my jaunt to Paris in September<\/a>) and either relying on friends to watch them, or letting them watch themselves.\u00a0 I also have several major work commitments scheduled.\u00a0 And despite how Scott pointed out that I\u2019m the boss who scheduled those commitments and therefore have the power to reschedule them, it felt irresponsible.<\/p>\nBut then I reconsidered\u2014partly because my reluctance becomes a marital issue (\u201cyou change all sorts of things to accommodate other people but not me\u201d), and partly because when in my life will I ever have the chance to visit Saudi Arabia again?<\/p>\nSaudi women in abaya, hijab and niqab (face covering)\u2013I think<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSo I said yes and started getting excited.<\/p>\n
Then the sponsors wrote back with caution\u2014saying I needed to talk to a woman who\u2019s travelled there several times.\u00a0 I wrote her mentioning I assumed I\u2019d need to dress modestly.<\/p>\n
She wrote back. \u00a0Modesty was an understatement.\u00a0 Women need to change into an abaya on the plane and wear it the entire time (other than in one\u2019s hotel room). \u00a0Women must also wear a hijab (head covering) outside lest the religious police harass us.<\/p>\n
I probably won\u2019t be allowed on any outings planned for the men of the conference, if I venture outside I need to be accompanied by my husband or a local male.\u00a0 Even in the hotel, I will only be able to sit with my husband in \u201cfamily only\u201d areas.\u00a0 I\u2019ll also need my husband\u2019s permission to leave the country.<\/p>\n
The last time she visited, she went straight from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport again, never venturing outside.<\/p>\n
So:<\/p>\n
\nShould I go if I won\u2019t see anything other than our hotel room?\u00a0 Or is the experience of being in such a setting so instructive, plus stepping foot on that soil so unique, that it\u2019s worth it?<\/li>\n Does the fact that my husband and I are different ethnicities so that we don\u2019t look like traditional husband and wife mean his \u201ccovering\u201d won\u2019t be believed?\u00a0 Or maybe no one will be able to see I\u2019m Chinese in an abaya and hijab!<\/li>\n Is the adventure worth it given that Saudi Arabia\u2019s on the travel warning list?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWhen the Christian season of Lent started last Wednesday, and I (as always) hadn\u2019t decided on a fast, the contrast of Saudi Arabia and whatever deprivation I chose for the next 6 weeks was striking.<\/p>\n
The 2 hardest things I\u2019ve ever given up for Lent were listening to NPR while driving, and reading novels.\u00a0 The 3rd<\/sup> hardest \u00a0was giving up \u00a0dessert.\u00a0 Last year\u2019s venture of giving up meat was a cakewalk compared to NPR and reading.<\/p>\nWhat privilege I enjoy! \u00a0I can choose to give up treats, delicacies, even animal protein. \u00a0 I can listen to whatever radio station I want as I DRIVE in my mini-van WHEREVER I want, unaccompanied and free. \u00a0As a girl, I was educated in the best schools and can READ through business books, theology books, and multiethnicity books\u2013all for my JOB\u2013while walking in a sports bra and shorts on a treadmill at my women\u2019s gym.<\/p>\n
The ability to fast for Lent just reflects the privilege I enjoy every single day, the wealth of having choices, and the freedom to choose.<\/p>\n
Will I go to Saudi Arabia? \u00a0Not sure.\u00a0 Still waiting to see if I get a visa, or what the sponsors say.\u00a0 As my husband points out, my identity won\u2019t be damaged by limiting my freedom of movement and dress for a couple of days. \u00a0Although my heat intolerant body might on 95 degree days in an abaya and hijab.<\/p>\n
What do you think I should do?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In April, my husband has the chance to get an all-expense paid trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in exchange for giving a talk about health care IT management.\u00a0 He wants me to go too, mostly so we can spend some alone time together. At first, I thought \u201cAbsolutely not!\u201d\u00a0 My overweening sense of responsibility balked.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":189,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8,9,7],"class_list":["post-288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-abaya","tag-lent","tag-traveling-to-saudi-arabia"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/e\/e5\/Abayapair.jpg\/450px-Abayapair.jpg\" "\\"Saudi")