Some of you may recall I spent a week in Saudi Arabia last May. That work lead to my current assignment in the Middle East. I went back to Saudi the week of February 16 to continue the work I started last year.
My work was located in Dammam, the largest city in the Eastern province. It is located directly across the King Fahd causeway from Bahrain. Honeywell’s employees were terrific hosts. They were patient teachers and helped me understand the culture better. We ate at Saudi restaurants and spent time at Heritage Village, a museum/restaurant designed to preserve some of the areas history and culture My Arabic improved over the week, the effort was appreciated by the locals.
Life outside the office is packed with similarities and differences to Dubai. Like Dubai, the dinner hour is late, usually starting around 8:30 p.m. Some places don’t even open until 7 p.m. And, of course, there are large malls in Saudi packed with western fast food chains and shops. The one I visited had an indoor ice rink. I spent one evening smoking shi sha and watching Premier League soccer on a enormous television.
I am told the Eastern province is more liberal in adaptation of western traditions than the Central and Western provinces. It has recently enacted what westerners would characterize as progressive legislation. Women have recently been authorized to work, and Honeywell employs a female receptionist. She is apparently doing well; the office staff has adjusted too. This is a change from my visit in May. The government also subsidizes salaries to encourage integration into the workforce. I was also told that women will be allowed to drive later this year. It will be rolled-out gradually with middle aged women being able to drive first and only during daylight hours.
My local hosts spent time dispelling myths for me. I was embarrassed at some of my perceptions and ignorance. Example, women who do not cover completely aren’t grabbed off the street by a gang of religious police and thrown in jail. I saw several examples women who were wearing the traditional abaya, but did not cover their faces with a niqab. They ate their lunch just like anyone else. I was also asked if it had ever occurred to me that women may feel more comfortable in traditional dress and may prefer to follow tradition. It hadn’t. In retrospect I’d only considered the oppressed women theme and hadn’t thought otherwise. And while the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, I hadn’t recognized both perspectives.
I will probably be returning sometime in the next few months and look forward to the trip.
My work was located in Dammam, the largest city in the Eastern province. It is located directly across the King Fahd causeway from Bahrain. Honeywell’s employees were terrific hosts. They were patient teachers and helped me understand the culture better. We ate at Saudi restaurants and spent time at Heritage Village, a museum/restaurant designed to preserve some of the areas history and culture My Arabic improved over the week, the effort was appreciated by the locals.
Life outside the office is packed with similarities and differences to Dubai. Like Dubai, the dinner hour is late, usually starting around 8:30 p.m. Some places don’t even open until 7 p.m. And, of course, there are large malls in Saudi packed with western fast food chains and shops. The one I visited had an indoor ice rink. I spent one evening smoking shi sha and watching Premier League soccer on a enormous television.
I am told the Eastern province is more liberal in adaptation of western traditions than the Central and Western provinces. It has recently enacted what westerners would characterize as progressive legislation. Women have recently been authorized to work, and Honeywell employs a female receptionist. She is apparently doing well; the office staff has adjusted too. This is a change from my visit in May. The government also subsidizes salaries to encourage integration into the workforce. I was also told that women will be allowed to drive later this year. It will be rolled-out gradually with middle aged women being able to drive first and only during daylight hours.
My local hosts spent time dispelling myths for me. I was embarrassed at some of my perceptions and ignorance. Example, women who do not cover completely aren’t grabbed off the street by a gang of religious police and thrown in jail. I saw several examples women who were wearing the traditional abaya, but did not cover their faces with a niqab. They ate their lunch just like anyone else. I was also asked if it had ever occurred to me that women may feel more comfortable in traditional dress and may prefer to follow tradition. It hadn’t. In retrospect I’d only considered the oppressed women theme and hadn’t thought otherwise. And while the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, I hadn’t recognized both perspectives.
I will probably be returning sometime in the next few months and look forward to the trip.
--Steve
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