AN Egyptian friend born and raised in the Kingdom told me that when he visited Egypt for a short vacation he did not feel at home. Although he has an Egyptian nationality, he has become so accustomed to living in the Kingdom and the Saudi culture that he found living in Egypt difficult. He told me this happens each time he visits Egypt. What particularly struck him was that Egyptians do not consider him Egyptian because of his funny accent—Egyptian-cum-Saudi—and Saudi-like culture. My friend fears the day his father finally decides to leave the Kingdom. He said he will adjust but it will take a long time. This little conversation made me think about the hundreds of thousands of expat children who were born and raised in this country; it made me wonder of the difficulties they will face adjusting to their home countries when their parents decide to call it a day in Saudi Arabia. The problem with non-Saudi children born and raised here is that they are not considered Saudi even if they consider themselves so. As they are born here, they naturally feel a sense of loyalty to the Kingdom, more than their country of origin. However, we still consider them to be expatriates. This is a dilemma with no real answer. I met an Indian at a function in Dubai who has been working there for several years. His children were born and raised in Dubai and see themselves as Emiratis rather than Indians. We had a friendly conversation over this and he told me that his children, having lived in the UAE, find life in India difficult. When they visit India on vacations to connect to their roots, they become restless to return to the UAE. I asked him what the solution was; he simply replied he did not know. The situation is the same with Saudis who were born and raised in the US and Europe because their parents were either on scholarships or diplomats. These children adjusted to living abroad, absorbed the local culture and forgot their mother tongues to an extent. When these children come to Saudi Arabia, they find an alien culture and see themselves as cultural misfits. When they speak to friends and relatives, they end up speaking more English than Arabic. Though they are Saudi through and through, they cannot wait to return abroad as they simply cannot fit into life in the Kingdom. The “Misfit Generations” are those expat children who have lived away from their countries of origin for long periods of time. In the case of migrants who travel to Europe and the West, the goal is clear: start a new life with a new identity. And so the children of migrants in the West are, in the main, very Western while their parents cling to their countries of origin. There are of course some first and second generation migrants who are connected to their countries of origin, but they tend to be few. Regardless of how many times parents may take their children back to their countries of origin, the younger generation will be accustomed to the countries where they were born. Some families do not want their children to lose the connection with their countries of origin and so send their children and wives back while they remain abroad. This may solve the problem of being connected to one's roots, but the children will grow up without a father figure. If the parent decides to return home for their children's sake, then they risk losing their jobs and the incentives that come with that. Some of my expatriate friends tell me that they send their children to their countries of origin to live with grandparents whom they trust. While they are able to ensure their children's identities are protected, it is difficult to live away from them. Expatriate community leaders in the Kingdom of all nationalities face a huge challenge in maintaining their children's identities and keeping them connected to their countries of origin. Each community does it in a different way. Some resort to educational and cultural programs, while others do it through regular trips abroad. In the opinion pieces I write, I tend to suggest solutions to problems. However, for this problem I do not know a solution to help expatriates maintain their children's identity and sense of belonging to their countries of origin. So-called solutions are difficult. Maybe there is no solution. It is a dilemma and a price that expatriates must pay when working and raising children abroad.
— The writer can be contacted at [email protected]. Twitter: @anajeddawi_eng
