The BG News

Issue date: 5/28/08 Section: Campus

Alumnus John Hartman, pictured here with his Saudi hosts, was invited to speak at King Saud University. Hartman noted more cultural similarities than differences.

When a local professor traveled to Saudi Arabia to speak on his respective field, he not only lectured on the trends in American journalism, but also learned about a different culture.

John Hartman, a University graduate and Central Michigan journalism professor, learned that American and Saudi Arabian culture is not as different as some may believe.

"The Saudis know very little about us and we know very little about them," he said. "Yet we have far more in common with them than we have differences."

When Hartman received an "out of the blue" e-mail from a Saudi Arabian journalism professor encouraging him to apply to speak at King Saud University, he was immediately interested.

After receiving the e-mail, Hartman engaged in a formal application process and was contacted a few days later, inviting him to Saudi Arabia for three weeks, but problems ensued.

"We found out it was a much more complicated process than we thought and, basically, we sat for two weeks waiting to get our Visas," Hartman said.

"They are very careful about how you get into the country," his wife, Kay, added, who is a part time University instructor and also attended the trip.

Their travel difficulties cut their trip short, only allowing them to stay 12 days, but the Hartmans were well liked by their Saudi hosts and invited back for an additional two weeks in the fall.

The Hartmans said they were shown great hospitality.

"Everything they said they would do, they did," Hartman said.

During their trip, the Hartmans noticed many similar values between American and Saudi Arabian culture.

"They care about their families, and they care about their professions," Hartman said.

The Saudis also have different cultural norms.

The role of Saudi women is very different from the role of women in American culture.

Men and women are extremely segregated, and women often work from home, the Hartmans said.

Women are generally fully covered in public and are not allowed to go to certain places, such as the mall, without a male relative present.

Even places like Starbucks are segregated, with different lines and dining areas for men, women and families.

At King Saud University there is a campus for men and a separate one for women about three miles away.

Kay Hartman said the women possess much more freedom while at their secluded university and many of the women do not wear the traditional Saudi garments.

"In that setting they were very much the same as any American women," she said.

The Hartmans said they are looking forward to visiting Saudi Arabia again in the fall, as well as teaching and learning more about the culture.

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