When I heard I would be working at the female campus, and that you don’t need to wear abayas on campus, I pictured being able to sit outdoors or take a stroll in the courtyard during lunch. Wrong.
Our campus is a cluster of two or three connected buildings with no outdoor space. When you walk into the school, there are about three large connected spaces that are student centers. The spaces have high ceilings, tiled floors, tables and chairs, snack bars, and usually, students sitting in small circles of friends on the floor.
So, it feels kinda light and airy, but the light itself is orangish as the upper levels are some kind of translucent orange or peach-colored material.
One of the male teachers in our hotel asked if there were outdoor spaces and we said no. He said, well, how about just the parking lot? Ha, no! There isn’t a student or teacher parking lot. All females, remember! Not one of us inside the building are allowed to drive!
There is a school bus parking area, and a small trailer at the edge where the drivers, all men of course, hang out.
I am extremely lucky now though, because I can walk to and from work. It’s about a 10-minute walk. The weather is mild now, so it’s wonderful. And in a place that there are so few opportunities for women to be outside, I am very grateful for the walks!
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