My husband and I recently returned to Jeddah after spending six years in Canada. During those six years, we spent our annual holidays here and whenever we came back, we were impressed by some things we saw, disappointed by some things that had not changed or had become worse and surprised at some new developments, both good and bad. Those holidays were short, filled with the joy of being with our families and they didn’t allow much time to ponder the changes going on here. Now that we are permanently back, there is time to sit quietly and think about the changes and ask what, how and why.

One of the things that I used to like when flying into Jeddah at night was the vast canvas of light below. It was beautiful, brighter than any I have seen, even when flying into Paris, the city of light. But that was when I was younger and didn’t take into account the huge expense associated with all that light, the negative environmental consequences, and that the phrase “city of light” did not refer to electric light but rather intellectual enlightenment. Now, the lights of Jeddah have dimmed considerably; some areas within the borders of the city are completely dark. I don’t think the reason is environmental concern nor is it a lack of need of electricity. In most of those areas not only do they lack electricity but also paved roads, telephone lines and a proper drainage system. Are these the result of a lack of planning or lack of funds — or simply lack of consideration for people’s needs?

The plane lands and the passengers endure the completely inconvenient, cumbersome and time-consuming process of taking the shuttle to the airport building. Of course, changing this will require a complete overhaul of the airport. No need to go into why this old system — already discarded in the developed world because of its many faults — was adopted initially here in Jeddah.

Driving around the city I’m impressed by the beauty of some of the houses and buildings, the number of shopping centers, the renovated Corniche and the parks — overall the city makes a good appearance. At the same time, the crowded condition of many unmaintained streets, the constant noise and the large number of rude drivers prevent any real enjoyment of the city’s beauty. The way men — and I mean men — drive in Saudi Arabia is a disgrace. They have no respect for traffic rules or street signs and show a disregard for their fellow drivers. No wonder most of them cannot get a driver’s license in countries where traffic regulations are strictly enforced.

I’m impressed by advances in the medical field though there is still a need for better service. I’m also impressed by how eagerly the public and private sectors have embraced, and continue to implement, new computer and communication technologies. We cannot afford to lag behind in these areas. We have begun late but we are making progress. What astonished me though was the way people use, or should I say abuse, new technologies — especially cell phones. The way they abuse the messaging feature, for example, is disappointing and the way cell phones have become a fashion accessory speaks of our society’s superficiality. Unfortunately, there are other indications of this as well.

Another bad habit is how people turn day into night and night into day. This is especially true in summer when schools are out. People — even young children — sleep all day and stay out at night socializing, watching TV or playing games; this often goes on until sunrise. It also seems that many people are intent on and proud of learning all kinds of bad health habits and passing them on to their children. They smoke — I was surprised at how popular sheesha is among women. Children are allowed to eat as much fat-saturated food as they like and are never encouraged to exercise. Don’t parents realize the harmful effects of such habits? While I agree there are few things available here for recreation in terms of sports or entertainment, especially for women, there are other useful things that people can do. They could develop a hobby — such as reading, painting, photography or playing a musical instrument and encourage their children to do the same. As for activities, there are better things to do than wandering aimlessly in streets and malls. Why not get involved with religious seminars or charities?

If it seems that I only have complaints about our society, that’s because I love it and want it to be much better than it is. The truth is there are far more things that I like than dislike here. I’m glad, for example, that we are still a close-knit society, full of compassion and support for each other. I’m happy to see that Islam is as strong a base for our conduct as ever. I’m proud to have been born and brought up in a country whose laws and obligations are derived from Islamic scriptures, particularly regarding women’s rights and the status of women in society. I am very proud of the Saudi woman; she is a success story in education, employment, taking care of her family and being a good Muslim.

A final word about the media in Saudi Arabia. As a journalist, it is good to see the many improvements in the quantity and quality of our media. As a woman journalist, it’s good to see an increasing number of Saudi women in the field. This brings up another question: Isn’t it about time we had a media department in some of our girls’ colleges?

(Maha Akeel studied for her BA in communications and her MBA in the United States.)