Q and A

(1) What's the food like? (Jeff K./Erika) The foot is amazing. We've literally had feasts at every meal. Some of the common meats include lamb, chicken, beef, and seafood. Sorry to tell you Erika (a vegetarian), but as a carnivore by nature, I have really enjoyed the meat here a lot! Last night we had roasted lamb and it was incredible. At every meal we've had sambusa, which is similar to a wonton. It's a fried triangle filled with goat cheese or meats. They are incredible! Hummus is served at every meal. I have never been a huge fan of hummus, though I eat it from time to time in the states. Here, on the other hand, it's so delicious! (Probably because it's made fresh with fresh ingredients here.) Tabuli salad is served at every meal too. It tastes like parsley to me...sometimes I like it, sometimes not :-)

(2) Is the exchange rate good for Americans? How much does a thobe/ghutra/igal cost? (Charlie) The Saudis use the Riyal for currency. It has a fixed rate; 1 US= 3.75 Riyal. While things are less expensive than in Europe (by far!), they are more expensive than in the Latin American countries I've travelled in. To give you an idea, yesterday I purchased the thobe, ghutra, igal, two prayer rugs, and prayer beads for 140 Riyal, or less than 5o $. Those were purchased in a store, which tend to be spendier than in the souq (markets) which we have not yet visited!

(3) Are the classrooms different? (Jeff K) So far, we've only been able to visit on Aramco sponsored private college prep program school. It is by far an exception to the rule, as far as schools are concerned. It looked much like an American school. (It was very new and nice...) Hopefully we will be able to visit a government school.

(4) Are there any sabbath practices? (Chalie) Yesterday we left the hotel to go to a large Saudi book store. (Similar to a Borders, only nearly everything is in Arabic.) We had to wait in the parking lot for 15 minutes, because we arrived at prayer times. Muslims pray 5 times daily, and everything shuts down so that men may go to mosque. It sounds like on the holy day of the week, many people go to the mosque to pray together.

(5) Which aspects of globalization have helped/hurt the Saudi people? (Jess) Great question (and tough to answer in the five minutes I have before leaving for the camel market!) Let me think about it today and write about it tonight!

Just a few pics from the "Arabian Gulf"

That's right! They don't call it the Persian Gulf in Saudi Arabia. In case you didn't know, the "Persian Gulf," which separates Iran from Saudi Arabia, gets its name from the Persian people of Iran. (That's right, they're not considered Arabs--a common misconception.) Saudis, culturally a very nationalistic people (aren't we all??), insist that the gulf be named after them. Thus the title of this entry. Look at any map made here and it reflects it. We stopped here for just a few minutes today enroute to dinner. Some interesting buildings/monuments, and beautiful water. :-)

Pop culture in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia definitely has a rich, unique culture. From the traditional dress of abyas and thobes to the hummus, lamb and fresh juices, I have enjoyed being immersed in it. But once in a while, (actually often in the cities) American culture can be seen. Here are a few pictures that need no more introduction...

(Notice the "East meets West" picture--a mosque with the "golden arches" right in front of it.)

School Visit

We visited an all-girls College Prep school sponsored by Aramco today. This highly competitive school accepts students who score at a 90% or higher on a standardized test in their 12th year of Saudi public or private school. Unlike US college prep high schools, this program lasts nine months and is started after Saudis graduate (assuming they have the exceptional credentials!) The students we talked to are studying Physics, Chemistry, Calculus, and English to prepare them for admissions to colleges in Europe and the United States. Many of them have travelled abroad, often numerous times! (Many are daughters of wealthy Aramco employees of course! But all Saudis can in theory apply for the highly competitive program) When asked what they would like to know about college in the US, most were wondering if they would be treated well. Two girls said they opted to apply at UK schools because of the difficulty of obtaining visas. I talked with many of these girls, and they are exceptionally bright. It almost saddened me that their impression of the US was that people may consider them "terrorists." These conversations reinforced to me how important it is for me as a teacher to break down stereotypes and build connections. On a side note, I did turn over the letters that my female advanced global studies students wrote. (Sorry guys, I will have to visit a boy's school to hand yours out.) Also, in case you're wondering why I put a picture of that nice looking furnished room: it's the student lounge. :-)

How do Saudis treat tourists? (Another great question)

This is an excellent question, Nigel. Saudi Arabia is very strict on who is allowed into the kingdom. In most cases, if not all (?), you must have a host to be allowed in. Our host, as I've mentioned, is Aramco oil. (One of the world's most valued companies--at least 700 billion dollars worth!) Our hosts are extremely generous to us. In fact, we are treated like VIPs.

We have been granted access to things that regular visitors would not be allowed to see. For example, we were given a guided tour of Aramco's computer center. This high-tech center of numerous, large super computers, is watched at all times by over two hundred security cameras! Access is extremely restricted--a limited number of Aramco employees need at least 2 codes to get through the intense security. We were not allowed to take pictures of any kind. Additionally, we were invited to tour a Saudi couple's home(more like a mansion!) This too is extremely rare. Finally, every meal we are served is a feast! Last night we dined on lobster, crab, shrimp, and other seafood. (See picture!) So, while we would not be considered "tourists," our experience has really shown us a luxurious perspective on Saudi Arabia.

All that being said, we are limited in many respects. For example, Nigel asked if we were able to visit the mosque at Mecca. The answer here is no. In fact, no non-muslims are allowed in the city. Non-muslims are diverted around it and have to take another road. This is because the city is the most holy of all, as it is the birthplace of Islam and extremely holy as it relates to the Prophet Muhammud. I really respect this. Globalization is an amazing phenomenon. However, perhaps some places should be reserved for a select few, especially holy places. They are, after all, extremely important to people. To allow visitors would detract and potentially damage such important places.

Thanks for the great questions Nigel!

Time to respond to some questions...

Thanks for everyone who has been writing comments! I really appreciate having some guidance on the things I am learning. Here are some personal responses:

YEG--Wow...those are some tough ones. I had an interesting conversation with a woman, Kholoud, who has visited the US. When asked about her positive and negative impressions of the US, she definately was down on the media. She witnessed herself how US media can be very one sided, or at least strongly slanted, and sensationalist. After being here myself, (and even before), I knew that it is not uncommon for media to stereotype other cultures by limiting their coverage. While I have witnessed that women in the Kingdom don't have the same freedoms we know in the US, there have certainly been strides made for women, albeit slow. As far as big differences...don't even get me started! I will say that, like any other country, Saudi Arabia has a lot of kind, generous people. I don't think that Americans are exposed to such positive images enough. (PS--Both have their moments...but I think I want to be JD...)

Bethany/Allison--I will try and bring back an Arabic pringles can for you to see. I hope that I can bring some shoes back! Men wear sandals frequently with their native dress, the thobe and ghutra (I'm buying them tomorrow!)

Priscilla--Saudi Arabia is great so far. The hosts have been especially generous and friendly. The weather here is great! It's been warm, but the air is comfortably dry. At night it cools down a bit, but it feels really great. Thanks for the questions.

Ashley--Thanks for the comments. Glad to hear you are liking Hotel Rwanda. Is there anything specific about Saudi Arabia you'd like to know?

AGAIN--THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS, KEEP 'EM COMING!

Saudi Aramco Exhibit

One of our first stops this morning was the Aramco Exhibit. We were greeted by a few members of Aramco's PR department. They showed us a very fun 3-D film about oil and its impact on Saudi Arabia. (The auditorium and the production were very impressive.) After the film, we toured the museum. There were 5, maybe 6 different sections, each with interactive exhibits that detailed fossil fuel's creation, extraction, and transportation. While I was familiar with some of the information, I feel like I have a better grasp of how complex the oil industry is. For example, Aramco deals with 5 different types of crude, ranging from "heavy" to "ultra light." The lighter the crude, the less refining it requires, and the more economically valuable it is. Satellite mapping, as well as complex 3-D imaging and "smart" drills, have really benefited the company's efficiency. When asked about their research into alternative energies, the Aramco rep. informed us that they use alternative energies like solar power in their processes.

Not only did the tour inform us on industry, it had strong cultural components as well. The tour was led by Manal, one of the female Aramco employees we met today. Trained in the United States, she is the daughter of one of Aramco's pioneers. She, like many others working for the company, was educated in the US. Talking with her helped me realize that Saudi Arabia is making strides in employment rights for women. While currently something like 5% of the female population works, that number is increasing thanks in part to Aramco's commitment to hiring capable, intelligent people regardless of gender. (Keep in mind, cultural changes take time. Someone put it well in saying that culture moves at "a glacial pace."

The picture is of a massive globe with Arabic script from the Koran located near the beginning of the exhibits. Click on the following link to see more:

Compound life...

Aramco, Saudi's national oil company, has a large compound that hosts thousands of workers (mostly expats from 35 countries!) and its major buildings. We are staying in Steineke Hall for the next few days. While it is secluded from most of Saudi life, it's a comfortable start while we adjust to some of the cultural differences. Also, it's an ideal hub to visit the multiple Aramco sites we will visit. Pictured here are: (1) a few friends, Martha from L.A. and Worth from Baton Rouge (2) an example of a bilingual sign..very common in the compound (3) a billboard promoting recycling--a recent initiative by Aramco.

20 Hours in transit....

That's right! It was a 9 hour flight from Houston to Amsterdam. There we had a 5 hour layover. I spent a lot of that time walking around with new friends Nora, raised in Egypt and now living in Virginia, and Nicolle, Utah native. The Amsterdam airport is one of the largest, so we wandered through some shops, did some people watching, and even got to stroll in Holland's crisp spring weather. After walking around for a few hours, I slept on the floor by our gate for the last hour or so! The picture here was taken from the flight to Dammam, S.A. We were happy to be on the flight and on our way. (It was also nice that we each had our own personal tv and remote to choose movies, tv shows and games! I played tetris, watched James Bond, and Scrubs :-)

We were greeted in Saudi Arabia by one of our hosts Saad (sp). He helped us breeze through customs. We didn't even carry our own luggage, as there were some Bengladeshi (perhaps Indonesian?) fellas who transported them for us. I've noticed alread that many "labor-oriented" jobs are done by foreigners. In fact, Saudi's population is over 20% foreign. Many come from other Islamic countries (India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, to name a few.) From the airport, it was a 30-40 minute drive to the highly secured Aramco compound, where we will be staying for the first few days of our trip.

Charlie--Thanks for the great questions! (At least I think this is Charlie...if not, who is this :-))

Had I considered going "Lawrence in Arabia Style" in the traditional garb?

I really was interested in wearing the thobe and bhutra. However, it can be considered disrespectful, so our group is not wearing them. The women in our group must wear the abaya to follow the laws, which are rooted in hundreds of years of tradition and Islam, some Saudi men find it disrespectful or distasteful for foreign men to wear the national dress.

Define culture trunk

Cutlure trunk--Collection of artifacts--art, music, dolls, food, advertisements, currency, hand crafts, metals, etc.--coompiled in a container to be used for providing a hands-on approach to Saudi culture (picture below--pringles, books, games, currency, Pepsi--a few of the items she had in her culture trunk)

New Friends!

I have been making connections with a lot of interesting teachers (whose names I am still learning!) I am posed here with a few mannequins dressed in the traditional abaya (women's clothing) and thobe (men's). I look forward to shopping in the souqs (markets) and creating culture trunks, which we learned how to make thanks to a program alumni.

Today was spent at Aramco's headquarters in Houston. Aramco is associated with Saudi National Oil, and the sponsor of our trip. We learned some valuable statistics, including that they facilitate the import of 4 million barrels of crude to the US a month! Since 1975, the company has trained five thousand Saudi workers here in the US. We were privileged to meet numerous members of their staff, who were very helpful and excited to send us on.

Hello from Houston!

Orientation is underway in Houston. The other 24 teachers from the country are really interesting! I was able to practice my Arabic with Nora, a teacher from Virginia. She lived in Egypt for 9 years. Dwayne from Winona is also from Minnesota. He has established sister schools throughout the world, and hopes to do the same with students in Saudi Arabia. I had lunch today with teachers from Washington and Kentucky. They helped me pick out the adapter I needed to plug my electronics into when we're in the Kingdom.

Tomorrow we will be going to the Aramco headquarters in Houston to get some more program basics. There we will be briefed by former participants on topics varying from community outreach to class-curriculum implementation. Still some prep to do, but it's more exciting every day!

Stay tuned! It's only going to get more exciting from here on out.

(If you have questions...post them and I will answer them in future posts!)

South Washington County Bulletin Article

Click on the following link to read Toni Lambert's article on my upcoming trip:
http://www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/ojh/depts/soc/senrick/Saudi%20Arabia/bulletin.htm

One Month and Counting...

With this entry I officially start my blog on my Saudi Arabia Trip. Already in preparation I have read from James Wynbrandt's A Brief History of Saudi Arabia, particularly the sections on Muhammad's life in the Kingdom and modern, 20th century history. I have also read articles from the Arab Times and National Geographic. I have been listening to the Pimsleur Arabic CDs and can say good morning, please, thank you, and other helpful phrases. I sent in both my passport and Saudi Arabian visa application and am anxiously awaiting the official pass to visit the country. I am in contact with a few other teachers, including past and present participants, and we've discussed our backgrounds, teaching styles, follow-on plans and curiousities about the trip. One month from today I will be starting this journey...and I can't wait! I hope that people will tune in to this blog to hear my perspective on Saudi Arabia.