I never expected to see them in my hometown, eventhough its streets sometimes look like the United Nations' general assembly. Hats and turbans, kilts, fezzes and ponchos. They often ask me for the road to some street or building and I'm happy to show them the way. They are our guests and should have a pleasant time. Hopefully they will remember us as a helpful and friendly people.
Recently though, I spotted something strange, a scene I only know from television. Two women were walking down the shopping street, dressed in long black robes, with veils covering their faces. At first I smiled and thought they were the wives of one of those foreign visitors. The beautiful women of some sheik's harem. But than I noticed the one inconsistent thing. Underneath these long black robes I saw a pair of sneakers. Strange white and western shoes contrasting their exotic clothes. And then I guessed that these weren't foreign ladies, nor even devout and religious girls.
My town has a large Muslim community, and headscarfs are a common sight, but I never saw anyone wearing a veil before. So what makes these home-grown girls opt for this strange fashion? Their mothers aren't wearing them, their fathers do not tell them to and its certainly not the traditional costume of their ancestors' home.
Are they so devout? I doubt it. I've never seen a girl like that in front of the local mosque.
I think it's rather some sort of exhibitionism. Their clothes are shouting: "Look at me! Look and behold! Here I am! I do not listen to my father, I do not listen to my teacher. Are you shocked?"
Other girls dye their hair green, put piercings through their nose or wear skirts so short you can see their knickers. It seems just another fashion statement has been born. In the seventees hippies walked around naked to attract attention. Now they cover their entire body.