Couple describe living in Saudi Arabia for COCC session

Last week’s local elections in Saudi Arabia made for a timely Sisters COCC Lunch and Learn session, featuring Lee and Jeannette Bailey recounting their life in the Arab state from 1999 to 2001.

Lee Bailey worked as a petroleum geologist for Saudi Aramco, and he and wife Jeannette described their observations living among the Muslims.

“We lived in a compound in Dhahran which is north of the Capital of Riyadh,” Jeannette told her audience. “Generally, we shopped in the nearby city of Tabouk.”

A bus took shoppers back and forth between the city and the compound.

The Baileys’ displayed slides of some of the various street markets and vendors they visited on shopping trips.

A school for children was available to Westerners living in the compound.

Pictures of the compound looked very much like any residential suburban community in this country with ranch houses and green lawns.

A Saudi gardener worked around the Baileys’ home taking care of the grass and other plants — sometimes in 120-degree heat (or greater).

“There was a golf course near our home and all sand traps,” Lee said jokingly. “It didn’t have any grass while we were there but I’ve been told by friends that grass has now been added.”

Saudi Arabia has about 1/4 of the proven oil reserves on the planet.

“They are pretty much producing near capacity at the present time,” said Lee.

“This is a Muslim country,” he continued. “There is a fierce hatred of Jews that has existed for 4,000 years and is incorporated into religious beliefs.”

“Boys can go to college in the country but girls are not allowed to attend in Saudi Arabia. A girl may attend college — but out of country,” said Jeannette.

Women have to wear the traditional Abaya dress (black cloak and headdress covering from head-to-toe with only their eyes showing). She provided an Abaya after the meeting for women to try on. There was also the traditional male headdress for men to try.

“Women cannot look or stare at men while outside the home. Western women are advised to wear ankle length dresses with long sleeves and hats when traveling outside the home,” said Jeannette.

“You see lots of colorful geometric patterns on buildings and homes,” said Lee. “Animal or plant pictures are sacrilegious and not seen.”

Lee finished the presentation by listing the five pillars of Islamic religion. Profession of faith, Prayer, Religious Tax, Fasting during Ramadan, and the Haj — the pilgrimage to Mecca, which should be made by Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

“Males in Saudi Arabia are limited to this pilgrimage once every five years maximum because of the crowds,” said Lee.

“The airport in Riyadh is among the world’s largest to accommodate incoming crowds during the Haj,” he noted.

The recent election in the Riyadh area will select half of the local 38 municipal councils and the ruling government will pick the other half.

About 30 percent of adult males age 21 or over registered to vote.

Women are not allowed to vote. Two later elections will fill half of the remaining country’s 178 municipal councils.

Lee and Jeannette Bailey live in Redmond.