8/28/2007

Salaam Aleikum Everyone:

Well, a lot has happened since my last email. As I mentioned, the mother and sister of one of the Saudi ESL students I had in Montana paid me an unexpected visit a few days ago and said they'd be back the next day to pick me up, take me shopping, and bring me to their home for dinner.

The next day at school I was telling my fellow teachers, and I found out that this is quite an honor: many of the teachers have NEVER been invited over to a Saudi's home, and the ones who have said things like, "It took me months to get into a Saudi home!" They thought at first that they were going to take me out for dinner, which is not nearly as personal as having someone over for dinner.

Anyway, Budoor (who is 19) and her mother Seham came to pick me up, and we went to this incredible mall. As I have mentioned before, but simply cannot stress enough, Saudis are incredibly concerned with appearances, so the appearance of a building is at least as important as its function. This mall, called The Kingdom, is one of the tallest buildings in the city, and was build pretty recently (within the last 5-10 years). It has 99 floors, although only the first four or so have shops on them. The third floor is for ladies only, so women can go to that floor and take off their veils/abaayas. If you'd like to see a picture, here's a link I found: http://www.telusplanet.net/public/alittle/Saudi-Arabia/Riyadh-03-kc.html it doesn't do it justice, especially because at night there are lights that change color and make it look even more fantastic, but anyway, it gives you an idea because it's hard to describe the building.

When the driver dropped us off, before stepping out of the car, Budoor explained that she had to cover her face in public, and threw her veil over her face. It felt strange talking to her and looking at her in the mall while she had her face entirely covered by the veil--it reminded me of a young child who throws a blanket over her head to play hide-n-seek. Anyway, she showed me all the brand names that I have heard pop songs about but never actually come near--D&G, Vendi, Prada, etc. etc. She oohed and aahed over high heels that cost 2000+ riyals (that would be something like $700+ U.S. Dollars) while I tried not to breathe on anything for fear I might have to pay for it. Ironically, all the sales clerks approached me and tried to sell me this expensive perfume and makeup, but she was the one with the money!

After we shopped for a while, she took me up to the 4th floor where she purchased tickets for us to go up to the Skywalk on the 99th floor (she insisted on paying). After purchasing the tickets, we entered an elevator that looked like a Planetarium: it was a shiny black color with glowing "stars," some of which shot across the elevator. There were foggy colored areas that I think were supposed to be galaxies, and as we ascended the stars changed color from a twinkling silver to blue, then red, then back to silver. The elevator took us as far as the 77th floor, then we got off and got onto another elevator, which took us to the 99th floor. As the floor numbers crept higher, I could feel my ears popping. We got off and walked dizzily onto the Skywalk, which you can see in the picture from that link. It's the tube at the very top. As it was dark, you could see the lights of the city, which was far more beautiful than seeing the lights of New York City from the top of a building because the lighting on buildings here is so ornate. While I'm not one to usually appreciate city "landscapes," I felt I could have stared for hours, admiring the lighting and shapes of the various buildings.

After that Budoor called her driver, who had been sitting in the parking lot with the SUV, waiting for us to be done (it was a looooong wait). She had him take us to an abaaya shop in another area of the city because I need to get my own abaaya and give the one I've been wearing back to the Director. Budoor had to translate as I picked out the fabric (the one that felt the lightest and softest), design (what looks like roses and leaves that will be embroidered in silver on the sleeves), and style (butterfly, where fabric connects the sleeves to the rest of the abaaya so when you hold your arms out you look like a butterfly). At the beginning I was rather indecisive, and Budoor said, "I want to make sure you get the abaaya of your dreams!" I laughed and told her, "Um, there is no an abaaya in my dreams." She looked at me earnestly and said, "Oh, me too! Believe me! Me too!" After we left the shop, she told me that the two men who worked there had been talking about me. One had said, "I think she's Syrian" because apparently Syrians are very light-skinned. The other man replied, "No, you idiot! She's American! Didn't you hear her--she was speaking American!" Haha!

Then we went to Budoor's home, where her mother had been cooking dinner for us the whole time we had been shopping. Budoor took my abaaya and veil and instructed me to sit down so she could perform the "Arabic customs" which were giving me candied dates and Arabic coffee. Arabic coffee is delicious because the add spices--cardamom and I don't know what else--to it, so it really doesn't need to be sweetened. Then she led me to the table for dinner. The table was literally covered with food--it reminded me of how my family's table looks on Thanksgiving day, only there are a good 10+ people there for Thanksgiving dinner, and this dinner was just for the three of us! Beside our plates were two glasses, and beside each person's glasses were about 7 different bottles: milk, water, Coke, and a variety of juices. They kept telling me to start eating, but there was so much food and drink that I was overwhelmed and didn't know where to start! I had told them I was vegetarian because I figured otherwise they'd probably fix some fancy meat for me and be upset when I turned it down; so instead, they covered the table with vegetarian dishes: two kinds of vegetable rice, tabouli, spinakopitas, spring rolls, something wrapped in grape leaves, three other kinds of salad, spaghetti and tomato sauce, three varieties of hummus, pita bread, a cake with fresh fruit on top...it was amazing!

We talked for hours (Budoor's English is very good, and her mother speaks English that I have become better at understanding, although Budoor often translates unnecessarily), and I heard some incredible stories! This email is becoming incredibly long, so I'll just share one that Seham told me.

Her mother always told her that the way you have babies is you go to the doctor and the doctor makes a cut around your belly button and takes the baby out. Piece of cake. When Seham was pregnant with her first child and knew it was time to deliver, she went to the doctor, laid down, and said, "Ok, I'm ready for you to cut my belly button and take the baby out." The doctor told her, "No, we don't have to do an operation on you to get the baby out. You'll be able to push the baby out yourself." Seham was shocked: "What?! WHERE will it come out??" Then, as her labor pains progressed, she realized, "Oh! THERE!" What an unpleasant surprise! She had no idea she was going to have to work and push and after the baby crowned she said, "I'm done. I'm not doing any more!" She said the doctor had to pull the baby the rest of the way out.

Around 1 am they figured they should take me home since I was getting picked up for work at 7 am. Before leaving, Sehan filled two grocery bags full of food for me to take home with me (sound familiar, Mom?). I felt like a starving Ethiopian child whose life they were trying to save by feeding me! Which is clearly NOT the case!! :) They both rode with me back to my house, and on the way Sehan told me, "Now you have family in Saudi Arabia. If you need anything, call us. If you need to go somewhere, I will send the driver..." She stressed this point many times--anything I needed, they would be happy to provide. I got teary when she said the thing about family. My whole attitude and outlook on life here has changed--I have family here! God bless them! Tomorrow I will see them again, and we'll go shopping and pick up my abaaya.

Well, there is so much more I could write about, such as the American-hating Irish teacher and the tension between the teachers at the college, and the arguments that ensue during the training sessions, but who cares? I have a Saudi family! :)

Salaam,

Lizz

P.S. I have a cell phone now. If you feel like throwing money away, give me a call! To dial from the U.S., the # is 00966542075470