GlocalNet

The past week I’ve been in Saudi Arabia and I don’t generally write about places until I’m home - but . . . . I’m breaking that rule.  There are so many things I’ve learned about the Saudi people and so much I’ve taken in.  Nikki, Jill, and I have been busy with meetings and a lot of different things going on that have included meeting with people, visiting sites, doing media interviews, being a part of conferences, meeting with various delegations.  Right now there is a Congressional delegation from the U.S. that has come to visit.  Some of them were at the Carnegie Institute meeting last night at the King Faisel Center - it was awesome.  I met with Ambassador James Smith, the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia - a very impressive man - we can be so proud to be represented by him.  He genuinely cares about the Saudi people and is working hard to build bridges.  Here is what I want people to know about Saudis - some traits that they possess in abundance.  There are many more I could write about - but these few are exceptional.

First, Saudis are hospitable.  I don’t think we’ve ever been treated better anywhere in the world.  They go out of their way to entertain and make you feel at home.  This isn’t just me. Everyone I’ve met who has come here for various reasons all have the same experience.  They are extremely warm people.  You almost feel guilty the way they lavish warmth and generosity on you. 

Second, Saudis are traditional.  They are proud of their culture, their history, their faith, and everything Saudi.  Honestly, they may very well be the “Texans” of the Arabs!  We Texans have a saying, “Don’t mess with Texas!”  We are proud - well, really not, - we’re excited to be who we are - so are they.  I think Texans are more open than they are given credit for, but traditional people are generally passionate people - we speak with gusto.  The same is true of the Saudis. 

Third, Saudis are adaptable.  If you understood their history, how it was a tribal area and over a 300 year period in 3 different phases the Kingdom was united - and ultimately completed around 1902 or so under King Abdull Aziz you would see how they have to work together just to get along.  There are nomads, there are educated, there are the rich and the poor - everything is here and most Saudis can relate to each other really well.  Just 50 years ago there was dire poverty, now there is wealth from the oil - their whole life has been a continual adaptation.  People who would say that Saudis can’t change along the way - haven’t studied their history. 

Fourth, Saudis are open to change and will tell you what they think as they process change.  They will tell you what you want to hear at first, they don’t like conflict - but once they feel comfortable with you, they’ll be very honest with you.  Contrary to what some in the West may say, I’ve found the Saudis to be very open minded about many things.  If you focus in on 1 or 2 things you may not have that opinion - but if you look at life as more than 1 or 2 issues - you’ll find a massive openness.  I think this is why they have conflicts among themselves currently - the world is opening - and so are they.  Not everyone experiences the same level of openness all at once.  For those who aren’t yet open, it can be perceived as a threat when things begin to change.  Saudi Arabia is in a conversation with itself big time right now, and I think they’ll make it.  Keeping up with this world is even hard for Americans - why would it be different for anyone else.  America has had a pretty uniformed history and experience the past 150 years.  Saudi Arabia has been in a continual evolution. 

Are there issues here, challenges, extremists?  Of course - but if that is the basis we use to build our relationship with the Saudis then we are letting a few people determine how we feel about a huge population by painting with a broad stroke.  I don’t want Americans to be judged by Terry Jones or Felix the Cat.  The same should be true with how we view the Saudis. 

I was happy and sad.  A couple of days ago we went on a trip to Aramco where the US and Saudis first discovered oil together and this is where they wound up living together and working together.  It’s truly impressive.  The level of relationship of people there gave me great hope that we can get along as peoples - we simply have to risk relationship - and it’s worth the risk.