Journey Back to the Middle East

 It has been just over 2.5 years since I left the Middle East. To those of you who read the old blog, you know that the 18 months I spent there were not my best. Part of that was adapting to a culture so vastly different to my own, part of it was a job and an office that I never really felt a part of or supported by, and part of it was my own naïveté and immaturity. Living in Saudi taught me a lot about working with different people, dealing with difficult situations, and growing up. I think I left Saudi a different person. I was less trusting, less hopeful, and much more cynical. I had become hard.

 I also left with a very sour taste in my mouth about all things Middle East. While I was quick to point out that I had made some really fantastic friends without whom I don't know that I would have been able to even make it those 18 months, I was also quick to point out that none of them were Saudi. I wanted nothing to do with the culture or the people when I left. I was so tired, frustrated, and unhappy that I swore I would never return. And yet, here I am. Granted, I am in Qatar and not Saudi, but it's still the Middle East. And yes, I'm only here for four days and not months, but again, I though I would never again head back to the desert. 

Upon hearing that I had been assigned to join the school's MUN team to Doha, let's say I had my reservations. I was still so focused on all the things that I didn't like about that region that I was worried I was not going to enjoy trip. To my pleasant surprise, however, my return to this part of the world has reminded me of all the wonderful things that this region has. First, let's start with the food. I had almost forgotten how much I love Middle Eastern mezze: tabouleh, laban, zattar, pita bread, humus, roasted tomatoes for breakfast, and all the delicious phylo desserts with honey, nuts, and/or fruit.  Second, the sun light. It is February so it's not terribly hot, but after weeks of rain in Taiwan I had forgotten how easily you can take sunlight for granted and the Middle East has lots of sun. Third, the architecture. This is a region that is growing so fast and yet they seem to hold tight to certain aesthetics when building, so everything seems to retain it's "arabic" heritage while also being new, slick, and modern. There are some really gorgeous buildings in the part of the world, and the creativity in some of the newer construction is simply amazing. Finally, the people's pride of being Middle Eastern. They are intensely loyal to their countries and in most cases really want others to understand and see why they think their homes are so special. It makes them superb hosts. 

So even though there are still parts of this culture that I don't understand (and parts that I don't agree with) I am reminded that understanding lies in mutual respect and a willingness to listen and learn. I had forgotten that for a bit but I think that time and distance has allowed me to come back to this region with a fresh and more open perspective. I still don't think I want to live in this region again, but I can appreciate the wonderful things that it has while also acknowledging the things that give me pause. Living abroad has taught me that nowhere is perfect, but if you want to live a happy, fulfilled life in a culture other than your own you have to be willing to accept that differences are what make us interesting and find balance between your point of view and that of your host country. 

I have now made my peace with the fact there is no black and white in life, and only seeing or remembering the extremes can be quite damaging to everyone. I am now comfortable with living in the grey that makes life so interesting and acknowledging that all experiences have good and bad.