Whenever we have gone to the nicer malls in Riyadh I have noticed the fancy expensive stores and the lingerie stores and wondered "Why do they have these here? Who are they getting dressed up for?" My friend at work, Hessa, who is Saudi and Muslim explained it to me.
Yes marriages are arranged here but the process is this: The women get together, mothers and sisters with potential women to espouse with the son/brothers. The women get all dressed up for each other! Then the mothers/sisters bring names to the father to consider for possible marriage. The father contacts the father of the potential bride to arrange the meeting with the object a potential marriage if all the requirements and details are met. It's a lot more complicated then boy meets girl I'm telling you!
There is also a huge genetic counseling department . Because of the desire to keep property within the family first cousins are allowed to marry. This has produced many genetic problems among the children. Women have many many miscarriages . Many children do not live beyond a tender age. Many live with horrible deformity and chronic illness. Heart breaking was the girl I took care of that had a bilateral lung transplant when she was 17 and died at 21. In addition the wealthier families wish to breed tall offspring and will have their children treated with growth hormone to ensure this. There are some very tall, lanky people here among the wealthy that almost look like they have Marfans.
Anyway...it is very interesting working here.......
Christine xx
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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