Women!

Women are wonderful! Our kindered spirits allow us to communicate without effort, even without uttering a single word. This has been my heartfelt experience as I travelled to Jeddah. In the Toronto airport, I 'talked' with my first veiled Muslim woman. Standing in line to go through customs and security, we were waiting our turn to move through the 'tunnel' where you either beep or not. Standing in front of me in her black abaya with only her eyes peeking out, we expected she would be called through next. Instead, the customs security man wiggled his finger to the man that was standing third in line, directly behind me. In an instant while she turned to look to see who the security man was waving through, we locked eyes. Instinctively, we shrugged our shoulder togeher and rolled our eyes with as much as to say 'whatever'. As our eyebrows arched, I know behind that veil, she too smirked. In fairness, the man at the security check-in was not being sexist. He simply scanned the men; the lady security agent was busy searching another woman.

My next stop was Dubai. While waiting to go through customs, I met another ambitious and lovely lady. She was travelling to Canada, I was on my way to her home city, Jeddah. She and her husband and children are immigrating as skilled workers to Ottawa. She is an interpreter and a teacher. They have been preparing for their International move for four years. Naturally she wanted to hear about Canada, I wanted to hear about Jeddah. We exchanged information in the lineups, waiting for the shuttle and over dinner. Already I have a personal guide who will make invaluable suggestions where to visit in Jeddah and the surrounding areas.

Over the course of over 11,000 miles in the air, I met three other teachers whom I will be working with at AGS. Imagine that, a 747 and we managed to find one another prior to passing through custos in Dubai. Natalie, Allision and Josie-Ann are all wonderul enthusiastic ladies looking forward to an overseas teaching experience, each for their own reasons.

Arriving in Jeddah, our growing entourage met two other women while waiting (I stress the wored waiting) to go through customs. Zurnia, comes from South Africa and will be working in KAUST, teaching English as a second language to first year university students. Being a Muslim woman, Zurina wore her abaya and had her head covered, but was not veiled. As we    w  a  i  t  e  d  , we giggled and she 'welcomed us to S.A.' We hope to connect at a later date.

Lastly, after a whirlwind of activities which for me was far more intense than having a brand new baby at home, I had just finished a dash and shop. This means I supplied an apartment with goods in less than 90 minutes, all-the-while getting my purchases checked through the till prior to prayer time at 6:30. I bought everything from a vegetable peeler to pillows. Two shopping carts full of stuff literally stuffed everywhere! As I waited for my less fortunate colleagues who did not get through the checkout prior to prayer, I had a cup of mint tea. In that moment of rest, I realized I needed to purchase a lighter. No, I have not taken up smoking due to stress, I need a ligher to light the gas element each time I cook. As I was asking the waiter who made me my tea where I could purchase a lighter, a beautiful brown-eyed Muslim lady stretched out her hand to me offering me her lighter. I explained I wanted to purchase one. She said with tenderness in her eyes, "Yes, yes. Have this one; it is a gift from me to you." How could one gesture over a lighter move my heart so?

These are a few stories of the wonderful women I have encountered in my first week of travels. Women all over the world are a wonderful bunch! As I experience and enjoy my International journey, may my humble offerings build up and encourage little girls who one day will grow up to be marvellous women.