I've been lazy again, I'm sorry. I'll make an effort to step up my blog game as tomorrow is the last day of university before another welcome, lengthy holiday.
We had the final exams today, I lost my rag with the class I was invigilating; I've never seen such overt and blatant cheating. Another reason to be unimpressed with Saudi's came a couple of nights ago, when we were invited to a delicious feast at the college of Education. They couldn't have been more welcoming and generous towards us Westerners, but the way they treated the Filipino maintenance man there was disgusting. First of all he wasn't allowed to sit with the rest of us whilst everyone enjoyed their post-sunset dates and soft drinks. He was outcast to sit in the corner by himself. Then he came over and spoke to us, just before dinner (which he obviously wasn't invited to). He spoke English well and was an entertaining character; he looked a bit like a pirate and didn't have a full set of teeth. One of the Saudi guys organising the event then proceeded to ask us if we were hungry. The Filipino guy, standing with us, assumed he'd been asked the question, and nodded his head.
"I'm not talking to you"
Was the response delivered bluntly from the Saudi in charge. Perhaps it was said in jest, but he didn't seem to be joking. I've been treated really well since I've been here, but I often wonder whether it would've been different if I'd been from South East Asia or the Subcontinent.
This song is for all my Bangladeshi, Filipino, Indonesian, Nepali, Indian and Pakistani brothers working in the Kingdom, for little pay, in terrible conditions. You may not receive the respect you deserve from your employers, but I certainly respect anyone spending that amount of time away from their homeland, grafting and sending money home for their families.
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