Divert your eyes.. please..



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I miss America.  Everyone I know knows that I miss 'Merica.  Being away from "the motherland" for going on 2 years is trying.  But, while I can be rude to assholes in America, thats not the case here in Bahrain, and I've had to learn to hold my tongue and not yell, "take a fucking picture, it lasts longer!" to locals who can't seem to focus on any object in front of them besides the closest woman.  No jk, I've seen men almost run into other people because they were staring at a woman who wasn't wearing a burka. 



Lets talk about dress codes in Bahrain.  The standard is a polo shirt, of course with at least short sleeves, with slacks, for men and women.  Yes, women are allowed to wear skirts, but prepare to be propositioned if you dare to wear something risque.  You know that if you see someone walking down a popular location in a mini skirt with high heels and probably large hair, they've got a price per night/hour.... usually.  Amusingly, men aren't allowed to wear belly shirts or saggy pants.  Women have to be tasteful, no low cut tops, nothing above the knee...  Off base we follow the rules of Bahrain, and that includes during Ramadan, which is definitely going to be hell.

Have I worn out a dress that came above my knees before?  Once.  On my birthday.  But, the dress had long sleeves, and because it was super low cut, I even wore a cami underneath!  Modesty in LAYERS!  Did I get stared down by the waitstaff?  Sure as hell did, and for once it wasn't because I was being loud and rambuctious, with a possiblity of being annoying.  Worst part, I misplaced my wallet (in my car) and at the end of the night I was looking under the tables and benches for it...  Siiiiiiiigh.

But there are also normal days..  When I don my short sleeve polo and my Old Navy perfect fit slacks (oh how I love thee perfectly fitting and comfortable slacks) and men still stare.  Maybe its just a problem with the occular devices of men in the Middle East?

Maybe it has to do with different levels of modesty, which is a whole post on its own.  But I don't appreciate being stared at.  I think its debasing and I'm not here for your pleasure Mr. Arabic Man, despite what your culture has taught you, my culture says you're a jerkface and keep yer eyes on the road and you're probably a terrorist, but I tell myself that you aren't cause I'm a nice person.

Despite the fact that I'm a white woman, I will not die from being stared at, no matter how many other people you run into, or how hard you try...

Men Who Stare at Goats



and a parting image, in complete sarcastic font:

If my boobs had eyes they sure as fuck wouldn't be looking at you Mr. Unibrow.