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| saudi arabia, what comes to mind...hmmm,� men and women in white and black gowns, hot and rigid, deserts...true...having lived in this country for the past 9 years , initially as a flight attendant for saudia airlines and for the latter part of my stay as a wife and mother, had opened my eyes not just to the saudi culture but to myself...in the midst of the simple yet technologically modern facade comes introspection...a love-hate relationship of sorts...love because it is here i have found the answers i have sought in life...hate, out of defiance to a culture i found hard to comprehend ...i have lived in jeddah and riyadh and i have given due� respect to my host country and it is here where i share the beauty that lies in the desert...take the time to see saudi arabia's historical landmarks -castles made from mud and sculpted mosques, the mystery and beauty of the saudi women and life as an expat...ENJOY! |
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"..The ubiquitous ABAYA-a mobile black tent with two slits for eyes.." as anne calcagno, a professor at DePaul University, puts it in her article in the Chicago Times� (click on to see full article) |
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it is indeed a symbol of being in saudi arabia or being in an arab country at that...only in saudi arabia where you will see the abaya in all designer glory (mind you an escada abaya costs $500!) , have it branded (a benetton pegs� $50) or the common expat uniform at $10 it is part of living the saudi culture. whether you strut in the most granite floored mall or jog around the ovals you have to bear with it...look at it at the brighter side, at least everyday outfits won't be such a big deal...in family affairs and for ladies only venues do these "tents" come off exposing the exotic beauty of the saudi women and ladies. it is sometimes hard to fathom the skill of these ladies to go around gracefully in such a restricted style. i always wondered whenever i went on remote flights, their ability to go up the stairs into the aircraft without tripping, they should give tips to some beauty contestants! western media has painted a face to the saudi women, i have encountered and known them firsthand. bankers, teachers and doctors-the ladies are not docile! some may not be so eloquent in the lingua franca but the educated can converse and tackle on any subject you might have and an animated conversation you will have!...by the way, in the privacy of our homes, the abaya stays where it belongs -on the hanger. |
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NEW PAGE!
click on the button above for MORE |
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updated april 19, 2001 |
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Pictured above is Al Diriaiyah near Riyadh ancestral home of King Abdul-Aziz Ibn Saud, founder and the first king of the nation.
ah-SAUDI ARABIA, very contrived indeed! the harsh desert sun scorches me the way the fundamentalists do but your people breathes hospitality that even a simple serving of tea or gah-wa "arabic coffee" in any shop reads as a welcome embrace to its visitors. your dry climate makes me taut the way the restrictive abaya does but the bedouin man selling watermelons in the highway makes me smile with his honesty. you have taken me from my land, yet i have found my home in your cities. forever will SAUDI ARABIA be an enigma to me and forever shall the memories you have given me shall live. |
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c)mportesborromeoapril/2001 |
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page acknowledgements
saudipages.com |
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saudi cities.com |
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