Welcome to Saudi!

So I've been in Saudi for 40+ hours. It's been a mixture of experiences and emotions thus far, a situation that is sure to continue throughout our stay here. I've read some pretty outspoken blogs on Saudi -- check out "Sand Gets in My Eyes" at blogspot.com for some great writing on some very current concerns. Anyway, I'm hoping that I will be permitted to speak freely, here.

Initial impressions are about as expected. Wearing the abaya isn't too tough. It's just like putting on a coat that has to remain closed up. But in this crazy heat it seems quite unfair that Jim can skip along in light-colored and light-weight shorts and a light-colored/light-weight short sleeved shirt whilst I have to wear black satin that hardly breathes over my cropped pants and sleeveless top -- from neck to wrists and ankles. I am grateful that I don't have to wear a head covering. I've been instructed to just wear the scarf draped around my neck so that if one of the morality police wants to tell me to put it on, I can oblige the request.

Seeing that it was the second day of the weekend and our only chance until next Thursday to go out and about together, we went to 2 malls and IKEA, yesterday. (But, being Ramadan, the open hours were very limited and we mainly just went to the grocery-type stores.) The shops are quite colorful but most of the shoppers are in black and white -- black for the women and white for the men. Some of the more liberated men wore western clothes, even as their wives peered through slits. Yes, most of the women not only had their heads covered but also their faces. But they obviously were enjoying being out and didn't let the presence of heavy clothing hinder their shopping fun. I can already feel that there is a certain sense of safety and peace of mind to be found in hiding under the covering. Expats are pretty much left alone in this area, but the men do leer -- even at old, grandma-aged women like me.

The contradictions are hard to miss:
-Shops that sell every form of fashion, glitz, and sex-appeal that market to women who are completely covered in black gunny-sacks.
-Plain black abayas that are anything but plain -- covered in black shimmery sequins, "diamonds," etc., or daringly sporting brightly colored embroidery on the ends of the sleeves or a bold purple stripe down the front and on the sleeve ends, ...
-Ramadhan fasting -- a month that sees an enormous (pun intended!) total weight gain in the fasting population.
-Women are valued and respected -- given money to shop, helped with heavy loads, etc. and yet so devalued and under-respected -- no driving, voting, ownership of property, ...
-I had to go to an abaya shop to get my abaya hemmed. (Which meant that I wore my borrowed abaya out of the compound and then put my abaya on top of it when in the shop for the marking of the hem.) Being an abaya shop, their only customers/consumers are women but all of the workers are men.
-On the way, we passed countless bridal shops featuring lavishly expensive gowns for brides who are the center of attention on the wedding day and who are expected to share their husbands with up to 3 other women/wives and who knows how many other non-wives after the celebration has ended.

It's hard to know if the western culture is truly as hated as we often hear. The malls are filled with all of the familiar clothing stores, electronics shops, and restaurants. And there appears to be open access to all of the disgusting TV shows that many of us avoid watching in the U.S.. There are way more movie channels from the satellite provider than there are sports channels. We're gonna be hardpressed to be able to ever find NFL American Football, or any other U.S. sporting event ... can't even find this week's tennis tournament. ESPN is not available. Don't know why. But I just skimmed through the show offerings and they include Glee and 30 Rock -- two shows we've managed to avoid thus far. There are ample news channels, including FOX.

It's hard to miss the calls to prayer that blare from loud speakers from each neighborhood mosque. We've got a new one just a stone's throw away from our house. But, compared to what we heard in Indonesia -- the quality of the music is at least much more pleasant to the ear. While in Indonesia, I tried to develop a habit of singing worship songs, quietly or loudly depending on my location at the time, while the mosques were broadcasting. During this month of celebration, that's a bit tough 'cuz there's some music that begins around 1 a.m. and sounds like a serious party with choral responses from the audience, even, that goes on and on and .... My first night here, having just arrived late in the evening, the music kept me awake for a long time. But last night, my second night, I already adapted well and slept right through it. Maybe I sang worship songs in my sleep ... but I doubt it.