New Country, New Rules

Within minutes of arriving in Dubai I instantly felt the change in my role from Saudi Arabia. When I boarded the Emirates flight from Riyadh to Dubai the stewardess asked me if I would mind changing seats with a gentleman who wanted to sit with his family. He was a Saudi man, traveling with his wife (covered all except the eyes) and their two children. Of course I agreed to change seats, and yet despite wearing my abaya and head scarf the Saudi man would not acknowledge me.



Upon touch down in Dubai I stood up to get my bag down from the overhead bin only to notice that his once covered wife was now wearing a lovely pink headscarf and had abandoned her abaya all together. As I reached for my luggage, her husband looked at me and smiled, holding his youngest child in his arms he thanked me for switching seats with him. As I handed him the diaper bag that was wedged into the compartment next to my suitcase he played with his son and shared a laugh with his wife.

I had been told by many Saudi women that their husbands were warm, affectionate and loving family men when at home or in the comfort of family.

Interestingly, it wasn’t until I left Saudi that I witnessed this warmth first hand.

Opportunity: Remember there is always more to Saudi life than meets the eye.