Simply put, five hundred words is not enough to explain what I have seen in the last 8 days in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. My first interpretation of the Saudi Arabia and the Middle East as a whole was when I was in the 3rd grade. In my living room as many in the United States and around the world was the attacks of 9/11. It was not until I went to university and started studying International Relations that I had any other exposure to the Middle East. My university, Portland State is one of the largest recepiants of international students from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I found myself questioning, if Arabs and/or Muslims were so bad (as portrayed in Western media), than why are so many studying in the United States each year?

Acting on these thoughts and interpretations I began to reach out to my Arab colleagues at university and even the Saudi Embassy to answer some of my questions. My questions varied in subject matter, usually being about Islam, Women’s Rights, and Terrorism. To my surprise my questions were completely welcomed and included hospitality and in-depth answers in the process. My colleagues and the Saudi Embassy in Washington were both equally responsive and did not hestitate to answer. On many occasions I was invited to Saudi homes in the States for dinner and what I found over time was that we have more in common than not.

My interest quickly went beyond simply getting answers to what is in the media. I quickly found myself picking up academic literature on the Kingdom as well. What should be noted is that academics, media, and even individuals from the Kingdom will all have their own interpretations and biases. I have found many academics, including a few from Saudi Arabia are on board with Western media, in criticizing the Kingdom. Historically and still relevant today, Saudi Arabia is a tribal society. While it is considered rude and inappropriate to ask about ones tribal affiliation, if you know something about this, it may clear up a few answers about where the critic comes from.

With regards to the recent event, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi many Saudis including those in the royal family will tell you that they greave and do not condon such acts. I was fortunate enough while in the Gateway KSA program to have dinner and discuss such topics with HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal. His comment with regards to the media, “if we do not have a response to criticism or events, people will be left to their own devices to interpret information and this can be harmful.” It should be noted that this entire dinner conversation was completely open to dialogue on any topic.

Based on my studies of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, friendships I have developed, and the various books and articles I have read, I will say that not a single person is void biases. There are many truths but the best thing that any individual can do for him or herself is to become familiar with their resources and develop their own opinion. Questions to consider are: Who owns certain media platforms? Who are the top advertisers and what are their backgrounds? Who is the academic “expert” that criticizes and what is his or her history with the Kingdom? Are any of these resources self-serving for fiananical, political, or emotional reasons? After all, we do live in a world of Fake News.

I can transparently state that I had the time of my life spent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I climbed up the side of a mountain to watch the sun rise, sang Mohammed Abdu (a famous Saudi artist), took a land cruiser out into the desert, visited ancient Saudi Arabia and ruins and saw the future of the Kingdom through KAUST, NCB, and Sabic and they are still making me get on an airplane to go back to the United States. I was sure after this trip, getting better points on a Middle East Studies test than my Saudi colleague in university, earning the title Sheikha by locals, and honorary Saudi by friends that I would gain citizenship. In a way I felt like I was returning to the Kingdom while in the Gateway KSA program as I visited places that I have read about in various books. I hope to return again soon.

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My name is Kelsey, I’m from Portland Oregon and I am doing post-bac and graduate work at Portland State University. I am currently focusing on Policy Analysis research, history of Saudi Arabia, and Arabic. My undergraduate studies consisted of Political Science with a focus on U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East, Arabic, and Middle East Studies. Portland State has a large international student population from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom has been a large part of my academic career and my country of choice in terms of historical research. I have spent most of my time focused on Saudi history during the third and current state. The Gateway KSA program is an opportunity of a lifetime as visiting the Kingdom was the missing component in my studies. I was able to see things that I have spent years reading about. If I could give any advice, it would be to have a certain level of humility when attempting to learn or understand another culture and country and to not judge before having a firm understanding of its people. I am humbly honored to have been through the Gateway KSA program and wish for others have similar opportunities in their respective fields.