Season's Greetings

So, I've been on the lookout for Christmas decorations. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country which means no Christmas celebrated here. And, although it is ok to practice a religion other than Islam in your own home, it is a no no to sell Christmas decorations or otherwise promote a faith other than Islam publicly or in a group. And for those of you thinking well, celebrating Christmas is just what we do, whether or not you're religious...right. Here there is no such thing. Everybody has a religion whether they know it or not, whether they practice it or not, or whether they believe or not.

We are going to be here in Riyadh for Christmas. At first, I thought that during our quick trip home to Sweden in December we could celebrate Christmas and be done with it. But after more thought, I realized that we live here and we will be here. Why not make an attempt to make it Christmas-y?

I had heard that the careful shopper, during November, can find Christmas decorations. This is apparently because nobody is looking for the selling of Christmas decorations until December. So, during November, Christmas decorations can be purchased and then, come December 1, everything is pulled from the shelves. I have not found this to be the case..in my wanderings during November, I have not come across any Christmas decorations ... well, almost.

I had it all figured out. I would smuggle a Christmas tree in to Saudi Arabia on my next trip abroad. (***and now, as I am sitting here writing this, I am thinking, humm, how much of this can I actually write in an open blog????***) I'll leave it at that, I had a plan. Had discussed the plan, and was prepared to set the plan in action when I found myself at...a place. At this place I saw...a person. And, the person was carrying A CHRISTMAS TREE (of the fake variety). I stopped this person and asked,

"Where did you get that tree?!"

A quick trip to...another place and I found myself talking to...another

person :-) (Ohhh, it all seems so secretive and sneaky!!)

"Do you have Christmas trees?" I asked.

"Yes. What you want? One meter? Two meters? Three meters? What you want? I have. I can deliver it to you"

"Uh, I don't know, how tall are you?"

After a little sign language we settled on a size. "Yes, yes, I have" I was told.

"You give me your phone number and I will call"

The next day I get a phone call.

"Yes, madam, I am here, with your tree."

"Uh, you're here? I don't have any money to pay you"

"Its ok. I have tree. You call me when you want to pay"

Sometimes this country makes me smile...in a good way. I have a tree and I get to pay for it when I feel like it.

So, I have a Christmas tree....Looks like I'll be teaching the kids how to string popcorn this year!

Any other ideas?????

Keeping Up Appearances

Ok, Ok, I'm sorry!! Life here in KSA is being impacted by much more than just the ways of KSA. My husband has a job that is keeping him at work until all hours, so that he can come home and work at the dining table and when he isn't doing that he is traveling....so everything is falling on me and that doesn't leave much time to blog. It also means that I am very distracted. When I see something or am involved in something (like being pulled over by the police a few nights ago) that I think may be "blog worthy" the gazillion and one other things that happen between the event and the computer swiftly remove all thoughts of blogging. But, I am doing my best, keep on me and eventually I'll post something!

I may have mentioned once or twice :-) that five times a day in Saudi Arabia there is prayer. At this time, everything closes...restaurants, shops, etc so that the population can go to prayer. Here there is a mosque on almost every corner as, from what I understand, it is the goal to have a mosque within walking distance of every citizen. During prayer, everything closes for between 20 and 45 minutes. So, the smart errand runner gets to where ever they are going at least 5 minutes before prayer so that when the doors close, and the lights turn off, one is inside doing their business instead of locked outside waiting for the doors to open. Need to go to the grocery store? Why not time it so that you can be locked inside in the piece and quiet, gather the items you need and find yourself at the front of the line at the check out counter when the store reopens. Want some Chinese food? Get to the restaurant in plenty of time to look at the menu and order and then eat during prayer time when you'd be sitting inside anyway. Today as we were sitting eating our lunch and the call to prayer started, and the restaurant lights dimmed I was thinking about how it really is an exercise in keeping up appearances. Not everybody runs to prayer five times a day. Where ever you are, you see people waiting...waiting....waiting...for prayer time to end. Yet, if the doors are locked and the lights are dimmed it appears from the outside that nothing is going on on the inside.

On the other hand, maybe the point isn't to keep up appearances. Maybe the powers that be understand that in Saudi Arabia about 1/5 of the population is foreign workers who may or may not be muslim. Maybe the fact that people are allowed to continue their business despite it being prayer time is an extended courtesy. A sign that there is an understanding that not everybody in this land, a muslim land, is muslim. To this I can only say: Thank you! Thank-you for letting me finish my lunch! Thank you for letting me finish my grocery shopping! Thank you for not making me suffer for not sharing your religious views.