Girls Wanted

by

Since I started Saudi Jeans about a year ago, several people have accused me that I hate Saudi Arabia. Some told me to leave the country, some just told me to shut up. I did not care, because I do not need my loyalty for my homeland to be approved by anyone.

However, a few weeks ago, I almost wrote a post titled “I HATE SAUDI ARABIA.” I did not write that, because I know that I don’t hate my country. I love my country, but I hate many things about it.

I went with a couple of friends to IKEA to grab some stuff for the new apartment. At the door, the security guy called on me. He told me I’m not allowed to enter because I was wearing a sleeveless shirt. I tried to understand what was wrong with my clothes, and even the security guy, who, for my surprise, was very polite (usually, security guys in this country are rude and dumb), could not tell me. “If I let you in, my supervisor will punish me,” he said.

I told my friends they can enter, and I would be waiting for them in the car. Setting in the car, I tried to figure out what could be the reason for preventing me from entering the place.

Please, correct me if I’m wrong. Tell me. Enlighten me. Is the sight of a young man in a basic plain white sleeveless shirt would hurt the feelings of these ugly creatures living in our so-conservative-for-no-good-reason-and-no-good-explanation society?

And you know what? After my friends got back, they told me that they have seen several men in sleeveless shirts inside the store. The only difference is that these men were there with their mothers/wives/fiancés/sisters, or any other female sort of company. “Ahmed, there is nothing wrong with you. It’s a girl problem, all you need is a girl!” my friend, half jokingly, told me.

I know this may sound desperate and hopeless, but I’m going to ask for it anyway. I’m looking for a Riyadh-based decent girl, interested in accompanying a 21-year-old blogger, for going to malls and other public places. The pay will be in the form of a dinner or a drink, depending on the timing and length of the job. If you find me boring, I promise I won’t bother you anymore. I care about your privacy as much I care about mine. No questions asked. If you are interested, please email me: alomran at gmail dot com.

20 thoughts on “Girls Wanted”

  1. hahaha so funny !! I went there with my bodyguard, I mean a friend from jordan (160kg, 1m80 ..) this is another way to have full access anywhere :-)

  4. First I don’t think you have to prove your love or loyalty to Saudi. Not everyone is thrilled with everything their country does. You as an individual have a right to disagree or even complain as you see fit. Being a saudi doesn’t dislclude you from an individual right.

    second aren’t you putting yourself at risk for a flogging by being in the company of a non related female? You really want to shop that bad?

  5. gosh ahmed…i am sorry this has happened to you, but be assured, we all go through this. My dad an I went to Chilis one time Wednesday evening, and we were turned away from the Singles section because it was family night. That night, I realized that you really do need a girl to get to go to all these places. I dont think it has anything to do with you wearing sleeveless. I mean, go to Basateen Mall in Jeddah, and you will see loads and loads of single guys in sleeveless and shorts and afro hair…all without a girl.

    Also, I dont believe you are being disloyal to your country when you write something critical about your country. You are infact beinf honest about your country, and show a willingness for things to change…for the better!

    I am so excited to see you are back online. Now I can look forward to getting the Saudi News I need!

    Mansur

  6. Haitham and Mansur,
    Thank you, guys.

    Nzingha,
    It’s not that I want to shop that bad (although I feel that way sometimes). It’s about doing what I want, whenever I want, the way I want it, and I don’t think I would hurt anybody by doing that. I think that’s called Freedom.

  7. Ahmed welcome to the world of women in Saudi. While your limitations are few imagine the life of a typical saudi woman.

    Freedom.. eeerr yea sounds great :)Maybe more men should feel this way and perhaps.. and I might be dreaming here, they will have more empathy when it comes to the freedom of women in this country.

    In the mean time trying walking in with a group as if you know them. :)

  8. I’d gladly volunteer Ahmed, lol but there are several other precautions I may have to take as a female.. trust me, you as guys have it much easier than us. All we could go to are malls! Restaurants are even exclusive to those with a “mahram”. All I keep saying is THANK GOD, I’m fortunate enough to have my father, driver and sisters..it’s quite pathetic.. only the privledged can live a normal life in these realms, right?

    Welcome back Ahmed :-)

  9. I don’t want to get into the comparison of who enjoys more freedom in this country, boys or girls, because at the end of the day you will see that both parties are losers.

  10. wait.. resteraunts with only a mahram? So if a group of girls wanted to have a lunch out they couldn’t get in?

    Your right Ahmed both genders loose on various issues. But being denied souly due to gender has historicly been about women. Now men know how it feels.. and it sucks. Of course I’m usually applauding Rashid mall kicking out the young single guys. :)

  11. loooool Ahmad …take it easy man ;) …these kind of problems will not be solved here in saudi arabia …..im not a pessimist girl but this is the reality

  12. believe me .. you are funny boy .. and you know now that some one -like me- understands what you are looking for exactlly when posted this topic…
    i think that you don’t want any body to stand with you on what occurred in Ikea or other places… by posting this story all what you hope is “gaining a saudi girl heart”.
    i agree that is your right .. but not in this way … becalling your “homeland”!!! which educated you and made you a man.
    let me ask you a question: is that story deserved all this becalling? i don’t think so.
    ……………
    message for girls who reading this post: be careful .. this is a trap for you.. who becalling his homeland’s culture “On The Internet” today will becall you tomorrow.
    ……………
    alomran says:
    1. “Girls Wanted…please email me: alomran at gmail dot com.”
    2. “I went with a couple of friends to IKEA to grab some stuff for the new apartment”.
    3. “Is the sight of a young man in a basic plain white sleeveless shirt would hurt the feelings of these ugly creatures living in our so-conservative-for-no-good-reason-and-no-good-explanation society?”
    4. “I’m looking for a Riyadh-based decent girl, interested in accompanying a 21-year-old blogger, for going to malls and other public places. The pay will be in the form of a dinner or a drink, depending on the timing and length of the job. If you find me boring, I promise I won’t bother you anymore. I care about your privacy as much I care about mine”.

    … clear and funny.
    ……………
    with best wishes
    S.D.
    hi4me@hotmail.com

  13. Why some people assume that anything guys in this country do is about getting a girl? Why can’s some people take a joke? Why can’t some people understand sarcasm?

    Just for the recored, I recieved no response regarding that ad.

  14. Both Friends will think the other is busy and will not contact thinking it may b disturbing. As time passes both will think let the other contact. After that each will think why should I contact first. Here ur love will be converted to Hate. Finally without contact the memory becomes weak. They forget each other. One fine Day they will meet n blame one another. So Keep in touch with all your Friends. N Pass this to all your friends…I don’t want to be one of this kind ..so here i am to say u ,,,,take care keep in touch….

  15. hmmm .. let’s say that the Saudi comunity just bliming us in any thing that we wana do or creat .. Police ,, Parents ,, old people ..

    hey come on we are getting beigger and bigger day by day .. can’t ya mention that ??

    huh . . somone will say ” go and look for a nice chick !! that’s what the Saudi people thinking about their future ….

    thanks ..

    for contacting , , secretary911@hotmail.com

    see ya

    bubye

  16. Now if you were to wear a suit.. nobody would say anything…

    The thing is.. people still consider some things part of modesty while others consider part of Freedom… It all ends where cultures (and possibly religions) start…

    But yea, next time, grow a long beard and then try going in.. I’ll betya you’d go in no probs.. :D

  17. Ayshay..!? No offence, but I’d hate to live in Saudi Arabia… Girls can’t even wear trousers!! 7imdella Kuwait isn’t like that! :S

  19. Interesting, I was turned back the other day from a mall in Doha, Qatar because it was family night. I had just dropped my wife few minutes earlier to our relative’s place.

    I don’t think there is a problem with trying to give ladies an exclusive section but the way it’s currently done and how the malls are designed is making it ugly and discriminatory (and the mall designs were just copied rather than adopting it to the local culture).

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