Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia

An innocent conversation between Indian spouses--December 2007. Names changed. This conversation gives out some ways of Saudi life. Now I understand, KSA's life has changed dramatically. Women drivers are allowed......

xxx (5:17:52 PM): hello??

yyy (5:18:03 PM): yes zzz

xxx (5:18:27 PM): wanted to know that you are there

yyy (5:18:38 PM): yes.  still, there?

xxx (5:18:47 PM): ok

yyy (5:30:10 PM): what is mamma doing?

xxx (5:30:21 PM): I don't know

xxx (5:30:26 PM): nothing

yyy (5:30:27 PM): she had been to the dentist, yesterday?

xxx (5:31:00 PM): Hi

yyy (5:31:21 PM): yes xxx.  u had been to the dentist yesterday?

xxx (5:31:43 PM): yes

yyy (5:32:04 PM): what is the progress?

xxx (5:33:02 PM): yesterday all of a sudden I got pain in the other tooth and the puss started forming , i took appointment and went to her and got the treatment. actually I had an appointment on 20th Dec.

xxx (5:33:28 PM): got treated.

xxx (5:33:58 PM): who takes care of your clothes, shoes, etc.

yyy (5:34:58 PM): normal household cleaning is taken care of by company employees, whom I have not seen till date as they come only during working hours and do not come on holidays

yyy (5:35:16 PM): I get a person for washing clothes and ironing twice a week.

xxx (5:36:04 PM): u have to pay them for the washing and ironing

yyy (5:36:19 PM): yes.

yyy (5:37:06 PM): there is a company employed dhobi, who does not give good service.  so I am employing this person

yyy (5:37:28 PM): household cleaning service is done decently and has no problem.

xxx (5:37:36 PM): why u have to pay, co. don't take care of this, since the family is not with u

xxx (5:38:04 PM): washing machine is there

yyy (5:38:10 PM): yes.

xxx (5:38:27 PM): what about shoe polishing

yyy (5:38:43 PM): I do it myself.

xxx (5:39:15 PM): bad, I think Nigeria was better

yyy (5:41:24 PM): Nigeria, people were available for services.  the atmosphere was not very good--working. here the quality is better.  work conditions are better.  respected.  Nigeria is nothing compared to this place.

yyy (5:42:24 PM): Nigeria is a free country.  this place--outside campus is restricted country.

yyy (5:43:58 PM): government controls in Nigeria were non-existent.  here govt control is too much.  once u step out of campus, u strictly have to follow rules.  though this is not a problem for us, any service like banking, etc is tedious.

xxx (5:44:18 PM): if respect counts then I have nothing to say, for me if u are holding such a high designation then u are supposed to get all sorts of facilities including manpower

yyy (5:45:10 PM): manpower here is scarce.  local persons do not work at low levels such as cleaning, etc.  everyone has to be expatriate.

yyy (5:45:47 PM): local manpower here is doing only middle-level services.  they are more or less non-existent in higher and lower levels of working

xxx (5:46:05 PM): ok

yyy (5:46:05 PM): govt is obviously controlled by locals.

xxx (5:46:12 PM): no comments

yyy (5:46:34 PM): I am only writing down the facts.

xxx (5:46:41 PM): ok

yyy (5:47:49 PM): language is a big problem.  this is one reason why we face problem with respect to understanding rules

xxx (5:48:00 PM): I see.

yyy (5:48:20 PM): their system of governance is very strange and it is difficult for us to understand.

yyy (5:48:24 PM): for eg.

yyy (5:49:12 PM): a rape victim--a girl who was raped by about 7 men were sentenced to death--strange reasons

yyy (5:49:39 PM): she was travelling in a car with a stranger and group of seven men raped her and beat the man.

xxx (5:49:57 PM): I know their rules that is why I am very scared of this thing

yyy (5:50:15 PM): her crime was she was travelling with a man who is not related to her in any way.

xxx (5:50:51 PM): I see

yyy (5:50:59 PM): the king had to intervene after getting international pressure to condone her death sentence to life imprisonment.

xxx (5:51:11 PM): ok

yyy (5:51:13 PM): it is totally a different world

yyy (5:51:36 PM): for them, we look very strange, for us, they look very strange

yyy (5:51:49 PM): but they have rules and go by it.

xxx (5:51:56 PM): ok

yyy (5:52:14 PM): it is not anarchy like in dictatorship world--which is dangerous.

yyy (5:52:34 PM): as long as u follow the rules, no issues.

xxx (5:52:55 PM): I know, I know don't make me more scare.

yyy (5:53:21 PM): what r u scared?

xxx (5:53:51 PM): by their laws and rules,

yyy (5:54:37 PM): once u understand rules, there is nothing to be scared about.  follow the rules.  do not violate the rules

xxx (5:54:47 PM): ok

yyy (5:55:19 PM): fortunately it is rule-bound governance.  NOT AN ANARCHY.

xxx (5:55:27 PM): good

yyy (5:56:05 PM): even a fly cannot violate a rule--I am exaggerating

yyy (5:56:33 PM): since it is strict governance, everyone follows rules

xxx (5:56:44 PM): does they kill the fly if its violate the rules

yyy (5:57:07 PM): if u are driving in Mumbai, u r not sure, who will hit u when.

yyy (5:57:43 PM): this place, till now I have not seen anyone violating simple road rules--which is very common in India

yyy (5:58:09 PM): mind u I have travelled extensively here

yyy (5:59:25 PM): they travel at 150 km per hr.  but they do not overtake from the wrong side.  the slow traveller immediately gives way and fast traveller is patient for the slow traveller

yyy (6:00:09 PM): this happens in spite of no one monitoring.  it is based on a broken window concept.

xxx (6:00:42 PM): good

yyy (6:00:57 PM): they r very religious minded.  at prayer time, they simply keep the shops open and go for prayer, even when a customer is at his place.

yyy (6:01:08 PM): still hardly any theft occurs.

xxx (6:01:10 PM): ok

yyy (6:02:06 PM): u may not understand the rationale behind the archaic rules.  but rules are rules.  they are meant to be followed.

xxx (6:02:19 PM): ok

yyy (6:03:03 PM): no alcohol, no drugs, the woman cannot show her face in public. she cannot drive. some are good some are very strange.

xxx (6:03:17 PM): ok

yyy (6:03:52 PM): same Saudi people when come to India they become like any other people in the world. but in this country, they follow the rule

yyy (6:04:35 PM): in Singapore, same Indians go and follow strict cleanliness system.  but when they are in India, they litter everywhere.  it is the rule

xxx (6:04:40 PM): no comments. when you come to India at that time I will talk

yyy (6:04:46 PM): ok

yyy (6:06:30 PM): I follow the rules.  there is nothing to worry about.

xxx (6:07:40 PM): ok

yyy (6:13:06 PM): ok xxx.  I am signing out.  anything else?

xxx (6:13:22 PM): why? what happened

yyy (6:14:08 PM): I am feeling tired.  I will lie down for an hour before I go for dinner.  I get up very early in the morning--4 am.