Monday, November 13, 2006
Monday 13th November.
On the run this morning I see my friend, the lady in a black abayah and a checked Hajib (scarf) around her head. I am conscious that despite what she is wearing and even from afar I know it's her. "Good Morning" I say as she is sitting looking at the water.
Further along I see two qatari women (I assume) dressed in black abayahs, black Hajib(scarf) and veil. Only their eyes can be seen from close by but even from a distance I recognise them at their pace and walk (they are quite energetic) from another day. I know I have run past them before (yesterday? the day before?), greeted them but they hadn't reply. I am going to try again and say "Marhaba (Hello)" as I did last time but before I can open my mouth to utter the word, I hear enthusiastics "Good Morning" from both women and I'm quick to respond: "Good Morning, Marhaba". And I'm smiling from ear to ear.
As I turn around to start running back, a man I've seen on the Corniche many times, asks if he can run a couple of kilometers with me so of course I agree. "Where are you from?" I ask. And he asks me to guess. I guess he is not from here but can't seem to pin point his origin so he tells me he is from Syria. He is a software engineer who has been working here for two years. He tells me there is no social life here but that he is happy with his working conditions. I tell him I hear Syria is a beautiful country and had thought of traveling there after the Games but in light of the troubles in that part of the country I had decided to travel in Asia instead.
Part of me is regretting that decision a little at the moment but I have no doubt that whatever I do will be interesting. I ask about the working conditions in Syria and why he is here. In Syria, my friend tells me there is some corruption and bribes from government officials to do this or that. And soon the couple of kilometers are over and Assil hands me his card telling me he's expecting an email at least. Seems the Corniche is a meeting place.
Today at work was the Security Sweep of the Venue. Usually this exercise is painful in its detail and lenght. A venue goes through Lock down (security sweep) and from that moment everyone has to go through Magnetometers and Bag searches (Mag and Bag) when entering. It's a way of combing the venue for any bombs, threats, dangerous equipment or arms etc and then declaring the venue safe for operations. However the security sweep is over by 10:30am (started at 8am) and Lorraine tells me it was a real joke. They just walked the venue with dogs. No real searches. However she says, they have paid all the terrorists groups to stay away. And we all know they have money to do that.
So, we are back at work after a more leisurely morning. I'm surprised to find out that Jamal, at 36 is not married yet. He says it's because he spent 16 years overseas living the good life. Then the conversation veers towards arranged marriages and he takes time to explain that it is not how we view it. "You must understand" he tells us "that men and women do not mix in most Arab countries". Even here, if you are seen as a woman holding a man's hand in public, you will be told to refrain doing this. And yet everyday we see men holding each other's hand, or constantly having some sort of physical contact. Men socialise with men and women socialise with women. So, it may happen (as an example) that Jamal's sister has a friend who is nice and the family like her and so the women start telling Jamal to perhaps consider this woman as a wife. The women (mother, sisters) will approach the women from the friend's family first (If Jamal is agreeable to this) and if they all thinks it's possibly a good idea, then the men of the families will be approached. Men from both families meet. Then a meeting will occur in which in this example Jamal would meet the sister's friend and in which he can see her without a veil and they can talk openly. The meeting is over in fifteen minutes. There is three days in which either families can voice their disagreement with the marriage and if they are all agreeable (including the groom and bride to be) then they will be married eventually.
" So you have fifteen minutes to decide if you want to marry her" I ask Jamal. "No" he says " we have three days to decide". Right.
Of course in this process the families of both sides are researched. Are they a good family, no criminal activity etc. They must be Arab but he says he could also consider a Christian wife or a Jewish wife. But the fact they try to marry people of similar religion and possibly from the same tribe, then region, then area, then religion, then etc etc, is because of the upbringing of the children.
Got to go and work but maybe we can talk again tomorrow Jamal.
On the run this morning I see my friend, the lady in a black abayah and a checked Hajib (scarf) around her head. I am conscious that despite what she is wearing and even from afar I know it's her. "Good Morning" I say as she is sitting looking at the water.
Further along I see two qatari women (I assume) dressed in black abayahs, black Hajib(scarf) and veil. Only their eyes can be seen from close by but even from a distance I recognise them at their pace and walk (they are quite energetic) from another day. I know I have run past them before (yesterday? the day before?), greeted them but they hadn't reply. I am going to try again and say "Marhaba (Hello)" as I did last time but before I can open my mouth to utter the word, I hear enthusiastics "Good Morning" from both women and I'm quick to respond: "Good Morning, Marhaba". And I'm smiling from ear to ear.
As I turn around to start running back, a man I've seen on the Corniche many times, asks if he can run a couple of kilometers with me so of course I agree. "Where are you from?" I ask. And he asks me to guess. I guess he is not from here but can't seem to pin point his origin so he tells me he is from Syria. He is a software engineer who has been working here for two years. He tells me there is no social life here but that he is happy with his working conditions. I tell him I hear Syria is a beautiful country and had thought of traveling there after the Games but in light of the troubles in that part of the country I had decided to travel in Asia instead.
Part of me is regretting that decision a little at the moment but I have no doubt that whatever I do will be interesting. I ask about the working conditions in Syria and why he is here. In Syria, my friend tells me there is some corruption and bribes from government officials to do this or that. And soon the couple of kilometers are over and Assil hands me his card telling me he's expecting an email at least. Seems the Corniche is a meeting place.
Today at work was the Security Sweep of the Venue. Usually this exercise is painful in its detail and lenght. A venue goes through Lock down (security sweep) and from that moment everyone has to go through Magnetometers and Bag searches (Mag and Bag) when entering. It's a way of combing the venue for any bombs, threats, dangerous equipment or arms etc and then declaring the venue safe for operations. However the security sweep is over by 10:30am (started at 8am) and Lorraine tells me it was a real joke. They just walked the venue with dogs. No real searches. However she says, they have paid all the terrorists groups to stay away. And we all know they have money to do that.
So, we are back at work after a more leisurely morning. I'm surprised to find out that Jamal, at 36 is not married yet. He says it's because he spent 16 years overseas living the good life. Then the conversation veers towards arranged marriages and he takes time to explain that it is not how we view it. "You must understand" he tells us "that men and women do not mix in most Arab countries". Even here, if you are seen as a woman holding a man's hand in public, you will be told to refrain doing this. And yet everyday we see men holding each other's hand, or constantly having some sort of physical contact. Men socialise with men and women socialise with women. So, it may happen (as an example) that Jamal's sister has a friend who is nice and the family like her and so the women start telling Jamal to perhaps consider this woman as a wife. The women (mother, sisters) will approach the women from the friend's family first (If Jamal is agreeable to this) and if they all thinks it's possibly a good idea, then the men of the families will be approached. Men from both families meet. Then a meeting will occur in which in this example Jamal would meet the sister's friend and in which he can see her without a veil and they can talk openly. The meeting is over in fifteen minutes. There is three days in which either families can voice their disagreement with the marriage and if they are all agreeable (including the groom and bride to be) then they will be married eventually.
" So you have fifteen minutes to decide if you want to marry her" I ask Jamal. "No" he says " we have three days to decide". Right.
Of course in this process the families of both sides are researched. Are they a good family, no criminal activity etc. They must be Arab but he says he could also consider a Christian wife or a Jewish wife. But the fact they try to marry people of similar religion and possibly from the same tribe, then region, then area, then religion, then etc etc, is because of the upbringing of the children.
Got to go and work but maybe we can talk again tomorrow Jamal.
# posted by AdeC @ 2:51 AM 
