680NEWS

Before I left I searched online for information about Saudi Arabia and its culture. But the stories I read only served to heighten my anxiety. I was angered by stories of the mutawaeen (religious police) roaming the streets harassing women for how they dress and with whom they speak. I couldn't imagine enjoying myself in a country where women have to wear an abaya; where it's illegal for women to drive; where women can't go anywhere without a man's permission. In short, I couldn't imagine finding common ground.

Without a doubt there are a number of laws, beliefs and acts that take place in Saudi Arabia that are an affront to Western sensibilities. And yet I returned home from my two-week stay with an overwhelmingly positive impression of the land and its people.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first thing that hit me as I got off the plane at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah was the suffocating heat and humidity. Although much of the desert experiences a dry heat, coastal cities like Jeddah register high levels of humidity year round. During my May trip, temperatures hovered in the mid-thirties with 40 to 60 per cent humidity and not a cloud in the sky!

The second thing that caught my attention was the traditional Saudi dress. The men look distinguished in their ankle-length white shirts called thobes and headdresses called ghutra. I wish I could say the same for the women in their black floor-length abayas, although some women did look elegant in silk and satin versions with beautiful detailing. Thankfully, in Jeddah foreign women are not required to wear a headscarf, and they could probably get away with wearing long sleeves and a long skirt instead of the abaya, but that is not the case in more conservative cities like Riyadh.

As I waited for my luggage, I passed the time talking and laughing with a few older Jordanian men. I remember feeling mildly anxious as I spoke with them. I had opted not to put on my abaya before deplaning, and as the only young blond in the airport I was worried about attracting attention. But when I looked around I was relieved to see nobody seemed to notice or care.

It was dark as I began the hour-long car ride north from Jeddah to the site of our conference in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). Before we entered the darkness of the surrounding desert, I was intrigued by the sight of small amusement parks dotting the side of the highway on the outskirts of Jeddah. The thought of Saudi families spending their weekends riding Ferris wheels and eating cotton candy was surreal to me. Something so frivolous seemed out of place in a country that banned movie theatres. But over the next few weeks, I traveled past those carnivals half a dozen times and never once did they appear open.

JEWEL OF THE KINGDOM
As one of four new economic cities currently being built in Saudi Arabia, KAEC is currently little more than a massive construction project. But the vision for this private-sector development is staggering. In eleven short years, KAEC will be home to two million people, one million jobs and occupy a land mass roughly the size of Washington, DC. Our conference was planned there as a coming-out party of sorts, intended to put KAEC on the map with opinion leaders from around the world.

Like Jeddah, KAEC is situated on the coast of the Red Sea. Looking out at its pristine sandy beaches as they disappear under crystal blue water, it's easy to feel more like you're on a Caribbean island than the edge of a desert. It seemed a shame to be told swimming in KAEC is "not allowed." Although, as a woman, I wouldn't have been permitted to wear a swimsuit anyway.

Our group was the first inhabitants of KAEC, which presented some unique challenges. Event planning always involves long days and hard work, but I've never experienced anything quite like the preparations for our conference. More than 2000 people worked 24 hours a day in the weeks leading up to our guests' arrival. They completed a condo building, and then temporarily converted it into a Westin hotel to accommodate us. They paved what I estimate to be around 20 kilometres of road, and then lined the roads with grass and palm trees. They constructed a wooden boardwalk along the beach that connected our "hotel" with the conference venue so our guests could enjoy the tranquility of the Red Sea. They even erected wireless towers! I was impressed not only by how quickly everything came together but also the care and pride with which it was delivered.

THE PEOPLE
The people I met were either migrant workers from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia, or well-educated business people. My Saudi colleagues were young and engaging. Most had studied, lived or had family in North America. I'm not sure if it was a generational thing or a result of their time abroad, but we talked openly and deeply about everything from politics to women's rights and on all fronts we agreed more often than not.

In fact, none of the hundred or so people I met in Saudi Arabia fit any of the stereotypes.
As an example, one of my new Saudi friends is a woman my age (mid-thirties) - she got her doctorate in England, somehow found the time to marry and divorce three times, is career-oriented and strong-willed, and is now living in her own flat in downtown Jeddah.

Saudis struck me as an immensely proud people. Complete strangers would regularly show me their family photos and tell me about their humble upbringing. With so much of the world's attention on oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia, it's easy to forget that wealth is a recent development here and one that still eludes the vast majority of its citizens.

Three years ago the Saudi government committed to making the Kingdom one of the top ten most competitive economies in the world by 2010. With that announcement came unparalleled job opportunities and a sense that, when it comes to business and development, anything is possible in Saudi Arabia. Among my colleagues - the first generations to receive a university education - the entrepreneurial spirit is palpable. They have the awesome responsibility to build new cities, and in the process they hope to transform their country.

When we said goodbye, my Saudi friends asked if I would be back again to visit. I politely said I hoped to. I guess if another business opportunity arose I would return. But unfortunately Saudi Arabia in many ways remains closed to tourists. And despite the good times I had there, I can't forget that Saudi Arabia eschews basic freedoms that I happily take for granted in Canada. I am hopeful that as its economy evolves and as global firms establish roots in the new cities that perhaps so too will the seeds of a social transformation be sown. Maybe one day I'll be able to visit the completed metropolis of KAEC and have that long overdue swim.