Shorn

I have taken to wearing a head covering. No one, absolutely no one has required it of me. Also, no one at my school has in any way made me feel uncomfortable about my appearance. There was a period of adjustment for the students and the men. After all, I am one of only three females in my school building, and one of maybe ten women on the entire campus of two schools. All other teachers, administrators, custodian, security personnel, grounds keepers, clerks, managers, IT techs, and students are male. This represents approximately 450 men and boys.

Racially, I am fairly comfortable. Most are people of color. Of the teaching staff at my school, six hail from Africa (Uganda, Sudan, Camaroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Somalia - two of these fellas are Brits), four from the Phillipines, two from India, an Egyptian, Jordanian (you remember him from earlier posts), Iranian, and an Arab. There are two men from England and an American. Fascinating isn't it?

Anyway, wherever I go, I get stares. Not because I am a foreigner or even

because I am a woman. Fujairah (and the UAE as a whole) is overrun with non-Emiratis. Most are from India and the Phillipines. Most, of course, are men because of the construction and labor work. However, there are many Filipino and other non-Emirati women. Google will tell you that most of the nations in the world are represented in the UAE. I think the primary reason for the gawking I get is because my hair is cut really low to the scalp.  And, it, well, it isn't straight.

It would seem that no people in the world who have been exposed to western

Ok, I chose this photo, not because it goes with
the story, but because I totally love this pose! LOL.

ideas are immune to western standards of beauty. Even the students have remarked on the complexion of someone's skin. A student was insulted by the insinuation that a man darker than me was his father. It did not matter that the man in question was also Emirati. Anyway.

The stares are especially noticeable in the malls. These places are frequented by native women and children. I imagine that the gawkers think I have committed some great immorality that resulted in my shorn head. I feel like Hester.

So, I decided for my own comfort I would wear a head covering. The effect was immediate. And, to prove that it was not imaginable, on the first day I wore a head covering, I received no fewer than three comments of approval from students and one comment from the Jordanian. Each expressed how beautiful I looked.

I am way to proximate to Africa to have to endure such standards. On the other hand, of course, you know, perms sell real well on the dark continent.  

Postscript:  As I am writing this post, I just got a text from a female, Muslim, Somalian-Born, British colleague/friend informing me that tomorrow (01 February 2014) is National Hijab Day, and that I should wear mine to work tomorrow. Hijab is the head scarf worn by Muslim women with their abayas. So funny.