LOS ANGELES, 25 October 2005 — For Samaher Ahmed, attending university and going through daily activities means something very different than what most Saudis are used to. While living in the US and attending university full time, many like this second year university student, miss the luxuries they once had in Saudi and find themselves doing things they never once thought they would have to do.

Saudi university students generally have much simpler and easier lives than students in other nations. Household duties, such as dusting, vacuuming, laundry and washing the dishes are chores they never have to worry themselves with since most have domestic helpers. For university students abroad, the actuality of keeping a clean and organized home is all too real, and it reeks of Clorox.

Their counterparts in Saudi have the all the time in the world to focus on their class work and nothing else. Their attention and responsibility is geared towards attending and passing their classes. True, some students get married while they are still studying; however most of these married couples get assistance from their parents in many ways, as well as having a domestic helper to take care of home duties.

This life style is very different from that of university students abroad. Mona describes her weekday routine in the US as first taking a 45-minute bus ride to the university where she then sits through classes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. From there she goes to her club meetings, which go from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. On the days that she does not have club meetings she volunteers as a tutor for underprivileged children from 5 p.m. to 8p.m.

After this, she goes home where she either cooks a meal, or eats the food she bought at her university cafeteria. From then on she studies, watches some TV and goes to bed. Other days, when she gets home earlier, Mona utilizes this time to clean her apartment, do the laundry, and take care of errands like getting groceries.

Of course the lifestyle of each student differs from the other, but all generally shares the basic responsibilities of the home.

“It’s hard living in the US,” said Mona. “Most people don’t think of practical things they have to do. They just think “America”! Yeah it’s going to be great living there. The States does have its advantages but when I am on my hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor I can’t help but think I wish I was back home in Saudi!”

“The first time I cleaned my kitchen counter I was so disgusted,” said Samaher, “there were old stains from food and spills, and they were stuck to the counter. I had no idea how to get rid of them! I finally had to scrub and rinse and do that over. It was nasty.”

One of the main misconceptions of coming to the US is what it is like living there. Most students do not lead luxurious lives confined by allowances, chores, work, and studying. They are also given new responsibilities, which they probably never had before like paying bills, using a credit card, and budgeting.

The average American has been dealing with household chores from a young age, and once they move out, they are acquainted with all the methods of keeping a house in order. The average Saudi instead, heavily depends on their domestic helper or mother to take care of these chores, which is a privilege many are beginning to understand.

Keeping the house in order is not the only new chore Saudi university students are confronted with. Cooking is another activity many do not partake in daily. Young Saudi women going abroad tend to be more knowledgeable in this area whilst the young men are completely clueless.

“I don’t really cook, I just burn food which I later have to eat,” was how Fady described his cooking skills. Daily cooking is not a reality for most university students as there is little time between classes, studying, and socializing. Nevertheless, it is an act that is attempted every now and then.

For some Saudi students the luxuries they had at home, come with them a they attend university in the US. “Students with a bigger allowance from their parents don’t cook much,” said Samaher. “Those students have the money to eat out every night and don’t have to worry about cleaning their apartments because they get a maid to come in once a week to tidy up for them.”

Most students coming to the US think they will be leading the kind of lives they witnessed on their favorite TV shows where characters have no worries and no responsibilities. The simple truth is these students better learn how to mop the floor before they step on a plane heading out of Saudi or hope their parents’ pockets are deep enough to get them their own helper in the US.