Last Day in DC

OK, so I know that I’m posting this a day late, but I had a monster headache last night, and the internet at the hotel is choppy at best. It only half loads some pages and then doesn’t load any pages the other times. But I digress…

So Friday was nothing but orientation. We started out the day with a lecture from Dr. John Duke Anthony (yes, the same one from the national competition) on why we were doing this trip. He thinks it’s because we are going over there to help dispel the idea that all Americans are stupid, but we all know we're going so we can buy swords and camels. There are 8 other guys going as fellows on this trip, and 3 of them were at the national competition, in the Palestinian Affairs committee with me. What does that tell you? Anyways, all the guys seem to have at least the same appreciation for my brand of sarcasm, so I know we’ll get along great. The lecture by John Duke Anthony (from here on out to be known as JDA) lasted almost a complete 2 hours, at which time we had a Q&A session with Linda Stuart Specht, Deputy Director, Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs, US Department of State. She was really informative on the current administrations policies towards the Middle East, and how they were going to address certain issues. We asked a lot about the aid flotilla incident in Israel, but that was something she couldn’t discuss yet.

After that we visited the Saudi Arabian Embassy. I had no idea we were going there, and was very excited. I didn’t get to visit the Tunisian Embassy during my last visit to DC, so this was my first ever embassy visit. We were shown a 20 minute documentary/slide show, and then given a Q&A session with Nail Al-Jubeir, Director of the Information Office, Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia. He was extremely nice, and begged us to ask questions that we thought would be very sensitive to ask once we were in the “Greatest Country ever created for the containment of holy sites.” Those were his specific words, I kid you not. I had only one question, and that was on what Saudi’s thought of Americans trying to obtain and wear traditional thobes (the dress shirts that most Saudi’s wear all the time). He told me that as long as we weren’t making a mockery of it, most Saudi’s were happy to see it, because it was seen as a great sign of respect. Most Saudi’s in America take the trouble to wear western style dress up, to impress us, and the fact that we would do the same in Saudi is seen as mutual respect, and that is what all Saudi’s want.

After the session, we were provided lunch, which was a really good lamb chop, and some rice, and pOtato salad. Yes, I realize the “O” is capital. But anybody who’s ever had pOtato salad with me knows how I pronounce that word. I like my pOtato salad.

After the embassy visit, we had a meeting with the military attaché to the United States from Saudi Arabia. We were able to meet up with the Navy and Army Attaché’s, and they were both really nice. We had a long discussion on military adventures that involved Saudi’s and Americans, and then were allowed to ask a bunch of questions. The Naval Attaché cancelled two meetings on the spot just to keep talking to us. I asked about Saudi Arabia’s role in protecting the shipping out of the Red Sea in regards to the Somalia Pirates, and the Naval Attaché was more than happy to point out that Saudi Arabia was taking a lead in the task force that was designated to protect the area. Since last year, Saudi Arabia has been part of stopping at least 50 potential pirate attacks on ships leaving or entering the Red Sea.

After the visit to the Attaché, we returned to the Council’s headquarters, to have yet another lecture by JDA. This time we were learning about the relationships Saudi Arabia had with its neighbors, and the history behind how these relationships have developed. I’m not going to give you a detailed history lesson, because I am a terrible note taker when somebody is telling a good story, and despite JDA’s penchant for never ending his lectures, he does tell a great story.

By the end of the lecture, which was over 2 hours, we had a reception to get to. The “King Abdullah Scholarship” is a program that sends Saudi students all over the world to attend universities and then return to Saudi Arabia to help further develop the country. The United States has over 27,000 Saudi students attending universities right now, and at graduation time there is a big festival at a hotel in Washington that hosts a smorgasbord of Saudi culture. We had been invited by the Saudi Ambassador himself to attend. Now I’m going to admit right here that most of the delegation wanted to just get back to our hotels and change out of the suits we had been in all day. I even had a monster headache developing in my head, and wanted to get out of my suit just as much. And I’m going to admit that I was a little on the grouchy side at this event, since I did have said headache. But looking back on the event, I definitely was impressed by all the people and the chance to directly meet the Minister of Higher Education and the Saudi Ambassador, the people who are directly funding my trip to Saudi Arabia.

After that, we were all given a tote bag with various different items in it that had a lot to do with Saudi culture, including a package of post cards with some extremely cool pictures, a set of prayer beads that had been hand-made, and a DVD on different aspects of Saudi culture. There were also a few lapel pins with the Saudi flag crossing with the United States’ flag. All in all, I think it was a good experience.

That was basically the end of our day, as far as official culture. Today we fly out at 6:00 pm for Riyadh. We have to wear slacks and button up shirts, and a sports coat for the trip (not to happy about that, I want to be comfortable for the 14 hour flight). But we’ll land at about 1:25 Saudi time, and have the rest of the day to rest up, so once we get to the hotel, I can change I guess. I will be getting a thobe measured out for me as soon as I get there.

So for some reason, the internet here won't load the page to post pictures, but that's probably alright, since the only photos I have are of my hotel room, just so I could make sure I know what I'm doing. I'm sure the internet at the Saudi hotels will be much better, and I'll actually have interesting photos at that point. I guess the next time I post I'll be in Saudi Arabia. Please pray for me to make it there safely.