The Arab world

The Arab world is a mystery to me. What goes under black veils and white chongas is such a puzzle. You can read the likes of The Princess, Girls of Riyadh and Daughters of Arabia but still remain unsure about the authenticity of what has been said. You hear such incredulous stories that you wonder if it’s all true. One blog that leaves you shocked and looks a little genuine is http://muttawa.blogspot.com/. Read it and feel happy about your freedom. Sadist? Yes, we all are.

I’ve been reading here and there and thought I’ll share a few astonishing snippets.

The founder of Saudi Arabia had numerous kids (the exact number is unknown, 37 were boys). According to Wikipedia, the first was born in 1900 when he was around 24, and the last was born in 1952 before the king died in 1953. Yes, wow! And then we say our last generation in India had too many kids.

Saudi Arabia is the only nation in the Middle East where covering your face with a veil is compulsory for every woman (Maybe Iran also, I’m not sure). Even if me and you go there, we’ll have to wear a burkha with our faces covered. I have seen Saudi women in restaurants having such a tough time eating with their face covered with a long cloth. This is small in comparison to the death of 15 schoolgirls on March 15, 2002 because religious police refused to let them exit a burning building since they were not properly dressed. I wish they were called ‘The Cultural Police’ instead of putting this disgrace on religion.

Women are not allowed to drive a car/ride a bicycle or move around in Saudi Arabia without their brother/father or husband. Yes, even if there is a man with you, he has to be a close relative. Oh, and by the way, there are no movie halls in the Kingdom since entertainment is such a crime.

Having said that, it’s just Saudi that has such strict rules. In other Gulf countries, I’ve seen women in everything from a Bikini to a halter at public places. Dubai is so fashionable that it would make you look at your wardrobe and cry. People in Qatar and Kuwait are so rich that you feel like a pauper and wish to marry a rich Sheikh! You can wander on Bahrain streets at 12 a.m. on a weekend, and easily find someone who suits your budget. Yeah, when you are not allowed to do something, your craving increases manifold.

Living in the Middle East is an experience. Most(most, not all) citizens here are extremely lazy and full of themselves since they have oil and therefore a lot of money. It’s frustrating for a lot of people who have subordinates who just refuse to work and are only employed because of a certain quota. Anyway, as long as we are hired and paid enormously to do their work, we are not complaining!

On that note I’ll leave you with a joke that’s been doing rounds lately:
Japanese attitude for work: "If one can do it, I can do it. If no one can do it, I must do it."
Arabic attitude for work: "Wallahi if one can do it, let him do it. If no one can do it, ya-habibi how can I do it ?"