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International Intrigue: Fish Out of Water
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International Intrigue: Fish Out of Water Needless to say, Arab customs are very different from those in the west, and if you're a woman who finds herself traveling to the area one should be prepared to learn the customs. Although Arabs are understanding and unlikely to take offense at social faux pas, provided they arise from ignorance rather than malice, it’s important to realize that you are a visitor and must therefore adapt to certain customs and social behavior of the region. My Army unit deployed to the area in December of 1990. I was 19 years old, blonde and fair skinned with no understanding of the culture. My experience being in the Persian Gulf region (Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait) could best be described as "Fish out of Water" mainly because back in the early 1990's the military did little to educate soldiers and women particularly about the customs. The military has since improved upon acclimating current soldiers deploying into the region. After the ground war and peace talks, my unit returned to a large military housing installation near Dhahran Saudi Arabia called Khobar Towers.  After cleaning and loading our equipment on ships at the port to be transported back to the U.S., (a daunting task) we were granted a day pass to go into the city for R& R. The only instruction given to soldiers were that females must always have a male accompanying them at all times and could not wonder off alone. After arriving in the city with my escort, I found myself being followed by a small group of 20-something Arab men. Apparently, men considered a blonde headed woman a novelty. Despite being attired in my battle dress uniform (BDU's) with my hair braided up in a coil on my head, the men asked my male if they could photograph me. Weird, I thought but, so be it. After that, we had to lose them because they literally would not stop following us around and taking pictures of us. Now I know how animals at the zoo feel. We were hungry so we made our way to a local dining establishment. A male worker quickly met us at the door and pointed to the stairwell advising that if I was to eat there, we had to be seated "upstairs in the family section" as only men were allowed to dine on the ground level. There are two distinct types of women’s clothing in the region: one for locals, the other for expatriates. Outside the home, most Arab women dress according to custom, which means that they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women are totally covered, including their face and hands, especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands. This is meant to protect women from unwanted attention, and in Saudi Arabia even foreign women must wear an abaya outside the home; the religious police will stop any woman who has her head uncovered and direct her to cover her hair immediately. A shopkeeper persuaded me to try on the traditional Arabic abaya over my BDU's, and my thought it was a neat idea to photograph me while so attired. Those photos of me were seized by customs prior to leaving the port because it is a sign of disrespect to photograph any woman in traditional dress and those caught violating this could be subject to disciplinary penalties. All in all, it was difficult for me to fathom the idea of women being regarded in what I felt was a repressive, subservient manner. It made me appreciate the freedom that we have and often take for granted here in the U.S. Please take the time to view the contributions that other bloggers have made to the 12th Virtual Symposium. Click this link to view the list of participants: Participants List For The Twelfth Virtual Symposium International Intrigue. Have a wonderful day. |
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Very interesting story - thank you for sharing. When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
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An interesting read. Though more liberal than Saudi Arabia, my visit to Dubai conformed the repression of women and migrant workers. It's not an area I wish to visit again quickly!  
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I've always enjoyed "How to adjust to international customs and mores" articles. Highly regimented societies such as Japan, for instance, fascinate me, because no matter how carefully you bow, or acknowledge who you think you should be acknowledge and give gifts that should be appropriate, chances are you're going to screw up something, somewhere. What gives this situation an additional bit of urgency is that the customs are largely based in religion... and that means folks are more likely to take deeper offense if they are not followed. Intriguing, international, and appreciated! Thank you! Stop in, read, and offer comments at my "swinging as seen in the media" blog, "Confessions of a Lifestyle Man" humorlife, which is also the home of the monthly virtual symposium. New post: The Virtual Symposium Returns Lets Pick A Topic
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Thank you for your story Old adage " to Rome do as the romans "
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Thank you for your service! Although I traveled some, I've never been to arab countries. Customs in such countries, as I found, designed, among other things, to intimidate. I felt it when went back to Russia for a friend's funeral. Although I speak perfect Russian, my American passport made customs' officials feel mighty powerful and I was put through all kinds of search and humiliation. This is great post. Thank you for sharing your experience. Visit my blog It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World of NaughtyInSO, leave a comment, become a watcher. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LIVE AND LET LIVE Be happy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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With everything going on in the world right now, the gains of radicalism in particular, I am often reminded how incredibly LUCKY I am to not have been born a woman in certain parts of the world. Women's plights are simply unimaginable sometimes. Unwanted sexual relations, forced marriage, genital excision...the list never ends and it's kept me up many nights, reading about more than half the world's population's condition, which seems to get WORST despite technological modernity and faster than ever communication/information! Feel so helpless and saddened by what women like myself endure in some parts of the world...
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I enjoyed reading this. I've talked with other soldiers about service in the Middle East, and it's all over the map, from loved it to hated it. "Now I know how animals at the zoo feel." That sentence really stood out for me. It's still a little like that her too, isn't it, for women? And...I had a good friend who stayed at Khobar Towers. He was later injured in Iraq by an IED. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Thank you for your service, and this story!!!!   WITHOUT PASSION LIFE IS NOTHING
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only other country I have been to was japan. but one needs to respect what ever other coutry you are visiting. I think the lack of respect of the muslim culture by the west inspired the attacks on 911. I am glad the us has improved on this.
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The logic I've heard from women who do cover up is that they are jewels and highly cherished, they cover up so not to be coveted by other men. I'm an all american girl, I'm glad that we have our freedoms, but do respect other cultures. Neat post! "To Be Consumed" Blog : I want to be your drug of painful withdrawals.
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I loved this post by you. It made me feel like I just got to know you a little bit more. Thank you for this contribution to the symposium, Kitkat The observant make the best lovers, I may not do right, but I do write, I have bliss, joy, and happiness in my life, Kitkat Come check out my blog KItkat1415 check out this post by me Adventures In Body Grooming #39 April Topic Link: What Lies Beneath If April Showers Oh Bloody Hell What Kind Of Weather Turns Me On Bloggers Symposium 40
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I have seen this first hand in many of these countries. I can also tell you doing business I always need a guy with me. ty for your service too.. Great read by the way. I did service for 33 years and traveled all over the place with the military.. Meet some awesome folks along the way too.. hugssssss V Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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This is a pic of a group I was working with way back.. They always brought a smile to my face in the morning.. When a task we thought was going to be hard we always made it through hugsssssssssss V Become a blog watcher sweet_vm
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yes...sometimes the Army doesn't understand about cultural differences. But, my division in Germany got the 101 class on Arab cultures and 102 on Islam during the first desert storm. “Life is available only in the present moment.” Thich Nhat Hanh Come and read my blog! Become a watcher! veryfunnycple64 
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Societies that repress their women are hurting themselves in a major way by blocking 50% of the talent from contributing to the posterity of that society. These societies will never truly prosper. How could they? Loved your post, myelin! Thanks, and blog on!
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Societies that repress their women are hurting themselves in a major way by blocking 50% of the talent from contributing to the posterity of that society. These societies will never truly prosper. How could they? Loved your post, myelin! Thanks, and blog on! Plus, he's blocking over 50% of his own internal talent pool by not letting me run things. I could get us laid all the time, He never gets us any, and he never will with this schtick he's using now. Heck, I escort him everywhere. So I see everything. Why just last nigh... Shit! He's coming back, I gotta jet.... Is this just another trick by keithcancook 
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 Grrr! kooc, git back in yer box or I won't let you play with the other alter-egos next leap year!Sorry, myelin. Doncha just hate it when yer evil twin gets loose?  He's really harmless, but he embarrasses me to no end.  If he returns, please catch him and hold him. I'll come and collect him.
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oh my god please can i take your photo
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You're welcome
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Notre vie est un voyage-♦-Dans l'hiver et dans la nuit
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