We have now been in Saudi Arabia for 52 days and I finally have a moment to sit down and reflect on all that’s happened and all that we’ve done. Since arriving here on August 15th, it’s been a whirlwind of moving in and setting up house, getting things like identification cards and cell phones, and of course - getting back into the classroom and teaching English again. There have been ups and downs and I’ll do my best now to try to recap the major events.
Arrival
We arrived in Riyadh at around midnight local time after approximately 24 hours of straight travel. Needless to say we were mostly brain numb and a bit disoriented. I thought I would have to put on my abaya (that I didn’t yet possess) as soon as I deplaned but this was not the case. Plenty of other women were walking around in normal clothes. I was afraid that I would possibly be looked at with unkindness or in the very least curiosity, but this was not the case. No one took any interest in another westerner at the airport.
While waiting for our luggage at the carousel I noticed a large advertisement for a fashion clothing company. The photo was cropped so that the woman’s head was not shown, so it was really just a tunic style blouse. But I notice the model’s bare hands had been blurred out and I found this strange. We collected our suitcases and were met right outside of customs by a welcoming committee from the school. They had two vans waiting for us and we climbed right in. I was still in my normal clothes, no abaya.
The First Two Weeks
This part is largely a blur of trips to the grocery store, trips to the hardware and home furnishing stores and everything in between to get our home set up and feeling like home. Since our villa was already fully furnished with an equipped kitchen and basic linens, these were superfluous purchases, but rugs and plants and colorful pillows go a long way in making a home more homey. We made fast friends with the other two childless couples we came in with, and the six of us stuck to close to each other during this time. Also, it was in the 110 degree range and going outside felt like sticking your head inside a hot oven and taking a deep breath.
The Abaya
The standard issue abaya was plastic-wrapped and waiting for me on our dining room table the night we arrived. Traditional black with buttons down the front from the neck to the ankle, this polyester garment is not the most conducive to running errands in the extreme heat. Also, every time I would bend down to look at something on the bottom shelf of a store, my buttons would pop open and I’d find myself hurriedly snapping them back up lest someone get an eyeful on my shins. There are several abaya shops in the malls that have glamourous couture abayas with gold embroidery or ivory satin trim, and I plan on treating myself to one of these soon. In the meantime, I did buy an upgraded abaya at a little Saudi National Day festival in our compound. This one blessedly is a zip-front, so no more popping buttons. Yay! I have not covered my hair once since we’ve been here and it doesn’t seem to be an issue. There are loads of westerners living over here and I think Saudis are just used to seeing us.
The Compound
I can’t say it’s not more than a little weird, living in a compound but it’s also quite nice and convenient in many ways. It’s like living in a really small town that’s condensed into one little area. The athletic center is top notch, replete with an indoor running track and swimming pool. And because it’s within walking distance, the majority of residents take advantage of the facilities and this is the fittest group of teachers I’ve ever worked with. People ride around on tricycles, and use the baskets on the back to carry school supplies, groceries, and even their small children. That’s another thing - 90% of the teachers here have children. It’s like “what you do” here. I can’t complain that there is a full-service spa on compound that is open 6 days a week and takes evening appointments. I’ve only been once so far but it was lovely and I will be taking advantage of this amenity for sure.
There was a moment about 10 days in where I was walking the two blocks from the school campus to our villa when I felt a chokehold of anxiety grab me and I felt trapped inside a compound where I couldn’t leave, I couldn’t drive away if I wanted to and I was just stuck. But this passed. Now we make frequent trips “outside the walls” and the feelings of claustrophobia have faded away.
The School
We are about four weeks in and I can honestly say I’ve never been professionally pushed so hard in my career. The expectations are extremely high but the staff rises to them. There are no slackers here. There are teachers here who love their craft and are dedicated to pushing themselves and believe in education. I have also never felt so managed in my life, in terms of tasks and follow up, and it’s been a struggle for me to adjust to that. But I keep reminding myself that this school is great for a reason, and maybe it’s these practices that have contributed to that. So, I’m trying. But there are times I have to bite my tongue. My teaching team is brilliant, sarcastic, and a bit eccentric - the way good English teachers should be, and I’m enjoying the collegiality. The teachers here work very, very hard. But they party just as hard. Like most teachers, really.
Being Back in the Classroom
I think I had more anxiety about this then I did about living in Saudi Arabia. Having been six years removed from high school and five years removed from classroom teaching, I doubted myself a lot. I definitely had a few freak out moments in the days leading up to and during the first week of school. But Justin talked me down from the ledge and soon I got my groove back and got right back into the rhythm of the classroom. I suddenly realized how much I had been missing the day to day teaching interactions and the relationships with students. Honestly, I’m loving it and I’m happy staying put for now. The students are extremely respectful and more self-disciplined that what I’m used to. This is the most international school I’ve ever worked at. Our students are multicultural and multilingual and it is so fascinating teaching them all and seeing what a wide world view they have. And I love the content - reading, analyzing, discussing, and writing about literature is what led me to teaching to begin with. So it feels really great to get to be doing that again.
Shopping
There are more shopping malls here than you can count. And they are luxurious. Going to the malls is a “thing” to do. There are really nice restaurants and coffee shops, makeup and clothing stores, and we even saw one that had a rollercoaster inside. We’ve made a few trips to the malls and they offer many of the same brands we have at home. However, women are not allowed to try on clothes (we can’t have women getting undressed in public…). So, you either buy your clothes and take them into the bathroom where you can try them on and then return them right away if they don’t fit. Or, you just take your chances. I’m told in the Kingdom Tower mall there is a women’s only floor where you are allowed to try on clothes, but I haven’t been there yet.
The People
Honestly, we’ve been so busy settling in and planning for school that we have not had many interactions with locals yet. I do hope to make some Saudi friends and attend some events beyond the compound, but this may take some time. Store clerks have always treated me in a respectful and friendly way and almost everybody here speaks English, so it’s actually a lot easier getting around and getting things done here than it ever was in Ecuador.
I think that summarizes things well up to this point. I did go out on a ladies night dinner last week, and I will post about that soon. But as of now, I am feeling settled and professionally fulfilled. We’ve made some great friends. Everyone here is genuinely very nice and welcoming and I really can’t complain. We are quite comfortable and settling in nicely. I do miss my family a lot and I can really feel the distance at times. But I am happy to be here and I look forward to this new reality!
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