Wadjda: My Visit with Abdullah

Right now I am on the plane back from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where I visited a young boy named Abdullah and his family. When I first arrived, it was really confusing as there was people running left and right, but what confused me most was the people who seemed to be wearing scarfs on their head. (Called a burqa.) Having no real prior knowledge of Saudi Arabia, I was quite confused and surprised when I found out that girls had to wear that and no show their face or hair. It was a bit scary, actually, not knowing who was behind the burqa. The second thing I noticed was that the men seemed to be respected mindlessly, and if a man were to tell a women to do something (within the law) she would do it. I felt an odd sense of authority, yet I wanted to know more. When I met Abdullah and his family, I asked him what this was about. He told me it was there tradition and it had been there for a long time. So, I let it go, and went to sleep. On the second day I met a very nice young girl named Wadjda on the way to school. I was heading over to the bike store to see what there was for sale, as I have an interest in bikes, and I found this really nice bike that would be great for Wadjda. It cost 800 riyals and I was sure she would have loved it. Just to make sure I wasn't breaking any rules or traditions, I asked Abdullah's father and I found out that girls typically didn't have bikes and it was frowned upon. For the rest of the day I wondered around the city, exploring the various shops and the mall. The next day,  I visited Abdullah at his school and I found it quite nice. I stayed there for a bit then wondered off to where the girls had school. I met the principal and she was quite harsh, and I immediately realized how tough it must be for the girls when it comes to education. Later that night, I found out that Wadjda was going to get the bike but sadly her money had been taken from her by the principal. So, I spoke to Wadjda's mother and I convinced her to get the bike for Wadjda as it was obviously something Wadjda really wanted. After I finally managed to get her mother to buy the bike, I went over the where a wedding was going on for Wadjda's father, who was getting married to another lady. (Believe it or not, men can get married to more than one woman!) After that, I woke up early, packed my bags, and well here I am.

It was a story to remember, and we are going to be landing soon, so I should stop writing and fasten my seatbelt!

Wadjda: Language & Currency

10 Useful Phrases:

Hello: مرحبا

What is your name?: ما هو اسمك؟

Goodbye: وداعا

It was nice meeting you: كان من الجميل اللقاء بك.

Do you know where the airport is?: هل تعرف كيفية الوصول إلى المطار؟

Do you know where I can get help?: هل تعرف أين يمكنني الحصول على المساعدة؟

Help me!: مساعدتي!

I love you: أنا أحبك

I need to go: ولست بحاجة للذهاب

Do you know where I can buy ____?: هل تعرف أين يمكنني شراء ____؟


My personal favorite:
Help me, my family was kidnapped by flying sea otters in the middle of the desert!: مساعدتي، اختطف عائلتي التي تحلق ثعالب البحر في وسط الصحراء!

Currency Exchange:

$1 = 3.75 Riyals
$5 = 18.75 Riyals
$10 = 37.50 Riyals
$20 = 75 Riyals
$100 = 375 Riyals

Wadja: Saudi Arabia

Wadjda: The Film

This is the trailer for the movie, Wadjda, about a girl who lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It shows how she struggles in her every day life due to gender related rules. She dreams to one day have a bike, however it is frowned upon by the community. She tries to earn cash threw selling items that are banned from her school, as well as joining a Koran club to compete in a competition for 1000 riyals. (Enough to get a bike) It showed her struggle against unfair rules and overcoming these challenges. It think it is an amazing film and I seriously recommend watching it.