A Sri Lankan who has spent most years of her life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shared her experience there with us.
1. Saudi Arabia is often portrayed as a hidden and closed nation, is Saudi completely isolated?
It is not an isolated country; they maintain relations with many countries and even has embassies for most of the said countries to keep the connections possible. It is to be noted though that Saudi Arabia is not of democratic law, it is a Kingdom and so there are some restrictions to getting visas and such. I personally grew up surrounded by so many nationalities making me culturally aware and helping me build my social skills.
2. Being a non-Saudi, how do you feel treated out there in public?
I must admit there is priority given to those of Saudi nationalities in some situations (airport, banks, government offices) but this is once again because it is a Kingdom. However, it is with a system that all this takes place in, there is a freedom for those with other nationalities (such as me) in almost all facilities, shopping malls, shops, supermarkets, hang-out spots and all the like, everyone is treated with the same amount of respect.
I went to an international school from Montessori to graduating from High School and through the 18 years of my life there, never did I feel disrespected, because we were from all sorts of different places even as kids, I felt warmly accepted and very at home. We may not have been able to run wild outside the same way we do here in Sri Lanka, but it gave us a peaceful ambiance like no other. Sometimes as ironic as it sounds, I like to tell people here that they haven’t experienced true freedom until they’ve been to KSA.
3. How is social life in Saudi? Is Saudi too conservative as most of us picture?
Before anything, KSA is a religious country (Islam). There are no liquor shops, cinemas, clubs, or musical shows (which have been changing in recent years). They have a strong culture with Islam and so it is indeed conservative, but this creates a safe and calm environment for people to live peacefully. For the most part, Saudis wear the white thobe and women in the abaya, non-Saudi males can wear whatever they want (except shorts), and non-Saudi women must wear the abaya though the niqab and/or hijab are not required. Nowadays, the abaya is not needed for women too but this makes the country uniform, and it doesn’t make one feel ‘oppressed’. Conservatives don’t always have to equate pain and unbearable. Besides this is all just on the streets, you can wear whatever you want within closed grounds.
It is all a matter of adapting to the way of life there, when in Rome, do as the Romans!
4. Do you think that women are given equal rights as men do? How does this affect women?
No, their culture is to have the man provide and so they make extravagant houses and build a luxurious life where women are not required to work. This has been changing recently and women are allowed to work if they wish to (women are allowed driving licence since 2017), the key point is that they are given what they want for the most part and so they don’t require to go about outside, but if they ever wish to, women have been given a safe space to go out and commute.
Just because there aren’t equal rights for women does not in any way mean that they are treated worse than men, women are given equal if not more respect. Men are acquainted with the Islamic culture and lower their gaze, keep their distance, and protect one another whenever it is needed. Mind you I am not speaking to protect their religion or something of the sort, I am a Buddhist myself.
People think just because the laws are stricter than here, every person acts as if they are of authority when in reality they are just as humane as you and I.
5. Commonly known for corporal punishments, how do they work? Has there been progress due to the punishments given? Do you feel that it is safe there?
There are police and the courts to go through with regards to punishments. These are lawful, however, very strict to keep the kingdom intact and to protect the royalties. Honestly, because I was there since a wee little baby, I’m not sure if the punishments got laxer or if we as a family got more comfortable living there. Though there definitely is progress due to the punishments, there are fewer wrongdoings as the day passes by and it has very well controlled bad behaviour such as assault and harassment. Compared to SL, I felt so much safer there. These punishments exist to keep one safe, but we need to realise that they are strict and keep our own self in check and live under their law while we live there. The problem with many Sri Lankans that go to the country is that they try to live with our laws there which don’t work. So, learn good habits and be good and one can flourish.
6. What do you have to say to a tourist who intends to visit the Kingdom?
There are very limited tourist places, unfortunately. They don’t grant independent tourist/visit visas for outside of visiting Makkah and Madina which in that case they can’t go across those cities. And these cities are permitted only to Muslims in order to protect the relics however one can get a sponsored visa in order to visit throughout the country. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! There are extravagant malls, peaceful beaches, mesmerising deserts, caves and so much more. It is a country full of respect and a safe place where I grew up. I am fully Sri Lankan, but my home was Saudi Arabia.
