SAUDI ARABIA vs. UNITED STATES
After checking out the map on the previous page one can see that the United States of America is marked in red (the highest a country can score) on the indulgence scale coming in at 68/100. Saudia Arabia is ranked in orange (the second highest a country can score) on the indulgence scale coming in with a score of 52/100. With that being said thought Saudia Arabia and the United States have definitely have their differences, they are more similar than most realize. This section focuses on some of the ways in which Saudi Arabia and the United States differ and thing to consider when visiting Saudi Arabia.
Perhaps the biggest stereotype that Americans have about Saudi Arabia is that the women in this country cannot be happy because of the lack of rights they have in this job. This in no way is true. Though the woman in Saudi Arabia do not have all of the rights that an American woman has, they still live a very happy life. They take pride in their families which make them extremely happy. (At least this is what I gathered from a friend in Saudi Arabia). American's also get the impression that the woman don't get the same opportunity as men educationally. This is incorrect as well, as the women of Saudi Arabia can attend school and college like any of their peers.
I think that American's can also get the impression that because most people from Saudi Arabia practice Muslim they are required to follow so many rules that that form of restraint can lead to a less happy life. Through communication with a student at Effat University I am under the impression that these restraints is what allows them to be so happy. A common misunderstanding about Saudi Arabia is that the women must always be wearing a headdress, when this is in fact false. For example, there were many times in which we skyped with the university both in school and at their individual homes where they were not covered.
The main thing to remember, that even though there are a lot of restraints that are in place in Saudi Arabia, they aren't all that different than the restraints placed in America. There are so many factors that go into measuring happiness that it is hard to place it on a scale. When you are visiting Saudi Arabia you just have to remember that while there are norms that are followed, every situation is different on the individuals personality, history, and wealth.
Hashim, Haya. Phone interview. Fall Semester 2012
GEERT HOFSTEDE AND CULTURAL-DIMENSIONS THEORY—AN OVERVIEW. (n.d.). World Speaking. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from news.telelangue.com/en/2011/09/cultural-theory
Perhaps the biggest stereotype that Americans have about Saudi Arabia is that the women in this country cannot be happy because of the lack of rights they have in this job. This in no way is true. Though the woman in Saudi Arabia do not have all of the rights that an American woman has, they still live a very happy life. They take pride in their families which make them extremely happy. (At least this is what I gathered from a friend in Saudi Arabia). American's also get the impression that the woman don't get the same opportunity as men educationally. This is incorrect as well, as the women of Saudi Arabia can attend school and college like any of their peers.
I think that American's can also get the impression that because most people from Saudi Arabia practice Muslim they are required to follow so many rules that that form of restraint can lead to a less happy life. Through communication with a student at Effat University I am under the impression that these restraints is what allows them to be so happy. A common misunderstanding about Saudi Arabia is that the women must always be wearing a headdress, when this is in fact false. For example, there were many times in which we skyped with the university both in school and at their individual homes where they were not covered.
The main thing to remember, that even though there are a lot of restraints that are in place in Saudi Arabia, they aren't all that different than the restraints placed in America. There are so many factors that go into measuring happiness that it is hard to place it on a scale. When you are visiting Saudi Arabia you just have to remember that while there are norms that are followed, every situation is different on the individuals personality, history, and wealth.
Hashim, Haya. Phone interview. Fall Semester 2012
GEERT HOFSTEDE AND CULTURAL-DIMENSIONS THEORY—AN OVERVIEW. (n.d.). World Speaking. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from news.telelangue.com/en/2011/09/cultural-theory