Thanks to an invitation from the U.S. State Department, I recently spent 10-days in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The Gulf Region is one of the last corners of the world I ever expected to be invited to speak about changing roles for women. But I was, and I jumped at the chance to engage in cross-cultural discussions with students, journalists, business leaders, medical professionals and more PhDs than I could count.
Did I have to cover-up? Yes, I wore a long, black abaya over my street clothes whenever I stepped out of my hotel room. That was a small price to pay for such an incredible learning experience.
Behind those mysterious, black robes, our Saudi "sisters, and the men who support them, are on the verge of stunning change. Here's what I wrote for Forbeswoman.