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MEET THE FIRST SAUDI WOMAN TO CLIMB THE WORLD’S HIGHEST MOUNTAINS
RAHA MOHARRAK
Self-described as curious, adventurous and a child at heart, Raha Moharrak is the first Saudi woman to climb the world’s highest mountains including Mount Everest. She describes her passion for traveling as the “color of life”. Through her journey, she has inspired young women and men to follow their dreams despite cultural barriers. Raha is also an advocate for gender equality across different Middle Eastern countries.
“Failure is just a part of life you should embrace it, and most people are too afraid to try something new just because of their fear.”
1. Briefly introduce yourself
Hello, my name is Raha Moharrak and I am the first, but hopefully not the last Saudi Woman to climb Mount Everest and the seven summits. I'm the youngest of 3, so I have an older brother and sister, and they have taught me so much. If you ask me honestly, I would tell you I am an adventurer. I want to see the world and experience everything as much as I can.
Traveling is like having a box of colors and having a beautiful canvas; and not traveling is like having a blank canvas and only wanting two colors to draw. For me traveling is the color of life. It keeps you excited. It gives you so many opportunities to learn and grow.
It is tough for me to describe my personality because I'm a bit of a ‘chameleon’. I am an introvert who plays an excellent extrovert. I am timid but I can speak to people; I'm extremely curious, but at the same time I'm calculative and cautious; I'm adventurous about everything except food. I love animals; I've always loved animals. Maybe I was one in my previous life.
2 What were your favorite things to do as a child?
I am as curious as an interested child would be. I don't think I ever grew up (laughs).I think my favorite thing to do as a child was always being adventurous and creative. I liked having fantasies in different worlds. I reinvented myself so many different times. I try as much as I can to be expressive with art. Like I said I loved animals, I had lots of pets growing up. I took care of them; I was like their doctor. I was just one of those people who was always outdoors continuously trying to do new things. I was still active, so I wanted to try different sports. I liked movies, books and loved stories mainly. I read encyclopedias till my eyes hurt.
3- What made you start climbing mountains?
What made me start climbing mountains was a lot of different things. I didn't like it when I told other people I wanted to climb and they said that I couldn't because I was a Saudi Girl. This is one of the big reasons why I wanted to go climbing. Another reason was that I wanted try something new. I am sporty and athletic, so mountains had that sense of athleticism. When I was on the side of a mountain for weeks, it spoke to the animalistic part of me. It was something new, adventurous, adrenaline sports and dangerous.
4- How many mountains have you climbed so far?
I think I have been around 12 or 14 expeditions; 12 mountains in seven continents over a period of 4 years. So I have done a lot. I have never really sat down and counted. Every single one of them has taught me something different. Every single one of them has something special. Every expedition had its own bad and good moments. I never imagined myself doing this. It taught me so much about myself and the world. It helped me be patient.
5- Explain why climbing mountains is a huge accomplishment for a young woman from Saudi Arabia?
Climbing a mountain is a battle in general; but doing it as a woman makes it more difficult. This is because how society perceives us and that makes it more of a struggle. Sometimes I think that the mountain wasn't as hard as getting to the mountain. All the heartache, pain and the arguments that took place before getting to the mountain, were more of a challenge. It is significant because it proves that we are capable of doing far more than people think we can do in my opinion.
6- How did you manage to convince your parents to allow you to climb mountains?
It took a lot of conversations. Discussions are always the key to growth and evolution. It took a lot of convincing, but it wasn't just talking. They also saw my determination, drive and will to wake up in the morning and train. I missed my friend's wedding because I was preparing in the mountains. You can’t ask for something so incredible, you have to prove it. I showed it to them by training and all the sacrifices I made to achieve my goal.
7- What advice would you give to young people on approaching their parents in allowing them to do things that are out of the norm?
Tell them what is on your mind, share your thoughts. Learn how to agree to disagree. Learn to hear no and find the courage to ask why. As a parent, you must listen to your child. It is one of those things we need to work on as both parents and children. They should be more honest and communicate better when it comes to their dreams, wants, and desires.
8- What other ‘mountains’ do you have overcome in your day to day life?
We all have mountains. Not all of us get to climb rock and ice. We have emotional and mental mountains. I struggle almost every day with dyslexia. I have issues with replying to emails; I am shy about posts. I also have a mountain on my shoulders just because I am different; I am not the typical type of Arab woman. That’s one of the challenges I face every day. We all have mini challenges that we overcome on daily basis. Those are the ones that matter because they are the ones that shape us the most.
''We all have mini challenges that we overcome on daily basis. Those are the ones that matter because they are the ones that shape us the most. ''
9- What are your thoughts on gender equality?
I think one of the principals of gender quality is to acknowledge and accept that we are equal but not the same. There is a difference between men and women; but we are equal when it comes to our hopes, dreams, and desires. Parents need to stop differentiating children based on their gender.
10- What advice would you give to young men and women who want to do great things?
Never be scared, there is no shame whatsoever in failing. I don't think half of the Greats of the world would have reached where they are if they were afraid of failure. The only shame is giving up and not trying something new. Wear your scars with pride because you've earned them. They are a sign of perseverance.
11- Who is your favorite superhero?
You are talking to an absolute DC and Marvel fan. As cliché as it sounds, I like Superman because he has powers and he uses it to help people. He also flies and I've always wanted to fly, and he doesn't age, that would be awesome. I am an absolute geek when it comes to these things, so you are asking the right girl. If I were human, I would want to be Batman because you can do a lot of good things with money if you're smart enough.
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