Comments on: The Surprised Saudi http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/ Experiences and observations of a former American diplomat now married to a Saudi and living in KSA... Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:48:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22768 Sun, 10 May 2009 02:24:05 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22768 @Liz,

That is so cute! I like how we can get chances to practice when least expected!

Regards,
Carol

]]> By: Liz http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22766 Sun, 10 May 2009 02:07:07 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22766 Most exciting use of my Arabic ever? Helping an older Arab man get his tall hot chocolate from the three or four drinks at the end of a starbucks line. We were in some random Chicago suburb and he thanked me for the help, then did a giant double take. I smiled and left. It was the first time I used my Arabic outside the classroom.

Sometimes I wonder if he still remembers the random girl at Starbucks who spoke Arabic…

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22203 Tue, 05 May 2009 02:51:21 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22203 @Mary — I’d love to hear from you!! Please email me and I’ll give
you my US number!

]]> By: Mary http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22195 Tue, 05 May 2009 02:02:46 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22195 Only my friend Carol. Thank for putting a smile on my face. Your friend from Pittsburgh.

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22186 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:55:11 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22186 @chiara – yes, indeed! somehow when women are in a public washroom
some barriers seem to fall down and women will just naturally speak
with one another.

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22185 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:53:59 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22185 @mimi — that is funny! I guess I gave her something to think about
at least! (smile)

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22184 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:52:55 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22184 @DW – and I feel equally confident someone would help me out in turn
if necessary in KSA.

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22183 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:52:00 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22183 @Soumaya – I am presently in the Houston area and at least in my
present location I see abaya/niqab clad women every day from KSA,
Kuwait, Qatar, etc. I also see men in their thobes and smaughs too.
STAY TUNED AAFKE!

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22182 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:49:12 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22182 @caraboska – it’s funny you say that caraboska…just last night at
the hospital my family member was actually being tended by a male arab
nurse (just pure coincidence). They were conversing in arabic and at
one point I also chimed in (in arabic). The male nurse looked up in
surprise and said just what you commented that I was speaking with a
Saudi accent. I certainly was not aware of that but my husband also
agreed with him.

]]> By: American Bedu http://americanbedu.com/2009/05/04/the-surprised-saudi/#comment-22181 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:46:51 +0000 http://americanbedu.com/?p=3658#comment-22181 @Miriam Mac

Yes, indeed! It is a good feeling to not only have the language (up
to a point) but I do enjoy the look of surprise on the other faces
when they clearly do not expect a westerner to be speaking their
language – out of the Kingdom. Inside KSA I know of more westerners
who have taken some arabic than those who have not.

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