At the SciTech Center in Dammam. 12/30/2010: On the flight to Riyadh On the plane, we were served Arabic coffee and dates (I had a feeling that I would love dates, if only I could try fresh ones rather than the hard, chopped dates we have in America). There were several curtained sections with rugs where men were praying at every hour of the night. I began to understand how a society permeates every aspect of life with God, in ways I never considered. We changed into the abaya and hijab close to landing, but were terribly bad at wrapping our hair that first time. I think the Saudis were amused when we came out of the bathrooms. 1/1/2011: At Princess Noura University We met Haila and Asma at Princess Noura University and first met with the rector (A woman! Victory!) and then went down to meet the girls. It was the first day we'd been able to take off our abayas, and the day was beautiful. The girls gave a presentation and then a tour. I spoke a great deal with a trio of physical therapy students in scrubs and we talked about their classes and how scrubs are easier to walk across campus in than long black skirts the other students must wear. The girls had such beautiful hairstyles and makeup (Saudi women seem to spend a lot of time and money on makeup). When it was time for us to leave, the girls gave me huge hugs, and told me, “It feels like we've known each other for 10 years, and we're just meeting again.” And it did. It felt like I was meeting long-lost sisters. 1/6/2011 One thing that I cannot reconcile about this country is the servant culture (I know this issue spans the Middle East and is not just a Saudi issue). One reason is that I do not know anyone in America that has servants, so in one way, I just do not understand. But I believe that you can tell a lot about people by the way they treat their servants. I've been disappointed by the way some of the servers have been treated. Charitable act or not, it seems to me that if you are going to employ someone, you should not act as if you own them or as if they owe you something. One should be a good employer in the home as well as in the workplace. 1/7/2011 I met a 6th year medical student at the University of Dammam, and we talked for a long time as we toured the campus and had coffee and dates in a traditional tent left over from a festival the university had just had. She said it is strange for her to speak to women with niqab on, too, and then to meet them later and not recognize them once their faces are uncovered. It has made me question how I form impressions about people at first—facial expressions, features, and tone of voice. She talked about how important she felt it was for patients to be able to see their doctors' faces, to see sympathy, sincerity, humanity. I must say that I prefer to be able to see whole faces when I meet Saudi women. It is intimidating to talk to a pair of eyes. 1/8/2011 – On the top of the Nasseef House in Old Jeddah All of a sudden, the first sound of the call to prayer sounded from one direction, and then another began at a different tone and pace. Several more seemed to sound, and as the voices joined and diverged, swelled and lowered as they intoned “There is only one God, and Muhammad is His messenger,” huge gusts of wind blew into our little area, whipping our hijabs and abayas. I leaned my head out to feel it and hear it better; it was the closest thing I've ever heard to all of creation calling for God, the world worshipping, praise emanating from every seeming direction and thing. It moved me. __
