open your mind

If I say "Middle East" to you, what do you visualize? Is it something like this?

Or perhaps something like this?

And I don't think I'd be reaching very far to assume that you always think of lots of camels, Bedouin people living in tents, women covered up and hidden away with absolutely no rights. You may even think that things like McDonald's, D&G, and iPhone are no where near this region of the world.

Well, if that's your image or even somewhat close to what you imagine, you are mistaken. I would know. I live here in the Middle East. And this is what I see everyday:

A big thriving city with all the modern conveniences and luxuries.

This photograph is part of the Tour Saudi Arabia Photo Gallery

I've been here for over five years now and I still get a kick out of the misconceptions that different cultures have of each other. People here have very mistaken views of America and the rest of the western world. A lot of people here assume that we're all drunks and druggies who kick our kids out of the house as soon as they turn 18 and that's only if the poor child survived the possibility of being thrown into the garbage after birth. And right now at this very moment, a lot of people here think that all Americans have the swine flu. Now any American reading this would know that this is simply not true and may either be amused or even offended at such thoughts. But how are people supposed to know the true characteristics about other cultures when things like the media only focus on the negative? People here have these thoughts and stereotypes because this is what is portrayed. There are drunks and druggies in America. There have been some very sad cases of people trying to get rid of their babies. But do all Americas behave this way? Certainly not! It's a shame for the few who do. So let's be fair and think of some stereotypes that Americans have of the Middle East, shall we?

A lot of people think that the Middle East is a big desert with tents for homes and camels for cars. NOT TRUE. While there are still people who live this kind of life, the majority of people live in thriving, fast paced cities with all the luxuries of the world, and all the technology you can imagine. The homes are actually quite large and people are really into their cars. Lexus, Mercedes, and Hummer are some of the favorites. Note: I am in no way saying anything negative about people who do not live in big cities, there are different people everywhere and I think that's beautiful.

A lot of people think that the Middle East does not have any of the American or western world accommodations such as restaurants, shops, products, etc. NOT TRUE. There are as many McDonald's here as you'll find in any given US city. There are many, MANY others as far as food places go. I posted before about shopping. While American shops have just started opening, all major European shops have been here for quite some time. And any designer you can think of is found here. Bur berry, Dior, Chanel, D&G, etc, etc, etc!!! Most grocery stores offer loads of products from the western world, in addition to all the local products.

A lot of people think that women have no rights, are hidden away, are all covered up, and have to walk behind men. NOT TRUE. Let me give you some facts. Women do in fact have rights, a lot more than what you may think. Most countries here in the Mid East are Muslim countries so this in itself gives women tons of rights. She has the right to an education, the right to work, the right to her own money, the right to be given money for living from her father and then husband after marriage (regardless if she's working or not), the right to refuse marriage proposals, the right to divorce, the right to inheritance, and many, many more. Women are not "hidden away". They are out and about everyday, working, shopping, visiting family/friends, shopping, taking their kids to a park, shopping....can you tell women LOVE shopping? ;-) As far as the covering thing goes, yes, where I live women cover when going out in public. This stems from an Islamic practice. A Muslim woman should cover modestly, including her head. In some Mid East countries women are required to cover with black garments called "abayas" and face veils called "niqabs". This practice of wearing an abaya and niqab is something more cultural than religious. It sets a guideline for women to follow in order to ensure that all women are modestly covered. Is it extreme? Many will say yes. But this is how it is for the time being. Now, does this mean that my closet is filled with only black abayas? If you follow my blog, you will know, certainly not. The cool thing about wearing abaya is that you can wear whatever you want underneath. Women do not have to cover in abayas when in the company of all females and/or close male relatives. So if I were to go visit my family, I can wear whatever I want, put an abaya on for the ride to my family's house, and take it off as soon as I get there. Think about wearing a jacket when the weather is cool, it's kinda similar. And let's tap into this women walking behind men business...this is so NOT TRUE. I have never seen a woman purposely walking behind a man...NEVER.

And while I'm on the subject of women, I must tell you a few more interesting facts. The women here have no financial obligations at all. The husband is responsible for all the bills as well as feeding and clothing the family. If the woman works, that's her money. She is not required to give even one dollar of it to her husband (of course she can if she wants, that's IF the husband will except this idea). She most likely has a driver to drive her to where ever she wants to go, and most likely has a live-in housekeeper who does all the cleaning and laundry, may also do the cooking and will help to look after the children.

Do all these things surprise you? Probably. They surprised me when I first learned about them. And it was even more interesting to see them all for myself after moving here. So my whole point is this, open your mind. Before believing something you see or hear about, find out what the truth is. This applies to all areas in life. (Example: If people at work are talking about "Janie" and how they saw her out late last night and blah, blah, blah, stop and think. Maybe "Janie" is a single Mom who has to work 2 jobs to support her family. She may have stopped in the gas station to pick up milk for her children's breakfast after she finished her evening shift at job #2.) Before automatically assuming the worst, first think about something positive. Things are not always as they seem. It's important to learn about one another, no matter how different they may be from you. This world is a huge, fascinating place, take advantage and explore! :-)