Meadbh
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2006
- Messages
- 11,401
Recently I mentioned that I was going to visit the Kingdom (KSA) and had several expressions of curiosity from female forum members. I’m back, and have now had time to reflect on my experiences. This was a business trip and for confidentiality reasons I cannot share any details about the business, except that it was related to healthcare. So here goes:
Saudi Arabia is a very hot country and January is the best time to visit, as it’s “only” about 30 degrees Centigrade (86 Fahrenheit). In the summer, it can get dangerously hot (50 degrees Centigrade (122 Fahrenheit). I was in Jiddah, which, being the point of entry for pilgrims going to the Hajj in Makkah (Mecca) and Medina, is the most cosmopolitan city in the Kingdom. It’s on the Red Sea (red because of the coral) and is quite lovely. There are beautiful buildings and museums full of history to see, and the shopping is to die for. There are ~15 large malls that would rival the Mall of America in size and inventory. And no sales tax! There is a definite air of prosperity with good infrastructure and services. Water is sometimes in short supply and fire is a major danger in the heat of summer. Many Saudis have all the latest gadgets and the homes of people who would be middle class in north America can be quite palatial, with marble, gilt and several foreign domestic staff. Approximately 25% of workers in Saudi are foreigners and my impression is that they are treated well, in contrast to Kuwait, which has the worst reputation in this regard. There is a concentrated effort to “Saudiize” and reduce dependence on foreign workers.
Saudi is evolving from a tribal country. It’s a collectivist society and everything revolves around family. It’s normal to expect your relatives to intercede for you when jobhunting, for example. The state religion is Islam; there are mosques everywhere, but no other places of worship. You cannot miss the muezzin’s call to prayer from your local mosque, five times a day. Everything stops for 10 minutes or so; meetings will empty, and shops will temporarily close. I saw jewellery stores leaving their awnings open while the owners went round the corner to join in prayers….with no concerns about theft. People are very devout and liberally sprinkle their conversation with phrases referring to Allah (e.g. “Al humdoolillah” (“thanks be to God”) or “Insha’Allah” (may it please God). They are very fastidious about personal hygiene as Islam dictates specific washing rituals, and most bathrooms have hoses to facilitate this. I was told to expect that schedules needed to be very flexible, but in fact meetings were scheduled around Salah (prayers) and everything was pretty efficient. As in all hot countries, there is a siesta in the afternoon and people shop, dine and stroll till midnight or later. Hospitality is second to none.
The King (currently Abdullah) is an absolute ruler and essentially his government makes all the big decisions and many of the minor ones. Rather than having political debates, if the King decides it’s a good idea, you’ve got your program funded. It’s common to see on the news that he has granted $XXXX million to this, that or the other. At the same time, many things that would not be regulated by government in the West, are. That includes salary scales (different for Saudis and non-Saudis) and professional standards. Hospital care can be excellent and there are at least four parallel systems. Saudis associate high tech with excellence and are not keen about accessing primary care. There are plans to introduce a national healthcare insurance scheme, which should even out some of the inequities between systems.
Saudi Arabia is probably the most controlled society I have visited (much more than China). Women cannot vote or drive. Men get to vote, but only in municipal elections, and this is a recent development. There is a lot of security, especially since 9/11. You will see the National Guard watching cars at roundabouts and intersections, and there are regular checkpoints. Driving is pretty adventurous and those Lexuses and Mercedes have lots of fender benders, but at least they don’t have to worry about drunk drivers, since alcohol is totally forbidden. In fact, if you are caught trafficking drugs, it’s a capital offence. Human rights are few, although women’s right to own property has been in force for many centuries. Segregation of the sexes is practiced as far as possible. There is a current debate about whether there should be a minimum age for marriage. Daughters are sometimes married off as young as eight, but more commonly in their teens. Very large families (12-18 children) are the rule. I had expected to see women in hijab with the compulsory abaya (black floor length robe that even visitors must wear in public) but I had not anticipated that most women, even highly skilled professionals, would be wearing niquab (face veils). I met with many women whose faces I didn’t see, and would not be able to recognize them if I met them again. But when it’s a girls only group, the niquabs come off in a shot, and pop back on when a man arrives. There are women only shops (and even a mall in Riyadh) where women uncover and go casual. Women wear very colourful clothing in the privacy of their own homes, and designer labels are big sellers. Business wear for men is a long white thobe and a kaffiyeh on their head. They were always spotless (the maids must do a lot of laundry).
Saudi Arabia’s collectivism and conformity is the greatest contrast I can imagine to the United States, which I consider to be the most individualist country on earth. When visiting Saudi Arabia you must be prepared to leave your prejudices at home. If you are a woman, you will be required to wear a black abaya in public. Just relax: they are very comfortable! Headscarves are optional but are appropriate in some settings. Women don’t shake hands with men, unless they offer. Eat with your right hand, because your left is for personal hygiene. Do not show the sole of your shoe, as this is unclean and highly disrespectful. If you follow the rules, and attempt to learn some Arabic phrases, you will find you are treated very respectfully and collegially. As a feminist who places a high value on independence, I would find it stifling to be so dependent on men. I would also be concerned about the lack of protection from abuse that is inherent in such a system. This applies particularly to young girls who are married off before they know how to speak up for themselves.
The Kingdom has undergone rapid change since oil was discovered in 1938. They are still discovering big oil wells every week. I think the strong Islamic faith is responsible for the fact that society has maintained its traditions in the face of wealth and consumerism. But at some point, the oil will run out and its current business model will no longer be sustainable. Saudis will have to start doing those jobs that they now delegate to foreigners, who have little influence on public life inside their compounds. But, in an effort to “Saudiize”, and become more self sufficient, the Kingdom has been sending its brightest and best young people abroad for key skills training. These young people will be the leaders of tomorrow and hold the best chance for the Kingdom to adapt to the 21st century.
All in all, a fascinating place to visit…..but I would not be able to live there.
Saudi Arabia is a very hot country and January is the best time to visit, as it’s “only” about 30 degrees Centigrade (86 Fahrenheit). In the summer, it can get dangerously hot (50 degrees Centigrade (122 Fahrenheit). I was in Jiddah, which, being the point of entry for pilgrims going to the Hajj in Makkah (Mecca) and Medina, is the most cosmopolitan city in the Kingdom. It’s on the Red Sea (red because of the coral) and is quite lovely. There are beautiful buildings and museums full of history to see, and the shopping is to die for. There are ~15 large malls that would rival the Mall of America in size and inventory. And no sales tax! There is a definite air of prosperity with good infrastructure and services. Water is sometimes in short supply and fire is a major danger in the heat of summer. Many Saudis have all the latest gadgets and the homes of people who would be middle class in north America can be quite palatial, with marble, gilt and several foreign domestic staff. Approximately 25% of workers in Saudi are foreigners and my impression is that they are treated well, in contrast to Kuwait, which has the worst reputation in this regard. There is a concentrated effort to “Saudiize” and reduce dependence on foreign workers.
Saudi is evolving from a tribal country. It’s a collectivist society and everything revolves around family. It’s normal to expect your relatives to intercede for you when jobhunting, for example. The state religion is Islam; there are mosques everywhere, but no other places of worship. You cannot miss the muezzin’s call to prayer from your local mosque, five times a day. Everything stops for 10 minutes or so; meetings will empty, and shops will temporarily close. I saw jewellery stores leaving their awnings open while the owners went round the corner to join in prayers….with no concerns about theft. People are very devout and liberally sprinkle their conversation with phrases referring to Allah (e.g. “Al humdoolillah” (“thanks be to God”) or “Insha’Allah” (may it please God). They are very fastidious about personal hygiene as Islam dictates specific washing rituals, and most bathrooms have hoses to facilitate this. I was told to expect that schedules needed to be very flexible, but in fact meetings were scheduled around Salah (prayers) and everything was pretty efficient. As in all hot countries, there is a siesta in the afternoon and people shop, dine and stroll till midnight or later. Hospitality is second to none.
The King (currently Abdullah) is an absolute ruler and essentially his government makes all the big decisions and many of the minor ones. Rather than having political debates, if the King decides it’s a good idea, you’ve got your program funded. It’s common to see on the news that he has granted $XXXX million to this, that or the other. At the same time, many things that would not be regulated by government in the West, are. That includes salary scales (different for Saudis and non-Saudis) and professional standards. Hospital care can be excellent and there are at least four parallel systems. Saudis associate high tech with excellence and are not keen about accessing primary care. There are plans to introduce a national healthcare insurance scheme, which should even out some of the inequities between systems.
Saudi Arabia is probably the most controlled society I have visited (much more than China). Women cannot vote or drive. Men get to vote, but only in municipal elections, and this is a recent development. There is a lot of security, especially since 9/11. You will see the National Guard watching cars at roundabouts and intersections, and there are regular checkpoints. Driving is pretty adventurous and those Lexuses and Mercedes have lots of fender benders, but at least they don’t have to worry about drunk drivers, since alcohol is totally forbidden. In fact, if you are caught trafficking drugs, it’s a capital offence. Human rights are few, although women’s right to own property has been in force for many centuries. Segregation of the sexes is practiced as far as possible. There is a current debate about whether there should be a minimum age for marriage. Daughters are sometimes married off as young as eight, but more commonly in their teens. Very large families (12-18 children) are the rule. I had expected to see women in hijab with the compulsory abaya (black floor length robe that even visitors must wear in public) but I had not anticipated that most women, even highly skilled professionals, would be wearing niquab (face veils). I met with many women whose faces I didn’t see, and would not be able to recognize them if I met them again. But when it’s a girls only group, the niquabs come off in a shot, and pop back on when a man arrives. There are women only shops (and even a mall in Riyadh) where women uncover and go casual. Women wear very colourful clothing in the privacy of their own homes, and designer labels are big sellers. Business wear for men is a long white thobe and a kaffiyeh on their head. They were always spotless (the maids must do a lot of laundry).
Saudi Arabia’s collectivism and conformity is the greatest contrast I can imagine to the United States, which I consider to be the most individualist country on earth. When visiting Saudi Arabia you must be prepared to leave your prejudices at home. If you are a woman, you will be required to wear a black abaya in public. Just relax: they are very comfortable! Headscarves are optional but are appropriate in some settings. Women don’t shake hands with men, unless they offer. Eat with your right hand, because your left is for personal hygiene. Do not show the sole of your shoe, as this is unclean and highly disrespectful. If you follow the rules, and attempt to learn some Arabic phrases, you will find you are treated very respectfully and collegially. As a feminist who places a high value on independence, I would find it stifling to be so dependent on men. I would also be concerned about the lack of protection from abuse that is inherent in such a system. This applies particularly to young girls who are married off before they know how to speak up for themselves.
The Kingdom has undergone rapid change since oil was discovered in 1938. They are still discovering big oil wells every week. I think the strong Islamic faith is responsible for the fact that society has maintained its traditions in the face of wealth and consumerism. But at some point, the oil will run out and its current business model will no longer be sustainable. Saudis will have to start doing those jobs that they now delegate to foreigners, who have little influence on public life inside their compounds. But, in an effort to “Saudiize”, and become more self sufficient, the Kingdom has been sending its brightest and best young people abroad for key skills training. These young people will be the leaders of tomorrow and hold the best chance for the Kingdom to adapt to the 21st century.
All in all, a fascinating place to visit…..but I would not be able to live there.
