Meet Adam, A Saudi-American Teenager

First of all, Thank YOU Adam for not only taking the time to answer these questions but to allow me the opportunity to interview you in the first place.

It’s my pleasure!  This is my first interview ever, so I’m a little nervous.  And thank God for Spell-Check!

I’ve no doubt that a majority of you who follow my blog are also aware of Susie and her blog, Susie’s Big Adventure which she hosts from her home in Jeddah.  Adam is Susie’s teenaged son who has agreed to answer questions and share his perspectives on being a teenaged Saudi-American boy who now makes his primary home in the Kingdom.

First of all Adam, how old are you?  How old were you when you first arrived in Saudi Arabia?

I am now 16 (but I act a LOT older!).  We moved here to Jeddah when I was 14.  I’ll be 17 on January 23^rd – I’m not having a birthday party, but I will be accepting gifts, so be sure to mark your calendars.

Was that the first time for you to be in Saudi Arabia?

Yes.  I had never been outside of the United States before moving here.  My dad had never taken us for a visit to Saudi Arabia, and I kinda wish he would have before we moved here.

Where have you lived in the States?

I lived in South Florida all my life.  I was born in Arizona but we moved to Florida when I was a baby, so Arizona doesn’t count.

Did you have a lot of friends there?

Tons, and I miss them terribly.  I have some really awesome friends back in Florida.  They are as cool as cucumbers.

How did you feel when your parents told you that you all were going to relocate and live in Saudi Arabia?

Well, honestly I didn’t know how to feel about it.  I had mixed emotions.  On one hand, I wasn’t very thrilled about it.  And on the other hand, the thought of moving there was a little exciting (and misleading).  But I was happy where we were in Florida, and I would have just been starting high school there, so I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be going to school with all my cool cucumber friends.

Did you know any Arabic before you arrived?  And by comparison, how is your Arabic now?

I knew some Arabic, but not enough.  My dad always spoke Arabic to me since I was born, so I could understand a lot, but I was always shy about speaking it.  Now I’m taking an Arabic class in school and I can carry on a casual conversation and get around quite well, most of the time.  I’m learning how to read and write Arabic, and when we’re surrounded by Arabic speakers, I can translate for my mom.  Her Arabic sucks!  XD

Please share your initial thoughts and impressions of when you first arrived in Saudi Arabia.  What was it like?  How easy or not was it to adapt and get adjusted?

There was so little color here compared to Florida, where it’s green and lush.  Here it’s beige and sandy and dusty.  I met all of my dad’s family during the first week when I arrived.  They were all really welcoming and caring and loving to me, and it made me feel really good.  I had never felt such love from almost complete strangers as I did then.  The time difference made it hard for me to adapt because I would sleep so much during the day and be up all night.  For the first 6-8 months, I had no friends because I couldn’t get enrolled in school all that time, so it was really boring after a while.

What do you like best about living in Saudi Arabia?  What do you like least about living in Saudi Arabia?

I have made some great friends now at my school.  There are some really amazing people here from all over the world.  If I didn’t have them and my mom, I would probably go crazy in this place.  I also love shawarma and that I can get it almost 24 hours a day.  Oh, and I love the smell of taxis here – they smell like a combination of curry, BO, and cigarettes.  Lovely!  And I love days when it rains here, so in two years I’ve enjoyed maybe five random days of rain.  And I’ve got to add that the barbecue chicken places here are incredibly delicious – they really are.

And what do I like least about living here?  Where do I begin?  Well, I hate how almost everything here has a contradiction.  Like how women here have to wear the abaya and cover their hair, but on TV we can see half naked women and just about anything.  I hate that I can’t buy my kind of music here (like Panic! at the Disco and Mindless Self Indulgence).  I hate that there are no movie theaters here, no concerts to speak of, no mixing with women, and there is practically nothing for teenagers to do, so a lot of them get into trouble.  I don’t like wearing the thobe either – I’m much more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt.  I don’t like that I feel like I can’t be who I really am here.  I feel like I can’t be vocal or political or colorful here without getting into trouble or attracting attention.

Are you accepted by other teens as a Saudi or an American or something else?  How easy is it for you to make new friends in Saudi Arabia?

I really don’t have many Saudi friends and I’m considered a half-breed (cue Cher!).  Some people call me American and some call me Saudi.  My friends are mostly from Lebanon, Jordan, Korea, Pakistan, USA, Syria, Turkey, etc.  Once I got into school, I made friends really easily.  There aren’t that many Saudi kids at my school, and for the most part, with a few exceptions, I haven’t found them to be too friendly towards me.  They seem to think they are superior to everyone else and I’m just not like that.

What do you do for entertainment in Saudi Arabia?

I try to keep myself busy, but at times it’s unbearably boring because day after day, it’s the same old thing.  I listen to my music (which I download from the internet), I do graphic art and design, I play video games, and I try to hang out with my friends as much as I can.  I also Skype a lot.  I read and I like to write.  I also like to cook. – I make a mean grilled cheese!  I wish there were more things to do here outside home like in the states, but getting around is a problem since my mom can’t drive here.

Do you feel that you as an individual have changed since moving to Saudi Arabia?  If so, how, in what ways?

I feel like I’ve really matured since I’ve been here.  Well, from 14 to 16 – there’s a lot of personal growth going on anyway!  I think I’ve changed in good ways and I’ve come out of my shell and have become more optimistic.  Before moving here, I was going through this dark stage, listening to different music, wearing black all the time…  I’m glad I’m out of that stage!  I think I’ve become more serious about school (my mom says it’s about time!) and I’m into sports and into happier music.

After having lived in Saudi Arabia now for two years, are you starting to feel more Saudi?  Or do you consider yourself more American?  Please explain your answer.

Honestly, I don’t think I will ever feel more Saudi.  I really feel like an American.  I never knew most of my Saudi family until I moved here.  I grew up as an American kid for 14 years.  I don’t think like the Saudis do.  They look at the world and at many things so differently than I do.  I see art and beauty in many things, and they seem to see sin in everything.  My mind just doesn’t work that way!

What has been your best experience since you have been in Saudi Arabia?

The Family Fun Day at my school was probably the most fun I’ve had here.  There was live music, everyone was having fun and in good moods, and it was such a positive atmosphere.  I got to chill with my friends and I think I ate 7 shawarmas that day!  It was so good!

If you are up to answering this one, what has been your worst experience in Saudi Arabia?

Getting robbed and thrown out of a moving car was definitely the lowest point in my entire life.  I felt like I was going to die and no one would know.  That day I lost all trust in humanity.  I don’t think I’ll ever be able to trust people on the streets ever again.

What advice do you give to other teens who have shifted to Saudi Arabia with their parents?

To keep on believing in themselves and not to listen to people that throw insults and put you down.  Keep on working toward your dreams and don’t give up on them.  Once you find an all-right group of people to hang with, you’ll be okay.

Where do you hope to ultimately attend college?  What do you think you’d like to major in?

I hope to go to college in Washington State and major in music theory and graphic art.

What are your interests and hobbies?  Are you able to do all of them in Saudi?  Why or why not?

I’m an avid music fan, I love graphic design and photography, and I’m crazy for comedy.  Yes, I can do them all here, but with limitations.  In actuality I think that the restrictions I have on me here only inspire me more to make art and share my music and make people laugh, because people here don’t seem to appreciate creativity enough.

What do you think about your mom’s blog?  How has her blog helped you adjust to Saudi Arabia?

I think my mom is a ROCK STAR.  When my mom writes a post about me, it makes me feel awesome.  I like reading the comments then and it blows my mind that complete strangers really do care about me and my well being.  It makes me feel better about my situation of being here.

Do you think you might start your own blog someday?

I’ve been considering it for a long time.  My mom has tried to encourage me to write my own blog.  But I am too politically outspoken and I’m afraid if I started a blog from here, I might get myself into trouble!  Down the road, I would probably like doing my own blog, but for now, I think it’s in my best interest to remain silent – because I don’t want what I say to be held against me in a court of law!  I plead the 5^th!

Are there any additional comments, remarks you’d like to pass along?

Saudi Arabia is a wonderful place and I think it’s a lot easier to live here if you were actually born here.  Thank you for asking me to do this interview.  Now I feel like a ROCK STAR!

Thank you so much Adam (Captain Kabob!) for taking the time to answer my questions.  I wish you and your family all the best!