A Western acquaintance called me up the other day to set up a Sheesha outing. He figured that with the weather cooling off and nights turning pleasant, what better way to spend an evening than out in the open mulling over the fermenting fruit tobacco of a water pipe.
I was a bit surprised at his request, as I had noticed lately that most Westerners, and particularly Americans and the British, were keeping a low profile — a very low profile, as a matter of fact. And considering the dastardly events of recent times in Riyadh, who could really fault them for their self-imposed seclusion.
But while I am not in tune with the pulse of the city of Riyadh, I can safely state that personal security in Jeddah and in major cities in the Eastern Province is far more stable than possibly in some of the larger metropolitan cities in the Western world.
From personal observations during my outings, I find a deep-seated respect for the presence of foreigners from most people. For the past 1,400 years, Jeddah has been the gateway to people from across the world on their way to pilgrimage, and the presence of foreigners here does not give rise to alarm.
But bombarded with travel advisories from their respective embassies and consulates and the compound rumors that usually follow, most foreigners here have taken extreme measures to isolate themselves. And that isolation has paced the distance between cultures much further.
As we puffed away into that pleasant evening, I politely inquired of my companion’s show of bravado, venturing into the night and out in the open. Was he not afraid of some hostile reaction to his presence? After all, he stood out without question as the very model of an all-American chap.
“On the contrary, Tariq. I find people I run across outside my work environment more receptive and hospitable than ever before. Naturally, there is that initial awkwardness when two cultures meet, but hey: You find that anywhere in the world.
“As a matter of fact, just before I got here, in one of the malls, the young Saudi salesperson, on finding that I was an American, was gracious enough to invite me over for dinner, stating emphatically that he liked the American people, and not all Saudis were up for gunning down Westerners.
“What surprises me is the level of fear or ignorance when we expats meet over at the health club in my compound, or laze away by the swimming pool.
There is always someone who seems to have the inside scoop on the latest terrorist threat. And by golly, they always seem to get the most attention.”
I don’t know much about the compound gossipers or what goes on behind those walls, but I have to agree with my companion. There is little cause for alarm.
