Visiting Saudi Arabia as an American woman, what are some things I should know?

[Hillie]

I am third-generation Arab (my grandfather was born in Lebanon but moved to the United States at the age of five.) I consider myself, and would generally be considered, white (my grandfather is fairly light-skinned, he married a white woman and both of my parents are white so I really don't consider myself Arab at all.) Additionally, I am a Roman Catholic (my grandfather converted to Catholicism when he married my grandmother and everyone else in my family is Catholic, from Germany and Italy.)

I do however, have second (or third?) cousins living in Saudi Arabia. I'm a journalist (not for anything huge, just a paper that I won't name here in Philadelphia) and thought, how cool would it be to write a story on what life is like in Saudi Arabia since I have the opportunity (my cousins invited me to visit.) I've obtained my visa and will be staying in Saudi Arabia for three months, from February 27-May 24. I have affirmed to the Saudi consulate here in Philadelphia that I will be met by a male relative upon my arrival in Riyadh, which are the requirements for a woman visiting Saudi Arabia.

I'm very excited because I think it will be so interesting-I'll be visiting Riyadh, Mecca, Medina, and other attractions to the country. I don't know much about the culture, so I've been researching and watching some films and I can tell that Saudi Arabian culture is STRICTLY based on Sharia law.

What should I know before going there? Although I am not a Muslim and a foreigner, will I be required to wear the niqab (or hijab, there are so many different names for it lol.)

Will I have to follow the strict laws about being heard by men in public and also not being able to travel anywhere without a male relative or something?

How do Saudis feel about me taking pictures and videos?

Do they have the same kind of technology there-will I be able to get a temporary plan for my iPhone and get the proper conversion cables for my MacBook and such? (That being said, is the Internet heavily censured there and will I be able to access most of my American websites?)

The language barrier-I speak a bit of Arabic, conversational to lowly proficient at best, but would obviously be a lot more comfortable speaking English, it's my native language. Will there be an O.K. amount of Saudis who speak English there? I'm learning now and obviously hope to learn more in my three months of living there.

Thank you so much! (Shukran in Arabic, lol!)
I am allowed to visit Medina because I'm technically considered a Muslim being that my grandfather was born one. I'd also be travelling with a male, Muslim, Saudi Arabian citizen and from what I've researched we won't run into any problems entering Medina.

The Mecca thing is still questionable. The Saudi police are alot more strict about non-Muslims entering Mecca, and I'm not sure I'll be able to go. If I can't go to Mecca (my cousin is trying to find out in Saudi Arabia right now) we're going to Jeddah.