2008/11/15 Special Lunch time with my classmates

Special Lunch time with my classmates 15 Nov 2008 Nina

I have never visited Saudi Arabia, but I have a chance to meet two Arabians in the UK. They are my classmates in my language school, and their names are Maryam and Najwa. This week my classmates invited me to their house and we ate lunch together this Saturday. I was so excited to visit their house, because they are from Saudi Arabia. I thought I should prepare a gift and some Taiwan’s food for my friends. Then I prepared one cake and two chopsticks for them. And I made four dishes, tea eggs, black mushroom chicken soup, green onion pancake and potato star by myself. I hoped this lunch time will be great.

I don’t understand Saudi Arabia’s culture, so I searched some information online last night. I know Saudi Arabia’s women are conservative after I looked. If Arabia’s women go outside, they must wear a “Abaya” and their face must be covered except eyes. There are many rules for women in Saudi Arabia, such us don’t work, don’t drive, take photos, and don’t have a party with men. Men and women are different in Saudi Arabia. If I don’t search about Arabia online, I don’t know anything. That’s a special country for me.

This morning my children and I took buses to my friend’s house. When we got into the house, a friendly and pretty woman said hallo to us. But she wore plain dress and looked great. I felt embarrassed, because I didn’t recognize she was Maryam. Oh! She looked pretty and different before I know that. Najwa told me, they don’t wear “Abaya” at home. They used a big tablecloth on the floor in living room. And they prepared all dishes on the big tablecloth. They told me, their county’s people use a tablecloth on the living room floor when they eat a meal. We looked like a picnic in the living room. That’s different in my country. My country’s people use a table, when we eat a meal. We enjoyed our meal and happily. Then we talked something about different country things. We walked in the forest park behind the house after lunch time. We had a great time and wonderful memory, because everything were interesting for me.

Saudi Arabia is a special country for me. Because I never ate Arabia’s food and I never saw my classmates face before. Today I tasted Saudi Arabia’s “Kabsa”, I know some Saudi Arabia things and I saw my classmates face, that’s special. I came to Nottingham City six weeks ago. I don’t know any friends, because I always worried about my speaking. But today I have a chance to use English with my friends. That’s a different way to study English, and we enjoyed it. This lunch time was great for us.