The Gift of the New Year

Today was a great way to welcome in the new year.  We woke up this morning and several of us got together for breakfast and to watch the ball drop in Times Square.  Then we were quickly off on our very scheduled day. If yesterday taught us about lavish food, today taught us about lavish gifts.
Our first stop was Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University.  It is the first women's university in Saudi Arabia.  It is very competitive in admission and the academic programs cover a wide spectrum of subjects.  It was named in honor of the founder of the modern kingdom, King Abdul Aziz's sister.  She is comparable to Eleanor Roosevelt in America in terms of her contribution and revere in Saudi Arabia.  The university is currently building its new 8 billion dollar campus.  It is going to house a hospital, 15 colleges, dormitories, recreational facilities, shopping areas, primary and secondary schools, parks, and a world class library.  It's going to be remarkable.  First, we met with the Rector (President) of the college, the first female Rector in the kingdom.  She presented us with a goody bag of treats related to the college.  Then we were able to interact with some of the students.  The girls that we met there were amazing.  They were so hospitable and clearly intelligent.  They were very friendly, feeding us (again) and offering us even more gifts!  Our suitcases keep shrinking as we fill them with the hospitality of our hosts.  We enjoyed the company of our new friends.  They showed us their current facilities, particularly their science labs.  It was impressive.  We hated to leave, but we had a prince to meet!
Our next stop was a meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Turki al-Faisal at the King Faisal (his father) Center for Research and Consultancy.  The center focuses on research related to Islamic issues.  Our meeting with him was wonderful.  He was very candid with us.  He talked about the center for a while, but then discussed political questions with us as well.  He shared fascinating stories about his experiences being the Saudi Ambassador to the United States.  His accomplishments as Ambassador are impressive.  US-SA relations would not be as close as they are now, meaning that a trip like this would not have been possible, without the tremendous efforts he invested in the relationship in the years after 9/11.  He shared stories about curve balls from the White House and learning to monitor and adjust.  He answered our questions, discussing topics such as the impact of Wikileaks on US foreign relations, the New York Islamic Center, and the US involvement in Pakistan.  I even got to ask him about his outlook for Palestine.  His perspective is certainly well informed. The center sent us walking away with yet another bag full of goodies and books.
Our next stop was with a self-made Saudi businessman, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil.  His company, the Al-Zamil group, is a family business that was built from the ground up, now one of the most extensive and lucrative corporations.  He was very open with his opinions and didn't shy away from sharing his opinion.  He was very generous and gave each of us a copy of James Zogby's Arab Voices.
The grand finale to our day could not have been better.  We were able to go to the beautiful home of Dr. Salwa Al-Hazza for dinner and discussion.  She is a leading opthamologist, the best in the kingdom.  She was responsible for the care of the late king.  In addition to her professional obligations, she is also a leading voice on women's rights in KSA.  She told us remarkable stories about breaking barriers and overcoming obstacles.  She is considered by many to be of celebrity status here.  She was funny, friendly, hospitable, and just a delight to spend an evening with.  Her family was lovely and so gracious to offer us their amazing home. As we enjoyed the great company, intriguing conversation, and wonderful homemade food, we particularly enjoyed having a meeting and evening wearing no abayas or hijabs.  We had fun being concerned about our outfit.  The lavish hospitality of the evening was made complete with another gift, prayer beads and warm wishes.  We left with smiles and memories and stories to last a lifetime.
The same thing seems to be proving true of our adventure thus far.  Ready for more smiles and memories to come!