A regular visitor of American Bedu blog uploaded a moving video where a young woman narrates a thought provoking poem.  The poem expresses what many people may think but fear to say out loud.

I love to cook and have always enjoyed experimenting with new recipes.  Little did I know when I came to Saudi Arabia I’d be learning new recipes while experimenting with a traditional stove!  I say traditional stove because the stove in our villa in Saudi was unlike any I had seen before.  It was big – which I loved!  It was gas – which I loved!  But when it came to baking, what temperatures which could be seen were in Centigrade instead of Fahrenheit; the other temperatures on the control dial had been rubbed out from use and age.  That made baking a challenge for me!

First of all I always had a conversion chart of Centigrade to Fahrenheit in a kitchen drawer which I could refer to when needed.  The other trick is that I would find a number I could recognize on the control dial that had not been rubbed out and after doing a conversion would either move the dial forward or reverse depending on my desired temperature. In the beginning of cooking with that stove I pleaded with it, coaxed it and even threatened it that I had successful dishes.

As worse as not having a dish turn out was to run out of gas while cooking or baking. Yes, this breed of stove also relied on gas canisters for fuel. I never learned the art of determining when the canister was low. Most times there was a back-up canister full of gas so it was only a matter of switching canisters.  One time I had started a meal and ran out of gas without a back-up canister.  We ended up having a meal delivered that night.

Before I left Saudi I had mastered that stove.  Mastering that stove gave me confidence that I could cook or bake a dish on anything without a problem.  My mother-in-law was proud of how I mastered that stove.  She had been cooking on a stove which had no temperatures marked on the dial for more than 30 years!

A mere six weeks ago I was told I could have a break from chemotherapy.  Finally, after six solid months of chemotherapy, I could look forward to a “nearly normal” life again!!  However, I must continue bi-weekly treatments of the drug, Avastin, which has been pivotal in keeping my cancer at bay.  This news was among the best I’d received.

But last week the bubble burst.  Due to the FDA decision to revoke its approval of the drug, Avastin, it is now no longer available to me and many other women.  Avastin was revoked because the FDA states that the side effects are more harmful than benefits.  The FDA further stated that Avastin did not prolong lives long enough to warrant the high costs.

The possible side effects of Avastin such as high blood pressure, bloody nose and a few others are well-known by the physicians.  Patients are monitored closely.  I had been receiving Avastin for the better part of a year.  I know other women who have been on Avastin much longer.  A doctor subscribes Avastin for a patient because it works.  Avastin does stop the cancer cells from spreading and growing.

What is the real reason the FDA revoked its approval?  It’s not politically correct for the FDA to say so, but I will.  MONEY.  Avastin is not cheap.  It costs US$88,000 per year for a woman to receive.

Although the FDA revoked its approval, a woman may still receive Avastin…if she can self pay.  That rules me and many other women out.

For women like me, who are HER2 negative, there are few choices of drugs which can be effective.  Avastin is the one that has worked.

It’s a shame that it is becoming more difficult for doctor’s to administer to their patients.  The government should not be involved or make decisions about health care.

Women outside of the United States can still receive Avastin.  Many doctors practicing in European countries, Canada and Saudi Arabia continue to administer Avastin to Stage IV breast cancer patients.  In many of these countries with a Nationalized health care system, there is no concern on behalf of the woman for payment.  The cost of Avastin is absorbed by the government.  Yet, Avastin, a drug manufactured by a US pharmaceutical company, is no longer available to the American woman.

Of course my doctor is aware of the FDA’s decision.  I see him next week and will hear what new plan of action he has for me.  I hope that I do not have to return to the heavy duty chemotherapy where the side effects can be very debilitating.  Stay tuned.

HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal is a widely recognized face in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.  He has one of the most responsible of positions in the Government of Saudi Arabia.  It is an honor for American Bedu to profile HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

Prince Saud is the world’s longest serving Foreign Minister.  He became Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister in 1975 after holding previous positions within the Saudi Government.  Prince Saud was educated in the United States at Princeton University where he graduated in 1964 with a BA in Economics.  He speaks seven languages.

Born in Taif in 1940, he is the third son of the late King Faisal. After graduating from Princeton he became an economic consultant to the Ministry of Petroleum.  He was transferred to the General Organization for Petroleum and Mineral Resources (Petromin) in 1966.  In February 1970 he was appointed Deputy Governor of Petromin for Planning Affairs.  He was later appointed the Deputy Ministry of the Ministry of Petroleum in 1971.  He began his career as Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister in 1975.  Prince Saud is highly regarded among the world’s diplomats and leaders.

As Foreign Minister, Prince Saud has actively pursued peace and promoted dialogue in the region and around the world. He has led Saudi delegations in Middle East peace talks, and participated in pan-Arab efforts to end the civil war in Lebanon. He has supported enhanced North-South cooperation and a focus on economic and social development. Prince Saud has also participated in the US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue to institutionalize cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

Prince Saud is closely involved in philanthropy. He is a founding member of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the board of directors for the King Faisal School. He is also a member of the Society for Disabled Children and the Madinah Society for Welfare and Social Services.

HRH Prince Saud Al-Faisal has worked closely with three of Saudi Arabia’s kings:  King Khalid, King Fahd and King Abdullah.  He is one of King Abdullah’s closest allies.

On the personal side, Prince Saud is married with three sons and three daughters. He makes his home in Jeddah. He has been battling Parkinson’s disease and chronic back pain for a number of years. However he does not allow his deteriorating health to keep him from his duties as Foreign Minister.

He is a strong Arab nationalist with a great passion for his position and his country.

In closing this post, what do YOU wish you could say or ask Prince Saud?

Most newlywed couples in Saudi Arabia traditionally take a one month honeymoon.  Since marriages are still arranged in Saudi Arabia this gives the new bride and groom time to get to know one another away from their families.  It should also be a time of happiness and bliss.  Yet it seems that this view is not always endorsed by all….

The Saudi woman remains a mystery to many who have not had an opportunity to meet and get to know a Saudi woman.  There are some perceptions that she is locked away in a glass palace and released only at the whim of her mahrem (male guardian).  There are also perceptions that the Saudi woman is pampered but uneducated or at least would never receive the same educational opportunities as a Saudi man.

The following may therefore surprise many.  Thirty percent of the 47,000 Saudi students in the US on King Abdullah scholarships are women!  21 per cent of all students who were recipients of a King Abdullah scholarship at universities in 30 countries were women.  The article by Arab news is worth reading but just overlook that the Saudi diplomats who provided information were inadvertently credited to be with the US embassy.

In addition, it is likely that there will be further scrutiny placed on male scholarship recipients.  Saudi Television channel 2 (English language channel) is adding a new show to its roster.  This show will feature Saudi students who have studied abroad on a King Abdullah scholarship.  The students will share their experiences on the upcoming show.  Saudi channel 2 seeks to provide new shows which cater to the rising population of Saudi youth.  Saudi channel 2 is also watched by many expatriates in the Kingdom.

Sylvina Poole is a senior journalist in the Richmond, Virginia area. She is working on a research project regarding the women in Saudi Arabia and in particular, the Saudi women with black skin who are generally of African heritage. Specific questions she’d like answered pertaining to her research are as follows:

What are the personal stories of Saudi women with black skin? Are they treated any differently by lighter skinned Saudis?  Do they face any kind of challenges lighter skinned Saudi women would not face?  Why or why not?

What are their experiences with oppression, if any?

How did the Saudi women with black skin come to be in the Kingdom?  Why is she living there?  Are Saudi women with black skin as accepted as the Saudi women with lighter skin?

Are career opportunities or marriage opportunities fewer for Saudi women with black skin?

How does she feel about the state of affairs for the Saudi woman?

Any resources or data on this subject would be appreciated.

Sylvina Poole

Email:  srpoole1@yahoo.com

I have written multiple posts in the past about Saudi students who are studying abroad on a scholarship.  I feel compelled to address this topic again due to the number of foreign (non-Saudi) women who enter in to a relationship with a Saudi student.

In Saudi Arabia unrelated men and women are segregated and prohibited by law to intermingle.  Most Saudi men in the Kingdom have minimal to no contact with women to whom they are not related.  Their time with women is with family such as Grandmother, Aunts, mother and sister.  If a Saudi man were to have any interaction with female cousins or sister-in-laws these women must be covered in front of him.

Some Saudi families may be more open and not adhere to the tradition of segregation.  However compared to the overall population in Saudi Arabia, these families are in the minority.

The Saudi student who receives a scholarship to study abroad will be advised and given information about requirements he is to follow.  Circumventing these requirements could result in revocation of his scholarship.  He will know before he leaves the Kingdom that marriage to a foreigner (non-Saudi) is prohibited.

However, when the Saudi student arrives in a Western country he may be exposed to the lack of segregation for the first time.  His reaction may be the same as setting a child loose in a candy store.  He will be able to talk freely with women.  He will be surrounded by women who do not cover their body or head in the manner of the Saudi woman.  He will be able to make friends with women.  He will be able to date!  And, if he chooses, he can have a relationship with a foreign woman.

  Perhaps due to his upbringing where contact with an unrelated woman generally means marriage, he may tell the woman with whom he is having a relationship that he wishes to marry her.  Yet with the restrictions he must abide to, he knows in his mind that a marriage is unlikely to happen.  He is not only going against the regulations of his scholarship but he must also obtain approval from the Saudi government in order to marry a non-Saudi woman.  This is further compounded by another regulation that any Saudi under the age of 35 is prohibited from marrying a foreigner.

Do marriages take place between a Saudi scholarship student and a foreigner given all the restrictions and regulations?  Yes.  Some Saudi students feel an obligation to marry a woman with whom they are having an intimate relationship.  Others marry as they believe they have found love.  The marriage may be a civil marriage and/or a very private Islamic marriage.  Now couples are legally married but that does not mean a couple can travel to the Kingdom together as husband and wife.  Government approval is still required.  The majority of times the Saudi student returns to the Kingdom upon completion of his studies leaving his foreign wife behind.

In spite of taking the risk of marriage, the Saudi student is unlikely to acknowledge the marriage or request for approval of the marriage from the Saudi government.  He does not want to jeopardize his scholarship.  It may also be questionable on whether his family is aware that he married a foreigner.  Many Saudi families will not accept or approval of their son marrying a foreigner.  His mother may have already selected a woman she wishes for him to marry.

The foreign woman should educate herself on the Saudi culture and customs before entering in to a marriage with a Saudi.  Saudi Arabia is one of the most conservative countries in the world.  A foreign woman married to a Saudi will find herself in a world where segregation is natural and modesty expected.  She may or may not be accepted by her husband’s family.  Without any of her own family members or friends around her she may feel very isolated. Her husband may be pressured or obligated to have a Saudi wife.  The Saudi man, as a Muslim, can have up to four wives.  If the couple have marriage difficulties and divorce, the husband will have custody of any children.  The wife, as a foreigner, may be obligated to leave the Kingdom because she no longer has a sponsor (her husband).

There have been happy and successful marriages between Saudi men and foreign women but the marriage approval may have taken years.  A lot of patience, faith and perseverance are required.

The Arab winter has begun and reminds me of a covey of falcons are focused on devouring their prey.

It appears that Egypt’s “democratic elections” will likely result with the Muslim Brotherhood rising in power and ruling the country.

Syria continues to be a battleground of multiple agendas by outside forces.  Turkey’s leader and Jordan’s King among others have asked for Assad to step down. However it appears that Assad is determined to hang on like Qadaffi and Saddam.  We all know what happened to them.

Kuwait’s cabinet resigns causing political unrest and uncertainty.

Life has not been all calm and tranquil in Saudi Arabia either.  On 27 November a tank drove into a group of protesters in Qatif which is located in Saudi’s Eastern Province.  Four inidivduals were killed. The Kingdom categorically forbids all sorts of demonstrations and police are “authorized by law to take all measures needed against those who try to break the law.”

Saudi security forces withdrew from the Shia’a village of Qatif on 28 November. The move appeared aimed at reducing friction with the kingdom’s minority Shiites on the first day of Ashura.

Four Shiites were shot dead last week. The interior ministry said security forces had come under fire from gunmen operating on “foreign orders,” hinting at involvement by Saudi’s arch rival Iran.

There is no doubt that it is going to be an interesting Arab winter.