Average teens just like the one’s in the West probably don’t come to mind when hearing of the Middle East. The media often focuses on the religious or cultural restrictions, traditional clothing and customs, language, politics, and discrimination that people face, but what is not shown is the everyday girl or boy who is just like any other person growing up with interests, hobbies, activities, dreams, and ambitions - a teen who anticipates the release of Lady Gaga’s next album, watching the Twilight saga films for the first time, or a weekend to relax with friends and family.
Admit it, you most likely think of a poor, oppressed girl shrouded in black robes or a rude, close-minded boy who is being trained to be a terrorist. A negative thought surely comes to mind when you hear of that far off country, Saudi Arabia The Land of Islam and those bearded guys.
It’s important to note that Saudi has come a long way in a very short time to the point where there is a huge cultural gap between generations of Saudis. People went from riding a camel to driving cars, wearing cultural handmade clothing to having access to designer labels from Europe and the USA, watching black and white TV with only two channels to flat screen TVs with satellites, having no computers to having internet-enabled laptops, and gaining access to an educational system that was male-only to include girls. It’s a country that definitely worked hard to catch up with the rest of the world, and its younger generation is determined to never fall behind.
In Saudi where material is censored and movie theaters, public concerts, and other activities are non-existent, the younger generation is resorting to all forms of media to keep up with the latest trends from all over the world, especially the United States. Magazines, TV, and internet bring all they need to know straight to them, so they aren’t left in the dark anymore. Many people also have the opportunity to travel, so they return to Saudi with new ideas and experiences which they share with their friends and implement into their lives. The sheer number of foreigners here alone prevents even the simplest Saudi from being sheltered from other ways and ideas.
I’m here to tell you what really goes on behind the scenes of the average teenage life in Saudi, so you can shake that stereotype away! What are those girls in black really like? Do they have similar interests as you? Do they let loose and have fun?
Yes, they do! In fact, the majority are pretty open-minded and have an idea of what life in other countries is like. They have favorite TV shows such as Friends, Lost, or Grey’s Anatomy and have iPods with music of all genres including rap which is very popular especially among teenage Saudi boys. They too go to school (sometimes even study from the same textbooks you would), have dinner with their families, do homework, get bored, laugh, and cry. On weekends, malls or compounds (enclosed western-like communities) are the hangouts. Social gatherings are also common at home where a group of friends get together to chat, play games, or watch a movie. Some families even go out to the desert where they pitch tents, enjoy drinking Saudi coffee, and explore. In addition, the guys get to have fun riding dune buggies.
As deceiving as the abaya (black robe) is, it doesn’t necessarily represent the person wearing it. Most likely the girl or lady wearing an abaya will have typical clothes on underneath, the same things you would wear when you go out like jeans and a T-shirt. The guys get to express themselves through their clothing since it’s not a requirement for them to wear the traditional thobe.
Guess what? People have fun here as well, especially at parties and weddings. It’s common to go full-out and hire a decorator to create a theme for the party hall, DJ for music and light effects, and a restaurant to cater food, even for average parties. Just last weekend, I attended a friend’s 17th birthday costume party that was all that and more. Of course, it was a girls’ only party since mixing of the sexes isn’t allowed in the KSA. Just if you were wondering, no, they don’t wear their abayas once they get to the party destination. If only you could have seen the creativity some of these girls put into their costumes; some came as gypsies, cowboys, brides, grooms, bees, and bikers.
For your information, the DJ in some cases is a guy and if so he is partitioned off from the women by a curtain. The DJ at this particular party was Saudi and actually quite good. He played a mix of Arabic and English Music, including latest hits such as Bad Romance. Some of the funnest parts of the evening were when all the guests, who went crazy dancing all night, sang along to Katy Perry and Lady Gaga’s songs.
Just like everyone else, Arab girls also have dreams and ambitions. They discuss matters that affect them, plan their future educations, and dream of a life where they can play a more prominent role in society and have the chance to show who they really are and what they are capable of accomplishing. They don’t want people to think of them as limited, weak, veiled girls but as people who share with the rest of the world many similarities, although coming from very different cultures.
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