Mittwoch, 23. April 2008

Give me an 'A'! Give me a 'R'! Give me an 'A'! Give me a 'M'! Give me a 'C'! Give me an 'O'! What's that spell?!

On our last day in al-Dammam—one day before we flew
back to Berlin—we had the opportunity to visit the huge
American and Saudi Arabian oil company as its abbrevation
says Aramco.
We started very early in the morning to get from our hotel
in Khubr a little town in the neighborhood of al-Dammam
onto the highway to al-Jubayl to the place where Aramco
has its headquater.
The trip took almost an hour. That was exactly the time to
have a good night's rest.
It was a pity that we weren't allowed to make a stop to
visit the Portugues fortress, an archaeological site near to
Ras Tanura from the 15th century which helped them to
force the trading in the region of the Persian Gulf and of
course to protect themself against piracy.
All the talks with our guides from the Ministry of Higher
Education were fizzled out.
Well, after one hour we arrived at Aramco and the same
procedure as every procedure took place after taking a seat
in best room. We got an Arabian coffee to get awake.
Thereafter we introduced ourself before watching the
Aramco-movie.
Thereupon we had the chance to ask our question to the
CEO of this oil company.
After being transported to the companies museeum we joined
an English guidance through it.
First I thought we are allowed to catch a glimpse of these
awesome oil production machines but then they put us of
to take part in this English guidance.
It was nice to linger for a while in the museum but after I
got standardized answers to my questions I felt a little bit
of beeing fed up. I was looking forward to get at least a
whiff of critical answers.
Thank God! In due time I was getting appetite and that
distracted me from the guidance.
After our visitation we got chauffeured to the companies
restaraunt. It was in the middle of another small town in
the town full of bungalows for the craftsmen of the company.
The meal was as every time delicious.
It was served in due course for my ravenous appitete.
In the restaurant I was sitting next to an engineer. But what
should I talk with him about? About engineering? Or about
oil extraction? Forget it! Of course, about football.
I asked him if football is the most popular sport in Saudi
Arabia, so, what's number two on the podium?
He had been hasitating before replying there is now number
two. Accordingly I had to laugh intestine.
But we didn't have the time to enjoy our lunch. Our timetable
was such tighten that the last ones who were getting the meal at
the edge of the table had to wolf it down before getting kicked
out of the restaurant.
Our place shifted from the restaurant to the best room to
get immediatly after our lunch an Arabian coffee.
Was there any time to digest or even to breathe deeply?
Fortunately we were cupable to force our busdriver and, of
course, first, our guides to make a rest at the companies
artifical construced beach.
It was a blessing to enjoy the sand between our toes and under
our soles of foot. We toodled alongside the beach in the Persian
Gulf.
But we were loosing time too quickly. On the same day, first,
we had to return from al-Dammam to Jiddah before flying back
to Berlin.
Thus we had to hurry back to our bus to reach our plane on time.
It was a pity to have such a hustle and bustle on our last sunny
day in March, because we knew that clowdy and stormy weather
would expect us in Germany.
After sitting in the airplane I realized that this had been my last
day for a while in Saudi Arabia. I felt a little bit woefully.
Stop! There were still four hours sojourn in Jiddah...

Donnerstag, 17. April 2008

Anette Halbestunde im Starbucks oder ein Flirt im Red Sea

Am 5. März, an unserem vorletzten Tag in Dschidda,
kamen wir in den Genuss der „iftitah“ der Shopping
Mall „Red Sea“.
Auf dem Weg zur Eröffnung dieses neuen Einkaufsparadies
kursierte in unserem Bus das Gerücht um eine „ihtifal“,
da die eine oder der andere Probleme bei der Aussprache
dieser zweier Wörter hatte.
Letztlich hat sich das dann doch schnell geklärt, dass
es sich bei einer „ihtifal“ um eine Feierlichkeit handelt
und bei einer „iftitah“ um die Eröffnung, eben dieser
riesigen Shopping Mall namens „Red Sea“.
Die sprachliche Klarstellung schmälerte in keiner Weise
unsere Vorfreude auf diese Megashopping Mall, da zu einer
„iftitah“ auch immer eine „ihtifal“ gehört.

Es gab einen gewaltigen Ansturm auf diesen Gebäudekomplex.
Unser Busfahrer musste sich zuerst an dem Stau, der sich
an der Einfahrt stetig verlängerte, vorbeimogeln, um einen
Parkplatz zu finden. Erst nachdem alle vier Räder des
Busses standen, ließ uns unser Begleiter Turki aussteigen.
Ich dachte schon, dass es sich dabei um Stunden handeln
würde. Jedoch standen wir schon alsbald vor Gate 8, um
uns auf eigene Faust zum Bummeln auf zu machen. Beim
Betreten hatte ich das Gefühl an einem Flughafen zu sein.
Gate. Wie am Flughafen. Alles war genauso groß. Man
verläuft sich ständig, irrt andauernd herum und ist
auf der Suche nach dem richtigen Ausgang. So fühlte
sich das für mich an.
Gate 8, klingt fast wie „Gibt acht!“, wenn man es zur
Hälfte Deutsch ausspricht.
Tick, tack, tick, tack... Die Zeit läuft. Exakt 90
Minuten bekamen wir, um den Laden leer zu kaufen.
Keine Minute länger.

Die Gruppe blieb die ersten 400m zusammen und steuerte
zielstrebig auf den Mittelpunkt der verschachtelten
Shopping Mall zu.
Hier tummelten sich die vielen Gäste, da es dort am
meisten zu glotzen gab.
Dort gab es eine riesige beleuchtete Fläche in Form
von Kästchen wie bei einem Schachbrett. Solange
gegenüber am anderen Mittelpunkt die Brunnen ihre
Springkünste vorführten patrouillierte darauf ein
Wachmann.
Inklusive dem Keller gab es auf insgesamt vier Etagen
was zu sehen.
Kind und Kegel klebten am Glas der Geländer, wie die
Fliegen an der Windschutzscheibe eines Autos, um dem
Treiben der durch die Luft fliegenden Wassermassen
zuzuschauen. In Aufsicht ihrer Mütter, Väter,
Tanten und Onkels, die aufgrund ihres Wachstumsvorsprungs
über dem Geländer hingen, konnte das Wasserspiel seinen
Lauf nehmen.
Dazu gab es ein kräftiges Geplärre von der Moderatorin
in ihr Mikrofon und ein wuchtiges Scheppern der Musik
aus den Lautsprechern. (Später verlagerte sich die
Attraktion vom Brunnen zur Spielwiese. Großkopfartige
Fußballstadionmaskottchen bzw. überdimensionale
Clownköpfe heizten den Kindern Freude zur langen
Bindung an Marken – im Marketingdeutsch Brands – ein.)

Die Shopping Mall ist ein öffentlicher Raum. In ihm
treffen sich Männlein und Weiblein. Alles geschieht
unter dem Vorwand des Konsums. Zentraler Punkt
dieses An-sich-heran-Pirschens ist das Café. Es
befindet sich hoch oben in der Mitte des Einkaufszentrums,
um wie von einer Loge herab das Treiben und Wuseln der
Artgenossen in den Einkaufsläden verfolgen zu können.
Dennis und ich hielten uns während der wilden
Springbrunnenaktionen im Starbucks auf, quasi im Herz
der „Red Sea“.
Der Nase nach drückte ich mich ans Geländer vor,
um einen Wasserspritzer abbekommen zu können.
Dabei rempelte ich versehentlich eine junge
Saudi-Araberin an.
Prompt entschuldigte ich mich für mein Vergehen
in Arabisch.
Kurze Zeit später entschieden wir beide uns doch
endlich für den Kauf unserer beider Becherkaffee.
Gestärkt mit einem Becher Eiskaffee in der Hand und
Strohalm drin, bin ich Dennis langsam Richtung
Ausgang des Cafés hintergeschlurft.
Plötzlich sprach mich das Mädchen, welches ich
zuvor versehentlich berührt hatte, in Englisch
an, woher ich den Arabisch könne.
Hopla! Ein saudi-arabisches Mädchen spricht
einen Fremden.
Ich war vollkommen perplex. Ich schaute bestimmt
wie ein U.F.O.
Während meiner Erstarrung war Dennis schon längst
am Ausgang angelangt und bekam anfangs von unserem
Gespräch nichts mit.
In gebückter Haltung bat ich sie höflich um an
ihrem Tisch Platz nehmen zu dürfen.
Sie willigte ein.
Unsere Unterhaltung führten wir in Englisch.
Schon bald nach unserer kurzen Vorstellung
habe ich Dennis zurück an unseren Tisch gewunken.
Ich stellte ihr Fragen im Stile des small-talks,
wie z.B. warum sie denn so einwandfreies Englisch
spräche. Wie sich in ihrer Antwort herausstellte,
war sie schon für ihr junges Alter von ca. 19
(bis 21?) Jahren weit in der Weltgeschichte
herum gekommen. So hatte sie bereits längere
Aufenthalte in Amerika, Kanada, Italien, Spanien,
Frankreich, England, ja sogar in Deutschland
vorzuweisen. Allerdings sprach sie nur bröckchenhaft
Deutsch. Dennis preschte mit sozial-kritischen
Fragen vor. Allerdings fielen ihre Antworten
nicht gerade (selbst)kritisch bzw. reflektiert
aus. Auf die Frage was sie denn davon hält, in
Saudi-Arabien die Abaya tragen zu müssen, wo sie
doch bestimmt sexy gekleidet in Nordamerika und
Europa gereist war, meinte sie nur knapp, dass
man anhand der Verschleierung der Frau den Grad
ihrer Religiösität feststellen kann. Aha.
Nach kurzer Zeit, etwa 15 min., kam ihre Freundin
zu uns dreien hinzu. Leider begann die Vorstellungsrunde
von neuem. Dies verzögerte nur unnötig unsere
Gesprächszeit. Ich hatte das Gefühl in einem
Starinterview zu sein. Nur 25 min. Zeit, dann
müssen wir abziehen. Meine Befürchtung wurde
von den ständigen Anrufen ihres Bruders, wie
sich später herausstellte, bestätigt. Er
verhörte sie, wo sie sich denn gerade befinde,
was sie denn gerade mache, etc.
Nach einer knappen halben Stunde stand er auf
der Matte. Dennis äußerte sich mir gegenüber
noch optimistisch:
- „Du wirst sehen, sobald wir ihm verklickert
haben, dass wir mit seiner attraktiven Schwester
nichts unanständiges vorhaben, sitzt er bei uns
und lauscht unserer Unterhaltung.“
- „Nee, das glaube ich nicht. Sobald der neben
uns steht ist unser Gespräch beendet.“
Genau so geschah es. Ihr Bruder kam vorbei und
holte seine Schwester plus ihre Freundin ab.
Plötzlich musste sie aus irgendwelchen wichtigen
Gründen das Café verlassen.
Die nette halbe Stunde war vorbei.

Dennis und ich drehten noch ein paar Runden durch
die Hallen der „Red Sea“, bevor wir zu unserem
Treffpunkt zurück gekehrt sind. Wir waren ein
paar Minuten, inklusive unserem Begleiter Turki,
zu früh da.
Wir erzählten ihm sofort unsere Geschichte.
Daraufhin war Turki der Ansicht, dass es eine
schöne Geschichte sei. Solche Zufälle seien
in seinem Land gang und gäbe. Ist doch alles
wunderbar!
Nur schade, dass ich ihre Nummer nicht
abgestaubt habe...

Mittwoch, 16. April 2008

In the heart of Saudi Arabia - Part 3

Whoever comes to Riyadh and expects the cliché of a "typical" oriental city will probably disappointed. Narrow alleys, the smell of perfume and spices at a lively suq and the ever present prospect of being invited to a cup of tea at a casual small talk - all that one usually finds at an old city center seems to be missing here. Instead, large highways divide Riyadh into rectangular pieces and encompass rather uniform and functional buildings. The best view one can get on this is probably from the visitor´s platform of the Faysaliyyah tower, one of two impressive skyscrapers, that shape Riyadh´s skyline and stands as a symbol for Saudi Arabia´s recent past and future ventures.
However, the past is not all too distant. There is one place that everybody interested in the genesis of the Saudi-Wahhabi condominium that would later form the basis of the modern Saudi state, should not miss. This place is Dir'iyya, now an insignificant suburb north-east of the capital, but once the centre of the first Saudi bid for statehood in the early 19th century.
We enter the remains of Dir'iyya on a warm Saturday afternoon and after a short while a guide welcomes us at the entrance gate. Although we hardly understand his Yemeni dialect, we still appreciate his lively reconstruction of the site´s history.
Nothing much is left of the typical Najdi mud-brick structures except for ruins and alleys. However, some buildings of historic significance have been renovated to a certain degree during the last decades. Apparently the Saudi government has grasped the possibilities that Dir'iyya harbors in both fostering a reference point for Saudi identity and as an authentic touristic site. One of those buildings is the mosque of Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab, the religious reformer who in 1744 sealed a pact with the Najdi prince Muhammad bin Al Saud and thereby established the dual framework of Saudi expansion and Wahhabi religious revival.
For official Saudi historiography, the ruins of Dir'iyya represent first, this religious-political legacy, and second the starting point for the first modern Arab upheaval against foreign encroachment, culminating in the Ottoman-Saudi war 1814-18 that left the town devastated in the now present shape. However, it is only the historic city center, called al-Turaif, that is forming the touristic site if Dir'iyya, whereas the other quarters within the Wadi have been razed and left no trace. What is still left and partly renovated is the city wall that surrounds the whole area and offers a unique view on the site. From here one also sees the oasis adjacent to original town that once was crucial for the town´s subsistence in the middle of the Arabian desert and now borders the modern Dir'iyya settlement.
As the sun sets the call to prayer starts in multiphone vibes around us. We sit on the top of the city walls and now get a real sense of the spiritual atmosphere that the combination of geography, architecture, climate, and religion once must have created. However, the call to prayer is permeated by the noise of a metropolis - expanding modern Riyadh, embodied by its now illuminated Faysaliyya and Mamlaka Towers, is already visible in not that much a distance and almost seems to swallow what is historically left in the heart of Saudi Arabia.

Dienstag, 8. April 2008

In the heart of Saudi Arabia - Part 2

In 1957, the first modern-style university on Saudi soil opened its gates. It was founded by and named after King Saud, the first of now five consecutive kings and sons of Abdalaziz Al-Saud. Sauds regency from 1953 to 1964 presents a problem for official Saudi history, since his name is connected to notorious mismanagement of the country´s resources and his blatant unislamic drinking habits. He stands in stark contrast to his half-brother and successor Faisal who is widely credited for the economic boom of the 70ies and revered in the country and abroad for his sober pragmatism and moral integrity. Wherever the past and present rulers of modern Saudi Arabia are depicted, on the streets or in official buildings, Saud´s picture is almost everywhere absent.
The establishment of Saudi Arabia´s first university, however, is the single achievement Saud is credited for and one of the very few instances one encounters his name.
Today approximately 70,000 students are enrolled, making it the largest university in the country ,as well. We arrive at the main campus at 10 in the morning and are stunned by the building´s gigantic dimension. The present campus replaced the original one, in the mid-80ies, when the Saudi government awarded the American contractor Blount International with its redesign, spending some 2 billion dollars. The main building bears some resemblance to the huge malls that have been mushrooming for the last years in all major Saudi cities. Indeed, along the long hallway, one frequently passes by small shops and cafeterias that cater all the students´needs.
What makes this trip a rather surprisingly pleasant experience is the group of Saudi students who welcome and accompany us throughout the campus. The 7-8 young men greet us with "Hallo, wie gehts?" and introduce themselves in a very fluent German. They belong to the small group of students who opted to learn a European language other than English and attend the country´s sole German course. Their German teacher, who´s been living in Saudi Arabia for almost 10 years, recounts his difficulties in teaching a foreign language: "The main flaw is that most students lack motivation and a willingness to spend a significant amount of time and committment. That´s because they don´t feel any kind of economic pressure, since prestigious jobs are seldom the reward for hard learning and excellency in class. That´s why the academical standards are rather mediocre."
Those Saudi students we are now encountering, however, make for the exception of the rule. Most of them already have visited or even lived for some months in Germany. They show a great deal of knowledge in German society and stun us with their excellent German language skills that far surpass our Arabic. What is even more remarkable is not only their interest in our daily life in Germany, but their readiness to discuss any topic we suggest. Actually, for us it is the first real opportunity to get an insight into students´life. Whereas at Jeddah´s King Abdelaziz University contacts were restricted by the official and formal outlook of the meetings, we now casually stroll through the campus and eagerly discuss with our counterparts. Besides, the fact that we talk with each other in German allows us to freely converse without paying too much attention to "political correctness".
Be it the issue of women, the inhumane treatment of guest workers, the narrow-mindedness of the Wahhabi creed or the current political system in general, we find a lot of common ground. Basically sharing our views, they still remain very pessimistic about change in the future.
"We are only a small minority. We have seen the West and we know that not everything other than their technology is immoral and decadent. Here we have to live a double life, always being cautious not to offend the public morale. They even get suspicious when you are not wearing a thaub and a shmagh all the time, so how can there be any room for change?"
Interestingly, it soon turns out that one of our new acqaintainces is a Shii and we feel secure enough to ask him about this otherwise public taboo. From the start he makes a clear distiction concerning between the official depiction of Shiism and the treatment of Shiis in daily life. He acknowledges that during the last years, job discrimination has significantly decreased. This is due to the rather pragmatic attitude prevailing with local administrations in his home Eastern Province. However, freedom of religious exercise is still largely absent. The Shiites´main religious event, the Ashura procession in the month of Muharram, is in its character an open and outward ritual, during which the first three caliphs, revered (with Ali) in Sunnism as "Rashidun"(=The Rightly Guided), are publicly cursed, and therefore the procession is prohibited. What is of even greater importance is the deep-seated resentment against the Shia, whose roots are planted throughout a Saudi´s basic religious education. "Ín the schoolbooks they not only depict us as unbelievers, they don´t even consider us as human beings.", laments our Shii companion,"Imagine how you would feel as a little boy if you would hear something like this in school."
Although we are touching quite sensitive issues, the general atmosphere of the conversation is very casual and the Saudi students frequently reveal their sense of humour. However, after maybe one and a half hour we arrive back at the Main Gate and have to leave for the next trip. We exchange email adresses and get back to the bus, still excited about this unconventional meeting, that precisely because of that turned out to be so insightful.

Robert