So i got deployed in a project in Riyadh and everyone from client to local consultants speak in Arabic.Even the client deliverables and meetings are in Arabic.
Has anyone else faced this issue and how do you navigate?

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Tried learning Arabic but failed beyond the simple greetings. It's a complicated language. Especially on consulting lifestyle

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I think so (Modern standard Arabic, company had organized a language coach). The changes in words/letter when used together was the feather that broke the camels back in my case. I am generally not great at languages in general - struggled with all languages in school other than English....

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It's very common
Get a bilingual consultant to attend meetings with you who can translate any key things.
Regarding docs, get them translated into English using online tools.
Good luck

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Preply.com and learn some Arabic buddy

smart

If you plan on staying in region, you should probably do both what m1 and bcg1 said concurrently (short/long term)

I’m a native Arab and I myself struggle with the language at work in deliverables (the brain is wired to think in English). Crazy that they staff you on a project with Arabic deliverables as a non-speaker

This. Also, its the project team's full fault for staffing you on this. Also, it'll be a disaster if you're based in Riyadh and expected to mostly serve saudi clients.

Lightheartedly ask folks to speak in English when you’re around. Us Middle Easterners don’t like to be rude or make someone feel unwelcome.

The only issue is if you’re in a client org where the folks don’t speak English well and if they do the work suffers, in that case I would ask your staffing to move you elsewhere - it’s a recipe for failure

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