Last weekend WCMC-Q students, faculty and staff celebrated International night. The celebration consisted of attendees dressing up in either their own or someone else’s national dress. The purpose was to celebrate diversity, as the past 3 entering classes have students from over 25 countries!
My co-worker (Jenn) and I decided that after 2 years in Qatar, we would dress in abayahs (black robe) and sheilas or hijab (head scarves). This is the national dress for women of several Arab countries including Qatar but also of Saudi Arabia. Knowing that we couldn’t pull it off ourselves, we enlisted the help of the lovely Arwa, one of our students from Saudi.
When we arrived at Arwa's dormitory, she was running around like mad trying to get us all ready, but managed to take the time to serve us
Arabic Coffee and dates.
We then watched her carefully iron our abayahs and hold them over the incense burner to make them smell pretty. Another student applied our thick eyeliner. Many women here, with only their faces or even just their eyes showing, wear heavy make-up, particularly around their eyes. After 15 minutes filled with giggling and being stabbed in the eye with an eyeliner brush, I looked like this:
Also completing the outfit, 3 inch strappy heals and a handbag. Both necessities, I am told.
Here is a photo of Rama (from Syria, wearing Moroccan national dress), Me, Arwa, and Jenn, ready for the night out:
The night was full of dancing, skits, and yummy food(lots of sushi!). However, the most interesting and worthwhile part of the evening for me was realizing how it feels to actually wear an abayah and hijab. Seeing the women walk around the streets and malls, gliding gracefully in their heals with yards of fabric flowing around their legs and ankles, I thought it would be easy.
HA!
I must have tripped 3-4 times in the first hour getting in and out of the car, sitting down to eat, and just walking around. Also, I could not, for the life of me, keep my headscarf on. Even with a pin! I had it arranged and rearranged at least 15 times by my experienced Muslim students. They kept laughing about how different I looked, and one student even remarked “you are so cute, I can tell it is your first time!” Everyone within earshot laughed at this as Muslim girls usually begin covering at the onset of puberty, and I suppose they spend a couple of weeks trying to figure out how to wear everything just right.
I wanted to be respectful of the dress, and I tried to be sure not to let my hair show. However, it became evident to me on several occasions throughout the evening that my diligence was not necessary as I am not Muslim and have made no commitments to dress accordingly (observe hijab).
For example, early on in the evening, Arwa told us we shouldn’t wear hijab because our hair “is so pretty.” Also, several of the girls who adjusted my hijab throughout the evening would push it off my forehead to show my bangs, or just drape it casually over the top of my head with half my hair showing, insisting I looked prettier that way.
Me, getting my headscarf fixed for the 10th time:
Some of the male TAs dressed as Qataris too, and they also had difficulties with their attire. Here is a photo of Jenn helping Jad, with me pointing and laughing (I'm so rude):
Next, a photo of Chris and me (I'm the one on the left). Chris is dressed as an American. In particular, an American living abroad who has only 5 changes of clothes and doesn't like to shave, iron, or do laundry.
Chris gave me a ride home, and before getting in the car I made sure to remove my headscarf. I didn't want to get in trouble as an unmarried Qatari female driving around with such a sketchy looking Western boy. ;-P Just kidding....
Photos of the first years:
Dancing:
Qatari girls, giving us a glimpse of part of a wedding ceremony:
