| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
|
 Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| Is this an ESL teachers' board, or a collection of weird news stories about KSA? Increasingly, it looks like the latter. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Cleopatra wrote: |
| Is this an ESL teachers' board, or a collection of weird news stories about KSA? Increasingly, it looks like the latter. |
I'm unsure one excludes the other...I took an interest in the story because I find conflicting information concerning how Saudi morays are enforced/ignored on western compounds. Being single, I realize I am more or less taking a vow of chastity moving to the Kingdom, and yet I read comments about drinking and trysts...
Is it a fair generalization to say one's behavior in public places should be in strict accordance to cultural norms while behavior on a compound is without scrutiny? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I took an interest in the story because I find conflicting information concerning how Saudi morays are enforced/ignored on western compounds. |
Fair enough - but if you have questions about such matters you'd be better off asking them directly, as you have now done.
| Quote: |
| Is it a fair generalization to say one's behavior in public places should be in strict accordance to cultural norms while behavior on a compound is without scrutiny? |
I wouldn't say entirely 'without scrutiny' but otherwise, as a general rule, this is pretty much spot on, and is how most Saudis live their lives. The distinction between public and private is a very important one in KSA. Behaviour is strictly controlled in the former, much less so in the latter. Another important general rule is to be very discreet. Most rules are made to be broken, just don't go around drawing people's attention to this fact. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| lazycomputerkids wrote: |
Is it a fair generalization to say one's behavior in public places should be in strict accordance to cultural norms while behavior on a compound is without scrutiny? |
Living on a compound same-same living in a fishbowl...
NCTBA |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Dear lazycomputerkids,
" . . . how Saudi morays are enforced/ignored on western compounds."
I doubt you'll find many morays on western compounds, although I suspect there may be some in either the Red Sea or in the Gulf.
Yup, found one:
http://www.inmagine.com/wse263/wse263048-photo
My apologies - I just couldn't resist (and it does kind of tie in with NCTBA's fishbowl metaphor.)
Regards,
John
Last edited by johnslat on Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| lazycomputerkids wrote: |
| Saudi morays |
Some special eels found in coral reefs in the Red Sea?  Sorry... it just jumped out at me. I know you meant "mores."
I found this story very strange when I first heard it quite awhile ago... my first thought being... "good grief man... you know better than that not to do this on TV??" While discussions are certainly becoming more open on Arab TV, those who grew up in the cultures should know that there is a risk involved.
VS
(Hey John... great minds in nearby time zones get the same ideas I guess....)
Last edited by veiledsentiments on Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
What is Saudi morays?
| Quote: |
| Is it a fair generalization to say one's behavior in public places should be in strict accordance to cultural norms while behavior on a compound is without scrutiny? |
Yes and no.
Well, if you are at your home in the Magic Kingdom, do whatever you want, just keep it secret.
Do not believe the stories which are mentioned in the media, specifically the ones controlled by Uncle Sam and his associates! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lazycomputerkids
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 360
Location: Tabuk
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| mores, check |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Being single, I realize I am more or less taking a vow of chastity moving to the Kingdom, and yet I read comments about drinking and trysts... |
Vow of chastity? I don't think so! I saw more hook-ups than I would ever have believed....more like an American college campus than a Saudi compound, except the participants were much older!
Because there are so many men, even older women who might not attract attention at home seemed to have no trouble finding a man to spend time with. And the men can take heart as well. There are many lovely single non-Muslim women from China and the Philippines, and not all of them are kept under curfew.
Of course, most of these relationships and trysts were kept under wraps, but certainly not all. One middle-aged American woman had an Egyptian boyfriend who parked his car right in front of her house and showed no shyness about leaving it there all night. As far as I know, nothing ever happened to either of them. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| There are many lovely single non-Muslim women from China and the Philippines, |
Maybe it's an EP thing, but although I have met people of very many nationalities in my time in KSA, I have yet to meet any Chinese women (or men). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Taif is chock full of 'em...
NCTBA |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| One middle-aged American woman had an Egyptian boyfriend who parked his car right in front of her house and showed no shyness about leaving it there all night. |
Well, Teta Mia, did you ask yourself why an Egyptian is interested in a middle-aged American woman?
Well, I guess he is after the green card and not the woman!
| Quote: |
| As far as I know, nothing ever happened to either of them. |
Well, if caught, he will say that he is teaching her Arabic and she is teaching him American English! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Dear 007,
Or perhaps they were both learning Body Language.
Regards,
John |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
007
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2684
Location: UK/Veteran of the Magic Kingdom
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| johnslat wrote: |
Dear 007,
Or perhaps they were both learning Body Language.
Regards,
John |
Well, I do not think that the American body language is compatible with the Egyptian one, unles she is walking like an Egyptian. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
