In a moment of frustration yesterday, I posted this rant on Twitter: “If only we were living in a normal country…” Apparently the short sentence struck a chord among my fellow twiterrers and a meme was born. Here’s some examples:
7anno: that’s “if”
CivilLizard: If only anyone can come up with what’s normal for the majority or can find me a country they can call normal.
mohamed: define normal…
weddady: in a normal country u don’t have to show marriage license 2 eat in a fish restaurant
krispijnbeek: in a normal country every one has a irrepressible quote on their site to remember freedom ain’t a free lunch http://bit.ly/2HrKpK
asad_wosaibi: in a normal country, I can choose what education program my kids go thru.. study science, math.. or have fun with arabic lessons
alfarhan: In a normal country, they don’t stop drivers in the highway for 20 min because a damn person is passing by
bianconeri4ever: In a normal country the Twitter experience is actually enjoyable, because Tinyurl.com is accessible :P
yazeez: in a normal country ppl dont start their tweets with “in normal country”
thecrazyjogger: In a normal country they don’t block all the links starting with tinyurl.com
thecrazyjogger: In a normal country they don’t ask all ur license n registration for a car if its going thru a checkpoint n the car is fulla teen guys
However, I have some great friends and thanks to one awesome friend of mine the day ended on a happy note, so I finally said: In a normal country, _great_ things can happen too :-D
Saudi Jeans 
And still curious what that last tweet means… but in a normal country people are to polite to ask ;-)
Happy blogging & see you on Twitter.
In a normal country, the goverment doesnt pay for everyone college education.
In a normal country, gas doesn’t cost 50 cents/gallon.
In a normal country, stores dont open untill 12 pm.
In a normal country, banks will eat you alive with interest rates.
This is fun…
Saudi Smith,
Actually many normal countries ‘pay’ for everyone’s education like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Ireland and Sweden :)
as for gas they recently made that change in the last couple years, but before that not really that cheap, Considering were #1 in oil reserves.
most countries in the world have at least some places that open late … but who cares anyway.
“In a normal country, banks will eat you alive with interest rates.”
now this maybe the oddest statement I’ve heard. you’re telling me that Saudi banks are looking out for the customers? That’s why they issued so many retarded loans for people that wanted to buy into an obviously inflated stock market? I completely disagree.
We all love our country but blind defensive arguing doesn’t lead us anywhere.
In a normal country, the president wouldn’t be legally retarded;
In a normal country, a little salmonella doesn’t shut down the supermarkets;
In a normal country, a college degree doesn’t cost $100k (I’m so bitter…).
I agree with Saudi Smith, this is very fun.
lol Saudi Smith
Ahmad, you’d be surprised at what happensin a normal country. If someone special is coming by the streets will be closed off for more than 20 minutes. You’re lucky if a funeral procession is less than 20 minutes and doesn’t require a police escort.
*in a nomal country old people are neglected and nobody even knows their dead until the neighbors report a foul odor.
*In a normal country crime accounts for more death, injuries and loss of property then all Natural Disasters combined.
*In a normal country approximately thirteen million people (approximately 5% of the U.S. population) are victims of crime every year. Approximately one and a half million are victims of violent crime.
For the people who are bringing up the high crime rates in America:
America is not the only democracy in the world and it is certainly not the best.
Poverty amongst minorities, criminals in America are more likely to own guns making them more hostile and homicidal, these and other factors contribute to that rate.
People who trade freedom for safety deserve neither.
lol loved it :D thumbs up
I wholeheartedly agree with you in your own definition of the thing called (normal country) but I guess that you forgot to add to your definition that in a normal country people usually do not brag about the degree of their country’s stupidity.
In a normal country women can travel on their own
In a normal country men don’t fondle under garments when I go in to purchase a bra
In a normal country I can drive my own car, much better I might add
But..
In a normal country I have to unload my groceries out of the car
In a normal country I’m the oddball with five children
In a normal country I couldn’t afford private schooling at these prices
In a normal country I couldn’t have a guy beat down for trying to flirt with me I would just have to live with being harassed
good and bad in all
If only I try to help my country become normal instead of despising it…
ummadam,
The point you bring up about old people is a Social problem not a governmental problem. Their children and relatives ‘choose’ to neglect them based on their tradition and custom.
And the statistics you bring up against the U.S. are offered PUBLICLY, thats why you even know they exist ! but in Saudi (and most Arab countries for that matter) you have absolutely no clue whats going on… everything is hush hush. So you have absolutely nothing to compare to and can’t really come to any sort of solid conclusion.
You are being featured on Five Star Friday:
http://www.fivestarfriday.com/2008/07/five-star-friday-edition-16.html
In normal country live normal people.
I agree with Nzingha, definitely good and bad in all. Love the ‘meme’! :mrgreen:
In a normal country, you wouldn’t have to deal with the mandatory closing of stores during prayer time. Waiting 15/20 minutes to fill up gas is ridiculous, but I guess that’s a running theme in Saudi.
LOL
I agree with the (having to stop till a sacred parade passes by) policy
you know something? they once held the pilgrims from leaving to mina just coz there was a sacred parade passing by, and here’s the kicker, the parade was not taking the same road as theirs, it just happened to be adjacent to it!
wouldn’t it be better to travel anonymously rather than showing off and making a big deal out of it?
we’re freaks people! we’re not normal one bit
I might add, In a normal country, ppl wouldn’t have to squeeze a shikh into every aspect of their lives
In a normal country, criticism and debate are acceptable
In a normal country, ppl wouldn’t attack you just because you happened to think in a different way from theirs
In a normal country, you wouldn’t find a large population with some paranoia problem thinking that everything you say is meant for attacking them.
You whine and complain so much.. forgetting your country doesnt have to be like other countries. I suggest you travel around the world..and live in different cities for a couple of months..and see how things are done there and the kind of problems people face..
If normal has any meaning, a normal country is one in which the efforts of populace create the wealth of the country. In many ways oil has been a double edged sword for Saudi Arabia. The rapid rise in wealth has not given any of the Gulf States time to adjust. Even states that were rapidly industrializing in the 20th century, such as Japan, have had problems. Just imagine an insular country like Saudi Arabia adjusting to wealth and all that came with it.