My Life In My Handbag - Saudi Arabia

Saudi women are no different than the many other women I know who carry their life around in their handbag.

Crammed in, one thing on top of the other, in a complete mess, we reluctantly purge from time to time.

Interestingly, there is one thing in every Saudi woman’s handbag that stays very close to her every time she sits down for tea.



Her Phone.

There has not been one person we've met that has not brought out their phone to show us their life. Refusing to let us leave the table until we have clicked through every last image. From age 18 to 60, women click through their pictures to show us the details of who they are.

Their children.
Their husbands.
Their homes.
Their friends.
The dress they wore to their friend’s wedding.
Sitting in the back of their car.
Their baby picture.
Their parents today and their parents when first married.
The makeup they did on their eyes.
Their hair let loose.
The shape of their body.
Their favorite pose.

We have seen it all. More than we ever imagined. More than we thought possible in a society like Saudi.

All of it tucked away in their purse, hopefully to never be lost.

Opportunity: Keep Their Secrets Close.