"Can you drive?"
"Do you have to wear a burqa?"
"Are you crazy?"
We heard all of of this and more as we prepared to move and in our first few months here in the Middle East. I know that the things you've heard in the media about this region leave out so many of the positive aspects of the area. Central Asia, as it's more accurately named, can be a tough place to live, but also offers a fascinating learning experience and some amazing travel opportunities. After some reflection on our time here, there are definitely some things I have come to appreciate about our current home.
The People of the Arabian Gulf
People from this part of the globe (and others) have committed terrible acts of terrorism, without a doubt. However, there are 1.6 BILLION Muslims on Earth and the assumption that all Muslims believe in, support, or commit acts of terror is just plain wrong. Our experience here is just the opposite, in fact. The Muslims we have met here do not consider those who carry out attacks on other people Muslims; they don't include them in their definition of Islam. It's been our experience that all places, religions, and cultures have good and bad people, and the Middle East is no different. We are also quite far geographically from the places you hear about on the news like Syria, Yemen, and Turkey.
While I get frustrated with the way things work here at times, I have found that the people here just want to be able to run their country and practice their religion their way--without extremism and without interference from the outside.
We've now been in Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the UAE, and Qatar and our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. We've been invited in to the homes of strangers, shared lovely conversations in each country, and enjoyed exceptional hospitality. While I certainly do not agree with some of the tenets of Islam, I respect the Muslims I have met and have been met with a "live and let live" mentality when our differences of beliefs are discussed.
Safety
The Gulf countries are very safe. Violent crime is extremely rare and personal crimes like robbery are also rare. Crime carries severe punishment (deportation or even death) at the hands of the government here and many think that this dissuades people from committing crime. I walk around in the dark, by myself, and don't think twice about it. I cannot say the same about Seattle or South America, two places where we've been the victims of theft.
Modesty in dress and behavior is definitely an expectation here, especially for women. While I sometimes resent the oppression I feel as a Western woman living here, I understand that I am a guest in this culture and I try to follow the cultural norms, which include wearing clothing that covers knees, shoulders, and chest. While it's not illegal to dress like a Westerner, I've found that I'm more comfortable in public when I try to adapt to the culture by wearing long skirts and shirts that cover my shoulders. Clothes that are considered immodest draw a lot of staring and the occasional rude comment coupled with a disapproving glare--usually from an Arab woman.
Safety goes out the window when we get on the road, but that's another story...
The Food
This is absolutely the best part of living here! The food is diverse and rich in historical significance. Any time we want, we can eat Lebanese (my favorite), Egyptian, Iranian, Moroccan, Turkish, Indian, American, Thai, Chinese...but the Arab food is the best. Fresh, airy bread is served with most meals in copious amounts. The hummus is rich and creamy and comes in a dozen varieties. Lamb is very popular and my favorite version, "kofta" is ground with spices and then grilled on a kebab. We've tried many foods we've never had before and some of them have become staples of our meals out, including Fatoosh, a salad with a spice called sumac and toasted pita, Mutabal, a roasted eggplant spread, and Za'atar, a spice that goes on anything and everything.
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| I eat pounds of this stuff at a time. |
We like to eat at the market (souk) where the food is cheap and comes with enough to feed a whole family. The lamp chops are one of my favorites. The waiters watch you eat and come around with more hot bread every time they think you need more, which is apparently every 5 minutes.
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| The busy souk on a Friday night in Doha |
Unique things to see and do
Souk-a marketplace similar to others around the world, usually a maze of closet sized shops selling everything from cheap plastic stuff from China, to housewares, to beautiful rugs from around the region.
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| Painted lamps hanging in the souk |
Downtown-The Gulf countries especially are quite young. Their downtown areas are full of interesting and unique skyscrapers. My favorite so far has been Doha, Qatar. |
| This is the grand mosque in Abu Dhabi, the grandest of the grand in the Gulf |
Mosques-Each country has a 'grand' mosque along with the hundreds of smaller ones. They are incredible works of art, with thought put in to each and every detail of the architecture, design, and decoration.
Living in another culture that is fundamentally different than my own has its challenges, but one thing I've learned about living abroad is that you have to focus and be grateful for the things you have to gain from the place instead of focusing on what you are giving up or missing. With this in mind, I'm excited for what Kuwait and the Gulf has to offer us in our next year of adventure and travel.
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