10 Things Every Saudi Experiences in the US
Whether you’re in the US as a tourist, or a student, you most probably have experienced most of the points below. Read on for 10 things every Saudi experiences in the US.
1. Where are you from?
“Saudi Arabia”
“Where’s that?”
“Near Dubai… or the country Rihanna’s latest bf comes from”
2. 35 degrees… Summer?
When everyone’s dying from the heat, but it feels like Spring to you (no heat comes close to Saudi’s 48 degrees Celsius).
3. Saudi = Rich.
When they realize you’re a Saudi and the image they have of you instantly becomes:
“No, I don’t own any oil barrels in my backyard”
4. Living the moment as a calligrapher.
When your non-Arab friends ask you to write their names in Arabic, but deep down you know you had the ugliest most unreadable handwriting back in high school
What your friend thinks it looks like vs. what it actually looks like:
5. Independent?
Realizing you have to be independent after growing up chores-free.. so you decide to replace all the utensils with disposable ones.
6. Jessica.
The barista at Starbucks will NEVER get your name right, even if you try spelling it out, so you just replace your Arabic name with a common white name, Jessica maybe.
7. “How do you speak English so well?”
We’re in 2017 and still, it’ll shock most Americans that you, a Saudi, are able to converse with more than “good morning & goodnight”.
8. That Non-Arab friend that feels obligated to tell you about her cousin’s friend one-time trip to Dubai.
9. Getting questions like: You don’t drink?? You don’t have clubs?? You can’t even date in Saudi??
10. Mom’s input in your luggage.
Your mom will always stuff your luggage with Arabic coffee, dates, kleeja, karak and stuff that’ll expire before you can even use them on your university’s international day, but as she’d say “you’ll need them one day habeebi”.
