Oh, How They Come in Different Colours!

Abayas come in different shapes, sizes and colours. Traditionally, the abaya is black; however, when it's not simply black, it is classy, with crystals or embroidery;




or red;



or blue;



or purple;




or bi-coloured; 



or tri-coloured;



or even white!




Some say we should wear only black abayas.
"It will cause fitnah," they say.
Others disagree.
"The type of car that you or your husband owns, your job or money can also cause fitnah," they argue.
But at the end of the day, you've got to wear an abaya when you step out of your home.
What colour is it going to be?

Jeddah: All-Ladies Event

All my ladies in Jeddah, this is one event you have been waiting for to spice up your weekend. Desi Entertainers is organising an all-ladies event right here in the city. This event is dedicated to all the mothers and sisters who reside in Jeddah.

Desi Entertainers encourages women of all nationalities who are willing to showcase their work or talent to participate in the event. If you have a talent in any of the following: makeup, nail art, cooking, hair cutting, drawing, flower art, glass painting, guitar playing, interior design, fashion design, jewelry design, sketching, photography, calligraphy, table decoration, mehendi art, tatoo art, piano playing,etc, you are welcome to join the ladies.

The event is scheduled to take place on May 31, 2012. For more information, feel free to contact on:

-desientertainers@gmail.com
-0535079171

Are Saudi Women Lazy?

WordWeb Pro defines the word lazy as, "Disinclined to work or exertion". Sometimes I ask myself whether qualifying someone or a group or persons as being "lazy" is not a subjective issue.  Maybe each society has a definition for a "lazy woman". One society might consider a woman who is incapable of properly doing household work as being lazy. Others might generalise this to include both her performance or attitude at her workplace vis-à-vis her work and the way she manages her household. So a woman who is very active at work, but not good at taking care of her household might be considered by some as lazy, as opposed to some who might say the contrary and give an explanation for the woman's incapacity to perform her duties as a housewife. So what do you call women who are fabulous at handling both? Superwomen?


Saudis are generally known to be lazy, either at work or at home. I have never met an expat who said the opposite. Not even my Saudi acquaintances dared say the opposite, except for one who said she was always busy at home, even though she had 2 maids who did all the housework. I have also met a few Saudi women who claimed they didn't know how to cook, and it wasn't their fault because they have always had maids who did the job. Who did the laundry? Their maids. Who took the children to school? Their drivers and/or maids or in some cases their husbands. So what did they do in 24 hours? Many things. What kind of things? If the answer was not "studying", then it was "shopping or meeting friends at cafes or women's clubs". One article recently published, blamed Saudi women for the high divorce rates in the Kingdom. They said women spent more time with their friends and went shopping for beauty products instead of spending time taking care of their homes and families.   


I come from a tribe where the women are known to be the laziest in the whole country, in addition to being champions in divorcing. In my country, a woman is supposed to be all-round. No one cares whether you are a working housewife or not. If you are too tired to do both, quit your job and take care of your home and let your husband be the breadwinner.


Here in Saudi Arabia, I work an average 18 hours a day, and I am proud to run my household. I do have a maid who stays with my son when I am at work, but basic things like cooking and shopping for groceries should be done by me. Normal. I believe each woman should be proud to cook for her husband. In my hometown, I would be called a lazy person because I do not know how to farm and easily get tired whenever I try this activity. Basically, I would be considered as a woman who can't even till the soil to provide food for her family but would rather sit in an office and claim that she is a housewife. 


So what do you think? Am I lazy? Don't you think expats, and maybe a few open-minded Saudi men, judge Saudi women a lot? Don't you think these women only need a change of attitude because they use their energy to do the wrong things instead of concentrating on their household and marriages? By the way, what does it really mean to be a lazy person?

Saudi Arabia: Is June 17 the Beginning?

It was after 10 a.m when my husband woke me up. He said, "What is the date?" I looked at him puzzled. Then he said, "Come on. You've been talking about this and today you have forgotten?"  That was when I remembered that it was June 17, the day that women are supposed to start driving around cities in Saudi Arabia.

Very quickly, I jumped out of bed. I did one or two things in the bathroom, then rushed out of my home. What was I looking for? Women driving their cars? Or I wanted to drive too? Wait a minute! This is supposed to be Saudi women fighting for their rights, right? What about us expat women? We didn't come to break the law in Saudi Arabia, did we? We are just waiting for the moment that the authorities would say "Women can drive."

As I looked around, I could see many cars on the street. All male drivers. Gosh! Maybe it is not going to happen after all, I thought. Later in the evening, as I went out with my son, many families were going about their normal activities. All cars that I saw on the main streets were driven by men, including the one that my son and I were sitting in.

I was sure no woman had gotten behind the wheel until late at night when my husband found some articles online. He was so excited and he called me to read the articles with him. Oh my! About 40 women around the Kingdom had driven their cars. Just like me, he was excited and couldn't help laughing when he read lines talking about Maha Al-Qahtani's husband saying, "Slow down, don't change lanes, you are too fast. She is a good driver."

Even after the arrest of Manal AlSharif, some brave women out there like Maha Al-Qahtani, drove in the stricter Riyadh City. Here in Jeddah, none of my friends or colleagues reported seeing any woman driving, but Arab News mentioned a woman was caught and escorted home, while others were simply ignored by the police.

Didn't I hear women who dared drive had to be beaten by their male relatives? All the iqals that I saw on June 17 were calmly sitting on the men's heads. Did anyone get beaten because a woman sat behind the wheel? No reports too. Things seem to be normal right now.

Will June 17 be the beginning of women to start driving in Saudi Arabia? This is the question that lingers in our minds. We'll stay and watch what happens next.
 

Saudi Arabia: A Peek at an Expatriate Woman's Life

You might be surprised by how different a woman's life can be in Saudi Arabia. If you do not live in a Muslim country, you might to some extent think that women do not live happy lives here. On the contrary, women are happy even though they do not enjoy their full rights.


The very first time that I arrived here, the thing that jumped to my eyes almost immediately was the segregation of sexes. Yes, it was just so obvious. In a restaurant, for example, there was a section for single men and another section for families where women were allowed to sit. I was stunned. Yes, I had never imagined things to be like this.


Women are advised to veil. This, I knew before leaving my country, and I was not particularly worried about it. It only became a problem when places were really getting hot and I had a scarf wrapped around my head and neck region. 


Women do not drive. Saudi Arabia is the only country that does not let women drive. This, I also knew, and was somehow unhappy about it. Nevertheless, I got used to it until the day my husband started working out of town. I had to take a taxi to go to work despite the fact that I had a car packed just outside our apartment building, with the key lying on my bedside table. A few days from June 17, a day that women plan to drive, I find myself wondering whether we would ever be given the opportunity to drive in this country.


Becoming a mother in this country is not an easy task for an expatriate, especially for one that is working. Finding a good obstetrician is a big deal unless you are so lucky to get a good one on your first pick. Most often it is by word of mouth that you can get a good one. The next thing is the cost of services. If you have health insurance, then all is well for you, as health services are pretty expensive here. Every time I visited my obstetrician, I paid at least 500 SAR (133$). For normal deliveries, I found that the cost varied a lot from one hospital or clinic to the other; from 1000 to as high as 5000 SAR (266 -1333$).


A maid will always be helpful if you are a working mum. Getting a good one is a headache. Here, you also have to rely on friends and acquaintances, but this does not guarantee that you will get a good one. The first maid that I hired was a woman in her early forties. She knew how to take care of a child; something that I was looking for in a maid because I had just had my first son. After a year and a few months, I had a second maid. She was in her early twenties, but she proved to be a good nanny for my son. Initially, when I first moved here, I found that most people were paying their maids 800 SAR per month. Thereafter, this increased to 1000, then 1100, then 1200. Some people pay up to 2000 SAR per month.


One of the things that I love to do best is shopping. Oh yes! There isn't much to distract you in the kingdom, but just the shops can make you spend your entire day outside admiring the best you can find on the market. You can practically get everything in the malls in Jeddah. Of course everything; except alcohol, drugs and pornography. If you love fashion, then you would certainly love the shops in Jeddah. They have the latest things on the market, ranging from clothes to accessories and technology.


We may cover ourselves, not drive, and so many other things, but there is always a good side to every law. I am not frequently harassed by immoral men, no one touches me without a valid reason, and many more…I wish I had time to continue.

Saudi Arabia: The Debate to Drive

June 17th is drawing closer as there are more speculations as to whether women still have plans to drive on that day or not. Besides risking being flogged by some of their male relatives, the Islamic Police would certainly not fail in making sure that women are kept off the streets on that day. 


We keep our fingers crossed as this issue becomes one of the hottest subjects of debate these days. See the video below that was posted a few days ago, addressing the issue of women driving in Saudi Arabia.

Amidst the rising debate on websites and locally, the speaker of the Shoura Council said on Thursday that they were ready to discuss the issue of women driving if they were asked to. Read more... There have been reports of an invitation sent before to discuss this issue, but it was cancelled. Is this new invitation from the speaker of the council himself a gateway to solving this problem in the Kingdom? We do not know yet and hope for a good outcome.

Saudi Arabia: Freedom!

At last, she could breathe the air outside. She could go back to her home after spending what? Ten days in prison? And her crime? Driving a car and posting the video online.


We are all happy that she was finally released. This brave Saudi woman in her plight to fight for Saudi women's rights, paid a price that cost her 10 days in jail, the risk of losing custody of her son, and the risk of losing her job. Who knows? Maybe she has already lost it.


Thank God! Manal AlSharif was finally released today by the AlKhobar police. It is reported that she apologised for breaking the law and promised to withdraw from the planned June 17th women's driving protest. Now there are many speculations as to whether women will still take to the streets on June 17. 


Below is a video, a creative work of art by an artist, Aafke. I found it interesting and couldn't help sharing.

Runaway Saudi Girls

Today, I learnt about another sad story from a Saudi friend. A young girl, the daughter of an acquaintance, was suspected of running away from home. She is only 17, a student in high school, with a promising future. From what her mum related, she had suddenly become rebellious and even refused to continue wearing the niqab. At that time, her mum thought she was acting under the influence of her teen friends who weren't covering their faces completely. 


She has gone missing for over 2 weeks now. Her wardrobe is half empty and she is not at any of her relatives' home. Where could she be? Her mum's best guess is that she has run away with a lover. Not surprising if she was a Western or European girl; this is so common. But a young Saudi girl?


Only a few weeks ago, Arab News reported that the number of Saudi girls running away from their homes was increasing. Just like many other things that happen in the country, cases like this are treated discreetly, and too often we do not know the real frequency of certain events.


Who is to blame here? To start with, sometimes the families are blamed for being very violent and too strict on their female children than on males. Other people accuse these bright guys that we put in our living-rooms, TV, to entertain us. And then, some of you are to blame, expatriate guys. 


Yes, expatriate guys are even accused of luring these young Saudi girls away from their families. An Arab News reporter even described them as hunks. How a young Saudi girl finds herself in such a situation, only God knows. If these girls are copying what they see on TV, then they are surely heading the wrong way because life in Saudi Arabia is definitely not the same as in Western countries. If your Romeo lets you down, you are in for trouble because not only you can't go back to your family since you brought shame on them, you can't even hope to find an odd job to sustain you. 


It is pathetic for a young girl to throw her life away and head into the unknown. May God help these lost kids.

How Weird?

The arrest of Manal Sharif has been an issue over the past week, featuring in international papers, on blogs and on the local news.

Following her arrest, there are claims that another group was created on Facebook by an anonymous person, to beat up all males and females who support the fight for women to drive. According to reports, the creator of this facebook page is calling on all men to beat their wives and who would dare take to the roads in the name of "the campaign for women to drive." The "Iqal Campaign: June 17 for preventing women from driving," as it is called, encourages males to use their iqal (the black cord that they use to hold their white-red chekered scarf) to beat women who attempt to drive on that day.

There are claims that this page was created, yet no blogger or journalist is putting up a link to this page (See here, here and here). I thought I couldn't find the page on Facebook because it was probably in Arabic, but my Arabic-speaking friends couldn't find it either. How weird? Either they do not know how to use Facebook or this page is written in some coded language. If you find it, please let me know.

News always creates news. Is someone trying to attract attention here? Or is it really true that men and women would be beaten by people who do not support the need for females to drive?

Come to think of it, everything surrounding this issue is weird.

#1 Women should not drive because they will mix with mechanics (males).

Women are already mixing with men. I went to a cafe with my girlfriend only a couple of weeks ago, and I was shocked by what I saw. A cafe in the heart of Jeddah! I heard there was even worse than what I had witnessed.

In addition, women stay with their drivers in the same car. Mind you, the family driver is not a relative. Isn't it forbidden for 2 unrelated people of the opposite sex to sit in the same car?

#2 If women drive, this will promote "fitnah" because they will buy a new car, which is new model just because they want to be the first to drive it.

Oh yeah! You need to sit with the ladies in a social gathering. Women compare jewellery, or the furniture in their homes, or the latest phone or technology on the market...and you name it. Is this not promoting "fitnah." Better still is to ban women from having any of these luxuries, if they do not want to promote "fitnah."

#3 If women drive, it will lead to overcrowding of the streets.

Waoh! I guess other countries that allow women to drive would learn from this; the ultimate solution to traffic congestion! Well-said.

And more...I wish I had the time. For a country that bans women from driving, but lets women drive in the rural areas in the cities and in special areas that have immunity, that is pretty weird. Saudi Arabia, in my opinion has a long way to go.

Expat Women Salaries in Saudi Arabia

Most females who come via family visa find it hard to get a job in their fields of interest. This is not the same story for our sisters who come to Saudi Arabia via a work visa. Nevertheless, if you are coming on a work visa, you should know the current salary trends of the area before moving.


Given that this country is very conservative, there are not many career options for women. Opportunities are usually available to women in the following sectors:


-Education
-Healthcare
-Hospitality/housekeeping


Now let us get to the salaries. Salaries will vary depending on your nationality (for some institutions or companies), level of education, and/or experience.

What should you expect in the education sector?


If you are a teacher, you should expect something between 1500 and 3200 USD per month. The following will determine how much you could end up getting.

1. Nationality: If you are a native English language speaker or have achieved native-level proficiency, then you are on the right path. 
2. Qualification: For mathematics, the basic sciences, and computer sciences, a Master's degree in the corresponding field would increase your chances of hitting a higher pay. For English language teachers, a Bachelor's degree in English language, Journalism, Mass Communication or Linguistics are very essential. Other certificates such as ESL, TEFL, TESL, EFL, CELTA, DELTA or TESOL attract many employers. A Master's or PhD in English is an asset.
3. Experience: Candidates who have 2 years or more teaching experience are usually preferred. Those who have also had experience teaching at a university have an added advantage.

As an aside, some international schools hire women without teaching experience. The salary will vary from one school to another and according to the qualification of the individual. There are some international schools in Jeddah for example, which hire female doctors, engineers, technicians, and nurses to teach children of different ages and levels. Usually, teachers without a university degree will get something between 530 and 665 USD monthly. Those with a university degree will get between 800 and 1500 USD monthly. Coordinators usually get a little more than this.

And what about our white-clad sisters in the health sector?

Here too, salaries will vary depending on the health institution. Female general practitioners (G.Ps) working for the Saudi government get a basic salary of about 1066 USD per month, plus other benefits i.e housing, transportation, medical etc. Specialists and consultants make a higher pay with salaries ranging between 2135 and 3200 USD monthly in addition to other benefits. Physicians working for the government enjoy a yearly raise after working for a given period of time; this is usually mentioned in the contract.

Physician salaries in the private sector vary a lot. Factors that could influence this are nationality, expertise, or level of education. G.Ps in the private sector could earn from 1066 to 2500 USD monthly; benefits may or may not be included. The lowest earners usually work in the private clinics and polyclinics. Those who earn more could be found in big hospitals and in insurance companies. The specialists and consultants get even more. They can take home between 2666 and 5333 USD monthly, depending on where they are working. There are even reports of consultants who earn more than 6000 USD per month. 

Nursing salaries also vary depending on the nationality and experience. According to some sources, these vary between 500 to 5000 USD per month, with Registered Nurses from the West (North America) apparently getting a higher pay...learn why. Workers from Asia, South Africa, and Nigeria get lower salaries.

And the ladies in the hospitality sector?

This sector offers very attractive salaries, but unfortunately most of the positions at hotels and public institutions are reserved for men. So where will we often find the women working in this sector? You will find them doing housekeeping jobs in hospitals, schools, and in the female branches of banks, female malls, shops and female entertainment areas. One thing for sure is that if you are planning to mop floors, expect between 265 and 535 USD per month. You would land a better deal if you get housing and transportation benefits in addition.

What is life if not work, work and more work. Go sisters, earn the cash and life goes on...

Do Saudi Women Really Want to Drive?

Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Who doesn't know this? Both expatriate and some Saudi women want to drive. Some do not know this. Maybe you do, but do you know that some Saudi women drive in the rural areas? Is it fact or fiction?


I was surprised when I was told that Saudi women drive in this country. That was 2 years ago and a few months ago, I was told that women even drive in Riyadh, even though this is in a private zone meant only for women. Initially, I thought the need to drive was the cry of the expatriate women only. Many of them have driving licences obtained from their countries of origin, but have to put them aside when they get into the Kingdom.


The difficulties that we, expatriate women, face when it comes to moving around in this country is inexpressible. In the absence of our husbands, we have to hire private drivers. Besides the fact that these drivers charge a lot, they are usually not trustworthy. Many of them, irrespective of their nationality, seem to have lost their moral values and even do not fear to make indecent propositions regardless of the fact that a woman is married.


And what about our Saudi friends? It is easy to suppose that if their husbands cannot drive them around, then either a relative (brother, son, cousin or in-law) or the family driver will. Nope, this is not always the case. Sometimes they are left stranded like us and might be forced to use a taxi in order to go around. This does not work for all of them especially when their families are very strict. No relative to drive you around = no going anywhere. This has been very frustrating for many women, who over the years could no longer bear it and had to make their wishes known.


The number of Saudi women who are requesting to drive in the Kingdom is rising. Some are pretty contented with the fact that they are driven around. In fact, I remember a Saudi nursing student from a well-to-do family who said, "I do not know why these women from the West are critising us. We are very happy women who feel privileged to be well taken care of by our men. We have our luxury cars and have our drivers at our disposal. Stop poisoning our minds with your ideas. We do not need them." However, this is not the opinion shared by some Saudi women. One of the advocates is Wajeha Al Huwaider, a brave Saudi woman, who stood up to speak for her fellow country women. The video below was taken about 2 years ago by her sister-in-law, which shows Wajeha driving in a rural area in Saudi Arabia.

The New Internationalist Magazine interviewed Wajeha and she expressed her views regarding this issue...read more. Come to think of it, why are there so many issues surrounding the need for women to drive within the Kingdom? Is it merely a social issue or is there more to it? Hopefully, we shall soon get to the end of the road.