Well Now, That's Different!

While we have only been away for just under one year, coming back to Canada is exciting and gives us a huge sense of appreciation for our beautiful country, organized systems, and easy of travel.  Adjusting to Canada in early July was effortless compared to adjusting to our new life and lifestyle in Jeddah last fall. The familiarity of our hometown and beyond made our jetlag practically non-existent.

day lilies in Mom's Langley garden

English our recognizable and common spoken language, contributes to easy conversations. Not understanding another’s language has its advantages though. When we can’t understand the words, it doesn’t take up any headspace because we have no opinions or lingering mind thoughts. Reading body language is our only clue to a foreign exchange.  We enjoyed chatting and understood every word when sharing travel stories with a friendly policeman at the ferry line-up as we made our way to Port Angeles. Asking for directions and returning items to a store has also given us a sense of clarity and ease. Not once have we heard “Enshalla” when we required service from businesses, clerks, or when we booked hotel rooms. Regardless, we have been very lazy language learners in Jeddah. English is prevalent and spoken with a cute accent.

In total contrast from the common language we participate in and hear, our eyes continued to be stimulated by the individuality of each person’s dress. In Saudi Arabia, all Muslim women wear black abayas always with a head covering and often with a face covering too. The men wear a long white thobe with a head covering too. The mens’ headgear is to keep the scorching sun from burning their neck; the women cover to hide their beauty from others. In Canada we see a kaleidoscope of colour, bare knees and arms, rump hugging pants, accessories, ball caps, jeans of every variety and hairstyles of every kind. Now that’s different! No wonder it is so much fun to watch people in Canada.




Chinatown Victoria BC



Visiting Todd in Victoria gave us time to be tourists in our own country. We gagged as we were in the vicinity of some dope smokin’ dudes in downtown Victoria. We have smelled weed wafting out onto the street on various walks in Campbell River as well as Victoria. This too is different! We saw some funky Canada Post mailboxes downtown Victoria. The mail service is interesting in Jeddah. As an Expat, all mail comes to your employer’s business address. In our case, it is then delivered to me at my work place. Often we get 4 or 5 letters all in one day; all stapled together. Personal pieces of mail are a special treat for us. In Victoria and on the route to Seattle, emergency vehicles are respected. All other vehicles pull right and stop. The drivers in Saudi do not do this. When I first saw drivers ignore an emergency vehicle’s siren and lights it was very disturbing for me. Yellow fire trucks and other emergency vehicles are treated as all other vehicles, just louder and flashier. Victoria is a beautiful city but not without some hardships. There were so many panhandlers, bottle collectors and many people with various mental challenges. Seldom do we ever see anyone in a wheelchair in Jeddah. There are some ladies and children who beg at different intersections, however don’t sit on the sidewalk with a sign asking for food, money, or rides.

Shopping experiences are different too. In Jeddah after we have purchased something, and we go into a different store, we are asked to leave our bag in a secure area. No need for this security measure in Canada or the USA. Initially, we both felt uneasy as we packed out purchases from one store to another. In North America, women can try on clothes prior to purchasing them. For the most part, changing rooms in Jeddah do not exist. Women purchase their wares, take them home and if they don’t fit, return them to the store.

Globally, technology is prevalent. We are however, appreciating the up to date internet services; booking on line and researching information. This is difficult for us in Jeddah. To find a store, we jump in a cab, drive around looking for it, hope it is open and or not prayer time and finally with optimistic anticipation hope they have what we are looking for. This makes life very interesting and each outing an adventure! It is indeed one way to get to know Jeddah.



driving in Jeddah - lanes? not really!

 Speaking of driving, it is a privilege and treat to get behind the wheel again! Truth be told, I was a little nervous about driving when I first sat in the driver’s seat.  Thankfully, our many years of experience were individually and quickly resurrected as we cruised, parallel parked, merged, and make our way through many windy Tim Horton’s drive through windows! One other thought regarding streets in Canada which we find different is the road is the road. We are continually commenting on the spaciousness all around us. We recognized why this is so. Many businesses and stores provide mini parking lots for customers to park in. In Jeddah, the drivers sometimes park two deep while shopping in the store. Given there are few or very narrow sidewalks, the storefront and parked cars create a congested roadway. 

I am sure all those that have travelled can conjure up various bathroom stories. The stories might range from deluxe bathrooms to horror stories. Bathrooms are one other distinguishable difference for us. Bathrooms in North America provide dry floor space and not only one roll, but usually industrial sized rolls of toilet paper. Because of cultural differences, bathrooms in the Middle East have sprayers which always produce wet floors. This fact makes women hike up their abaya prior to entering too far into the washroom. All North American women quickly learn to pack their own tissue paper when visiting washrooms in the Middle East.

Do you have a pet?  We have missed Trucker and Remmie this past year.We have enjoyed stopping to pet the pups and loved visiting with Trucker at Todd’s. We have also enjoyed the big dogs and little dogs to when we visited others on our road trip. There are very few dogs in the Middle East. The cat story is different. There are cats abound. They are feral garbage cats, often diseased and found everywhere in the city.

Although there are many things for us to think about and appreciate while in Canada this summer, the hugs and visits with our family and friends is at the top of our list. That has not changed. No difference there!