Social Club

I feel like I stepped back thirteen years and am repeating my freshman year of college. It’s awesome!!!

Seriously, this couldn’t be more freshman-like. I’m surrounded with bubbly, funny, laughing girls who know they have a brain in their head and aren‘t afraid to flaunt it. Everyone ventured out of the comforts of their own time zone alone, except for the friends they packed in their laptop. Everyone has their own area of expertise but, like college students playing Musical Majors, some already plan on switching when the opportunity arises. No one has a car, no one brought kids, everyone eats like no parent is in sight, glutes get toned by climbing several flights of stairs to reach apartments, everyone wants an adventure and hopes to get a little money out of it. Like college, everyone hurries to make friends and tries to explore as much as possible.

In a way, this is better than being a freshman. First of all, no one is 18. Huge plus! Insecurities hide under abayas and relative anonymity, and emotional baggage comes with a carry-on limit. Everyone brought their sense of independence and a distinct personality with them. Sometimes the personalities are a bit too large for this country filled with quiet, shadow-like women, but it only adds to the fun.

Going out in public with a group of us impresses the locals. We’re constantly gawked at by everyone, and who can blame them? With all the talking and laughing, we’re definitely not their norm. Saying that we stick out is like saying that summer temperatures of 140 are a little warm. There’s a strong possibility that we’re being blatantly stared at because we don’t cover our faces, and female skin is a rarity here. The funny thing is, even if we wore the entire getup, we still stand out for being six inches taller than the tallest Saudi woman and three inches taller than most Saudi men.

No need to worry, I’m having a great time here in a land famous for capital punishment, covert relationships and hidden debauchery. Like my freshman year of college, I feel an intense metamorphosis coming soon. This place guarantees a year packed full of the same frustrations I’ve cursed Allah for over the past month, but even so, at this point everything is even better than I hoped it would be.