The beginning of the journey (page 2 of 2)

And in some families they are still not allowed to go out, but the groom is permitted to come and visit the bride at home from time to time, always providing that the bride's parents will be present during these visits. This allows the couple to see each other often and get to know each other a bit before the marriage.

Parents' relationships with their children have also changed. Parents nowadays try to be more understanding, closer to their children. With all the new technology, media and temptations, they accept that they need to know what is going on in the children's minds ; they want to know their children's ambitions, dreams and aspirations and to try to help them achieve those.

Girls nowadays expect to have the right to decide whether they would like to finish their education or not. In fact nowadays in some families the parents, and especially the father, is the one who pushes and encourages a daughter to finish her education. In some families they are even willing to let them even travel abroad to finish their university education. Amazing indeed by previous times of not so long ago.

Jobs outside teaching nowadays are not so restricted to males only. More and more of some of the biggest companies in Saudi now have vacancies reserved for women as they accept that women are right for certain jobs.

So what triggered these changes? Perhaps the start can be traced to the Kuwait/Iraq Gulf war. The Americans brought women soldiers with them ;and the Kuwaiti women played a definite role in the resistance to Saddam's invaders.

Afterwards, more foreign investment came into the country. International banks were permitted, more foreign trading opportunities were encouraged by the government. The new satellite TV stations and the internet also had a great impact, specially on the younger generation. They became acquainted with the latest fashions, brands and even lifestyles, not just in the West but in the rest of the Arab world. Satellite TV quickly became available to everyone who wanted it despite attempts to prevent it. Instead of the two local channels suddenly Saudis were watching more than 30 international channels. For the first time they were aware of all that was happening around the world, at the same time it was happening.

So the even the older generation started to have different views on life. Perhaps they felt that something was missing from their lives.

More of their hopes and aspirations have turned towards their children. They want them to achieve what they couldn't achieve in their days. They want to give them what they didn't have. They have become more questioning of traditions in society and what are nowadays acceptable personal aspirations and ambitions.

The change has started - the question is where will it end ?