A Great Trip

The Educators to Saudi Arabia trip is a wonderful trip to experience. I highly recommend that every teacher consider applying for this chance to travel to a country that is normally closed off to Americans. I think I may have more questions now about Saudi Arabia, than I have answers. It is a country where often there are not exact answers, and even more often there are many complex factors at work. It is a country that is changing, perhaps being drug along kicking and screaming, into a world where we strive to give equal rights to all. How long this will take in Saudi Arabia, I am not sure. It certainly hasn't reached the rest of the world either, but most places in the world are well ahead of Saudi Arabia currently when it comes to human rights. One important detail that I learned was that the Israel/Palestine conflict is the number one world issue that Saudis are concerned about, and their view is an exact opposite of most American and European views. Until this issue is settled, true goodwill between the Middle East and the rest of the world will be hard to achieve.

To any newcomers to this blog: Please start reading at the bottom so you can go in chronological order. This blog was created to be daily communication with my students, family, colleagues, and friends, but now that my trip is over, it will remain up, unchanged, so that any interested parties can read it. Email me directly at mbheiden@gmail.com or mheiden@hse.k12.in.us with any questions or comments. Thank you.