Ahmad and I met for our 3rd time on Sunday, 1/26, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. We met at The Bark, a local vegan restaurant off Gaines Street.
Ahmad explained to me the political and cultural differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia (e.g., how in the U.S., there is a taboo around adult children living with their parents, while in Saudi Arabia, it is considered the norm). We also discussed my reasons for being vegan (and my eleven-year history as a vegetarian), as well as the differences between his diet and my own.
Ahmad told me that in his country, were the people to protest the actions of their government (as we frequently do in the United States), there would be negative ramifications for the protestors. Likewise, there are many benefits for peacefully following the dictates of the government. I left our meeting with a newfound appreciation for the personal freedoms we have here in America, as well as a deeper understanding of a country very different from my own.
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