Day 28 - Sign from Saudi Arabia (Give)

During the summers of 1995 and 1996, I was working in Saudi Arabia.  The work I was doing there is nothing which I can describe openly on the world wide web, so if you don't already know, I have to leave you guessing here.  I wasn't working for the CIA or anything, and I would gladly tell you in person, but not here... who knows who might be listening in...

Anyway, Saudi Arabia is a fascinating culture in many ways, but the most striking - and obvious - culture shock for a Westerner like myself has to be the role and treatment of women.  Who decided the women should be dressed in solid black literally from head to toe in a country where temperatures regularly top out over 100 degrees?  The men, I assume.  They get to where white.  Also, the women are not allowed to drive and they are not allowed to speak to any men outside their family members.  If you asked a Saudi man, he'd likely tell you that these rules are in place because they put women on a pedestal!

So at the local mall in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, there is a McDonald's and it has several cash registers with a line formed of hungry customers formed in front of each.  But you don't jump into which ever line is shortest, you get in line for your order according to your gender.  The registers are labeled "Men Only" and "Women Only".  Likewise the food court seating is segregated as well: Men, Women, Famlies.  "Men Only" businesses are abundant.  We used to play laser tag at this awesome arena, but no ladies were allowed.  (The Saudi men were real easy to pick off as they ran around in their white robes ... under blacklights in an otherwise dark arena.  They were typically poor losers, too.)

So one of my souvenirs from Saudi was a triangular sign which states "No Women - Women Cannot be Seated or Served Here".  When I came across it the other day, I thought, "Now, who would really appreciate this sign??"  Eventually, it came to me...  Our son Dats' good friend, who also happens to be the son of our small group leaders.  To preserve his privacy, let's call him "Jelly Bean".  Poor Jelly Bean has three younger sisters - and no brothers!  He needs that sign.  So when we went to our small group Christmas party last night, I brought it along to give to Steve and Keri to pass along to Jelly Bean.  When I saw JB at church this morning, he told me that he loved the sign.  May he get many years of good use out of it!