Continuing my life journey and how I was led, Part 7 deals with our experiences in Soudi Arabia. It is another part of an upcoming book or website section entitled Divinely Led.
Part 7: Teaching in Saudi Arabia
Prelude to and Early Impressions of Saudi Arabia
We returned home to Thornlands with hopes of being able to settle into our new home that we had purchased during the previous Christmas break. One of our plans for remaining in Australia was to enroll in an aged care certificate program and then work for a time in that field as we both related well to the elderly.
Before too long, we realized that while we enjoyed interacting with the elderly, caring for them in these ways wasn’t really our calling. While we were not the greatest teachers, that was still what our training and experience were in. So reluctantly, Alex started looking for another overseas teaching job. He didn’t want to go back to Korea, even though we were invited to come back to Korea Nazarene University.
Besides the usual Asian positions in Korea and China, there were some Middle Eastern opportunities. Two that presented themselves were in Sohar, Aman and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. If I remember right, Alex applied for both, but only one resulted in a job offer. The position involved a somewhat unique student-centered approach where the students decided how to learn. This went right against Alex’s approach of careful preparation, giving out handouts, and being in charge of the class. With no other options in sight, he felt that this was God’s leading and decided to give it a go.
Before going, he was sent extensive reading on the teaching method as well as on the Saudi culture and conditions and how to conduct oneself so as not to get into trouble. Things came together quickly and Alex left in November to finish that school semester and then his contract went to the following end of January. We decided it was best for me to stay behind at least for a time to finalize renting our home and other things and then see how I would be led as to when to join him.
Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s was a totally different world. Super conservative Islam, Wahabism, is the state religion and all had to conform, foreigners included. It didn’t mean expats had to pray five times a day, but it meant that they had to wait in shops while all the staff dropped everything, locked the doors and left to pray for 20 minutes.
All schools, restaurants, banks, and other businesses were segregated. To do banking, or wait for their husbands doing theirs, women had to go to a shabby back section, while men enjoyed the front, quite luxurious, setup. The same applied in many restaurants. Men ate together in one section and women and families in another.
Women had to wear abayas (long, usually black, gowns covering the whole body) and head coverings in public. They weren’t allowed to drive and couldn’t travel without a male guardian – ideally husband or a relative. Showing any form of affection in public was frowned upon. Religious police were patrolling streets and ensuring that everyone looked and behaved as they should. Public lashing was still a recognized form of punishment as were executions.
Thankfully, teachers and other expats working in Riyadh were assigned accommodation in the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ) where all the embassies were located. That meant that within the gated compound life was fairly normal. The area was very well designed and attractive. There were multiple parks with fountains and benches, a palm grove (wadi) to take walks, and streets lined with palms which provided shade and relief during the heat of the summer which could reach 50 degrees Centigrade.
Besides the overall leading to Saudi Arabia, several specific examples show how we were led in smaller things. Despite our wishes and desires not being granted, it worked out for the best.
In the DQ, there were several blocks of apartments. Most of Alex’s teacher colleagues lived in Block C. So naturally, we applied for it as well. We were told it had faster internet, and of course, another advantage would have been proximity to co-workers for support. This was initially approved and we rejoiced. However, when Alex arrived in Riyadh, he was taken to Block A on the other side of the compound, which naturally resulted in a disappointment.
As time went on however, we realized that living in Block A was actually a blessing. The area was prettier with multiple parks, close to the wadi, as well as close to the interdenominational church service, held in the British Embassy, that we later joined. So all in all, despite not getting what we wanted, what we got was even better. Indeed, our heavenly Father knew best.
Back at home, I spent some time with my dad and started thinking of joining Alex down the line. I enlisted the help of an agent to rent our home and got it ready. I booked my ticket for early January and off I was for another overseas adventure and another culture shock.
On the way, the plane briefly stopped in Bahrain before the final leg, where we were given free breakfast. Bahrain is also a Muslim country, but much more liberal, so not a big culture shock there. The real culture shock came upon arriving in Riyadh and seeing all these women in burqas, where even their faces were covered, except for their eyes. Sometimes not even the eyes were seen as they were looking through thinner material.
Before leaving Australia, I had purchased a very large suitcase to fit in all I would need for a year. My recollection of the passport and customs control doesn’t stand out, so it must have been smooth and uneventful. It was good to see Alex at the airport with a camera in hand to capture this special moment of reunion.
At that time, Riyadh didn’t have public city transport (I’m not sure if that has changed), so all travel would occur by private cars or taxis. Most of the taxis were driven by Indian, African or Filipino nationals who would do all the manual jobs which the Saudis were unwilling to do.
We arrived at our apartment which was on the first floor of a three-story building. It was quite spacious with a brand-new white sofa and arm chairs. Much of the rest doesn’t stand out in my mind, except that the windows had outside of them a triangular “mini balcony” – too small for humans to go out on, but attracting pigeons to nest. The second semester, when I was no longer teaching at the university and had more time, I had a small desk with my computer next to the window watching the pigeons and writing.
The next chapter shares more of our life in this country, at that time, practically closed to the outside world.
For other information on divine leading, see Spirit Helpers and Guides
Here is a short reflection on being divinely led.