The Gap Between Two Kingdoms

By Hanan Taleb

From a very religious country, Saudi Arabia, I moved to the United Kingdom. I had a cultural shock and I was moved by the details of British lives there. What was my perception? Where have I been? What are the changes that made me a new person after my journey to proceed with my postgraduate studies? Here is my book and there is definitely a gap between the two kingdoms.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398473041

Hanan Taleb

The author always tries to link the academia with practitioner fields and provides sustainable consultation to Atkins and many local architectural firms. She collaborated with world-class researchers in the UK and Europe. Dr Hanan has previously worked at both academia and industry. The latter includes working with a team of architects in designing several residential and commercial projects in Saudi Arabia. She has recently undertaken formal training in sustainability assessment tools including LEED and BREEAM, as well as various energy simulation software packages. In addition, she is an active member of several professional institutions including the American Institute of Architects. Prof Hanan Taleb published her first novel in 2014 in Arabic language.

Book preview

About the Author

The author always tries to link the academia with practitioner fields and provides sustainable consultation to Atkins and many local architectural firms. She collaborated with world-class researchers in the UK and Europe. Dr Hanan has previously worked at both academia and industry. The latter includes working with a team of architects in designing several residential and commercial projects in Saudi Arabia. She has recently undertaken formal training in sustainability assessment tools including LEED and BREEAM, as well as various energy simulation software packages. In addition, she is an active member of several professional institutions including the American Institute of Architects. Prof Hanan Taleb published her first novel in 2014 in Arabic language.

Dedication

To my beautiful angel, Lydia

Copyright Information ©

Hanan Taleb 2022

The right of Hanan Taleb to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

All of the events in this memoir are true to the best of author’s memory. The views expressed in this memoir are solely those of the author.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398473034 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398473041 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

1

Introduction

A person may hesitate for days, hours or minutes, but it only takes a second to decide to change. That second usually represents a turning-point in a person’s life. It may bring a hurricane of feelings and a storm of perplexity.

I am certain that each person has experienced that second. For me, there have been two major seconds that were responsible for changing my entire life’s path. The first was when I graduated from high school. Although I had an excellent grade average of 98%, I was not accepted into medical school. I still do not know why I was declined admission. This affected me a lot until my elder brother, who became a second father to me after my father passed away, succeeded in getting me approval to study medicine at Cairo University Medical School. He did his best to convince my mother that going to medical school was a good decision, but she was unconvinced. Three days prior to my flight, I stood watching my mother pray on her green prayer mat; with tears welling up in her eyes.

Mummy, aren’t you happy because I’m going to medical school? I fearfully asked.

Since your father died, she answered with a solemn tone, I can’t imagine living without you. You’re an eighteen-year-old girl. How are you going to manage living all alone in Cairo? She continued, I know staying here will kill your dream of becoming a doctor. But if you stay here with us, you will bring joy to my heart and I will ask God to bring you happiness every hour! This was one of those moments that would change my life; I needed to give her a prompt answer.

How could I disappoint this devoted woman? I was sure that choosing my mother’s prayers instead of leaving for Cairo was the best decision at that moment; so I sacrificed my dearest and greatest dream of becoming a doctor. I ran to her and loudly said Mummy, I’ve chosen your prayers. I told my brother that I was not going to Cairo and emptied my luggage with a strange feeling of contentment.

Dear God, let my daughter achieve ultimate success and give her the highness and glory she deserves. Let her reach the pinnacle of knowledge and give her the power to enlighten the lives of the next generation, said my mother. I stayed in my room for days wondering about my fate.

In 1999, my professor, whom I consider to be my spiritual father, Gharm Allah Bardi Al-Zahrani, the Head Principal of Dar Al-Fikr private school in Jeddah, called me one morning and said, Hanan, I’ve got you a scholarship to go to Dar Al-Hekma University. Take your academic file and go and choose any major you wish. I was about to pass out due to my happiness. I attended the School of Architecture and proudly graduated with a bachelor’s degree.

The second turning point in my life was when my marriage failed and I got divorced. I suddenly found myself a divorced young woman, with no children, life or aspirations. During that difficult period of my life, I was a lecturer at Dar Al-Hekma School of Architecture. I applied to study overseas, but I had a problem with my documents and I lost hope again.

As I was lacking hope, I decided to visit the Holy Sanctuary in Mecca and I performed the Umrah. This is the lesser pilgrimage, which is optional, and can be performed at any time. This was the first time I cried out loud whilst touching the curtain of the Holy Kaaba. The black cover has a distinguished scent of incense. I covered my face with the sacred, heavy curtain and wished to leave everything behind me. A security guard tried to prevent me and other women from touching the Holy Kabaa because it is forbidden. Nevertheless, I clasped the black curtain with all my power and ignored his warnings. For a few seconds, I felt that the Earth had stopped rotating, and the voices of the pilgrims had gradually disappeared. I was surrounded by deep silence, but I continued praying to God like I was taking my last breath. I repeated, Please God, take me from this planet or open your doors of compassion for me.

God’s will was upon everything. My heart was beating fast and my lungs were inhaling and exhaling as usual. I went back to my house as silent as the grave; I was unable to interact with anybody after that spiritual connection.

Believe it or not, the next morning, Dr Suhair Hasan Al-Qurashi, President of Dar Al-Hekma University, called me. She was holding a document sent by the Ministry of Higher Education in Riyadh and said, Congratulations, Hanan, pack your suitcase because next Saturday you are going to the UK. Your scholarship documents for your master’s and doctor’s degrees have just arrived.

I was experiencing another life changing moment. I remember watching Dr Suhair’s lips while she was saying the news; with each word she said, I felt like I was flying. That condition was more like giddiness; a giddiness that tickles your feelings and makes your heart pump blood with power and enthusiasm. After a few days, I prepared my suitcase and kissed my mother’s forehead, who was now content. I thank God my precious family was open-minded enough to allow me to live in the UK alone. The majority of Saudi Arabian families would not allow their daughters to study overseas. She gave me her blessings and trust while I kissed and hugged her warmly at the airport. I said goodbye to my mother and to Saudi Arabia. I spent the whole time on the flight imagining the UK; a place that I had only heard of. My dream became reality when the captain said, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Heathrow Airport. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened.

I arrived in the UK on 1 July 2005. I was in my late twenties and I wanted this to be the best experience of my life. After six years of living in the UK, I became a new person. I adapted myself to the environment and closed cultural gaps between Saudi Arabia and the UK. The hardest part was when I fell in between the gaps. Nevertheless, I wrote this book to express my ideas and I have made great efforts to avoid generalisation.

I am sure that a number of people in my country will like what I have written and cheer for my success, while others might dislike what is written. I am positive that some of them will attack me, and start a war not just open fire. They will investigate my ancestry line in order to prove that I am not originally from Saudi Arabia and that I am not correctly representing the inherited traditions of Islam. Therefore, I will simplify matters by saying that I am not representing all the girls of Saudi Arabia, I am only representing myself as a Saudi girl who has struggled by herself to discover the truth and succeed in liberating herself from an ideological glass prison that has lasted for several years. Throughout this gap between these two kingdoms, I have managed to free my mind and think differently. I admit, my thoughts were imprisoned for so many years.

With the exception of the last chapter, which is named A New Chapter, everything included in the upcoming chapters documents my experiences from 2005 until early 2011, including memories and anecdotes from my childhood, adolescence and youth. The final chapter, A New Chapter be a surprise for you as a reader due to the rapid changes that took place in Saudi Arabia since 2017.

I have put all of my feelings into each line and reflected the sincere human experience and sensations that filled my heart and mind from 2005 to 2011. I am unsure of this book’s classification as it is a combination of an autobiography and a work of travel literature. However, to be as clear as possible, this book is written in the English language as a gift to the British people. Here I am, Hanan Taleb, expressing my gratitude. Thank you, Britain for teaching me things over and above my MA and PhD. You have taught me how to understand life and evolve into a mature person who respects others’ point of view.

The Author

My warm house, Dubai

30 August 2019

2

The City of Fog

My feet finally touched the ground of the famous ‘city of fog’. My luggage was about to burst because of the large number of items I packed. Even though it was summer, there was an unforgettable breeze mixed with the aroma of trees. In Britain, trees are everywhere and one is constantly surrounded with greenness. That was the first difference I noticed between Jeddah and London. The first thing I fell in love with in London was the hanging baskets holding beautiful, colourful flowers; swinging gently in the wind. I saw those baskets in front of every house, hotel and shop. It seemed like everyone was participating in a big flower show. My eyes used to search for the simple but exquisite flower baskets. They are, should I say, an aesthetic phenomenon that brought and bring me endless joy and passion.

My elder brother, Dr Abdul Hafiz, paid me a short visit to check on me and on my studies before starting his own adventure. He was searching for the infamous anaconda snake deep in the Brazilian jungles. Abdul Hafiz and I spent nearly two days wandering around London. Standing in the middle of Trafalgar Square was one of the best things that happened to me. I had only ever seen it in movies and on postcards.

Suddenly, I was surrounded by a flock of pigeons that took my soul with them each time they ‘kissed the sky’. Well, this is London in a nutshell: the hanging flower baskets, the traffic and Trafalgar Square. The police uniform was as distinguished as the guards’ uniform at Buckingham Palace. I remember approaching a male police officer standing on the side of Waterloo Bridge. I asked him if we could take a photograph together. He agreed with a smile and said, I usually don’t take photos with tourists, but I think you like my uniform.

I said, Yes, it’s very beautiful; I’ve never seen such a uniform in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Suddenly and in awe, I yelled, Look! Look! It’s a policewoman. That was the first time that I saw a woman wearing a police uniform. In my country, we do not have female police officers; you only see male police officers. At the airport, you might have the ‘extraordinary’ opportunity to witness female airport officers who are known for their gloominess.

All the police officers in the UK seemed to wear a smile. This reaffirmed my belief that they do their job with love and passion; this is unlike some of their counterparts in the Middle East, who do their job for the sake of showing superiority and power.

**************

London will be London: that charming city for every beauty seeker. I learned that visiting the ‘city of fog’ is not like living in it. Some of London’s houses are old, decrepit and full of rats and mice. Some people allege that ghosts haunt some of the houses. Also, its streets are narrow and crowded. I told myself that I needed to visit Trafalgar Square, enjoy shopping on Oxford Street and take a tour of Madame Tussauds, but do not live in London’s old houses.

I was drinking coffee on Edgware Road and wondering why it was so popular amongst tourists from the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. All I saw was a number of small Arabic restaurants. They did not serve anything special and their prices were very high. After getting food poisoning, it was clear that the food quality was also bad and I never dared to eat again in any of the restaurants on Edgware Road.

One day, I met a woman from Qatar, which is one of Arab states of the Persian Gulf. I was surprised by her excitement when she learned that I lived in the UK. After all, Qatar, like the UK, has many luxurious hotels and restaurants. Moments later, I realised that the grass is always greener on the other side for everyone.

In my opinion, change is pleasurable. But what about the ones who do not get a chance to taste changes? For a moment, I was afraid that my daily routine might conceal the beauty around me, turn colours into black and white or simply burn the smiles from my past and take the life from everything I love. I thought of creating something new, something that enables me to fight the daily grind in Britain, so I invented my own ‘Pleasure Management’.

**************

I only used to hear about London on the MBC radio station in Jeddah. I listened to the radio presenters welcoming the cold and fog while arguing about a good place to drink a cup of tea. Anyone who has not seen London fantasises about it. But once you have the opportunity to go there, you will be surprised until you lose that strange sense of change.

I cannot count the times that I stood between old houses and red brick buildings looking at the Gherkin, one of London’s dazzling skyscrapers on St Mary Axe Street. During one of my walks in London, I imagined the Great Fire of London, which occurred in 1666. It started in a bakery shop on Pudding Street and lasted for five days. As a result, the whole city turned into ash. However, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. The city was reconstructed using marvellous stones and red bricks instead of wood.

I have seen London through the eyes of an architect, a tourist, an admirer, a thinker and a critic.

**************

I was in Queensland when an old English woman crossed the street. She was magnificently elegant, quite like the classic London that reflects the elegance of the noble class. Unfortunately, between London’s crowds, I lost her.

London is known for its cultural diversity, which distinguishes it from other cities. Being in London guarantees you constant exposure to many international cultures and traditions by meeting multinational travellers, tourists and immigrants. Once you manage this in London, the entire world is going to be familiar to you.

London acts like an artery that pumps blood (tourists) throughout the rest of Europe. On the one hand, it is considered as the main gate to all of Britain’s cities, and on the other hand, it is a gate to the European continent. To access the rest of the UK and Europe, all you need to do is buy a train ticket from one of the international railway stations such as St Pancras or King’s Cross.

It was hard to believe that I was walking the streets of London freely. In KSA, I always felt like I was in a bubble; no one ever dared to get close to me. In London, people walk normally and never stare at you.

**************

I like to think of London as the city of opposites: the rich and poor, luxurious and cheap restaurants, modern and old houses. I was on a quest to find a common thread in London, but I never found one. London is full of secrets and magic, crimes and entertainment, green areas and dirty areas. There you can see nightclubs and religious centres; an Arab street here and a Turkish street there. I said to myself, here it is! The city I had only seen by surfing the Internet is now in front of my eyes! What a strange taste of freedom.

I wandered around Mayfair and enjoyed taking photographs of old houses and contemplating the unique ancient history combined lovingly with modernity. Many years ago, I had an interest in buying Mayfair’s houses in the famous game, Monopoly. I remember that the player who possesses Park Lane and Mayfair earns the most money, as they are the most expensive properties in the game. Now, out of the blue, I was standing in real Mayfair!

**************

I was very annoyed by the chewing gum on the sidewalks. I was walking and counting my steps when I noticed a number of dirty white stains. I wondered what they were, but I eventually figured out that it was just chewing gum. Regardless of the continuous campaigns in the UK to prevent citizens from littering, people continue to do it. Believe it or not, in Singapore the sale of chewing gum is prohibited in order to keep its streets clean.

**************

London’s hustle and bustle is crazy. The only way to handle it is to drink a cup of coffee and observe the pedestrians from time to time. This was a great opportunity for me to look more attentively at people. London’s tourists always seem happy and excited, but some of its citizens seem miserable and gloomy, and full of this planet’s tiredness. It is obvious that they suffer from London’s skyrocketing prices, since it is one of the world’s most technologically and economically advanced cities. The cost of transportation, food, drink and residency in London is very high in comparison with countries in the Middle East. Some people in London struggles to put food on the table so as not to end up on the streets. The presence of homeless people begging for money surprised me. Some of them collect money to buy a bottle of whiskey. One day I was watching a homeless man lying down near a shop. An Arab man saw me and said, Don’t look at them this way or they will harm you. In my country, most handicapped beggars are born with birth defects or have previous injuries, which ease the begging process. However, many of them pretend to be disabled to get more money and sympathy. In the Middle East, it is normal to see a female beggar holding an infant in one hand and dragging along her other children, who keep begging everyone for money.

A large number of beggars do not have legal documents or residence permits because they have illegally entered the UK. This alone justifies their fear of police sirens. Unlike the beggars in KSA, the UK’s beggars have all their limbs, but they seem fragile and forced to live this hard life. They rarely change their place or follow someone asking for money. In Saudi Arabia, beggars are proactive. They beg close to markets, mosques and traffic lights. They choose specific times and use devious methods, as if they were a gang. Unfortunately, despite all the aforementioned facts, citizens in KSA continue giving money to beggars, which only encourages their behaviour.

One day I jokingly asked my friend, Why shouldn’t I give this homeless guy a pound and then ask him to pray for me. She told me that God would not respond to his prayer because he was not a Muslim. In the UK, the government, or private charitable organisations provide newspapers to be sold by homeless people, in order to teach them the importance of work, and probably to provide them with monthly salaries. Once my colleague told me that some young homeless men have chosen to be homeless as a lifestyle. I found that to be very strange. They are young and capable of work, but they chose the cold streets. In my opinion, I think they add a little flair to London.

In a statistical analysis in 2009, conducted by the Ministry of Social Affairs in KSA, they affirmed that the ratio of Saudi beggars is between 13% and 21%, and the rest of this percentage refers to other social classes. This percentage includes some social groups that beg as a profession, such as the unfortunate lower-class groups, and social cleaning workers; these people inherited begging as their profession, and practice it individually or as a whole family group. Most of those beggars are aged, widows or young children who were forced to beg on a daily basis by their families who are living under the poverty line. This includes families that are included in social care programs, but the financial help does not cover all their needs. At this time, the percentage of families living under the poverty line is equal to the percentage of the ones who beg seasonally, which is a phenomenon that has increased a lot in the past few years.

**************

The scene repeats itself; I am sitting in one of the cafés observing the passers-by. It is easy to notice the huge differences between women in KSA and the UK. Women in the UK usually wear colourful lively clothes while nearly all women in my home country tend to wear black. Needless to say, they wear colourful clothes behind closed doors, but not outside of their homes. I love seeing women wearing colourful outfits; it brings joy to my heart. Those denim pants, skirts, dresses, tops and even the bright fresh makeup and weird haircuts. It makes me value the beauty of life!

In order to understand London’s culture better, I used to like wandering around the city. At home, women can be seen in shops and markets, but not on the street. The closest pharmacy to my house in KSA is only 800 meters away. Neither my mother, my Asian maid nor I dared to walk there. We would have to wait for our driver or one of my brothers to take us there. One day, my mother called me during my visit to Parliament Square. I said, Mum, can you believe that I can wandering freely from one street to the next without any problems?

In a taxi?

No! Using my own two feet! I can even take the bus or the metro if I wish. Mummy this feels great! That moment I was as happy as a kid in a candy store. I love how free a woman I became; walking around, holding my bag, with a curiosity about everything. Sometimes, I found myself paying more attention to my sneakers than the street itself. With each step I took, I realised that I had missed out on a lot of things when I was in KSA.

**************

One of my amazing experiences in the UK was using the red telephone box. I still remember my thrill when I entered one of those red booths. I spent a few seconds touching the glass and looking at the red colour attentively before having my first phone call.

There are phone booths in Saudi Arabia, but they are not red and we rarely use them. For me, I have always thought that the red telephone box is a British cultural icon throughout the entire world. Trust me, it is such a great experience!

I eventually had enough of living in London; it was time to move on and live in Bournemouth for a year in order to get my first master’s degree. I said goodbye to London and told it that I would see it again soon.

3

Winterbourne House

I arrived in the coastal town of Bournemouth and was greeted by the sound of seagulls. They were so loud that you could hear them near the houses. The taxi driver was annoyed with the weight of my luggage. He kept complaining until I apologised and explained that I was moving to Bournemouth, not just visiting it. I was shocked when I saw my tiny room for the first time. How would I live in a 3×4 metre room? Everything was narrow; one might even suffocate in the small bathrooms! My entire architectural perspective had changed. When my mother called me, I could not hide my annoyance; I told her that the size of my room was the same size as our guest bathroom.

In KSA, the rooms are bigger due to the pro rata factor. Saudi Arabia is 70,000 m² in area, in comparison with the UK’s area of 94,060 m². In 2005, KSA had a population of over 24.5 million, while the UK had a population of over 60 million. The size of houses gets smaller as the population density increases, which is what is happening in the UK. Many years ago, people had a dream of owning their own villas, but today their biggest dream has become owning a small flat. However, the smallest flat in KSA is still bigger than the ones British people consider to be a decent size.

**************

Balconies could act as little gardens in the UK. Their plants pots, flowers and sometimes little vegetables crops are eye-catching when you walk along any street. In Saudi Arabia balconies tend to be neglected, full of dust, and places which most Saudis use for storing unwanted furniture or other items. You never see any Saudi woman standing on their balcony. It is a taboo place. If she needs something, she has to ask a man in the house or her children to fetch them. If she has to go onto the balcony, she has to wear an Abaya. Yet, balconies are part of the architectural design of many flat-complex buildings in Saudi Arabia.

**************

I soon learned that my little tiny room in the Winterbourne House had a name; it was called a studio flat! We have no names for dwellings in Saudi Arabia; we only define residences with the family name to indicate possession. Sometimes we call big buildings towers, but we never label small flats and ordinary houses with a name.

While I was thinking how to arrange my belongings, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, I saw a smiling, blonde beautiful girl. She said, Welcome dear! I’m your new neighbour. My name is Ann and I’m from Norway. I told her politely that I would like to invite her in, but there was nowhere to sit. She insisted on helping me to unpack and arrange my belongings. I was not used to someone helping like this, but I did not show my annoyance. While giving me suggestions on how to arrange my clothes and books, she glanced at my suitcase and saw a set of dishes and silverware. She laughed and said, You can find dishes and silverware in Bournemouth at a superstore called Asda. She started laughing again.

I spent two days introducing myself to all the Winterbourne House residents and each time they laughed and said, Oh! You’re the new student who brought her dishes and silverware from her country.

**************

The building superintendent was an Australian man. He welcomed me and told me that he was more than happy to answer any questions that I might have. Who is going to collect my garbage? I asked.

You! he answered with amazement. I was equally shocked by his answer. I have never had to take out the garbage myself.

Do you have a dry cleaning service? I asked.

I’m afraid we don’t. You can use the washing machines and driers, but you will need to bring your own detergent, he said.

Are you serious? And who’s going to clean up my room? Do you have any cleaning services?

This time he laughed and answered, You’re in a dormitory not a five star hotel! He continued, You were raised in a house full of servants, right?

Yes!

You’re a student now; you have to do everything yourself.

I will. Sure, I will, I answered with a sad tone.

**************

The map of the United Kingdom was the first thing I bought for my new room. I unrolled it and hung it up on the wall. I spent many hours examining it. I tried to memorise the names of all the cities, towns, villages and important places. I decided to visit every town and every village that existed on this map. Each time I heard a name of a town on the news, I ran to the map and searched for it. Before I knew it, I had committed the entire map to memory. Many people, the British in particular, were astonished when they heard how much information I know about the country. This was especially true when they mentioned their hometown; I could tell them exactly where it is located.

**************

During my first week in the dormitory a Turkish student, named Nilufer, posted announcements of her birthday barbecue party and told the guests that they had to bring some meat. She invited all Winterbourne House residents, since she lives there. We were not friends, but I used to see her going up and down the stairs. I called my mother asking for her advice on a birthday gift for Nilufer. Unfortunately, she did not have any ideas.

I bought a fabulous pink flower bouquet and a beautiful small necklace from a shop near my flat. The necklace was gold-plated with a gorgeous butterfly in the middle. Although it cost me over one hundred pounds, I was very pleased with it. In KSA, we love gifting gold. I had the time of my life at that party. Those few hours exposed me to new situations to deal with. I was surrounded by young people drinking alcohol and giggling loudly. They offered me a beer, but I rejected it politely, and then someone said, She’s a Muslim. I will never forget that unusual strong smell of red wine; it was my first time. That day I saw a roasted pig and I met a girl who fearlessly admitted being gay in front of everyone. There are many stories about gay females in KSA, but none of them admits that proudly in public.

That day I also learned that Europeans, or at least the British, open their presents in front of their guests, while in my country we open our gifts after the party ends. When Nilufer opened my gift, she screamed, Gold? This is gold right? Everyone stared at me in a very strange way; I had no clue what was happening. We don’t give such gifts to people we barely know, a British visitor said. I was very embarrassed; it was time to change some of my traditions and habits.

Another lesson I learned was when I invited my five roommates to dinner. I ordered food that cost me over one hundred and eighty pounds. Nilufer, who became one of my closest friends, advised me not to waste my money again.

**************

My habits changed with time. I started wearing silver jewellery instead of the expensive pieces I owned. After losing a pair of diamond earrings and my favourite diamond bracelet, I sent all my jewellery back to KSA. I also stopped wearing uncomfortable high heels and started wearing sneakers and flat shoes. I started wearing casual clothes without paying much attention to colours matching. I also stopped carrying brand name handbags like Gucci or Louis Vuitton.

I admit, my new obsession was with a bag from Radley, a famous British brand. The brand’s logo is a dog and dogs of different types adorned the handbag. When I visited KSA, my family criticised my bag because Muslims consider dogs as impure animals. I heard comments, such as, Are you blind? You have dogs all over your handbag, and, Is that the only handbag you were able to find?

The days have changed me into a more practical person. I started sleeping and waking up early and worked harder day by day. I liked the simplicity of my new lifestyle. One night, before going to sleep, I looked in the mirror. I looked like a totally new person; my skin was tan. Even though my country is known for its hot climate, I was never exposed to the sun long enough to get a tan. I did not know if these changes were good or bad, but I definitely learned how to cope with the situation.

**************

My first summer in Bournemouth was the summer from hell; high temperatures, heavy humidity and no air conditioners. When I complained to my colleagues, they told me that I should be used to this type of weather since I come from KSA. Each time I replied with the same answer. I told them that have air conditioners everywhere around us in KSA.

Summer was my greatest enemy. I could not swim at Bournemouth beach. I could not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. Islam taught me that I needed to dress modestly. It was part of our culture and traditions. In Islam, clothing has to cover men and women’s ‘roughnesses’. A man’s roughness is the area between his navel and knees, and a woman’s roughness is all her body except the face and hands. In Saudi Arabia, Islamic scholars categorised the face and hands as parts of roughness, and women started to wear a full black cover from head to toe. However, some groups of people show their faces and hands, especially the people of Jeddah.

None of you can imagine the suffering I had to endure while wearing long jeans and long sleeve shirts during the hot summer. I asked the dormitory supervisor if I could install an air conditioner in my room. The supervisor told me it was impossible because it needed a special setup like an outside pump, amongst other things.

Well, the falling sweat made me an erratic, nervous person! Summer was definitely the least productive time for me.

**************

Meeting new people of various nationalities brought me happiness. I felt as if they came out from the world map. I met a girl who told me she was from Albania. I answered, as I usually do, Really! You’re the first person I’ve met from Albania.

I was able to differentiate between students from different countries by listening to their accent while speaking English. For example, Arab students speak English with an Arabic accent, Chinese students speak English with a Chinese accent and Turkish people speak English with a Turkish accent. After a period of time, I was able to predict the speaker’s origin as soon as we started a conversation.

In Saudi Arabia, you do not find this interesting variety of nationalities. The only variation we have is the Saudi