Bila Quyud (Without Chains)

Occasionally I get comments from my friends, "You are so free, you can do whatever and be whoever". I say " That is correct. I love my freedom. I feel so lucky"

Of course there is no absolute freedom. But to get to this level of freedom that I am enjoying today, I had to break many cultural chains. Oman, as to be expected, has many beliefs sourced by religion some, and by its Arabian culture some. Both of which restricted me a great deal as a woman. To give you an example; at the age of 26 I was not allowed to stay out of the house alone beyond 4 pm, while at the age of 18 my brother could come home at 2 am, no questions asked. This discrimination was/is believed to be “protective” of women. I was supposed to accept it and love it and love my parents for protecting me. But, to me, it was "unfair" and humiliating. I still loved my family but I rejected their traditions.

So I chose to live where fewer or no restrictions are imposed on women, and where I could grow freely as a person and as a human being that is thirsty to live, to explore and to learn. I went to live in the west.

Many friends ask me if I regret living in the West for so long. The answer is "No, I don’t". Do I feel I am happier than my sisters who lived within this culture’s boundaries and obeyed its rules? "No I don’t". Are they happier than me? I wouldn't know, but I don't believe so.

Happiness, to me, comes from within and from being true to who you are. To be true and authentic you have to be free, without chains.