a football match, and just a great group of ladies who love to go out and try new things with me. It’s why I get to do so much food content – we love trying new cuisines, new fusions, and new concepts, and they’re everywhere in Saudi.
In fact, a group of us recently went to a churrascaria here in Riyadh to celebrate Brazilian National Day – live music, flags, and all the barbeque you can eat. By the time the coffee came, the kids were half-asleep from all the fun they had running around. It’s such a great way to socialize our kids while the adults are having a little fun.
Q: You mentioned football! Please, tell us about being a fan of the beautiful sport in Saudi!
It’s so much fun living in a different country and feeling the same passion from the fans that you feel in a football-crazy place like Brazil. I love going to Al-Nassr matches at Al Awwal Park, where there’s always a little history being made when you’ve got Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch. In fact, I can now proudly say I got to see Ronaldo’s 934th career goal here in Riyadh, when Al Nassr beat the Yokohama F. Marinos in the AFC Champions League Elite quarterfinals.
Q: You’ve also got some skin in the game, though, no?
Yes, Mathias, my son, also plays at the Al-Nassr Football Academy! The only thing more fun than watching Al-Nassr play, is watching the juniors’ matches. It’s such a blast for the kids and makes us so proud as parents too.
Q: Any plans to see more of Saudi?
We just got back from Italy for the summer, but as we’re going into the cooler, autumn months, I’ve got my eye on the Red Sea and AlUla. I’ve always wanted to revisit the west coast of Saudi and there are now so many beautiful places to stay and unwind there. And of course, not only does AlUla look stunning, but they’ve got the Wellness Festival and Azimuth coming up, so there’s so much fun to get up to also.
Q: Of course! It’s not your first time living Saudi, right?
Oh yes, we lived in Jeddah many years ago, before the kids, though. My husband is a civil engineer, so he goes where the work is, and I love travelling, so it suits me perfectly. Coming back to Saudi more than a decade later has been a wonderful experience in seeing how much the country has changed and grown on the surface, while the people still have the warm, welcoming attitude that charmed me in the beginning. It’s the best of both worlds, really: small-town heart, big-city fun.
Watch Fernanda’s story and learn more about city living in Saudi Arabia.
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