These are trying times in Saudi Arabia. The good, peaceful life that was the norm for decades has been replaced with endless days of anxiety and bewilderment. It is not surprising then that some foreign workers have packed their bags and headed home. What is truly wondrous though is the number of expatriates who have chosen to stay.
On the day after a German man was shot in Riyadh, a group of women met for lunch in Jubail. They were of course upset about the latest incident of violence but they were also delighted to be together. Their excited chatter and laughter filled the air. A large number of nationalities were represented in the room. Armenian, Cuban, Qatari, British, Saudi — the ladies hailed from countries around the globe. Commenting on the international nature of the group, someone quickly spoke up and said that Sunday’s gathering was nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, at past events women from as many as 68 different nationalities had participated.
The Jubail Community Women’s Group (JCWG) began in the 1980s and is still going strong. Any woman living in Jubail may attend group functions. JCWG was started as a way to promote contact between different cultures and to enable women new to Jubail to form friendships. The group is not specifically an expatriate organization and Saudi women have always been enthusiastically welcomed into JCWG activities.
The women at the JCWG Spring Luncheon were animated in discussing their summer vacation plans but it was clear that nearly all had every intention of returning by August. The only woman who was about to depart on an exit-only visa, Joyce from the United States, pointed out that she was leaving because her husband’s contract had finished.
“The construction job my husband was working on is over,” she said. “My family came to Saudi Arabia when my youngest daughter was in 4th grade. Now she’s 26 years old. We started out in Yanbu and have been back and forth between the US and Saudi Arabia since that time. We’ve enjoyed it here very much. This time our children, now grown back in the States, have been a little apprehensive about our being here and they are glad we are coming home to them. To be honest though, I think part of the reason they are so eagerly looking forward to our return is that they want free babysitting services!”
While one woman is going, others have chosen to return and stay. Brandi from the United States came back to Saudi Arabia last June. Her husband has worked here during each of the last four decades. “I feel safe here,” she said. “I feel that the Saudi authorities are doing everything possible to find the terrorists and stop them. I love the life here.”
Rose from Brazil admitted that she was afraid to come to the Kingdom at first. Now she’s been here for four years and enjoys it. “It is important to come to Saudi Arabia with an open mind,” Rose advised. “I had a problem with a Saudi teenager on the street once but it didn’t make me want to leave. I thought to myself that such an incident could happen in Brazil. Over the years I’ve made good friends here. I live in the Jubail community and I feel safer than if I lived in a compound. I know my neighbors. There is a language barrier but everyone is friendly.”
One of the Arab women in the group, Randa from Egypt, spoke about how important it is to be a close community these days. “I enjoy living in Jubail because we are part of an international community,” she explained. “It can be very hard raising children now. They see the atrocities happening in Iraq and Palestine on the news and then they start thinking that all Americans are bad. I told them to look at the Americans who live around us who are good. They also must remember that some of our relatives have emigrated to the US and are now Americans. I must admit that the group generalization goes both ways though. For Muslims this is a terrible time when so many people brand us as terrorists. Nevertheless, we must continue to reach out to people and tell them that we love to live in peace.”
Hearing the comments of their friends, many women nodded their heads in agreement.
“I love the Arabic culture. It’s sad that not much is known about Saudi Arabia in other places,” said Isabel from Venezuela. “I love to live here. It is the perfect environment for raising children. I have nothing negative to say. Look at my country Venezuela where we have so many delinquents and so much crime. The terrorism happening in Saudi Arabia is a terrible shame and I hope everyone will support the efforts to stop it.”
“I have lived in Saudi Arabia for more than seven years. We feel great to be here,” said Cleide from Brazil. “I have fallen in love with the Arab culture. These days there is much talk about safety in Saudi Arabia. The latest worldwide international political developments have brought many changes in behavior not only in Saudi Arabia but all over the world.
“I feel safer here though than anywhere else. My daughter grew from childhood to adolescence here. She was protected from the wild world. There’s much to thank this country and its people for such an opportunity. Definitely, living here among the warm embrace of Saudis has changed us for the rest of our lives. I’d be happy to stay another eight years in Saudi Arabia.”
While some expatriate women want to live in the Kingdom as long as possible, others look on their time here as a break from the usual. Fang, from China, views her stay in the Kingdom as a vacation. “The first few months were hard for me till I made friends,” she said. “Now I play bridge and mahjong. I do crafts and other things I didn’t have time for back at home when I had a job. My husband is on a short-term contract for just a few years and then we’ll leave. The security is good. I am happy. I don’t worry. Just enjoy.”
What do these ladies believe life will be like in the Kingdom in coming years? Voula from Greece has lived in Saudi Arabia for 19 “happy” years. She is looking forward to many more prosperous years in Jubail. “I don’t know what the future will hold for us in Saudi Arabia, but I am hopeful, always hopeful,” she remarked.
Georgianne from the United States has lived in Saudi Arabia nearly 12 years and describes her life as “comfortable.” Her advice to everyone is that a good life in Saudi Arabia doesn’t happen to you. You have to make it happen.
“In Jubail everyone, even the Saudis are from somewhere else,” Georgianne said. “You make the people here your family and then you make a great life.”
