Please can you tell us a little bit about your professional background and career so far?

I’m currently a Vice President in AECOM Ventures, focusing on identifying, incubating, and commercializing innovative solutions in infrastructure design, planning, and delivery. My background is in transport and land use planning and I have 13 years’ experience gained in the public and private sectors. My passion is to leverage transportation technologies and planning to connect people to opportunities and create more equitable, liveable places.

Earlier this year the opportunity arose to support a project AECOM is delivering with the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites (RCMC) to improve infrastructure services. Established in June 2018, RCMC’s remit is to achieve a sustainable future for Makkah and the holy sites that serves their visitors and pilgrims while enriching the quality of life in the holy city. The project piqued my interest as it enabled me to travel and work in a new place on such an important site with significance for Muslims around the world. In June 2019, I began a four-week stay in Jeddah to conduct a baseline condition assessment of Makkah’s transport infrastructure, regulatory framework, service providers and key stakeholders.

How did your perception of Saudi Arabia compare to reality?

It was not at all what I expected, in a good way. I was apprehensive about going to Saudi in terms of how I would be treated as a woman and knowing how different the political context is from my life in the U.S., but equally I was curious to experience a different culture. I knew I would need to wear an abaya – a loose over-garment – and thought I would need to cover my hair, be segregated from my male colleagues and not be able to move around freely since I wouldn’t be accompanied by a male relative. The reality was so different. I didn’t need to wear a headscarf; the office and most public spaces weren’t gender segregated; and I was able to travel around the city with relative ease. I even joined a female-only gym to which I travelled by Uber or on foot. I was originally due to stay in Jeddah for three weeks, but I extended it by a week as I felt comfortable there and wanted to continue to work closely with our team to finalize our first phase of deliverables.

On arrival I immediately sensed that the country is undergoing dramatic changes that could be felt in real time. During my trip it was announced that restaurants no longer needed to close during prayer time. A few weeks later the law was changed allowing females to obtain a passport without the approval of a male relative. While I was there I could drive, interact with male colleagues in the office in a mixed environment, and enjoy outdoor music and performances, which was not the case only a few years and even months ago. The country is changing very quickly, and it was exciting to be there to witness this.

How did you find life in Jeddah?

I stayed in a hotel with the other AECOM staff who had travelled to support the project. There was great camaraderie and we took every opportunity to explore Jeddah and the surrounding area. The Jeddah Season Festival was taking place during our stay, so we enjoyed outdoor music concerts, art exhibitions and light installations. I also snorkelled in the Red Sea and even travelled to Jordan to visit Petra one weekend. With an open mind and curiosity, my stay turned out to be a great adventure.

Did you ever feel unsafe?

No. I felt like I could blend in and I never felt people were looking at me for being a woman on my own. I received a few honks from taxi drivers when walking to and from the gym, but they were simply offering me a ride (and frankly, a woman walking alone is still not a common sight).

What do you miss now that you’ve left Saudi?

I miss working day-to-day with our AECOM team which comprised expats from multiple continents as well as our local Saudi colleagues. There was an excellent dynamic and a level of diversity that I’ve never experienced before. I also really miss the food! The variety of cuisine was phenomenal, and I enjoyed finding new things to try – my favourite discovery was all the desserts that combine sweet and salty flavors, like cheese, cream, nuts and rosewater.

What advice would you give to someone considering a move to Saudi Arabia?

It’s an opportunity that you shouldn’t overlook. The scale and cultural importance of the projects is incredible. Evaluate the project that you’ll be working on and ask yourself whether the work interests you and whether you think you can feel comfortable working in a cultural and political environment that may be drastically different from your home office. It’s ultimately a personal decision, and for me the opportunity to work on a project for Makkah and the potential benefits to Makkah’s residents and millions of pilgrims around the world outweighed the concerns I had. If it matches your career ambitions, you’re open minded and looking for an adventure, then you should seriously consider it.