During my visit to IKEA in Khobar, while queing for some IKEA snack, I overheard this argument between the bar cashier and a lady ( A foreigner - her slang sounded like she came from the western side - US/Mexico perhaps? )
Cashier : Yes sir, may I take your order? (while asking for order to a man behind a women in a Q ). Mam, please Q at the women area (while addressing to the women first in line at the Q)
Lady : Why you do not attend to my order earlier? I have been standing at this line for nearly 10 minutes but you attended to the guy's order. I was here first!
Cashier: Mam, please Q at the women only area please. Sir, May I take the order?
Lady : Why you do not answer my Question. I am here first but you attended to him (pointing to the man behind her).
Cashier: Please Q at the women only area mam.
Lady : Why you do not attend to my order? Is it because I am a woman and so you treated me like this? Why do I have to Q at the women only are. I have my right to place my order here too.
Cashier: We are sorry Mam. Please Q at the women only area. We will take your order there.
Lady: Why are you doing this? Is it because I am a woman? Why do we women being treated differently compared to man. I am not happy. Call your manager!
The Cashier called his manager and keep serving all men in the Q, ignoring the lady. After a while the IKEA store manager came and spoke to the lady in person. She was then started to Q at the women only area after meeting with the store manager while whinning about her disappointment with the country- Saudi.
I am not trying to judge anyone here. But for me, when we are not in our own country or place, we should try to adapt ourselves and follow the norms of the locals. After all, our actions and behaviour portrays the country and place that we come from. We may have our own views. What is normal in our place may not be a norm at the other place.
No matter who we are- we maybe an engineer, a doctor, a teacher, a housewife. But in Saudi, our husband came here to work as an expatriates - to gain salary whilst providing his experience and expertise. As women who followed our husband here to Saudi, we have the opportunity to experience new culture and enhance our horizon here. So, we should take the opportunity to learn the new cultures and adapt. Our freedom maybe a bit limited due to gender related limitation imposed in Saudi but there must be valid reasons for such law, applicable to local conditions. Change / limitation imposed does not change who we are inside.
Do not Complaint. Just enjoy our experince here. It's a fair trade, anyway - don't you think?
Just my two cents.
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