After only a month since last posting, I have had my questions and quandaries concerning Bahraini lifestyle and culture confirmed! Two days ago a good Arab friend of mine, who happens to have lived here since 1953, told me, "This is a Middle Eastern America. You will not be homesick here."
There it is! So like America, this little island is becoming known as the "Middle Eastern America." Shopping malls in abundance, any American food/restaurant you can imagine, all conveniences Americans have come to rely upon, and MORE - any other food from nearly any other culture you might wish for, free to-your-door delivery of almost anything from any store, and a freedom that is virtually non-existent in any other country in the region.
Though satisfied that my suspicions were correct, I am still rather baffled by the lack of Bahraini culture. Just as America is a "melting pot" of people, cultures and customs, Bahrain also has its degree of "stir the soup" mentality - there are far more expats than nationals, and the expats come from all over Europe, America, India, the Philippines and parts of Africa. While this is definitely a Muslim country, Christmas trees and Christmas decorations have been put up in all the major Hypermarkets, malls, and hotels. Half of my students, though they are all Muslim, celebrate Christmas. Some Bahraini families celebrated Thanksgiving and a few stores had Halloween decorations up in October!
I must say the longer I live here, the more baffled I become by this country. I think this is honestly one of the strangest places in which I've ever lived.
As I look forward to the holidays and spending a few days at home, my thoughts on the oh-so-common "reverse culture shock" are thus: I'm going to feel like I left America and am living in a country that does not lay claim to that name. For, instead of exulting over all the missed items I couldn't get here, I'm going to see what I can purchase every day - and then will wonder where all the items from all over the world are and why they are in places like "China Town" instead of one gigantic Hypermarket! :-D
