There are many countries that recognize the
economic benefits of tourism. Saudi Arabia is not one of those countries.
The visa process was more complicated and frustrating than anywhere else I have visited before. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt in order to prepare all the documents that were required. The embassy only accepts applications for a two-hour period each morning, and they declined my first application because I had applied for a “businessman” visa rather than a “commercial visit” visa. What’s the difference? I have no idea. I think they just wanted me to pay twice. I was finally approved on the evening before my flight.
In contrast to the arduous visa process, my flights on Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific were fantastic. I was upgraded on both segments, I finally got to watch Gone Girl (which I have been anxiously awaiting for months now), and the food was actually edible.
My arrival in Jeddah was just as nerve-wracking as the visa process. Despite being expedited to the terminal with the other business class passengers, I was 12th in line at passport control. In most countries, that would not be a big problem. In Saudi Arabia, it means waiting 1.5 hours. The immigrations officers constantly took breaks between passengers and it was impossible to predict when they would return to their seats. After what felt like an eternity, I finally passed through immigration, picked up my luggage, and found my driver by 3AM. I was exhausted.
This was my second time traveling to Jeddah and I was happy to be staying at the same luxurious oasis. Even though almost 3 years had passed since my last visit, it seemed as though nothing had changed. Walking through the hotel, I felt like I was somewhere exclusive and special. It is hard to explain, but people have an air of superiority and a confident swagger that is uniquely "Saudi".
During the weekend, a local colleague offered to take me to the old city (called "al-balad"). It honestly felt like I was stepping into a movie set. The architectural style, tiny shops, and street vendors were so cool to see. Watching everyone in traditional attire further added to the faux-cinematic experience. In a world where tourists seems to be omnipresent, I feel fortunate to visit a place that has remained immune to the influx of Western travelers. It almost makes the visa hassles seem worthwhile.
My colleague wanted me to get a custom-tailored dish dash, so he took me to his favorite shop for a personal measurement. The precision with which the tailor noted my sizes was really quite impressive. I did not expect this careful attention to detail for such a seemingly-simple garment. I am not sure when I will ever wear it again in the future, but I am excited to be getting such a unique souvenir from Saudi Arabia.
I don't really associate the Middle East with historical buildings, but the architectural style in al-balad clearly reflects a time when modern conveniences like air-conditioning did not exist. Just look at the small windows with heavy shutters to keep out the midday sun.
Even the open-air markets had a roof to shield against the intense sunlight:
As we walked through the market, I noticed men gathering around a table that looked to be full of sticks. I was told by my colleague that these "sticks" were actually used as toothbrushes in historic times because of a slight minty flavor beneath the bark. I tried using one, but I did not feel like my teeth were getting any cleaner...
One thing I have learned from my travel in the Middle East is that dates are serious business. No, not girlfriend/boyfriend dates...I'm talking about the carbohydrate-loaded delicacies that grow on palm trees. I passed several shops that specialize in dates, and learned that the variety is much greater than my simple palate can differentiate.
Visitors to Saudi Arabia need to realize that nearly all activity grinds to a halt during prayer times. Shops close for 20 minutes so the employees can pray, and the religious police actually patrol the streets to ensure that everyone is following the moral code. Last time I visited Jeddah was during Ramadan, which was even more intrusive to daily life. I was not allowed to eat in public during fasting hours, and the only real activity around the city took place during the overnight hours.
One night, my colleague and I were waiting in the car for a restaurant to re-open, and I asked him what would happen if people were in the middle of a movie at a cinema during a call to prayer (thinking that they would stop the movie briefly). I was surprised when he responded that it would not be an issue. Why? ...because cinemas are banned in Saudi Arabia.
With so many forms of entertainment banned in Saudi Arabia, it is no surprise that food is such an important element of social culture. Throughout my 2-week stay, I ate more than I normally do in a month. Buffets are commonplace and I found it almost impossible to eat a meal with less than 3 courses.
There were several team dinners during my trip. One night, the entire Finance team was invited for a formal dinner hosted by one of the new staff members. He literally rented out an entire banquet hall and brought in enough food to serve a village. It was such a nice gesture, and I can now say that I have eaten camel meat (it tasted like pot roast).
I would be remiss to recap the trip to Saudi Arabia and not mention anything about women's rights. Without even realizing it, I did not speak to one single women throughout my entire trip. I suppose it is not surprising, considering that women are not allowed to go out in public alone, drive a car, or even travel without the permission of their male guardian. Restaurants have separate dining areas for men and women, fitness facilities are gender-specific, and even wedding receptions are separate. Could you imagine getting married and not even celebrating alongside your new spouse? It's such a huge cultural difference.
Lecture halls in universities are also separated by gender, and male professors are prohibited from lecturing face-to-face with their female students. Instead, they lecture to a video camera and the image is broadcast on a screen for the girls to take notes.
Even the abayas that women wear make them appear like mere shadows, alongside their sheik-like husbands. From what I hear, Saudi women are starting to challenge the status quo, but I do not expect anything to change in the near future.
In a country where fuel is cheaper than water, the seemingly-endless supply of liquid gold has allowed people to become complacent. Work ethic is simply not at the level it needs to be for Saudi Arabia to compete in the global economy. The government is starting to recognize this, so they have funded many scholarships for students to study internationally. They have also implemented a requirement for all local companies to hire at least 35% Saudi workers.
To achieve this requirement, a lot of companies are putting ghost employees on the books, even though the majority of Saudi "employees" don't even come to the office. In fact, the HR director said that a lot of candidates actually ask if they need to come to work after they have been hired. This would be a ridiculous question in most countries, but it is completely justified in Saudi Arabia.
One of the best parts of my job is being able to learn about such a wide variety of cultures around the world. Even though I experienced only a small aspect of the Saudi lifestyle, I found it completely fascinating. The place where I grew up is such a sharp contrast to the atmosphere that I witnessed over the past two weeks, but I loved embracing their world for just a short period of time.
The visa process was more complicated and frustrating than anywhere else I have visited before. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt in order to prepare all the documents that were required. The embassy only accepts applications for a two-hour period each morning, and they declined my first application because I had applied for a “businessman” visa rather than a “commercial visit” visa. What’s the difference? I have no idea. I think they just wanted me to pay twice. I was finally approved on the evening before my flight.
In contrast to the arduous visa process, my flights on Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific were fantastic. I was upgraded on both segments, I finally got to watch Gone Girl (which I have been anxiously awaiting for months now), and the food was actually edible.
 |
| The new airport in Doha is beautiful |
My arrival in Jeddah was just as nerve-wracking as the visa process. Despite being expedited to the terminal with the other business class passengers, I was 12th in line at passport control. In most countries, that would not be a big problem. In Saudi Arabia, it means waiting 1.5 hours. The immigrations officers constantly took breaks between passengers and it was impossible to predict when they would return to their seats. After what felt like an eternity, I finally passed through immigration, picked up my luggage, and found my driver by 3AM. I was exhausted.
 |
| They don't mess around with drugs in Saudi Arabia! |
This was my second time traveling to Jeddah and I was happy to be staying at the same luxurious oasis. Even though almost 3 years had passed since my last visit, it seemed as though nothing had changed. Walking through the hotel, I felt like I was somewhere exclusive and special. It is hard to explain, but people have an air of superiority and a confident swagger that is uniquely "Saudi".
 |
| Beautiful views of the Red Sea from my hotel |
 |
| Hotel lobby at night |
During the weekend, a local colleague offered to take me to the old city (called "al-balad"). It honestly felt like I was stepping into a movie set. The architectural style, tiny shops, and street vendors were so cool to see. Watching everyone in traditional attire further added to the faux-cinematic experience. In a world where tourists seems to be omnipresent, I feel fortunate to visit a place that has remained immune to the influx of Western travelers. It almost makes the visa hassles seem worthwhile.
 |
| One of the streets in the old balad of Jeddah |
 |
| Shop owners wait for customers on a Saturday afternoon |
 |
| Produce vendors in al-balad |
My colleague wanted me to get a custom-tailored dish dash, so he took me to his favorite shop for a personal measurement. The precision with which the tailor noted my sizes was really quite impressive. I did not expect this careful attention to detail for such a seemingly-simple garment. I am not sure when I will ever wear it again in the future, but I am excited to be getting such a unique souvenir from Saudi Arabia.
 |
| Custom tailoring |
 |
| More textiles and prayer mats for sale |
 |
| Meat hangs boldly from the window of the butcher shop |
I don't really associate the Middle East with historical buildings, but the architectural style in al-balad clearly reflects a time when modern conveniences like air-conditioning did not exist. Just look at the small windows with heavy shutters to keep out the midday sun.
 |
| Traditional architecture keeps out the intense sunlight |
Even the open-air markets had a roof to shield against the intense sunlight:
 |
| Shoppers stroll along the open air market |
As we walked through the market, I noticed men gathering around a table that looked to be full of sticks. I was told by my colleague that these "sticks" were actually used as toothbrushes in historic times because of a slight minty flavor beneath the bark. I tried using one, but I did not feel like my teeth were getting any cleaner...
 |
| Men shop for traditional "toothbrushes" |
One thing I have learned from my travel in the Middle East is that dates are serious business. No, not girlfriend/boyfriend dates...I'm talking about the carbohydrate-loaded delicacies that grow on palm trees. I passed several shops that specialize in dates, and learned that the variety is much greater than my simple palate can differentiate.
 |
| Dates seem to be the national food of Saudi Arabia |
Visitors to Saudi Arabia need to realize that nearly all activity grinds to a halt during prayer times. Shops close for 20 minutes so the employees can pray, and the religious police actually patrol the streets to ensure that everyone is following the moral code. Last time I visited Jeddah was during Ramadan, which was even more intrusive to daily life. I was not allowed to eat in public during fasting hours, and the only real activity around the city took place during the overnight hours.
One night, my colleague and I were waiting in the car for a restaurant to re-open, and I asked him what would happen if people were in the middle of a movie at a cinema during a call to prayer (thinking that they would stop the movie briefly). I was surprised when he responded that it would not be an issue. Why? ...because cinemas are banned in Saudi Arabia.
 |
| Prayer time in Saudi Arabia |
 |
| Building in al-balad has a speaker for the daily calls to prayer |
With so many forms of entertainment banned in Saudi Arabia, it is no surprise that food is such an important element of social culture. Throughout my 2-week stay, I ate more than I normally do in a month. Buffets are commonplace and I found it almost impossible to eat a meal with less than 3 courses.
There were several team dinners during my trip. One night, the entire Finance team was invited for a formal dinner hosted by one of the new staff members. He literally rented out an entire banquet hall and brought in enough food to serve a village. It was such a nice gesture, and I can now say that I have eaten camel meat (it tasted like pot roast).
 |
| The generous hosts for our banquet-style dinner |
 |
| The banquet hall was the size of a football field |
I would be remiss to recap the trip to Saudi Arabia and not mention anything about women's rights. Without even realizing it, I did not speak to one single women throughout my entire trip. I suppose it is not surprising, considering that women are not allowed to go out in public alone, drive a car, or even travel without the permission of their male guardian. Restaurants have separate dining areas for men and women, fitness facilities are gender-specific, and even wedding receptions are separate. Could you imagine getting married and not even celebrating alongside your new spouse? It's such a huge cultural difference.
Lecture halls in universities are also separated by gender, and male professors are prohibited from lecturing face-to-face with their female students. Instead, they lecture to a video camera and the image is broadcast on a screen for the girls to take notes.
Even the abayas that women wear make them appear like mere shadows, alongside their sheik-like husbands. From what I hear, Saudi women are starting to challenge the status quo, but I do not expect anything to change in the near future.
 |
| Women are almost invisible in Saudi Arabia |
In a country where fuel is cheaper than water, the seemingly-endless supply of liquid gold has allowed people to become complacent. Work ethic is simply not at the level it needs to be for Saudi Arabia to compete in the global economy. The government is starting to recognize this, so they have funded many scholarships for students to study internationally. They have also implemented a requirement for all local companies to hire at least 35% Saudi workers.
To achieve this requirement, a lot of companies are putting ghost employees on the books, even though the majority of Saudi "employees" don't even come to the office. In fact, the HR director said that a lot of candidates actually ask if they need to come to work after they have been hired. This would be a ridiculous question in most countries, but it is completely justified in Saudi Arabia.
One of the best parts of my job is being able to learn about such a wide variety of cultures around the world. Even though I experienced only a small aspect of the Saudi lifestyle, I found it completely fascinating. The place where I grew up is such a sharp contrast to the atmosphere that I witnessed over the past two weeks, but I loved embracing their world for just a short period of time.
 |
| Acclimating to the Saudi culture on my last day in the office |
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