Brands that I miss in KSA Part 1: Bobbi Brown

Dear Readers,

Oh I was absolutely in love with Bobbi Brown,  I love all their make-up, I think I used to drool at Bobbi Brown’s Selfridges counter on a weekly basis.  I find their make-up does what in my opinion make-up should ideally do and is that enhances your features upgrading you to a prettier healthier, ‘I eat , drink and sleep well and am in love with the essence of life’ version. 

I find some of the popular makeup brands here are rather heavy-handed, and  mask your skin  making it obvious to everyone within 5-10m radius (depending on eyesight) that your face  is painted, and IMHO the vibe I get is that you are going for the ever ready 'God forbid that acid rain should descend and leave you with a bare face, because your self-esteem requires  that you must hide behind  such an opaque foundation' look. 

I find that girls here often wear make-up suited to photo-shoots but which in my humble opinion looks out of place in normal life.I guess all the selfie-mania has turned everyone into a self-conscious celeb.

Oops I digress, as I was saying I miss Bobbi Brown make-up. I adore their BB cream with SPF35 the medium shade is perfect for Asian skin tones. Their blush, oh my, it gives your cheeks a natural gorgeous colour so much so, that when I first noticed my friends rosy cheeks I thought it was because she had been running upstairs to meet me. So to the great people at Bobbi Brown please set up shop in Jeddah, the fashionistas need you ASAP!

If any one would be interested in full reviews of their stick foundation/bb cream/lip liner/blush  please leave a comment below and I will do it in future posts.

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Jillian Michaels' 30 Days Shred Workout Review

Dear Readers,

Now that Ramadan with its feasting during suhoor and/or iftar is behind you and the Eid and its associated sweet indulgences and socialising have taken its toll on your waistline, I'm sure you are thinking it is time to get back in shape ready for school,work normal life.

I was away last year doing my Masters and during the months that I wrote my dissertation I also pretty snacked as much as I typed so in the end I put on a few kilos/  a lot of pounds! When I came back I was looking for workout to help lose the 'dissertation bulge'.

I tried this workout programme in March/ April to great effect-I lost 4 inches and 3 kg/6 pounds, it really works! So dear readers I thought this a good time to share it with you as a sorta 'Back to School' gift ;-).

You could use it to use the 'post-pregnancy baby bulge', the post Ramadan feasting bulge, the post Eid I ate too much candy and cakes bulge, or the I've been lazy all summer and sitting on my ever expanding booty eating junk bulge...hey I'm not judging just sayin.. :-p. Or to get in shape for school/work/special occasion like a wedding/engagement/reunion/holiday or just taking a new FB profile pic to make your frenemies jealous..

I discovered Jillian Michales 30DS (30 Day Shred) workout program online, and the reviews convinced me to give it a go. I like to see results fast so programmes that promise results in 3 months usually see me losing interest after the first few weeks of enthusiasm and novelty wears off.

I've been a fan of Jillian Michaels since seeing her on TV on The Biggest Loser and in the past I have enjoyed her kickboxing work-out. You can buy the program on Amazon for around $8/ GBP 4/SR30.

So what is the program all about?

The 30DS contains 3 workouts, Level 1, 2, and 3. You do each level for 10 days consecutively and then take a rest day before moving on to the next level. I have a confession to make though, I couldnt't do that due to rather busy weekends, I usually did 5 days(week days) and took 2 days off (weekend), so the program took longer for me to complete. But I have to tell you it works!!!!!

Each Level consists of 3 circuits and each circuit has around 2-3 minutes of cardio, weights, and ab exercises. the cardio does involve high impact exercise such as jumping jacks and high kicks which you may want to substitute with something else like jogging in place if you have bad knees and injury.
There are plenty pf planks, push ups and lunges to make you cry....but the result is worth it
It is based on the concept of muscle confusion and there are no rests resulting in an immensely hectic and effective 20 minute work out

With each level there are modifications to exercises to make it easier for beginners or more difficult for advanced users. I often started each level doing the wasy modification and by day 4 or 5 I could do the normal one.

Level 1 is quite easy if you regularly exercise, if you don't well the first day you might think of stopping after 10mins but keep with it if you are panting and dying stick with it..it gets better..trust me it does. Day 2 you will want to cry after 12 min and Day 3 will be much much better.

Pros: 

1. It takes only 20 mins so with a bit of willpower and time management you can fit it in your schedule-no excuses!
2. No equipment, you only need a set of weights, bar that you cn use water bottles or cans instead!
3. You don't need to spend on a gym membership and the time it takes to go there and come back.
4. You don't need to follow a meal plan, but if you buy the DVD from Amazon there is a suggested meal plan, but as long as you watch what you eat( calorie count and eat clean) it is still effective.

Cons: 

1. If you don't like Jillian the commentary and/or the music might irritate you esp if you have to listen to her say the same thing for 10 days in a row, I suggest muting her and playing your own work out music (personally I don't mind-I like her she motivates me).
2. If  you have a knee injury it might take the fun out of cardio portion of the circuits.

MUST DO: 

What you must do is measure yourself at the start of each level !

You will start to see a difference as early as day 5 for some people (I did). I feel this really helps to motivate you and keep you going. 

Personally I found Level 2 to be the hardest, and I've read reviews online and I think a lot of people wonder why Level 2 is so hard, but once you get through it Level 3 seems so much better.

Results

Overall for me I lost 4 inches and 3 kg/6 pounds  mA which is pretty good for me and more than I was expecting ( I am 5'4.5 and now weigh 51.5kg/113 pounds.)
 
The earliest difference I saw was my waist where I lost an inch pretty quickly, and where it was pretty noticeable everyone could see I looked different. and got plenty of compliments yay!

Links

If you would instead like to watch it on Youtube: 

You can watch Level 1 here, 

Level 2 here, 

and Level 3 here.

To get an idea of your ideal weight/range according to your height click here.

*THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED POST* It really worked for me that's why I decided to spread the love!

Please do leave feedback if you try out the workout and don't hesitate to ask any question in the comments or email me mishaican'at'gmail.com.

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How Not To Wear A Ghutra/Shemagh

Dear Readers,

This post is primarily aimed at readers outside of Saudi Arabia, and specifically those in Hollywood.You know how you are...you make those atrocious movies in which to depict an Arab you simply take any man with a swarthy complexion, and throw a random checked/plain piece of cloth on their head..and Ta da!  Lo and behold you have an Arab! The utter disregard to the quality of material, lack of starch and total haphazard way its done pains me. Don't even get me started on the negative stereotypical roles portrayed by Arab characters in Hollywood.

In reality, the ghutra/shemagh as worn by men in the Gulf, adds to their charm, and can look anything from sophisticated to trendy to functional- but never ever do you see them wear it in the ridiculous fashion showed on T.V.

Anyway, as incorrectly worn headgear/ghutra.shemagh/keffiyeh/checkered cloth on T.V is really a pet peeve of mine, I decided I simply had to illuminate the unwashed masses about how not to wear the ghutra. I was having difficulty finding the screenshots of movies where they trash the image of the pristine and noble garment that is the ghutrah-I'll update this post as and when I find them.

Until then here are a few examples of How NOT to Wear A Ghutra:

1) Dumb Dude: A I wanna dress up like a Arab/terrorist/ Lawrence of Arabia for Halloween, what do I wear, dude?
Dumber Dude: Oooh that's scary! Okay dude, put on a checkered piece of cloth/tablecloth on your head, and you're good, maybe wear a  white dress, haw haw haw. See result below-

:

The Halloween' style

2) Next up is the "napkin wig' style sported by Sadiq Hussain's character in an old Van Damme movie called ''Bloodsport", first of all he looks like a tan East Asian man, not Arab, and that has got be the shortest/smallest shemagh I'vee seen in my life. So here they took a red and white check napkin scrunched it on top of Asian guys head and secured with the ágaal, so that it looks bit like a wig. 

The napkin wig style

3) I'm torn on what to call the next style, the "I'm gay and I'm proud of it"- that's why I'm wearing a green thobe and matching keffiyeh, if you have problem with that-talk to the hand.
OR
"I'm really a Saudi girl, disugised as a guy coz I wanted drive/go to a football game" style, and so I decided to put on my matching olive green scarf to go with my olive green thobe/dishdasha, -white is just not my colour!.. I guess, 'I'm really a girl style' works  either way if you know what I mean?

I'm really a girl style

4) Another style insisting on blurring gender boundaries is the "Audrey Hepburn" style, quite self explanatory, drape the ghotra gracefully around your face,  style your bangs, and flutter your eyelashes, and voila!

An AmericanWannabe Saudi- Who'dve thought?!

Finally, I would like to leave you with a picture showing you how its really done. It depicts the many right ways of wearing the ghutra/shemagh, check out the Saudi Jeans post for details on each style.

Caption this picture !

 Please caption the picture above in the comments section!

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Death by a Duststorm

Dear Readers,

You are probably thinking what kind of overly dramatic and morbid title is that? Well, as I have previously blogged, the Middle East continues to be engulfed in dust, there was an all out sandstorm in the middle of last week resulting in the closure of schools in Riyadh and Jeddah. Although there is no longer a sandstorm the dust hasn’t completely settled either.

Now, I like many people have a bit of an allergy to dust. If I inhale too much dust, my sinuses get inflamed and I can’t breathe, and need to take an anti-histamine. My allergy was quite awful when I was younger, but alhamdoililah, now it’s much better.

But on Tuesday, all I could smell was dust, and my sinuses were irritated- I was sniffing Vicks inhaler like a drug-addict trying to OD. Can you overdose on Vicks inhaler? If I inhaled from my nose I sneezed and if I inhaled from my mouth I coughed-as if that wasn’t enough I had a pounding headache, and my eyes watered. In short, I was in a foul mood.

Feeling tres morbid I browsed the ArabNews website, and all the while the phrase ‘Dust to dust, ashes to ashes’ haunted my thoughts. I was rather surprised and relieved to only read about 400 cases of asthma and dust related breathing problems in Jeddah alone. I was expecting at least one ‘Death by a Duststorm,’ headline.

Of course, I had over-reacted. As the anti-histamine and Paracetamol kicked in I felt much better and realised that every single breath that we take, without a thought and without pain, is a mercy from Allah-

Will we still not be grateful ? 

“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.” (2:152)

 And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] – then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an, 31:12)

Alhamdolilah, I am much better now but I still keep the Vicks close at hand. 

Everything in our life happens for a reason- to draw us closer to Allah, if only we pay a bit of attention and keep the eyes of our hearts open.

Be thankful-and please remember me in your du3as!

Curse You Dan Humphrey- Gossip Girl

Why am I cursing poor Dan Humphrey you may ask? Well, ever since I started watching Season 5 of Gossip Girl, I've been bitten by the writing bug. Well, to be honest, I've been infected by the malady for a while now; this blog itself is an amateur attempt to practise writing something-anything, which someone might find it worthwhile reading.

Now, I find that a close friend and I have been privy to lifestyles of certain individuals which some people would find captivating and maybe even entertaining, embellished by a touch of artistic license, of course. However, only if we go ahead and breach the confidence and trust which is a tacit part of most relationships. After watching Dan Humphrey’s 'Inside' become such a success on a similar premise, although with much more salacious content, I’ve literally got the writing itch.

Another factor which both compels me and hinders me from writing a book about my life in Saudi is the sort of literature currently available on Saudi Arabia. These books usually depict the 'magic kingdom’ in a draconian light, full of cruel sheikhs inhumanly abusing and locking up women; burdened by a vicious compound of culture and religion that deserves to be reviled. The characters are almost cartoonish caricatures of a few bad individuals that exist in every society. The writers seem hell-bent on twisting the facts to appeal to the tastes of an already brainwashed anti-Middle Eastern audience. 

There is a blog based on the book, Desperate in Dubai, and although you can immediately tell its been written with the commercial aspect in mind, I don't think I could write a whole book in that strain. Correction: I could, but I wouldn't. Firstly, thank God, this is Saudi, and secondly I don't want to propagate that false gold plated Swarosky studded vodka drinking on a drug-high, sleeping around image. I'm sure there are few of those types here as well, but then I know a few of those characters exist in every country regardless of culture and religion, be it Hong Kong, Mumbai, Brunei, Singapore, Milan, Riyadh, Dubai, or Gossip Girl's New York City- Upper East Side to be exact..

When I joined the Amazon Associates program I chose the option that adverts should be shown according to the content of my blog, I was expecting some Middle Eastern themes, but as I tend to write reviews of Western literature, I thought those books would most likely be advertised on my blog. Instead, I had to deal with titles like Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil, by Jean Sassoon (Argh!).  I would have never thought possible a book could spread so much misinformation and bad PR.  

I want people to know what Saudis are really like. A very small percentage lives as Bedouins living in tents and riding camels! They are not all evil or all saints, but like most of us, somewhere in between. The stupendous rise in wealth and modern conveniences in a very short time from the seventies to eighties has no doubt created a society with curious eccentricities, which can be understood, if not always justified. I wish to lift the veil of mystery, and mistrust that shrouds Saudi Arabia and shed light on a generally hospitable people. The urban culture of the larger cities has gone through immense changes since the eighties, so the stories of old seem even more irrelevant.

That’s not to say that everybody or everything here is the same as NYC, London, or Paris, or even Dubai, although the people I socialise consider at least one of these cities their second home. Saudi Arabia has its unique flavour, and but keep your mind open and expect the unexpected.

If I feel brave enough to accept the challenge, I may share anecdotes from the lives of local residents with a bit artistic license, of course ;-)

xoxo

Sandstorms and Saudi Spring in Jeddah

The photos above have not been taken using any effect sepia or otherwise.

Spring is starting to rear its pretty head, adorned with sweet garlands, and warmed by bursts of sunshine and mild showers; it is often considered to be a pleasant season with buds beginning to bloom, and the harsh winter giving way to milder days at least, in some parts of the world.

In Jeddah, however, spring usually means only one thing: Sandstorms- lots of them and dry weather. For the past few weeks Jeddah has been engulfed in dust. Woe to all housekeepers ,cleaners and dust allergy sufferers. Everyday I wake up with smell of dust, and feeling that my sinuses as parched as the desert ground.

Some days dust just envelops the whole atmoshphere, other days there's a proper dust storm and the sky turns a depressing yellow, while the wind howls eerily among the urban buildings rattling windows and dish antennaes in urgent protest. Resenting the barriers,and trying to sneak in, the wind is  not content with spreading dust and debris on every outdoor surface. The sun turns into a giant hazy ball, like a lone but large dim bulb casting a depressing sepia hue. You can feel the grit and dust as you shuffle along head bent and you realise how essential covering your face can be in this climate.

(Whenever I see the Saudi Shabab with their Afros in this weather I'm always think that if I throw them in a convertible Caddilac and add some januty Seventies music--you'd have the perfect setting for a Seventies movie :-P - oh and the low rise pants would have to be exchanged for tight flares :-P I'm sure there is a Barbican TV ad that shows something like this)


Here's to hoping for light rain, just enough to clear the atmoshpere of all this dust but not enough for a flash flood.

M.I.A's Bad Girls- and Saudi Ban on Women Driving

 M.I.A 's Bad Girls song has been making waves in Saudi, and maybe some other parts of the world where people are 'concerned' with women's rights' in Saudi Arabia.

Before I discuss the video, and my opinions and more, I would like to get a few FAQs out of the way.

FAQs about M.I.A's Bad Girls music video

The lead 'singer' M.I.A (Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam)  is NOT Saudi, she is a British rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent.

The music video Bad Girls was NOT filmed in Saudi Arabia, it was filmed in Morroco-there is a  big difference, in fact the countries are on 2 different continents.

I'm not sure where the background extras are from, but I would bet any amount that they are not from Saudi Arabia.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Ok, where do I start? Well, like  most women in Saudi Arabia, I believe, that women should be allowed to drive. In my most frustrated moments, when I have no one to take me to a destination 5 minutes drive from my house, and am not able to go I have a lot to vent.

But in my calm moments, I realise the change will have to come gradually in society, for example finally after decades of inconvenience we have saleswomen in lingerie stores. I think as women take a greater role in public life, we will see more acceptance of women driving.

I am not a fan of Saudi bashing as it I think it is morally incorrect to bite the hand that feeds you. I also believe it is an internal Saudi problem, and that it isn't one that demands the amount of media attention it is lauded with. The Telegraph blog did an article titled Watch: M.I.A's middle finger to Saudi Arabia's insane driving laws trumps Madonna's sexy pop  both article and comments below it seem to be using the driving ban to spew hate against the 'Islamic kingdom' , the Middle East, its culture and more. I really wish that Saudi religous academics had never issued that stupid report saying that women driving will lead to pornography, homosexuality..and wait for it ..no more virgins. I guess if you say things you are asking for a response in the form of that article at the very least.

It also begs the question, that since men drive, often illegally from the age of 12, that must mean none of them are virgins, as soon as they start driving they become gay,  and indulge in pornography- while the women stay at home all pure and straight. I think by this logic, Saudi men should be banned from driving too and only foreigners should be permitted to drive, since they are n't in any danger of losing their morals as they were born in open societies. It also paints a very disturbing picture of society where a driving ban is the only thing preventing the Islamic Kingdom from turning into the Kingdom of Sin!

Secondly, the video shows Saudi style drifting which is a serious problem, and it glamourises these dangerous  activites of the youth. Her lyrics, 'Live fast , die young' are all too representative of that lifestyle, and I think the youth  don't need further encouragement. Too many young livesare lost this way every day.

The rest of the song  lyrics and music itself is not too my taste, the only thing I like is the Arabic music riff .

The song will serve to enrage people who are actually for women driving as Western interference/taunting is never approved by the mainstream Saudi population. Even the youth who listens to Western music is getting sick and tired of the stereotyping that goes on. If the opponents of women driving become aware of the video, it will only reinforce their stance that it is part of a Western agenda to loosen the morals of Saudi women.

On a final note, the way people who are supposed to be Arab/Saudi don the headgear in any movie/ music video etc made in the West make me cringe. Its like they think you can just put a cloth on your head and some sort ring or tie another cloth on top of htat nad you are done. Sigh! I'll havet odo apost on the wonderful different ways to wear Shemagh or Ghuthra and how it makes most Saudi men look better with than without- not the cartoonish caricatures you always seen in Hollywood representations. 

I am not sure if it will make M.I.A more popular, maybe next time she can do a song about the hundreds being killed in Syria while the world watches in silence.


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A Guide to British English: What the British Say, and What they Really Mean

I was asked to give Saudi students travelling to the U.K some orientation training, and instead of simply handing them the above list, which I feel is more appropriate if you are in a business/work context, I would make use of my own experiences at uni in London.

The first few days I spent running around doing the things freshers do: registration, trying to find classes, and auditoriums, a place to sit in the cafeteria, etc. I found most of the students were quite friendly, and was setlling in fast, there was just one problem: Every time I met someone and said 'Hi!' the ' Hi!" would be returned accompanied by an "Are you alrght?" "You alright?"

Now the first time, although I was slightly taken aback, by being asked whether I was alright, I'd been rushing to make it to class- so I probably did look a bit flustered. As I continued to get the 'You alright" thrown at me, I actually went to the ladies' and gave myself a quick once over, IMHO I didn't look like I'd been struck by lightning or run over by a bus. I reapplied my Body Shop Strawberry lipbalm, pinched my cheeks, I tend to look pale in the cold, and returned to class. As the day progressed the 'You alright' s didn't cease. Exasperated, I finally yelled at asked someone: " I'm fine! Why does everyone keep asking me that-do I look that bad?!'

The poor girl, eyes widened, said that she was just being polite..looking at the incredulous look on my face ..she asked 'Don't you ask someone when you meet them how they are?'

It started to dawn on me that You alright? =  How are you?    

Now, why wasn't that in the Freshers' handbook? Over the next few weeks I discovered other international students, and American students who'd been through the same thing, and being self-conscious freshers had ended up feeling far from alright!

Other terms you might like to keep a note of:

Uni= university -US-school
Read - If someone asks you what you read at university, they mean what was your major at school
Halls= Dorms
Duvet - Most Brits have dispensed with blankets and sheets and now sleep under a duvet. It is similar to a comforter but has a removable cover that can be washed. Duvet's warmth is measured in togs, 2 or 3 togs for summer duvets and 11 or more for winter ones.
Wicked= Great
Smashing = Terrific
Pants= is short for Underpants not Trousers...
Cheers=Thanks..sometimes G'bye
Quid = A pound in money is called a quid.
Luv, Hun, Ducky= Habibti :-)
Arse =It basically means the same as ass, but is much ruder. It is used in phrases like "pain in the arse" (a nuisance) or I "can't be arsed" (I can't be bothered) or you might hear something was "a half arsed attempt" meaning that it was not done properly.
Bollocks= Not good/Rubbish..
Chuffed=Pleased
Gutted=Really upset
Naff = Uncool. 
Nosh/Grub= Food
Waffle= To waffle means to talk on and on about nothing
Quite = When used alone, this word means the same as absolutely!
Pear shaped= If something has gone pear shaped it means it has become a disaster. .
Chips - French Fries
Crisps- Chips- Lays etc
Doner - Short for a doner kebab- abit like a Shawerma but ususally the Turkish version
Lemonade - Lemonade in England is a clear, sparkling, lemon flavoured drink  Seven-up and sprite would both qualify as lemonade in England.
Jacket potato - Baked potato 
99 - When you visit England, go up to the ice cream van and ask for a 99. You will get a cone filled with soft ice cream and a Cadbury's flake - a long crumbly stick of chocolate
White goods - When you visit a British store that sells things for the home you will find a section for white goods. These are the electrical appliances that you have in your kitchen or utility room like fridges, freezers, washing machines and driers. The name is cunningly derived from their colour!


I'll leave you with this flashback from the nineties, East 17's It's alright :-)

Cheers!
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Attitude to Work- Japanese vs Middle Eastern

I've posted this while running the risk of stereotyping, but anyone who has worked in the Middle East will tell you how often it is true.

'Wallahi' can roughly be translated into I swear by God, it is overused as an oath and thus loses its intended value to emphasise truthfulness or sincerity. In this context, it can be taken to mean for God's sake.

'Ya' translates to O, it is used before a person's name, for e.g 'O Misha, open the door' , or 'O sister, open the door'. 

'Habibi' translates to dear in the masculine form, it would habibti, if you were referring to a female; in this context it is used in a patronising manner. In which case, you usually want to reply don't habibi me, I'm not your habibi- much like how you would say don't call me baby- I'm not your baby ala Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada.

This just reminded me of Madison Avenue's song of the same name, which I've linked to above. I know this isn't the most well-thought out post, but hey I'm just practicing putting stuff out there. Hopefully, it will get better with time. As always reactions and comments are welcome.

A special shout out to a very sweet reader and blogger who made my day today Izdiher, thank you so much, and I love you too!xxx

*Update*-This is one my most read post, people ususally arrive at this post searching for differences between Middle Eastern and Japanese attitudes to work. Why would you want to search for that? Is it part of some Human Resource Management/ Organisation Behaviour  assignment given to students all over the world? I'm intrigued, please lift the veil from this mystery by commenting on why you were searching for the above/or how you arrived at this post- it'll be immensely satisfying to my insatiable curiosity. Thanks in advance!


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The 'Voice' of My Blog sounds like Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail- okay in my dreams

 Dear Readers,
I've been reading tips on how to improve my writing/blogging style, and apparently you have to a 'voice' which sets the tone of your blog. Now, while I sat there thinking of what I wished the tone of my blog to sound like, I remembered one of my favourite movies:You've Got Mail, and how every time I watch it I relate to Meg Ryan's character and love the way she writes her emails, and generally expresses her thoughts. That, dear readers is what I'm aiming for-in my mind, at least. When I get comments, I get nearly as excited as when MR gets mail-seriously!

 

I've got a comment- I mean email

The other problem I have is of consistency, I can do one post in one voice,say Rebecca  Brandon nee Bloomwood  all girly and lighthearted, straight out of a chick-lit, (again that is it what it sounds like in my mind); and then my next post will I will sound all moody and broody like a vampire of your choosing.

 If I went to a meeting looking like this, would people mistake me for Elle Woods?

Damon: Stefan, you should start blogging, keeping a diary is so 1864
Stefan:I dunno, The Vampire Blogs just doesn't sound the same

I tend to have a number of not necessarily logically related things to say, but I find them interesting and I hope others do to. I wish my blog would end up being an interactive conversation with its readers so that it sounded like the dialogue of  Before Sunrise/Before Sunset movies with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

I also tend to blog very late at night, which means I'm not really myself- helps the whole internet alter-ego image, I guess. A friend of mine and reader, says it shows, so I'm going to start editing posts in the clear light of day. 

I also need a volunteer editor, I can't seem to spot my own mistakes, and the spelling and grammar checker is not working on blogger- very embarrassing to find my blog is covered in typos and worse. I have to first type in Word and then copy paste into blogger, which I find annoying as I like to insert photos and links as I type. It helps the flow of my thoughts. Please share errors, so I can fix them, I won't be offended, positive criticism is how we learn.

What do you think of my blog's voice tone?

Do you have a voice/ or tone for your blog, please do share it with us.

Saudi Arabia Five Funny Things I Just Don’t Get

*Disclaimer: I love Saudi Arabia and its wonderful people; this post is not meant to be offensive, or judgemental about anyone or their culture. It is written for the purpose of light hearted entertainment, and if someone reads it they might be able to shed some light on the matter ....*

WHY?

1. When a couple dines out, more often than not they sit next to each other, rather than opposite each other. I always thought it would be easier to talk if you are facing one another, (Please get your mind out of the gutter; overt p.d.a is not an option in Saudi.) Although you see less of this seating arrangement now, it still happens.

2. When someone bumps into you by accident etc, instead of saying ‘Sorry’ or انا اسفه / انا اسف, people often say ma3lesh which basically means it’s okay-no problem/no harm done, for a while this used to really aggravate me: Excuse me! I will be the judge of that, I’m the ‘victim’ or aggrieved party here. But as it’s said with a smile, and some (hey chill out dude) gestures, you get used to it and just accept it, as instead of sorry, but deep down you know that it doesn't really mean sorry, although some people including Google translate it as forgive me, you know. It is a malady that can affects the whole culture and create a somewhat irresposible attitude to things, it can be found in Egypt as well.  Again, I’ve noticed the younger set has switched to the English- "Sorry" or its Arabic equivalent. 

3. When strict segregation of sexes is practiced everywhere but  male gynaecologists are common. You would think all the male ob-gyns would be unemployed.

4.We have male lingerie salesmen, see above-thankfully this is slowly being phased out.

5. Bedouin women, who live in the villages/desert can drive-yes, they can and do; while urban women can’t. It seems they are far more modernised. It has been said that they can take care of themselves, as they carry guns. I guess it’s high time designers such as Gucci, LV, and Burberry introduced their own line of revolvers, and pistols,  the empowerment of urban Saudi ladies depends on it! Until then will a BB gun do?

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