Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Monday, February 20, 2012
I am sure you are all well aware of some of the many restrictions placed on women here in Saudi Arabia (if I haven't talked about them I will over the next months). One of them is of course the fact that women are not allowed to drive (although many, including some Saudi Royalty are working to change that). Most of the time it doesn't bother me. The hospital has contracted a cab company (Hala Limo) to drive us all over the place and be available to us when we call. The cost is pretty reasonable and we have a little bit more assurance that the driver will speak at least a little bit of English, will know where we need to go (and where our home is) and not try to rip us off (well sometimes they do but a threat to call the dispatcher can solve that problem really quick). There are a lot of hospitals in the area and more than a few nurses have been taken to the wrong one because they cannot say King Faisal Hospital in Arabic and the street cab took them somewhere else.
For the most part I don't really mind........except when I just want to run a quick errand. I find I have to be a whole lot more organized and planned. No quick trip to run grab a carton of milk or that one baking ingredient I forgot. Most trips (to even the closest grocery store) take at least an hour......assuming you've planned around prayer time correctly.
And I know I have mentioned the traffic here. It's nothing short of crazy and easily some of the worst drivers I have ever seen.............ever, anywhere. They turn 3 lanes of driving traffic into 6 or 7, there doesn't seem to be a speed limit, signaling usually means "look-out, I'm changing lanes whether you are there or not" and I've translated honking loosely to the Ludacris lyrics "Move, Bitch, Get Out the Way". It's kind of scary and exciting (well very often scary) all at the same time.
The point to all this is my 90 minute wait for a ride home from the grocery store today. I have never had to wait that long before and I must say it was a little irritating. I thought I had things so well planned so that I could get to the store and get my shopping done before Magrib (that's the prayer call that occurs around between 1700 and 1900 depending on the time of year). Everything shuts down during prayer calls so I always try to plan around them. I managed to do just that but my plan failed when I couldn't get a cab. For the first 45 minutes when I called they just kept telling me they had no cars and to call back. After that they just didn't answer the phone. So I waited, and waited and then waited a little bit longer. Adding to the list of things you need to know as a single women in Saudi Arabia is that I can't really be hanging around outside a store by myself (the stares from men are extremely uncomfortable because a women standing alone outside can only really be one type of women.....even with a cart full of groceries. You can guess what kind of women that is). This being said the security guards at most stores will let a women hang out inside, even when the store is closed for prayer (if you get there before prayer time you can also stay inside and continue shopping). In this case they even got me chair. So I sat and read (the exact reason I bought a Kindle before I left Canada). I also bought a nice little watch....to kill some time (ironic I know) and I checked out The Body Shop next door. The security guards kind of laughed when I left the store and then came back to hangout and wait during Isha (that's the prayer call the occurs around 1830 to 2030 depending on the time of year). "Like a restaurant" he said in his broken English as he unlocked the door and directed me back to my chair. A comical moment to both of us.
Eventually I got through to Hala and a car arrived to take me home. In the end, yes I had to wait but I made it home safe and sound as always. That's what counts. It is what it is.....you deal with it or you go home.
Just another story from my life here in The Kingdom.
Julie
Monday, February 20, 2012
I am sure you are all well aware of some of the many restrictions placed on women here in Saudi Arabia (if I haven't talked about them I will over the next months). One of them is of course the fact that women are not allowed to drive (although many, including some Saudi Royalty are working to change that). Most of the time it doesn't bother me. The hospital has contracted a cab company (Hala Limo) to drive us all over the place and be available to us when we call. The cost is pretty reasonable and we have a little bit more assurance that the driver will speak at least a little bit of English, will know where we need to go (and where our home is) and not try to rip us off (well sometimes they do but a threat to call the dispatcher can solve that problem really quick). There are a lot of hospitals in the area and more than a few nurses have been taken to the wrong one because they cannot say King Faisal Hospital in Arabic and the street cab took them somewhere else.
For the most part I don't really mind........except when I just want to run a quick errand. I find I have to be a whole lot more organized and planned. No quick trip to run grab a carton of milk or that one baking ingredient I forgot. Most trips (to even the closest grocery store) take at least an hour......assuming you've planned around prayer time correctly.
And I know I have mentioned the traffic here. It's nothing short of crazy and easily some of the worst drivers I have ever seen.............ever, anywhere. They turn 3 lanes of driving traffic into 6 or 7, there doesn't seem to be a speed limit, signaling usually means "look-out, I'm changing lanes whether you are there or not" and I've translated honking loosely to the Ludacris lyrics "Move, Bitch, Get Out the Way". It's kind of scary and exciting (well very often scary) all at the same time.
The point to all this is my 90 minute wait for a ride home from the grocery store today. I have never had to wait that long before and I must say it was a little irritating. I thought I had things so well planned so that I could get to the store and get my shopping done before Magrib (that's the prayer call that occurs around between 1700 and 1900 depending on the time of year). Everything shuts down during prayer calls so I always try to plan around them. I managed to do just that but my plan failed when I couldn't get a cab. For the first 45 minutes when I called they just kept telling me they had no cars and to call back. After that they just didn't answer the phone. So I waited, and waited and then waited a little bit longer. Adding to the list of things you need to know as a single women in Saudi Arabia is that I can't really be hanging around outside a store by myself (the stares from men are extremely uncomfortable because a women standing alone outside can only really be one type of women.....even with a cart full of groceries. You can guess what kind of women that is). This being said the security guards at most stores will let a women hang out inside, even when the store is closed for prayer (if you get there before prayer time you can also stay inside and continue shopping). In this case they even got me chair. So I sat and read (the exact reason I bought a Kindle before I left Canada). I also bought a nice little watch....to kill some time (ironic I know) and I checked out The Body Shop next door. The security guards kind of laughed when I left the store and then came back to hangout and wait during Isha (that's the prayer call the occurs around 1830 to 2030 depending on the time of year). "Like a restaurant" he said in his broken English as he unlocked the door and directed me back to my chair. A comical moment to both of us.
Eventually I got through to Hala and a car arrived to take me home. In the end, yes I had to wait but I made it home safe and sound as always. That's what counts. It is what it is.....you deal with it or you go home.
Just another story from my life here in The Kingdom.
Julie
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