Anecdote: When I was working in Doha, Qatar I had to obtain a drivers licence from the govt. So I went to the govt office to get a drivers licence. I stood in line for 20 minutes until one of the burka-clad women were free. So this woman in a burka was waving at me to come to the desk. I started filling out the form. As I was doing that she would wave her hands in front of my face to get my attention so she could ask for my ID, passport, etc. Every-time she wanted to talk to me she had to wave her hands in front of my face. It was really rude. But without eye contact (you could see nothing behind her burka) the only way to get attention is to wave your hands in front the person you want to talk to's face. Even the voice is suppressed behind the cloth. Even if you hear a voice, you don't know where the voice is coming from. So imagine, this is how they communicate, by waving their hands in a ridiculous way right up in your face. It was absolutely appalling.