“Auntie Kadrajan” is the story of a lonely spinster who pines for a lost love who will never come. It takes place in Saudi Arabia, a country on the other side of the world which most of us will never see; the names are unfamiliar to Western readers, as is the concept of arranged marriage. However, the themes of loss and hope are recognizable, and it is the Miss Havisham-like qualities of Auntie Kadrajan that highlight the similarities between our cultures. Although we are thousands of miles apart and our language, clothes, and gods may be different, emotions are the same around the world, as is the gradual understanding of the world that we gain as we grow up.

Oranges in the Sun: Short Stories From the Arabian Gulf (Lynne Rienner, 978-0-89410-869-3), from which this story is taken, is an appealing collection because of the glimpses at a distant world that it offers. The unfamiliar settings are imbued with a surprising familiarity that crosses borders. Look for other short stories from foreign lands in the upcoming September/October issue of ForeWord.