Our World: Little Girl's Bedroom

While there are many differences between Saudi Arabia (where I now live) and the USA (where I'm from), I also like to show similarities between the two places and its people as well.  This is a typical little Saudi girl's bedroom.  Start with all shades of pink, throw in a bit of rainbow, sprinkle with a few hearts, flowers, and butterflies, and Voila!  You have a sweet bedroom that just about any little girl around the world would love to have as her own.  This charming room belongs to one of our nieces.





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Jeddah: WAMY

World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) is an international organization whose purpose is to “preserve the identity of Muslim youth and help overcome the problems they face in modern society."


Worldwide they host numerous events, conferences, and camps and boast membership in more than 55 countries.  WAMY is largely funded by Saudi Arabia.  Chapters in the USA were closed due to its close ties with the Bin Laden family.  For all its implied good intentions, the organization begets criticism for allegedly supporting terrorism and sponsoring students to become indoctrinated by radical Muslim clerics in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Jeddah: After School

This is the scene across the street from a boys school here in Jeddah shortly after dismissal.  School boys hanging out after school, grabbing a cold drink and shooting the breeze with friends.  The school day lasts from about 7am-12noon here.  Culturally, girls would not be allowed to hang out like this.

Graffiti in Jeddah

There is graffiti everywhere in Jeddah.  :[

Camel Visitors

I was happy to see this group of young boys visiting a camel outpost and learning about camels. Young Saudi children generally don't have much interaction with many animals. Dogs are considered unclean and most Saudi families would never have one as a pet. Zoos here are practically non-existent, and my friend Laylah at Blue Abaya wrote about the horrific conditions at a Riyadh "zoo" she recently visited. CLICK HERE to read her post.

Soccer Drills

There is a big empty lot a few blocks from our home that is used for soccer games and practice. It's one of the few empty lots that I've seen here in Jeddah that is not filled with rubble. Some neighborhoods have grassed fields, like at schools, where the boys can play. Girls are not allowed to play sports in public settings like this.

Our World: Paintball in Jeddah!

One might not expect to find a paintball business in Saudi Arabia, but in Jeddah, there are at least two locations! I've complained before that there is really not that much to do here, so I'm happy to discover that there are places like this here, especially for the youth and those who are young at heart. This one is located in Obhur, north of Jeddah, and the other location is near Prince Sultan Road and Al Kayal Street. I'm not sure about the cost and how it compares to the states.
For more information, you can call 055-627-1862. Saudi Paintball also has a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saudipaintball1




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Just Hangin' Out

I was waiting in the car for my husband when I looked over and saw this group of young men just hanging out. The man in the traditional dress seemed a little older and was dominating the conversation. All of a sudden he started dancing around and the young men loved it. It would be unusual to see girls hanging out in public like this here in Saudi Arabia.