Have You Been To A Circus Before?

assalamu aleikum dear readers!
it's been a long time since i've posted on my blog, i dunno if anyone noticed but if you were waiting, i apologize.. and welcome to all the new followers :)

well, sentiments aside, not so long ago i actually had a chance to visit a saudi girls' school graduation party.. and let me tell you it was something! since it's a girls school, males were not allowed and as it happens at all female only gatherings here, the lades didn't miss a chance to show off their...everything.. well, it was kinda weird.. some came wearing night gowns, others - jeans or beach dresses.. and of course lots of make-up and perfumes

i have to say the girls' performances were just wonderful! so was the work of the school staff.. what really shocked me was the audience.. of course everybody was like 1.5 hours late, this is normal here.. but even when the action on stage started, women were still arriving and behaving as though nothing formal was going on - walking around, talking loudly, laughing and paying little attention to what was going on on the stage.. it all looked more like a dress rehearsal to me than an actual performance day.. this continued even when the principal was giving a speech but she didn't say one word to make them quiet, as if this kind of behavior was normal

it got even more interesting, however, when i saw some of the ladies sitting with their feet on the backs of the chairs in front of them, another one trying to do something like a shadow play in the light of a projector right in the middle of the performance.. and the young lady in a mini and high heels climbing over the rows just finished me off

this reminds me of my saudi friend who quite some years ago went to a performance of a visiting circus here in jeddah with her friend..  it was a mixed gathering, i have to mention.. and how weird did they feel when during the whole performance they were like the only ones clapping and cheering for the actors.. the circus stopped coming shortly after...

what is the reason for this kind of behavior? is it arrogance and lack of morality or is it just because people don't really know how they should behave in such kind of gatherings, simply because they don't have a chance to attend many (or any at all)?

Women's Magazine - Middle Eastern Style

sayidaty is a women's monthly magazine, main office based in dubai.. it's like middle eastern cosmopolitan, only less shallow and with an islamic twist.. it's been on the market for 28 years now and is available in both arabic and english.. it talks about fashion, culture, lifestyle, health, marriage and what not.. you'll also find inspirational true stories in every issue

i find it cute how they use pictures of western celebrities or models and make them look more decent by drawing on leggings and t-shirts to cover the 'awrah :) take a look

Miss Arab World 2009

mawadda nour from saudi arabia was crowned "miss arab world 2009" on november 11, 2009 in cairo

sixteen contestants (18-24 years) from all over the arab world were competing for the title

the girls walked in their national dresses in front of the jury who crowned mawadda nour from saudi arabia as miss arab world 2009-2010, and jessy zaher from lebanon as first runner up.. controversy occurred right after the event ended since some critics found that the winner does not meet the standards required for a beauty pageant contestant.. well, may be she's very charming in person...

TV Presenters In Niqab

the presenters of a new saudi tv show that discusses issues concerning teenage girls and female university students are covered not only in black abayas but niqabs as well

the show named asrar al-banat (the secrets of girls) is broadcast on awtan tv, a saudi religious channel that was first aired in august 2008.. it discusses different issues relating to teenage girls, is aired every friday evening and receives live phone calls from members of the public

there are over 60 religious satellite channels that are broadcast across the middle east via arabsat and nilesat networks.. some of them have women presenters who do not cover their faces and dress in different colors, not necessarily black, while others have no women presenters at all.. awtan is the one channel that allowes women to appear but only when covered from head to toe

presenting asrar al-banat is sawsan salah al-deen, a 26-year-old saudi from riyadh and a BA graduate in media and guidance.. helping her are her sister (a specialist in blood diseases) and a psychologist.. sawsan also wears niqab in real life

the opinions of the viewers on how the presenters of the program look, differ - some encourage them, others criticize

asrar al-banat has so far broadcast four episodes

more on this in arab news

Breast Cancer Campaigns In Full Swing

october is regarded globally as the breast cancer awareness month.. here in saudi a number of charities, medical associations and individuals have also launched campaigns to raise awareness of the disease in the kingdom, specialy in rural areas

more than 20% of cancer cases in saudi arabia are breast cancer, it being the most common cancer in the country

a breast cancer organization, which is currently at the forefront of awareness campaigns in the kingdom, called zahra breast cancer association, has implemented several awareness campaigns in rural areas around the kingdom, including three mobile clinics

it is reported that in saudi most breast cancer hits women in their 30s, however most women living in rural areas as well as small cities within the kingdom are ignoring the necessity of detecting such diseases at an early stage, as well as the importance of self-detection

as part of "choose wise, save lives" campaign by the zahra association, educational displays and brochures can be seen in a number of supermarkets and malls.. a series of seminars and lectures with the participation of doctors, the media, educators and volunteers are also to take place during october all around the country

moreover, as reported, king abdulaziz university (KAU) in jeddah announced it would establish the first center of excellence for breast cancer in the region, thanks to a SR15 mln donation from a local businessman.. the center will perform mammograms with modern technology and cooperate in research with specialized international research facilities in geneva and the united states.. it will concentrate on young women diagnosed with breast cancer

a doctor at zahra association advises that every woman from the age of 20 upward, should perform a self examination every month, about three to five days after her period.. once the patient reaches the age of 40, she should get a mammogram done every two years and then every year after 50

more on cancer in saudi

sources: saudi gazette, arab news

No Reservations In Saudi Arabia

if you are an american you might have seen this show on tv.. i've found this episode of no reservations show on youtube and just looooved it.. it shows the nice side of saudi which pretty much nobody knows or hears about.. and ta-da! it was filmed in jeddah where i live :) i also loved this danya girl, she's so sweet and bubbly mashAllah.. in a word, do watch!

Begging Business In Ramadan

the number of beggars in the kingdom swells during ramadan when saudis as well as expatriates give generously to the poor and the needy

now, let me note that islam, while strongly promoting charity of all kinds, prohibits begging without dire nessecity (thus, it's illegal here).. a muslim is encouraged to safeguard his dignity, develop self-reliance, and steer clear of depending on others.. it is not permissible for him to depend on charity while he is able to earn a sufficient subsistence for himself and his family through his own efforts (more on this topic here)

unfortunately, most of the people begging in the streets of saudi arabia are not really in need, 'cause support is easily available here for those in need in terms of charities offering monthly help with food or other assistance.. moreover, according to reports,there are some organized criminal groups which bring old men, women and children into the country for begging

the most recent annual report from the ministry of social affairs says that there are 5206 saudi beggars in the kingdom and 21136 non-saudis

yemenis accounted for 95% of those arrested, a local press report said, adding that about 3500 yemeni child beggars are held every month by specialized agencies in the kingdom

saudi women are also not without a sin, around 60% of saudi beggars are female.. some of them are divorced or widowed, others have husbands in jail.. the authorities are trying to help those women by finding suitable work for them.. if they have no qualifications they might find work as security guards or servers of coffee or supervisors at wedding occasions.. however, one of the biggest problems is that many of them turn down the opportunity to work, perhaps because the pay is low and they prefer the freedom of begging

fighting begging during ramadan is one of the main problems facing saudi security officers and social affairs ministry officials.. apart from traffic points, beggars wait for their catch at ATMs, mosques, supermarkets and restaurants.. however, it is the duty of all saudi residents to combat this phenomenon.. charity should be given to a muslim who happens to deserve it.. if it is known that he will use it in a bad way or he's not asking out of need, then he's not entitled to it.. it is preferable that one who pays sadaqah should give it to the pious, the knowledgeable, and those of a kind disposition

sources: saudi gazette, arab news, islamonline.net

"This Abaya Is So Last Season!"

every woman in saudi arabia, be it a saudi or an expat, has a beautiful (or at least not ugly) abaya on her wish list

in riyadh women have to be more conservative in the choice of their abayas as there are some restrictions, prohibiting to wear colourful clothes.. however here in jeddah women like to wear abayas with all kinds of embroidery, crystals, lace and other colourful decorations

it turns out that most saudi women are willing to invest more in abayas than the average expatriate women.. they also buy new abayas more frequently, in almost every season, or have their own custom-made abayas, making sure that they follow the latest trends in abaya styles (saudi gazette).. yes, there are actually trends in black abaya styles! they are seasonal and apply to the abayas' designs, colours of decorations, fabrics, etc.

to be glamorous an abaya doesn't have to be heavily decorated, some stones or a touch of embroidery on the sleeves and the bottom will make it look stylish and elegant.. but above all, women here make sure the abaya fits well

abayas are priced according to their designs, embroidery, fabric, etc. the price may range from SR50 to more than SR1000

silk, polyester, georgette and satin are the popularly used abaya fabrics.. most of them are imported from japan, france, indonesia, korea, thailand and china, with those from japan being the most common and of good quality

just a few days ago i went to an abaya shop to buy a plain black lightweight abaya.. it's an emirati brand and the quality is great by the way! there were lots of women taking their measurements, talking to the tailors, looking through heeps of all kinds of decoration samples, choosing, ordering, trying abayas on... dozens of matching scarves on the racks and in glass showcases their crystals glittering in the shop lights, as though whispering "buy me.. buy me.." and tonnes of cartons with all kinds and sizes of abayas lined up on the shelves behind the counter.. looks something like this

isn't it just the abaya heaven?...

Miss Moral Beauty

the winner of miss moral beauty contest (held in the eastern city of safwa, saudi arabia) has been announced late on thursday!

according to saudi gazette an 18-year old saudi aya ali al-mullah trounced 274 rivals to win a crown, SR5,000 prize, a pearl necklace, diamond watch, diamond necklace, and a free ticket to malaysia.. and all this without showing her face! there was none of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and heavy media coverage of beauty pageants elsewhere

instead, the winner and the two runner-up princesses had to undergo a three-month test of their dutifulness to their parents and family, and their service to society.. it was unclear exactly what mullah did to pip her rivals in the huge field, but saudi gazette reported that the high school graduate had good grades and hopes to go into medicine

the second place went to a 20-year-old who is one of a set of triplets who all completed secondary school two years ago with the highest grades but did not find a place at any university.. the girl had previously been a gold medal winner in the ministry of education’s “my country, i love you” competition.. and the other princess of beautiful morals is a high school student aged 15, who was cited for taking care of her home and family during the week because her mother works far from home and can only return on weekends

beauty contests with the focus on physical beauty are never held in the kingdom.. this is the second year of the competition.. according to the organizer, she tried to keep the focus on the inner beauty, as defined by islamic standards of saudi arabia

indeed in islam a woman is appreciated for her inner qualities, high morals, her mind and the contribution she makes to the society rather than for her physical beauty

Why, Oh Why?

so women are not allowed to drive here.. i was wondering why? well there's a number of reasons (according to men of course):

- if women are allowed to drive it will encourage them to leave the house unsupervised for no good reason

- it will make dating, which is already getting out of hand, much easier.. instead of going out for school and social events girls will go on dates.. won't they find a way anyway if they want? and why are only girls to blame?

- many fear that men, especially the young, will harass or chase female drivers.. why not ban the men from driving then?

- if women are allowed to drive, soon some of them will take the opportunity to discard the hijab and abaya as well.. excuse me, but aren't those who want to already doing it when going abroad?

- it's too dangerous to let them drive. they would kill us all.. oh, by the way, saudi arabia has the highest rate of car accidents per capita in the world.. this in a country where women, who are proven to be more careful drivers anywhere in the world, are never behind the wheel

- they aren't smart enough to learn how to drive.. oh, shut up!

- other arguments focus on practicalities, like traffic jams, accidents, car breakdowns, driving in remote areas, etc.

this ban is by no means islamic! in Prophet’s (peace be upon him) time, women rode their horses and camels.. in other islamic countries women didn’t have to compromise their modest dress code to drive and they drive as well as men, if not better and safer.. so this isn't a religious issue so much as a cultural one

as a result a woman needs to depend on someone else to drive her around.. they have to hire male drivers which may be a burden on the family budget.. on the other hand women are warned not to ride with strangers (be it a private driver or a taxi driver), specially alone.. oh and have i mentioned that there's no public transport? this leaves women no options!

why can't they train female drivers and establish a "pink taxi" service like it's been done in london, moscow, dubai?

or at least, why not make women-only public busses? even let the driver be a man, but at least women would have the opportunity to move around freely and they wouldn't have to stay alone with a stranger.. i imagine such busses would look something like this one

anyway, the thing that needs to change is the attitude some men have toward women in this country.. the problem is deeper than just lifting the ban for driving.. let's just hope some day this society will be ready for the big change

more on this topic here

Black Abaya

it is obligatory here in saudi arabia for all females over 13, regardless of their religion, to wear a black abaya when going out of their homes.. in some areas of the country it is also required to wear a headscarf, however here in jeddah it is not the case.. the reasonability of this rule has been discussed a lot, some find it annoying, unfair and even view the abaya as a symbol of opression of women in the country

i as a muslim don't mind wearing the abaya at all (as i choose to cover up anyway alhamdulillah), but i personally don't consider it to be the only appropriate type of islamic dress, or the colour black to be the only possible colour for an abaya.. anyway, as they say "when you go to rome, do as the romans do".. i like my black abaya, find it very comfortable and especially helpful when i'm in i-dunno-what-to-wear mood.. plus here i don't have to always wear a black scarf with it, so i can bring some variety to my outfit

here's how i like to wear my simple black abaya

"You must get a job!"

so everybody i talk to here is telling me i must start working.. everybody.. otherwise i'll die of boredom.. women here can work as teachers, doctors, fitness instructors, some of our relatives work in a bank.. there are also nurses and maids and this kind of stuff but i didn't study my head off at the uni to work as a maid.. actually, there was a time when i used to think i'd rather be a housewife but staying at home for a year has definitely set my mind off this, alhamdulillah.. so i'm planning to get a job inshAllah

Desperate Housewives

it's been more than a month since i'm here and yesterday was the first time i went outside alone! frankly i was a bit worried to go alone 'cuz i read lots of crazy stuff about how guys hit on girls here and i was under the impression that as soon as i step outside, men would start flocking around me like annoying flys, whispering their phone numbers or some kind of nasty stuff.. but nothing like this ever happened! not even close.. i went walking to the nearby grocery store and back and even i was kinda disappointed.. the only annoying thing was the heat, even though it was after maghreb

also after all this time here i got unbearably bored.. seriously, there's nothing to do, specially if you are a girl and don't work.. they don't really have any parks and even if they do, it's absolutely impossible to go out walking in this heat during the day.. plus, as you probably know, women are'nt allowed to drive here, so it's either you get a driver or bug your husband about taking you to places (unless he's busy at work of course).. or you can take a taxi which is not super-cheap or super-safe.. the only places to go out to seem to be restaurants, malls and supermarkets of all sorts, which are pretty useless if u don't have money to spend.. all the local female-relatives were very sympathetic with me even before i ever started complaining about being bored.. seems we are in the same boat

so at the very moment when i was about to have a mental breakdown and start freaking out at my husband without a reason, he, being afraid of getting hurt by a kitchen appliance,
1. bought me a laptop and
2. introduced me to his friend's wife who (apart from being a very nice girl) turned out to be the same bored housewife like myself.. we were talking about the life here and she told me she feels like she stopped developing intellectually since she's been staying at home and she feels the need to keep up with the world outside her home and this driving thing definitely doesn't help.. she has a kid though so it keeps her busy

so we went out to have breakfast in a cafe and grumbled about culture and tradition and other stuff and i feel much better now alhamdulillah