al-bo3bo3 (translation: the boogey-man)
albo3bo3. al'3oul. the boogeyman. Yes, I'm 23 and I just had a boogey-man nightmare. Funny, right? Except if you know what shape my boogey-man takes, I don't think you will find it funny anymore. Unlike your boogeyman, mine is very real. In fact, I'm probably having nightmares because I will be meeting him very soon. very soon.Let me introduce to you the religious policeman, or the RPM. Although the 'religious' or 'moral' policeman is not an alien concept to many religions and countries around the world, the RPM in Saudi Arabia is a very prominent member of society. You have the teacher, the pilot, the mosque's imam, the doctor, the normal policemen, the firefighters....then you have.... the RPM. This is my boogeyman. Here is why...
Around the world and over the centuaries, there has always been people who are righteous. They believed strongly in achieving a utopian state in the community they live in. As a result, they took it upon themselves to advice, correct and punish all who represented a blemish in that shiny dream.
Ok, sounds nice. I'm a believer in discipline and its importance. Sure, why not? Some heartfelt words of advice never hurt. Or actually putting cuffs on the bad seeds of society isn't a bad idea. And in Saudi Arabia, we have just that: dedicated personnel to take upon themselves to make sure our society is squeky clean.
So, why am I afraid?
Would I ever do anything that would offend my God? No
Would I ever do anything that would upset my family? No
Would I ever do anything that would shame myself? No
Then, what's the problem?
Well, In just a few weeks, I will be moving to Riyadh. Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is much more conservative. The more conservative a community is, the more servile they are. Ane the more servile they are, the stronger the RPMs are. RPMs flourish in Riyadh. I lived in Riyadh for the better chunk of my childhood. On several occasions, starting at 9 years old, although I had my trusty abaya and scarf on my hair, I got shouted at by RPM to cover my 'nudity'.
wtf? I hear you say? Well, apparently I had to cover my face as well. You can just imagine the trauma of a young girl going back to her mother in tears telling her the story of the man who yelled at her for being naked in the street. Mother explained that those RPMs are trying to enforce their own cultural beliefs as religious requirements. All I had to do in the streets of Riyadh is to keep a low profile as possible and cover my face around them to avoid harrassment. And so I did.
Ok, sunshine, so RPMs are a fact of life in Riyadh, you already know how to deal with them and you never really break the law in any way that will put you in a risky position (read: go on dates) - take a chill pill.
Well, my dear reader, the fact is that there has been many stories on how RPMs find those people with suspicious behavior. Their location and day-to-day activities are volunteered by equally righteous neighbors.
Guess who is going to live in Riyadh, alone, as a single girl, working for (gasp!) an American company that (gasp!) employs foreigners and (gasp!) allows the mixing of genders on its premises???!!!
Yes, yours truly. I may go live alone across the globe from my family and that it normal, but in RIYADH?!
ARE YOU CRAZY?!
Yes, it seems so. It also seems that I am in denial. My subconsious is afraid. very afraid. If being a single girl living alone isn't bad enough in the eyes of those RPM, I don't want to know what they think of working for the 'infidels'. What if some concerned neightbor (oh we know how 'concerned' neighbors can be in Riyadh) calls them up and reports me? I might lead the most boring life ever and those nosy bastards will still want to investigate why I live alone? This is the second time I dream of RPMs raiding my house and arresting me. I'm not worried about burlgers, I'm worried about being investigated, for the simple reason of being different. Let me tell you, it's not a nice feeling.
THE question of course is: am I blowing all this out of proportions? Did I just have molokia for dinner? Or is this just a reactions to some complex I developed as a child?
It is a known fact that RPMs in Saudi Arabia get carried away a lot. They act in a strange, erratic and dangerous behavior.
Man, I'm worried. I know my family is a bit worried as well. But, they are letting my do my thing. How will I live? Will I be so paranoid that I wouldn't even turn on the music in my house too high? Will I just go to work then come back and hide in my cocoon?
bleh. So boring. I apologize, I will try to have more pleasant dreams =)
posted by SunShine @ 5:22 a.m.
7 Comments:
Well, i agree and disaGree.. in sha Allah it won't be that crazy, and you aren't the first Saudi female that works in a mixed environment, some of our skyscraper owners have several women staff.. :)
Just play it by ear and you'll understand, and if anyone asks why you're working for them, suggest to him to provide you with a similar job with the same perks and salary and if he can't to F*** off
I can't wait to go back, just because I would like to discuss matters with the RPMs which sounds more like a video game weapon to me..
I don't like the RPM blog, because he is very biased, i'm not saying they're perfect but consistently blaming and portraying only the negatives of people without making an effort to solve the problem isn't the best course of action IMO..
Y
loool...I'm still not over the name al bo3bo3....loool
soo you...seriously everyday life without you isn't amusing....
..and as usual my advice is..5oshy fe 3ayinahoum..
My woman friend was about to go Riyadh and someone in Indonesian Embassy told her, "well you must wear your veilly abaya and cover your face there" and she said, "Wearing veil ? Is there any other option ?"
And he said, "well you can grow a beard..."
loool.
Well, having experienced the mutts of Riyadh first hand, I can tell you that they are a scary lot, and I am not Saudi or even Arab. They screamed and shook their sticks at me whenever thy saw me without a scarf on my hair (late 90s), even though I am not muslim and not required to wear one according to Islamic law. I felt like I knew more about Islam than they did.
But I had a friend who was detained by one for sitting in a car alone listening to the radio while her husband was doing some banking. So I never ever spoke back to them and took to covering my hair whenever I was either not in a car, or in a car without my 'mahram'. Ugh, I hated that word. I knew a lot of ex-pat women who refused to leave their compounds unless they were accompanied by their husbands (see how they get you to do what they want, which is to basically just dissapear?) But I didn't stay home, I basically always found a way to do what I wanted. I just learned to keep a very low profile. And believe me, I did get around a lot! I got so that I could tell the stupid taxi drivers how to get where(another maddening thing about Riyadh)!
Though, I gotta tell you -- it takes guts for any woman to live alone in Riyadh without family -- regardless of where she is from. But you are young, and if it is a good move career-wise, it will be worth it and remember, it will not be permanent!
And remember, compared to skydiving, a few creepy old mutts are a walk in the park: they can all be outsmarted if you keep your wits about you. Just remember how much smarter and braver you are, compared to them!
Thanks Sunshine!! I had a dream last night that a guy was running after me and yelling at me to cover my hair properly!! :P
You'll be fine sunshine, I totally agree with geshtinanna... and Murasaki is right, go to a compound if u can, and if worse comes to worse, u can always cocoon up on weekdays and come to jeddah on weekends :)
Oh girl
Now I am worried!
Come to North Carolina instead!
Be careful girl
Hi, I would be moving to Riyadh soon... heard a lot about the place.. +ves and -ves, seems pretty interesting. Quite a nice blog you got going.. makes for an interesting read.
Just wanted to Check, I have heard a lot about the fantastic Aqua for Scuba, Is this true? Because your profile shows Scuba as a hobby.. could you mail in at my mail ID dominicgreg@gmail.com , and let me know what I could expect in this regard..
Peace,
Dominic.
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