What it’s like to grow up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
‘So are you, like, oppressed and stuff?’
Here’s the thing about growing up in a male-dominated society with ridiculous rules and regulations: it’s not fun. I lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for 15 years and oh boy, it was quite the experience. While it is definitely not barbaric or undeveloped as it is so often portrayed, there are certain aspects of the country that make it just so memorable:
It’s in the middle of the desert
It’s too hot to breathe. Nobody really goes outside during the day unless it’s for work or school. It doesn’t help that the country’s law requires women to wear a black abaya — think of Harry Potter robes but less exciting — at all times in the hot sun. Nightlife is incredible, however; everybody’s ready to party once the sun sets.
Segregation
Restaurants, universities and schools are segregated by gender. While it’s definitely improving, it’s still hard to get used to the SINGLE (MEN) SECTION and FAMILY SECTION at restaurants. I took Tango classes during my High School years at a women’s gym and was not allowed to have a male partner, so I had to perform a couple’s dance solo. On stage. In front of hundreds of women. It was pretty sad.
Perhaps this cat filter will distract me from the patriarchy enveloping the country
Traffic is a nightmare
Once you’re actually out of the house, have fun trying to go wherever it is your poor soul needs to be. Everybody’s trying to visit family, go shopping and grab something to eat at Sushi Yoshi. Headphones are a must for those hour-long car rides. Of course, the guy with the giant, ethereal fro on his head in the car next to you will not hesitate to chuck his phone number inside your window and keep you company.
Women and driving
Just another thing women can’t do in Saudi Arabia because it might put their ovaries in danger. Yes, a Saudi Cleric claimed that driving can have negative impacts on women’s bodies Honestly, if Saudi men believe allowing women to drive will bring “ruin” to the country, they need to learn how to drive properly. Seriously, Fahad do you even know how lanes work?
Religious Police
The Religious Police are a group of men who patrol public areas to ensure the laws of the country are strictly being followed. This includes ordering women to cover up, making sure abaya shops aren’t selling colorful robes and waiting in front of the girls’ section at high schools to prevent loitering. If they spot a girl and a guy walking together, they will question their relationship to confirm the two are, in fact related and not *gasp* a couple. Basically, they suck.
Everything closes during prayer time
Not only do shops and restaurants close during prayer times, which is 5 times a day, but they close for at least an hour for each prayer. The citizens have to plan their days accordingly, which usually means leaving plans until the very end of the day. Nothing screams Saudi Arabia like waiting 30 minutes in front of an empty Applebee’s because it’s closed for Asr prayer.
Censorship
Censorship is a huge deal in Saudi. Women’s faces are pixelated in store ads. Men’s faces are not. There’s also an infamous green webpage that appears if you try to google something a little too… edgy. A lot of these sites are — surprise surprise — controversial religion sites. Pornography is blocked as well, but is that really a surprise when even Saudi Airlines blurs women’s chests and uncovered legs in the movies/shows it screens?
School’s canceled
If the weather so much as hints at a chance of rainfall, the Saudi government will cancel schools because rain either means a refreshing recess for students or floods so bad, you can’t open car doors. This has happened so many times that students simply assume they will get the day off if it rains. There are even twitter accounts to inform — but mostly spread rumors — of potential holidays.
Courtesy of Ghadeer Al-Khaldi // Translation: Schools in Saudi Arabia will close on Sunday due to the incoming wave of dust.
Food
THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES TO CHOOSE FROM. What Saudi lacks in common sense, it makes up for in its large variety of restaurants. With all the different options, the hardest part is choosing a place, but eating at AlBaik is definitely a religious experience that everyone should go through.
Parties
How good are parties? Good enough for people to bring fake invitations in hopes of simply being in the presence of spectacular dance floors and food. Whether it’s an after party for the Kingdom Schools seniors or a birthday party fit for a princess (literally), people go big, and they don’t go home until it’s 5 am.
People
Don’t you just love it when you smile at someone and they frown in response? Saudi is definitely not the place for you to casually talk to a stranger while you wait for your order at Elevation Burger. However, if a friend invites you over, oh boy, get ready for the feast of your life. Gotta be sure to go on an empty stomach; they will feed you an entire chicken and its babies and then serve you some delicious Arabic coffee and maybe hand you their wallet and the keys to their house. I don’t know, man. Everyone there is so hospitable and kind, unlike what the media tends to portray.
In fact, there is a lot of ignorance when it comes to the country. Everyone knows of it but nobody ever seems to know much about it aside from its location and its “wealthy” inhabitants. Yes, it’s not doing so well in the basic human rights department, but hey, its people know how to laugh (and cry) at the country’s situation and make the best of it.