Kiels return to Ohio life after Saudi Arabia

  • By Brian Questel
  • February 1, 2010
  • 629
                        
For two years, it could be argued that Andy and Deb Kiel lived a dream. They lived halfway around the world and in a completely different culture. Many of the world’s architectural gems and other exotic treasures were, if not at their fingertips, within reach. It was a venture that allowed the couple to experience the world far beyond the corners of Wayne County. That venture landed the couple in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they taught. That experience was augmented by the proximity to Greece and its ruins or the pyramids in Egypt, for example, as well as the necessity of living in a gated community unlike any in the United States, complete with razor wire, Saudi guards and .50-caliber machine guns at the entrances and exits. They are home now and the couple has fallen into a once-familiar routine since returning in July, left with their memories and a renewed appreciation of life in the United States. Andy is teaching eighth-grade social studies at Edgewood Middle School, while Debbie is working as a substitute teacher throughout Wayne County. “Once we were back in Wooster and back in our comfort zone, it seems surreal,” said Andy Kiel. “It’s like we never left. … Without the pictures, it’s hard to believe that we were there. At this time a year ago, we were thinking about warm weather or Deb’s coaching volleyball in Kuwait. For 40 or 50 years, we were used to snow and all. “It’s good to get back to friends and family. My parents are in their mid-80s and Deb’s grandma is 92. Plus, my brother’s stepson is back after spending two years in Afghanistan, so we’ve spent time with him.” Deb Kiel has her own view on the time overseas, often from a different perspective, because in Saudi Arabia it truly is a man’s world. That is best illustrated by the simple task of grabbing the keys and heading to the car by yourself, ready to go shopping or completing a quick errand. It’s a task performed millions of times daily throughout the Western world, with little or no thought given to the simple act of walking out the door and starting the car.. That was not the case for Debbie Kiel, who didn’t have that option during those months in Riyadh, as she forfeited her right to drive along with every other woman in the country. “I can drive everywhere … and go places by myself now,” she said. Outside the western compound where they lived, Deb wore an abaya, a head-to-floor black robe. “And, depending on where I went in the city (of nearly eight million), I had to wear head scarves. I could not drive or go myself without Andy … or another male. … I’d have to sit in the back seat with a (male) driver. If you hired a car and went with two other women, no one could sit with the driver. A driver would have to be certified as to not get in trouble if he wasn’t a (woman’s) husband or a relative.” Time management was also critical. “Traffic was so bad,” said Deb Kiel. “You not only had to hire a driver, but work around prayer time. Everything there closes for 45 minutes during prayer. You don’t want to get stuck inside a store for 45 minutes because there is nothing to do. “It’s pretty segregated. They don’t want (the sexes) mingling unless they are relatives. … Women could own businesses, but they had to have a male benefactor and the male had to have his name on it or sign the legal documents.” Arab couples must carry their marriage license and “no one talks to you,” said Deb. “That was the biggest shock. I was taken aback (on her return trip to the States) when a man spoke with me.” The couple taught at a school where “five percent was western, five percent were Saudis and the remaining 90 percent were from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Japan and other Asian countries,” said Andy. “They were businesspeople’s kids. One student I had was the ambassador from Japan’s son to Saudi Arabia.” “The students were top notch,” said Deb. “Probably 90-95 percent were going on to college and most students were bilingual. Most knew four to five languages and one girl we knew spoke eight languages. “It made me feel stupid at times!” she laughed. Their living quarters reflected the current reality of the Middle East. “There were 200 to 250 villas in the compound and probably 500 people lived there,” said Andy. “It took 45 minutes to walk around it.” There were three checkpoints in and three out to enhance security around the compound, which featured “15 to 20-foot walls” topped with razor wire. “It was the same way with the school every day,” he added. “The Saudi National Guard guarded the entrances with machine guns and tanks. There were also private companies employed at the villas and school (for additional protection).” Another difference, noted Deb, was the lack of choices. “You couldn’t find a lot of American stuff,” she said. “It’s nice to be in church again. We did it there in the British or American embassies, but it had to be arranged sometimes. “Then there are all the choices – the library, movie theaters, museums – we take for granted. The entertainment is something they don’t have in their culture.” It was an experience that both valued and enjoyed, although Andy noted the lack of “118-degree temperatures” wouldn’t be missed and the sight of green lawns and trees “was so nice to see” when the couple arrived home last summer. “It was a great two years,” said Deb. “I’m glad we went.”


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