We said goodbye to Saudi Arabia on May 9, after finishing our teaching contracts. We spent just over a year there, from March 2010 to May 2011. While we decided not to return to Saudi Arabia next year, we are glad we had this unique opportunity to live and teach in a country so different from anything we've ever seen. Our experience has been both difficult and rewarding, normal and bizarre, amusing and annoying, but the bottom line is that it was nothing short of fascinating.
Before heading to the airport though, we had plenty to cram into our last few weeks!
Janadriya
One event I was glad to catch was the Janadriya Festival, a huge annual fair north of Riyadh presenting traditional and modern culture from all corners of Saudi Arabia.
We went on a weekend evening and quickly discovered that we should have known better. The chaotic desert parking expanse was so full of cars that we had to walk for ages just to make it to the gates of the festival (and hope fervently that when we returned to our car, it would not be boxed in as so many other cars were). Once we passed through the gates, we were swept away in a huge mob of black and white - men in thobes and women in abayas - that was so thick we didn't dare let go of Misha's hand (don't worry, Sebby was in his stroller) and we kept losing the friends we went with. Magically, we actually reunited with them eventually. In the crowd of thousands of people, I actually had two of my own students greet me, telling me their names so that I would know whose face was behind their niqabs. I was amazed that in such a mass of people, I actually found some that I knew - or rather, that they found me.
Some shots:
Walking around inside the festival area. This was off the main thoroughfare, which was much, much more crowded.
Inside the village shops, men worked on traditional crafts. Misha and his American friend Waahid so loved watching the mat-weavers that we could hardly drag them away.
And this man took time to show the boys how knives and tools were made, shaped, and sharpened.
The falcon - a symbol of Saudi Arabia's heritage.
The kids got to admire the falcons up close and even pet them.
I love this sign. In case you didn't know, this is the desert. You can also see a traditional tent, open on one side, called a haima. (My only authority on this subject comes from Misha's school project he brought home one day. It looked just like it.)
Dates for sale. I bought a kilo, and they were delicious!
Men from the Madinah area perform their regional dance for a large audience. Their intense twirling caused their flowing outfits to flare up around them.
Before we left, we let Misha have his friend over for spaghetti, swimming, and a sleepover. Let's just say we are glad we don't have three children on a daily basis.
The dust and wind create an eerie feeling outside.
Throughout our year, we watched construction on the huge Olaya Towers neighboring our compound. We also watched construction on absolutely everything else. In this city, no matter where you live, you wake up at 6 a.m. to the sound of jackhammers. In the distance, you can see the Kingdom Tower - whose skybridge we visited for the previous shot of the city.
Graduation! In Saudi Arabia, graduation costs for your kindergartener will run you at least $75 for the robe and the photos. Insane, I know. They get a little carried away with parties here ...
Misha's graduation class. He can tell me the names of each member of his class, and even the last names of anybody who has the same name as someone else. (Misha's in the front row, third from the right.) Note the King's portrait shining from the wall. In America, you get your teacher's photo included with the class. In Saudi, you definitely won't have a photo of your female teacher, but you DO get the King.
Misha made a nice goodbye card for his kindergarten teachers. His teachers were so fond of him that they were truly sad to see him go. They also had a goodbye party for him and sent him home with loads of presents ... AGAIN! (The fact that we were trying to cram everything into suitcases obviously didn't enter their minds.)
They showed him various ways of folding the shumagh and posed for silly pictures.
Class photo. Josh is the one with the most obvious shumagh flowing over his shoulders and chest.
Another class picture.
A traditional (recreated) villa, with rooms inside to wander in and out of. I love the shapes of the windows on the balcony and the shrouded figures passing by.
Josh on the balcony.
Inside one of the rooms of the house was a bride's bedroom, with a curtained bed. Some women there offered to take a photo of me with the "bride." How could I resist?
Dates for sale. I bought a kilo, and they were delicious!
Men from the Madinah area perform their regional dance for a large audience. Their intense twirling caused their flowing outfits to flare up around them.
Misha and friends pose for a photo with men in traditional garb.
Fun in the compound
Cute Sebby outside by the court.
Another accomplishment: Misha learned to ride without training wheels!
More fun in the pool. Any guesses on how long this idea lasted?
Our last dust storm. The dust rolled in and changed the sky from bright to dark in a matter of minutes.
The dust and wind create an eerie feeling outside.Out in the City
We went back to the top of Kingdom Tower for a night view of the city. The two main streets, Fahd and Olaya, spread their light into the distance.
Throughout our year, we watched construction on the huge Olaya Towers neighboring our compound. We also watched construction on absolutely everything else. In this city, no matter where you live, you wake up at 6 a.m. to the sound of jackhammers. In the distance, you can see the Kingdom Tower - whose skybridge we visited for the previous shot of the city.Kindergarten Graduation
Graduation! In Saudi Arabia, graduation costs for your kindergartener will run you at least $75 for the robe and the photos. Insane, I know. They get a little carried away with parties here ...
Misha's graduation class. He can tell me the names of each member of his class, and even the last names of anybody who has the same name as someone else. (Misha's in the front row, third from the right.) Note the King's portrait shining from the wall. In America, you get your teacher's photo included with the class. In Saudi, you definitely won't have a photo of your female teacher, but you DO get the King.
Misha made a nice goodbye card for his kindergarten teachers. His teachers were so fond of him that they were truly sad to see him go. They also had a goodbye party for him and sent him home with loads of presents ... AGAIN! (The fact that we were trying to cram everything into suitcases obviously didn't enter their minds.)University Farewell
Once they learned we were leaving, our students really surprised us with their generosity and goodbye parties.
Josh's students took him thobe shopping and treated him to the entire get-up - thobe, Sunni underpants, sandals, shumagh (red-and-white checked head covering), taqiyah (cap for under the shumagh) and agal (heavy black coil that keeps everything on your head).
Of course, he had to wear the national dress to class a couple times.
They showed him various ways of folding the shumagh and posed for silly pictures.
Class photo. Josh is the one with the most obvious shumagh flowing over his shoulders and chest.
Another class picture.
Many Saudis, when they dress up, wear a suit over the top of the thobe. Josh tried it out and looked very handsome indeed. Misha said, "You look like a bad guy" - sort of like the agents in the Matrix.
On the women's campus, the two classes that I taught connived together to throw me a massive surprise party during class. They roped my co-teacher into it as well, using her to lure me out of the room for a brief time while they rearranged and set up the food. Then when I walked into the room, they yelled SURPRISE, showered me with two tubes of confetti (hooray for vacuums) and played Jingle Bells in Arabic from the e-podium. In the middle of the room, they had pushed two teacher's desks together and loaded them with sweets. The biggest surprise was the cakes - they had special ordered two huge cakes, each featuring photos of me which they had pulled from my Facebook. The photos they chose make me laugh - one of me by a Christmas tree from a year and a half ago, and one of me in an abaya in Riyadh. Very culturally diverse!
They also brought their speakers and music collections and pumped out forbidden music, both Western and Arabic, in the university classroom. I had to keep turning down the volume! We ate, danced, and took class photos ...
Sebby went exploring and found another room to investigate.
The women - Becky, me, Georgina, Staci, Corrie
The women again. I guess we're making up for something.
The beautiful inner courtyard of the restaurant.
They also brought their speakers and music collections and pumped out forbidden music, both Western and Arabic, in the university classroom. I had to keep turning down the volume! We ate, danced, and took class photos ...
like this.
They also showered me with a flabbergasting amount of gifts: sweet cards and letters, flowers, chocolates, books, candles, a bracelet, a prayer rug, a necklace with my name in Arabic, thobes and toys for my children, and Kelimat perfume - an expensive Arabic brand. I had huge bags to lug home from work that day! I was truly amazed.
The rest of our time flew by running errands and packing. We ended up shipping several big boxes of things, which helped ease our load to lug onto the airplane. I just couldn't resist taking a packing break to make the kids a play house from the leftover boxes.
Also while packing, we thought it would be interesting to see just how much Islamic literature we had acquired, given to us by everyone from our students to our taxi drivers. This isn't even the entire collection.
More Goodbyes
We had to say goodbye to Sumayya, who had so dedicatedly babysat Sebastian while I was at work and occasionally Misha if his school was cancelled or he was sick. Sumayya loved Sebby like her own and she still tells me how much she misses him.
We also had a small goodbye gathering with a few friends. We chose a traditional Saudi restaurant called Najd Village, because I had never been there. Each party has their own room, decked out with beautiful rugs and wall decorations. Everyone eats on the floor and the waiters bring dates, Arabic coffee, and plates galore of all kinds of food - lamb stews, rice, hummus, kupsa with chicken, lamb and camel, plus sweets made with honey and dates.
Getting ready for the feast!
Sebby went exploring and found another room to investigate.
The women - Becky, me, Georgina, Staci, Corrie
The women again. I guess we're making up for something.
The beautiful inner courtyard of the restaurant.The Kulas in the Kingdom - but no longer. Ma'a Salama!
2 comments:
Wow what a long goodby with so many pictures to remember Saudi. I especially loved seeing Josh in the thromb (sp)Misha will never forget his wonderful experience there.
What an experience you guys had there and how awesome that your kids are experienced world travelers! You sure have a gift for writing that makes your adventure come alive for your readers. Thank you for letting me peek in on your time in Saudi Arabia and for sharing your perspectives on their culture!
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