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Of Head Cases and Head Scarves
So there’s this: It’s a headscarf, commonly called the hijab here in Saudi Arabia. There are a lot of different ways to wear it, and wearing it well requires more effort than I’ve ever invested. I...
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What the Cave Man Knew
I have always loved history in the laziest way possible. I love the stories, and the complicated way stories cross and influence each other, and I love puzzling over why people did what they did and...
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Natural Facts
Okay, kids. This is a test. I want you to think REALLY hard. When was the last time you heard any straight-faced conversation that touched on the term “women drivers”? The straight-faced part is...
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Inside Out and Backwards
To understate the obvious (double whammy!) Arab and Western cultures have some…difficulties understanding each other. But don’t worry–I can totally fix this. Yes, it’s true that I’m completely...
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Saudi News Notes: Normal and True
Merry Christmas, y’all. I took the holiday off. And I meant to still be taking it. But then the news got the better of me, and I found myself at the mercy of a flowchart. Because, you see, this article...
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Letter from Inside Saudi Arabia: Why I Live Here
I’ve been away for the last couple of months, helping my daughter in the U.S. welcome a new baby.I know, right? Pretty cute. Or at least the adults all think so. But Weird Overseas Granny moved in two...
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To Grandmother’s House We Go: Touring a Traditional Arabian Village
My new favorite painting: I did it myself. Well, if you want to get technical, I took the picture myself: Then ran it through the Waterlogue app. So with a liberal definition of the word “paint,” you...
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Where Dude Meets Dude
I love intersections, when things coming from different directions cross each other, and the interesting things that happen to both of them when they meet each other. You know, like those couples where...
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Me, a Joke, and the Secret Police
Theory: A sense of humor is to every human quality as salt is to every food. It doesn’t take much, but the lack of it will pretty much kill whatever you’re serving. Love? Good, but when it’s dead...
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Dear Saudi Arabia, Please Help Me Understand
Why won’t you let any refugees in? Please, help me. I want to understand. I want to think better of you than what I see. Source: Muslim Mamas I sit in front of the television, crying. “This is Europe’s...
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The Faith and The Hope
This is my favorite keepsake from Saudi Arabia. Okay, I’m pretty pumped with this, too: The gift that keeps on giving. But the necklace is still number one. To my eye, Arabic is the most beautiful...
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A Little Help, Here, Please
It’s Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., a holiday begun to commemorate those who died while serving in the armed forces. It now involves military tributes, graveside services…and barbecues. Summer has...
View ArticleHave You Checked the Children?
We can find the cause of American extremism only if we realize the calls for it are coming from inside the house.
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