Discrimination or privilege?

What's wrong with this picture?

I went to the bank yesterday. As I am an independant woman (!), I went on my own. Only, as I'd been told my husband's absence could be a problem and I didn't want to lose my - precious! - time, I decided to try the bank's ladies' branch. I only knew, as the name says, that these branches are for women only to go to, but I'd never actually been to one before.

When I approached the tinted glass door, a nice female guard opened the door and greeted me before she locked the door behind me. I entered a nice, clean, spacious office, took my turn and sat down, waiting to be called. After about 2 minutes I was invited to sit down in front of a - female - executive. She was wearing a very elegant suit by the way. As did the rest of the female workers. She greeted me with a smile, took my cheque, handed me a pen to write my name and number on it, took it back, gave me the corresponding amount of money, said ma'a salaama, and off I went!

Boring story eh? Well the reason I shared this, is because this experience took the very last bit of feminism I used to have inside me. I mean, I used to think, why should there be places for ladies only? Are we any different that we can't go to the same bank men go to? But yesterday I understood...! Because, as you probably don't know, some places in Saudi Arabia, especially downtown Jubail, are not quite civilized! So my experience in a regular bank branch used to be: come in, take your turn, stand around for half an hour in the middle of a crowd of stinky workmen, go to the window, don't receive any greeting, barely get looked at or spoken to by the bank assistant, and leave under the stare of the workmen. Not the nicest of experiences, and not one you'd like to repeat. 

What would you do? Have I lived in KSA for too long already? Is it time I got back to a country where women are treated without discrimination nor privileges?

Just so you get an idea of downtown Jubail:
people queuing in front of a remittance office on a Friday night.

Storks flight over Jubail

It's common knowledge that power cuts can turn out to boost birth rates, but only few people know that living in Saudi Arabia, for some reason - which I wouldn't be able to explain here, even though I heard there might be something in the water...-, has the exact same effect!

This phenomenon has two main consequences:

   - Families in Saudi Arabia are much larger than in Western countries: with an average of 4 children per woman (which has fallen to 2.3 in the last two years), families with 5-8 children are more the rule than the exception. I remember one day as a Saudi friend invited me to her brother's house, so both her children and her brother's were there: with a total of 10 children running around, it felt like being in a nursery!

    - Expats are not exempt from this fertility boost! Only they're much more discreet, regarding the numbers of children (usually 2 or 3, rarely more), and because the mothers usually emigrate to give birth, since most of them don't feel comfortable about giving birth here. So we see our friends leave with a huuuge belly (well only as huge as the airlines allow them to be!) and coming back a few months later with their new baby.

The only thing we can do to help them, is wish them good luck, and organize a great baby shower before they leave!

(Warning: pink ahead!)

Good luck Loles, I'll miss you, come back soon!

A new fancy place in town...

What's this new, fancy, most fashionable place in town? ("town" refers to Al-Khobar, one long hour drive away from the village of Al-Jubail) 

Yeah, it says "fresh foods" on the front so, in spite of the crazy lights, it's probably not a nightclub (besides, we're in Saudi Arabia!)

It's more likely to be... a supermarket! But not just any supermarket: I'm talking parquet floor, subdued lighting, friendly staff, fresh vegetables, organized shelves, and loads of yummy importation products! 

Look at all these exotic (Mexican!) chilis: (my kitchen already smells of salsa verde and rajas con queso)

Lettuce coming by air from the U.S... Eco-friendliness or diet, my conscience is guilty either way... (Oh, and not only does it hurt my conscience, its price hurts my wallet: 6 euros for a bag of American lettuce!)

On a less enthusiastic note, here's a link for those who'd like to read about the Shia protests in the region:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-police-open-fire-on-civilians-as-protests-gain-momentum-2365614.html