Saudi women in abaya doing their grocery at a mall in Riyadh. Many exxpat women who have been accustomed to wearing the abaya have found it to be a protective clothing. – Courtesy photo Saudi Arabia is among the countries that host expatriates from other parts of the world. And almost all expats came here with their own preconceived ideas about their host country. Many have negative notions but these preconceived ideas have changed during their stay in the Kingdom. “When I came here, I was immediately impressed by the ongoing development of the country,” said Roula Salahia, a Syrian housewife currently living in Riyadh. That gave her an impression that Saudi Arabia has been receptive to change towards progress, especially in its social, educational and industrial endeavors. “The Saudi Government has done its best to support its people, especially the youngsters in many fields like education and entertainment, among others,” she added. Kholoud Baraka, a Syrian student, said she had some trepidation when she came over here, but all of her anxieties vanished after living in the Kingdom for a year. “I have been here in Saudi Arabia for one year, and I have found it a very modern and comfortable place to study,” she said. “When I was writing my dissertation, I felt worried at the beginning. But I haven't faced any obstacles in regard to my studies because access to the Internet is hassle-free and libraries are rich with resources,” she said. Dr. Saleh Al-Remaih, a faculty member at the Department of Sociology of the King Saud University in Riyadh, said foreign media have played a role in depicting Saudi Arabia in the past “as a backward country, lacking in modern facilities and services.” which could have led many people in other countrues to get that “stereotyped notion” until they become aware of the development of the Kingdom. “The Kingdom has come a long way to progress in all fields. And with the help of the Ministry of Culture and Information, which has arranged special occasions and events here and aboard to show the current condition of the country, other people here and outside the country have learned to appreciate the Kingdom. Pictures posted online are also of great help,” said Al-Remaih. Many expats have negative perception of the hijab as a segregating factor that hinders the dealings between Saudi men and women. Baraka was among them. “Before coming to Saudi Arabia, I heard that there is a strict segregation between men and women,” she said. “But later I have seen male professors lecturing in girls' classes and women working with men in different fields.” Maggie McCullough-Khan, an American housewife living in Riyadh, said she has changed her perception about the social norms and the way she used to think about the abaya. “I thought the segregation between the sexes is much severe and the rules are very oppressive,” she told the Saudi Gazette. “”However, when I came here, I discovered that the dealings between the sexes are regulated in a good way and I am treated well as an expat. I even consider my abaya as very protective.” Jumana Al-Mutairi, a psychologist in Riyadh, said moving to another country is not an easy experience but one has to adapt to the culture and ways of other places. “Adaptability is very important for expats all over the world, especially in Saudi Arabia which has an Islamic culture and tradition. Society, including the expats, should be flexible,” she added. Some expatriates have the tendency to connect the bad behavior of some Saudis to their religion and make generalized wrong concepts about Muslims. Ruth, a Filipino housewife, made such generalization when she came because of a bad experience with a Saudi woman in a supermarket three months after she moved to the Kingdom. “I had many preconceived notions about Saudi Arabia. One of them is that most Saudi women are arrogant towards Southeast Asians,” said Ruth, who has settled with her family in Riyadh. “A painful experience reinforced such notion. A Saudi lady shoved me and my son while trying to get a loaf of bread across the counter. She pushed my son aside, took a loaf of bread and rushed to the cashier. When I talked to her and demanded an apology, she insulted me. I decided to leave the place. Having just arrived in the Kingdom and had been three months at that time, I felt discriminated,” she recalled. But she said that such perception has changed over the years when she met other Saudi women who proved to be kind and polite. “Now I have a lot of Saudi women friends whom I treat like my own sisters because they treat me as their own. My first impression about Saudi women being arrogant has changed. I shouldn't generalize people, much less other cultures,” she added. Dr. Saad Al-Goaib, a faculty member at the Department of Sociology at the King Saud University in Riyadh, said people should try to understand that the Saudis are also human with their own frailties. “People should understand that Saudi people are human beings,” said Dr. Al-Goaib and added that expats should not equate Islam with the behavior of all Saudis. “Saudi people are not perfect, they make mistakes. Some of them don't follow the teachings of Islam,” he added. Parinaz Desai, Pakistani housewife living in Riyadh, said “when I was about to join my husband in January 2010, I had a preconceived notion of Saudi Arabia being the safest country in the world. That wasn't certainly right. Just a week later my handbag was snatched by a group of four bad boys. I was shocked”. “But then, I guess bad people are everywhere. After six months of living here, I have learned to like Riyadh a lot,” she added.
