Through the eyes of first-timers — the workers discovering Hajj from the other side
ALKHOBAR: For millions of pilgrims, Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey. For thousands of workers behind the scenes each season, it is something else entirely: a crash course in pressure, unpredictability and human endurance.
Nothing fully prepares first-time Hajj workers for the scale of the event. Not the training sessions. Not the videos. Not even the stories they hear beforehand.
“The first hour completely changed my understanding of what Hajj actually is,” said 22-year-old volunteer Sara Al-Qahtani, who worked her first season guiding pilgrims between transportation points in Mina.
“You see the crowds on TV every year, but when you’re standing inside it, responsible for helping people move safely, it feels completely different. I remember going home after my first shift and just sitting in silence because my brain couldn’t process the amount of movement and noise.”
