I first want to apologize again for not updating this earlier. I've been on location at a place called Manifa, where they have some of the deepest oil wells in the world (think 6 miles beneath the surface), since January 21st and the internet out there is spotty at best. Luckily my trusty Blackberry has kept me sane and has also allowed me to follow some of the exciting events going on in the world around me.
On December 17 of last year, a 26 year-old Tunisian named Mohamed Bouazizi had his vegetable cart confiscated by police due to an apparent lack of a license. The man, upset after being ridiculed by the police officer, then went to the police station in his home town, doused himself in a flammable liquid and actually set himself on fire. This one man's act has since sparked protests that have themselves caught fire and spread throughout multiple continents, from Morocco to Iran. First Tunisia, where the people actually forced the leader to flee the country. Then Egypt, a massive power in the Middle East, where their leader of nearly 30 years left power and escaped to the lush resort town of Sharm-El-Sheikh. Now there are active protests in Yemen, Libya, Iran, Syria, and Bahrain. If one looks at a map of the Middle East, you'll find that Saudi Arabia is surrounded on essentially all sides by people wanting democracy. This seems pretty cool to me.
At first, I was pretty surprised by it. I had only heard how conservative the whole region was, especially Saudi Arabia, and I certainly didn't expect the populations of countries to force their rulers to leave power. But I can tell you this: the Arab world is young and getting younger. Families are growing as oil revenues allow them to afford more children. I've met a lot of people with a dozen or so siblings. The young people I've met are very well connected with the outside world. Everyone is on Facebook. Many dress in the latest fashions. Despite the numerous restrictions here in Saudi, a lot of the local guys I know have 'found a way around' the law. This generation of Arabs certainly sees the world a little differently than their predecessors. These revolutions are growing and likely aren't stopping anytime soon, unless the military's decide to step up their enforcement. The protests also hadn't really affected me personally until recently.
My supervisor was delayed for 3 weeks while he was caught in his home in Cairo. When he finally got back 2 days ago, I made sure to ask all about what happened. He was actually in Tahrir Square (think Tiananmen 2011) on Day 1 of the protests, but he honestly thought nothing of them. It was only after 3 or 4 days when he realized something huge was happening in his country. He attended a couple rallies himself, but not in the main square, since it was always massively crowded and attendance was only realistic if you got there at 6am. He also was watching Al-Jazeera television after about a week into the protests and saw on the bottom line that a mob of about 200 people was apparently heading toward his part of town. Holy crap! He grabbed his gun and walked outside and realized that every single one of his neighbors was doing exactly the same. They held a meeting and agreed to have at least 2 or 3 men standing guard 24 hours/day and they did this for 4 nerve-racking days. Luckily the mob never made it to their compound, and the military took control of security until my boss was able to leave the country. All of Egypt is now happy, but a little weary considering things haven't quite calmed down and returned to normal. Banks still aren't all open. There is no real government. The stock market remains closed. But all the Egyptians I have talked to are all very excited for the future of their country, and as long as some pseudo-theocracy doesn't evolve, I'm right there with 'em.
The situation in Bahrain is also quite interesting to me. Bahrain is a small island nation with one of the highest GDP per capita's in the world. It has been urbane, modern, and far more open than Saudi for at least a generation. It has within its borders such mind-blowing places as (1) cinemas, (2) bars, and (3) places where its socially acceptable to talk to women who don't feel the need to cover up their entire bodies in black. It is the choice destination for any expat (or even Saudi) who wants a quick escape from life in the Kingdom. In fact, 2 of my close friends out here (an American and a Canadian) are attempting to go cross the 16-mile long King Fahd Causeway that connects Saudi and Bahrain. The city I live in, Al-Khobar, is directly across from Bahrain, so if protests ever start in Saudi, it's certainly probable that they might start right here. I personally don't think they will any time soon, because of this simple fact: Saudi's economy is strong. Any Saudi who actually wants a job, can get one very easily. There are no taxes and any company in Saudi Arabia must be 51% owned by native Saudis. The only things they might protest for would be social reforms. This I can definitely see happening. Many of the Saudi's I know have been educated abroad, including in the US, only to return here and find that their families still want them to live at home and to marry Saudi women before they're 25. That's a lot to handle. Anyway, before I decide to expound on my personal philosophies of life, I think I'll just reassure you all that I haven't felt unsafe at any point, but I still think a revolution every now and then is a healthy thing.
PS, speaking of healthy, I've started experimented with being a vegetarian and I'm now 9 days deep in a meat-free diet. Unless you count fish and eggs. Whatever, nobody's perfect.
On December 17 of last year, a 26 year-old Tunisian named Mohamed Bouazizi had his vegetable cart confiscated by police due to an apparent lack of a license. The man, upset after being ridiculed by the police officer, then went to the police station in his home town, doused himself in a flammable liquid and actually set himself on fire. This one man's act has since sparked protests that have themselves caught fire and spread throughout multiple continents, from Morocco to Iran. First Tunisia, where the people actually forced the leader to flee the country. Then Egypt, a massive power in the Middle East, where their leader of nearly 30 years left power and escaped to the lush resort town of Sharm-El-Sheikh. Now there are active protests in Yemen, Libya, Iran, Syria, and Bahrain. If one looks at a map of the Middle East, you'll find that Saudi Arabia is surrounded on essentially all sides by people wanting democracy. This seems pretty cool to me.
At first, I was pretty surprised by it. I had only heard how conservative the whole region was, especially Saudi Arabia, and I certainly didn't expect the populations of countries to force their rulers to leave power. But I can tell you this: the Arab world is young and getting younger. Families are growing as oil revenues allow them to afford more children. I've met a lot of people with a dozen or so siblings. The young people I've met are very well connected with the outside world. Everyone is on Facebook. Many dress in the latest fashions. Despite the numerous restrictions here in Saudi, a lot of the local guys I know have 'found a way around' the law. This generation of Arabs certainly sees the world a little differently than their predecessors. These revolutions are growing and likely aren't stopping anytime soon, unless the military's decide to step up their enforcement. The protests also hadn't really affected me personally until recently.
My supervisor was delayed for 3 weeks while he was caught in his home in Cairo. When he finally got back 2 days ago, I made sure to ask all about what happened. He was actually in Tahrir Square (think Tiananmen 2011) on Day 1 of the protests, but he honestly thought nothing of them. It was only after 3 or 4 days when he realized something huge was happening in his country. He attended a couple rallies himself, but not in the main square, since it was always massively crowded and attendance was only realistic if you got there at 6am. He also was watching Al-Jazeera television after about a week into the protests and saw on the bottom line that a mob of about 200 people was apparently heading toward his part of town. Holy crap! He grabbed his gun and walked outside and realized that every single one of his neighbors was doing exactly the same. They held a meeting and agreed to have at least 2 or 3 men standing guard 24 hours/day and they did this for 4 nerve-racking days. Luckily the mob never made it to their compound, and the military took control of security until my boss was able to leave the country. All of Egypt is now happy, but a little weary considering things haven't quite calmed down and returned to normal. Banks still aren't all open. There is no real government. The stock market remains closed. But all the Egyptians I have talked to are all very excited for the future of their country, and as long as some pseudo-theocracy doesn't evolve, I'm right there with 'em.
The situation in Bahrain is also quite interesting to me. Bahrain is a small island nation with one of the highest GDP per capita's in the world. It has been urbane, modern, and far more open than Saudi for at least a generation. It has within its borders such mind-blowing places as (1) cinemas, (2) bars, and (3) places where its socially acceptable to talk to women who don't feel the need to cover up their entire bodies in black. It is the choice destination for any expat (or even Saudi) who wants a quick escape from life in the Kingdom. In fact, 2 of my close friends out here (an American and a Canadian) are attempting to go cross the 16-mile long King Fahd Causeway that connects Saudi and Bahrain. The city I live in, Al-Khobar, is directly across from Bahrain, so if protests ever start in Saudi, it's certainly probable that they might start right here. I personally don't think they will any time soon, because of this simple fact: Saudi's economy is strong. Any Saudi who actually wants a job, can get one very easily. There are no taxes and any company in Saudi Arabia must be 51% owned by native Saudis. The only things they might protest for would be social reforms. This I can definitely see happening. Many of the Saudi's I know have been educated abroad, including in the US, only to return here and find that their families still want them to live at home and to marry Saudi women before they're 25. That's a lot to handle. Anyway, before I decide to expound on my personal philosophies of life, I think I'll just reassure you all that I haven't felt unsafe at any point, but I still think a revolution every now and then is a healthy thing.
PS, speaking of healthy, I've started experimented with being a vegetarian and I'm now 9 days deep in a meat-free diet. Unless you count fish and eggs. Whatever, nobody's perfect.
