In a bunch of other countries, the weekend ISN'T Saturday and Sunday. Who knew? In a lot of Islamic countries, the weekend is either Thursday and Friday, or Friday and Saturday. In Brunei, the weekend is Friday and Sunday . . . but people work Saturdays. And in countries like India, Nepal, and Iran, the weekend is only officially one day.I spotted a story the other day (that was actually a few years old, which shows you how hip to the news I am) about how Saudi Arabia has officially changed the two days that make up their weekend from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday.

And I guess this is a pretty "self-centered American" premise . . . but it's hard to comprehend the weekend being anything OTHER than Saturday and Sunday. But it turns out that's NOT the case all over the world.

Islamic countries are most likely to have their weekends centered around Fridays, which is their holy day. The Friday-Saturday weekend is most common, including in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Libya, Syria, and the UAE.

Now that Saudi Arabia has switched to Friday and Saturday, Afghanistan and Yemen are the last two countries with Thursday-Friday weekends.

In Israel, they pick their weekends to work around the Jewish Sabbath . . . which is Friday night through Saturday . . . so their weekend is ALSO Friday and Saturday.

Brunei has the strangest weekends, with Friday and Sunday off . . . but people go back to work on the Saturday in between. That just seems WRONG. Well, I say that, but I've had split days off. I used to have Thursday and Sundays off when I sold cars. And I'm sure a lot of you in retail know that pain.

And a few countries only officially have one-day weekends . . . including India, Nepal, and Iran.

I guess that makes us special? I'll take my Saturday and Sunday just fine, thanks.

Weekendly yours,

Behka