On January 13, 2013, we set anchor in Jeddah. Little did I know on that day that 7 years later, I'd be writing about it...nor did I know that during that time, a most unexpected adventure would befall me. I had plenty of certainties in my luggage compartment...and Saudi Arabia brought it all down like a house of cards. Arabia took me on a journey inside myself. You don't get out of Saudi the way you came in...it's a special land.
Back in 2013, most expatriates chose to live in compounds. These closed villages where it was possible to live without being bound by the customs of the country. In compounds, you could dress as you pleased and enjoy the leisure facilities in complete freedom. In 2013, women were still not allowed to drive, there were no cinemas or theatres, and the abaya (long dress covering the body) had to be worn. Cafés and restaurants had family sections and others reserved for men...and you had to submit to the authority of a sponsor to enter or leave the country. (Sponsorship is still in place today, but much more flexible).
In Saudi Arabia, I was on the heels of my husband, who was on his umpteenth transfer. We've been expatriates for several years. We were already expatriates with our parents... living abroad, we knew what it was like. We'd lived in Algeria, Luxembourg, France, Mauritania and so on. But living in Saudi...that was another story. At the time we had 2 small children, my eldest son was 5 and my daughter 18 months old. Our family was our priority, and that's why I didn't hesitate to put aside my business and my promises of glory and success. The children needed me with them.
So I found myself on Wisteria Lane...my name had become Lamia 610 (Six One Zero) and the main activities were drinking coffee with the other expat wives, shopping and eating….Terminated, the life of an entrepreneur, independence and dreams of greatness....now that was a serious blow to MY MISTER EGO.
No TV, or very little....no library...at the time I wasn't much of a reader. Then I discovered the extent of Youtube and the Internet became my only window of freedom. It's like the Library of Alexandria....I discover, learn and cultivate myself. My days are punctuated mainly by the children... school here finishes early. 1.30 pm to 3 pm. Very quickly, my life is completely dedicated to the kids well-being and the supervision of their schooling….
I tell myself this sacrifice is worth it....I put myself aside for a while....I leave the management of my business to partners....The game is well worth the candle. My children's success comes first... Then school becomes a nightmare. My children have learning difficulties...their activities require them to come and go constantly....
Food to be adapted....according to each child's desires and wishes….Not to mention that I HATE cooking.
We're delighted to welcome our third child in 2015...a child in every expat destination….is she gonna stop, or what?!!!
Well, how to frame that? The safety valve could burst at any moment. And this anger, it's building up more and more. I can no longer contain these emotions....the schedules are set by excel files...everything is down to the millimetre...but in 2018, my body is giving me an unequivocal summons. These heartburns are more and more unbearable....and I feel exhausted ....and less and less strength to endure any more mishaps.
This year is the year in which I am beginning to hear the voice of my own emotions...what do they mean, what is my body telling me?...then begins a frantic search to understand who I am....it seems that this is the question that will solve the problem: who am I?
In June 2019, my husband is transferred again....destination Kuwait. This will be our shelter during Covid Time.
Arrives our 4th child....in the middle of a lockdown....another dose of wisdom to integrate...
And then the return to Jeddah is set for September 2022.
You will have seen Jeddah EPISODE I. NOW is the time for Jeddah EPISODE II.... The Jedai has returned in spectacular fashion.
It's not the same city, it's not the same country.
For a start, there's a brand-new airport in Jeddah ....whereas the previous one gave you the twelve works of Hercules in a single pill.
Big sincere smiles....many women at the airport police checkpoint....and in all the shops....Saudis at the helm....they work, you see them everywhere now...before it was a lot of foreigners who held these positions in retail. And above all, the energy has changed....we feel lighter….
In the Starbuck coffee shop, the young Saudi woman sends me a greeting and a smiley face in Arabic....she is moved by my joy in enjoying this cappuccino moment... cappuccino is my cup of tea...now I enjoy it in Coffee shops with Saudis wherever I go. With a kindness like I've rarely seen….Perhaps yes: in Portugal and in America....They wear their hearts on their sleeves.
One morning, I was buying school supplies and the owners of the bookshop offered me to share their breakfast. They look at me and say, "French culture! That's something!" They speak Arabic with me. That's how lucky I am to speak arabic..English is essential, but Arabic opens doors to their hearts....although we've chosen to live in a compound for all the advantages of well-being it offers, this time I decided to join a gym to open up to this culture and these people who command my respect and admiration.
And the icing on the cake, my favorite rock band Imagine Dragons is on schedule in Riyadh...the occasion is perfect and I'm off to visit Riyadh....Mamamia!!!! But what's going on in this country?....Riyadh Season is grandiose...and this concert....in the middle of the Golden Circle, I share this magical moment with Bader and JAD, two young Saudi fans of the band. The moment is pure and intense....Jad has come specially from Jeddah, alone, to attend this concert....Bader, a young student in Tourism, wants to learn French...his family is further back in the Arena. His mother…he tells me…is also a fan of Imagine dragons and Michael Jackson...he tells me she knows how to dance the moon walk!!!!
I feel like I'm in Los Angeles....everything is possible here. Investment and business start-up agencies are in every district of Jeddah. Riyadh has enormous potential for economic development.
Altogether 7 years of Saudi Arabia…opened My heart, I am full of enthusiasm....I've discovered new talents of mine...painting, playing the drums and added many other strings to my bow: hypnotherapy has become one of the special one.
The most important thing about this inner journey is that this country has given me the priceless gift of understanding the value of Tolerance and Serenity.
"Between Wrong and Right, there is a garden, I will meet you there".
There's nothing the heart can't accomplish....here you are in the land of all blessings.
Much Love
Lamia PABION
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