Firstly, sorry I didn't post for 2 weeks, I've been a busy social butterfly and we lost Internet for a few days on the compound and it was complete torture! This must be what it's like to be a prisoner at Guantanemo Bay. Just kidding, obviously, but it was pretty terrible. But we are connected again!
I've been here a little over two months and my love affair with Saudi Arabia is out of the honeymoon phase. So here are some of my moans and groans about the Kingdom, in no particular order....
Bagels
I miss hot yummy bagels with cream cheese. My personal favorite was a poppy seed bagel extra toasted with plain cream cheese. There are obviously no bagels in the Kingdom. I've only been able to find frozen bread with a hole that they try to pass off as bagels. Defrosted bread just doesn't have the same delicious factor. Coffee and a bagel go together for a reason.
Mexican Food
I miss Mexican food. Not the Tex-Mex crap, but going into a Mexican restaurant where everyone speaks Spanish and the tortillas are being rolled to order. There's no Mexican food here and when someon finds tortillas chips on the shelves from a recent import, you have to buy every single bag on the shelves. They are quite the hot commodity for American expats.
Recycling
I was often cast a tree-hugging, vegetarian liberal but I don't think I ever quite lived up to that. I was never one of those people who printed out every e-mail or article of interest but I did separate bottles from cans from paper. In fact, in my parents neighborhood, the recycling bin is about twice the size of the garbage can. Which is probably how it should be. We humans create much more garbage than is necessary, most things are recyclable and reusable. It's offensive to me to walk around a beautiful park on the water and have all the grass be littered with last night's fast food trash and plastic bottles. It's very very frustrating to have to throw away bottles and cans when there I know there is an alternative but it's not an option available to me. I may have to start a revolution - just kidding.
No Smoking
There is no shortage of "No Smoking" signs in the Kingdom's shopping areas but apparently that rule doesn't apply to local men. Security guards, cops, and children light up cigarettes whenever and wherever they please. Obviously, women in a veil can't smoke because with everything being "made in China" I'm sure the flammability of the clothing is higher than it should be. That wouldn't be good, now would it?
Stereotypes
I don't really care how this makes me sound but I miss the stereotypes of people of Indian origin in America. In America, Indians are the doctors, lawyers, engineers, and people who win spelling bees. Here, Indians are the laborers, drivers, and hired help. It breaks my heart to see my own people being treated so disgracefully and having to deal with such abuse. I'm trying very hard to keep this blog light-hearted, sarcastic, and hopefully a little whimsical. But I can't ignore major issues that are very much a part of this experience. But on the other hand, I don't want to get arrested and possibly stoned and/or flogged. Quite the double-edged sword. Suffice to say, migrant worker abuse is a major issue in this country and others in the region - please search the web for the endless amount of articles and stories on the issue.
Uncensored Internet/YouTube
I just to be able to watch whatever I want! So many things that I want to be blocked are not and the videos that I want to watch are blocked. It's highly frustrating but I'm not about to click the link to request from the government access to certain websites.
A Cool Breeze
Yes, I live in the desert and I need to deal with the heat. But damn, it's HOT. What I wouldn't give to feel a nice cool breeze on a sunny day.
Men in Suits
All men look good in suits. There's something professional, classy, and, yes I'll say it, sexy about men in suits. I haven't seen a single man in a suit. Instead, I see men in thobes - long white dresses. And holding hands (see previous post).
Cash
I used to charge $0.25 on my credit card and I never had any cash in my wallet. Now, I only have cash and barely use credit cards. I just looked in my wallet and I have US dollars, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Great British Pounds, and Bahraini Dinar - gotta love the life of an expat.
Okay, I think I'm done complaining. And even with all these moans and groans, I still wouldn't change a thing - this experience is enriching in so many ways that I can't even fully describe.
Cheers!
M
I've been here a little over two months and my love affair with Saudi Arabia is out of the honeymoon phase. So here are some of my moans and groans about the Kingdom, in no particular order....
Bagels
I miss hot yummy bagels with cream cheese. My personal favorite was a poppy seed bagel extra toasted with plain cream cheese. There are obviously no bagels in the Kingdom. I've only been able to find frozen bread with a hole that they try to pass off as bagels. Defrosted bread just doesn't have the same delicious factor. Coffee and a bagel go together for a reason.
Mexican Food
I miss Mexican food. Not the Tex-Mex crap, but going into a Mexican restaurant where everyone speaks Spanish and the tortillas are being rolled to order. There's no Mexican food here and when someon finds tortillas chips on the shelves from a recent import, you have to buy every single bag on the shelves. They are quite the hot commodity for American expats.
Recycling
I was often cast a tree-hugging, vegetarian liberal but I don't think I ever quite lived up to that. I was never one of those people who printed out every e-mail or article of interest but I did separate bottles from cans from paper. In fact, in my parents neighborhood, the recycling bin is about twice the size of the garbage can. Which is probably how it should be. We humans create much more garbage than is necessary, most things are recyclable and reusable. It's offensive to me to walk around a beautiful park on the water and have all the grass be littered with last night's fast food trash and plastic bottles. It's very very frustrating to have to throw away bottles and cans when there I know there is an alternative but it's not an option available to me. I may have to start a revolution - just kidding.
No Smoking
There is no shortage of "No Smoking" signs in the Kingdom's shopping areas but apparently that rule doesn't apply to local men. Security guards, cops, and children light up cigarettes whenever and wherever they please. Obviously, women in a veil can't smoke because with everything being "made in China" I'm sure the flammability of the clothing is higher than it should be. That wouldn't be good, now would it?
Stereotypes
I don't really care how this makes me sound but I miss the stereotypes of people of Indian origin in America. In America, Indians are the doctors, lawyers, engineers, and people who win spelling bees. Here, Indians are the laborers, drivers, and hired help. It breaks my heart to see my own people being treated so disgracefully and having to deal with such abuse. I'm trying very hard to keep this blog light-hearted, sarcastic, and hopefully a little whimsical. But I can't ignore major issues that are very much a part of this experience. But on the other hand, I don't want to get arrested and possibly stoned and/or flogged. Quite the double-edged sword. Suffice to say, migrant worker abuse is a major issue in this country and others in the region - please search the web for the endless amount of articles and stories on the issue.
Uncensored Internet/YouTube
I just to be able to watch whatever I want! So many things that I want to be blocked are not and the videos that I want to watch are blocked. It's highly frustrating but I'm not about to click the link to request from the government access to certain websites.
A Cool Breeze
Yes, I live in the desert and I need to deal with the heat. But damn, it's HOT. What I wouldn't give to feel a nice cool breeze on a sunny day.
Men in Suits
All men look good in suits. There's something professional, classy, and, yes I'll say it, sexy about men in suits. I haven't seen a single man in a suit. Instead, I see men in thobes - long white dresses. And holding hands (see previous post).
Cash
I used to charge $0.25 on my credit card and I never had any cash in my wallet. Now, I only have cash and barely use credit cards. I just looked in my wallet and I have US dollars, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Great British Pounds, and Bahraini Dinar - gotta love the life of an expat.
Okay, I think I'm done complaining. And even with all these moans and groans, I still wouldn't change a thing - this experience is enriching in so many ways that I can't even fully describe.
Cheers!
M
