Too often we hear the negative of Saudi Arabia and its people. When someone has been angered or hurt by a Saudi it is easy to lash out and perhaps lash out publicly. Therefore I’d like to take a different approach and encourage readers to share their positive experiences with Saudis. After all, Saudi hospitality is legendary.
For myself, I remember an experience shortly after I had arrived in Riyadh and was in a Panda supermarket. I have a bad habit of mumbling to myself, particularly when I cannot find something I need. In this case, I was looking for dream whip. No matter which aisle I went up or down or how closely I peered in the frozen food selections, it just wasn’t showing itself to me. A Saudi male around the same age of my husband noticed me and quickly picked up on that I was having difficulty finding what I needed. He approached me and in faltering English asked if he could help me. I told him what I was looking for. He had a slightly puzzled look on his face until I explained what it was used for. He then happily took me over to his wife and after engaging in a brief conversation with her, insisted on taking me to a specific aisle in the store where viola – dream whip was there! I thanked him for his assistance as well as that of his wife. In turn, he insisted on thanking me for giving him an opportunity to help a guest in the Kingdom as well as practice his English!
Filed under: culture, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, Saudi education, Saudi Living, travel | Tagged: culture, culture shock, customs, KSA, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi culture, Saudi customs, travel | 58 Comments »
