Share
MidReal Story
The Desert Sun
Scenario:A man, named Reda has traveled to Saudi Arabia for his first job a retailer in a market
Create my version of this story
Reda
first_person_protagonist, male. He is a recent graduate with a degree in Business Administration. He is adventurous, optimistic, and resourceful. Reda travels to Saudi Arabia for his first job as a retailer in a market. Struggling with the language barrier, he meets fellow expats and forms a supportive community. Despite cultural differences and challenges, such as Ramadan and heatwaves, Reda adapts and finds moments of joy, like attending traditional festivals. He navigates work and personal life, seeking balance in an unfamiliar environment.
Ahmed
side_character, male. He is Reda's colleague and supervisor at the market. He is patient, helpful, and experienced. Ahmed guides Reda through the challenges of working in Saudi Arabia, offering advice on cultural norms and work practices. He shares meals with Reda during their shifts, providing insight into local customs. Although he works long hours, Ahmed shows genuine interest in Reda's wellbeing and frequently encourages him to take breaks, maintaining a supportive dynamic at work.
Fatima
side_character, female. She is an expat working at the American International School in Riyadh. She is friendly, sociable, and kindhearted. Fatima befriends Reda shortly after his arrival, inviting him to social gatherings. She introduces him to her colleagues and fellow expats, expanding his social circle. Fatima provides emotional support to Reda as he adjusts to life in Saudi Arabia and offers insights into the local community, helping him feel more at home.
I am Reda, a recent business graduate.
My first job is as a retailer in a market in Saudi Arabia.
I have been here for three months.
I came here alone, without knowing anyone.
I did not speak the Arabic language at all.
But I was determined to succeed.
After passing the initial difficulties, I became familiar with the work and life here.
My colleagues helped me, especially Ahmed, my supervisor at the market.
He was very kind and patient with me.
Sometimes we shared meals during our shifts, and he told me about the customs and traditions of Saudi Arabia.
I learned a lot from him about how to deal with customers and colleagues.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was during the month of Ramadan.
It was very difficult for me to adapt to not eating or drinking anything from dawn till sunset.
But I was determined to succeed, so I forced myself to get used to it gradually.
The heatwaves that occurred during the summer were another challenge for me.
Sometimes the temperature reached 50 degrees Celsius in the shade, which made it difficult for me to work and even move.
Despite all these challenges, I found myself enjoying life in Saudi Arabia and adapting to it gradually.
I also made friends outside of work, especially Fatima, who worked at the American International School in Riyadh.
She befriended me shortly after my arrival, and we became close friends.
It was a slow afternoon at the market, with only a few customers browsing the shelves.
I approached Ahmed, who was sitting behind the counter, and asked him if he could teach me some basic Arabic phrases to greet customers.
He agreed and began with "Marhaba," which means "hello."
He pronounced it carefully, making sure I understood the correct intonation and accent.
Then he moved on to "Assalam Alaikum," which is a common greeting used in Saudi Arabia.
He explained that it means "peace be upon you" and is used as a sign of respect when greeting someone.
I repeated each phrase several times until I felt confident in my pronunciation.
Just then, an elderly man entered the market, and Ahmed nudged me forward.
"Go ahead, Reda," he said with a smile.
"Try it out on him."
I hesitated for a moment but then took a deep breath and approached the customer.
"Marhaba," I said, trying to mimic Ahmed's pronunciation.
The elderly man smiled warmly and replied, "Wa Alaikum Assalam."
I was taken aback by his response, not knowing how to respond.
Ahmed chuckled and whispered to me, "That's okay. Just say 'Marhaba' again. It's enough." I nodded and repeated the greeting again.
The elderly man smiled once more and continued shopping.
For the next hour, whenever a customer entered the market, Ahmed would nudge me forward to try out my new phrases.
At first, I was nervous and stumbled over my words, but gradually I gained confidence and became more comfortable with the language.
During breaks between customers, Ahmed would sit down with me and teach me more phrases.
He wrote them down in my notepad so that I could practice later on my own.
By closing time that evening, my throat was dry from repeating "Shukran" (thank you) and "Ma'a Salama" (goodbye) over and over again.
As we locked up the market, Ahmed turned to me with a thoughtful expression.
"Reda, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," he said, his voice serious.
I paused, sensing the weight of his words, and replied, "What is it, Ahmed?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering.
"I've been thinking about how we can help you improve your Arabic faster. You're doing well, but I think there's something that could make a big difference."
I leaned forward, intrigued by his suggestion.
"What is it?"
I asked.
Ahmed smiled and said, "Come with me."
He led me to the back storage room, which was usually filled with boxes and crates of goods.
But today, it was empty except for a large cage covered with a white cloth.
Ahmed approached the cage and pulled back the fabric, revealing a vibrant blue and yellow parrot perched inside.
The bird looked at us curiously, its eyes shining brightly.
"Wow," I exclaimed.
"Where did you get him?"
Ahmed grinned and replied, "I bought him from a traveling merchant who came to the market yesterday. He told me that the parrot was trained to speak Arabic." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"A parrot that speaks Arabic?"
I asked incredulously.
Ahmed nodded and said, "Yes. Watch this."
He spoke to the parrot in Arabic, saying something that sounded like "Marhaba ya habibi."
To my amazement, the parrot responded with a clear phrase in Arabic, "Wa Alaikum Assalam."
I couldn't believe my ears.
"Wow," I exclaimed again.
"That's incredible!"
Ahmed smiled and said, "Yes. I thought it would be a great way to help you practice your Arabic. You can talk to the parrot every day and learn new phrases."
I leaned closer to the cage, fascinated by the parrot's ability to speak Arabic.
The bird looked at me curiously, tilting its head slightly as if trying to understand what I was saying.
Suddenly, it squawked loudly and said "Marhaba!" - the same greeting that Ahmed had taught me earlier that day.
I was taken aback by the parrot's sudden outburst and stepped back slightly.
Ahmed chuckled and said, "Don't worry. He's just trying to get your attention."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds.
"Here," he said, offering them to me.
"Feed him. He loves these."
I took the seeds and approached the cage cautiously.
The parrot looked at me expectantly, its eyes fixed on the seeds in my hand.
I held out one seed, and the parrot reached out with its beak to take it.
As soon as it had the seed, it began to speak again, this time saying "Shukran" (thank you).
I couldn't believe how well the parrot could speak Arabic.
I fed it a few more seeds, and each time it responded with a different phrase.
After a while, Ahmed suggested that we take the parrot out of its cage and let it fly around the room.
He carefully opened the door of the cage, and the parrot hopped out onto his arm.
Ahmed stroked the parrot's feathers gently, and it seemed to enjoy the attention.
Suddenly, the parrot spread its wings and took flight, soaring around the room in circles.
I watched in amazement as it flew effortlessly, its wings beating rapidly.
After a few minutes, Ahmed called out to the parrot, saying "Marhaba ya habibi" (hello my love).
The parrot swooped down, landing gracefully on my shoulder, and whispered in perfect Arabic, "Welcome to your new adventure."