First, I want to thank all of you who are following along. I have to say this blog is also for selfish purposes, so I can have a sort of "digital journal", and relive my time here, as well as comb over all my grammatical errors and typos. Yay! Hopefully you guys don't mind.
All the time I have been here, one question has been on my mind: Would I live in Dhahran again if given the opportunity? I mean, it is a place I have yearned for in the deepest sense.... and I've realized I'm not alone. There is something magical about being an expat and a 3rd culture kid. Dhahran haunts many people who leave.... I always thought something might be wrong with me to miss it so much. I mean, I only spent 8 years here... yes, they were the formative years of my life, but GET REAL! Who yearns for something this much?!
I've had a recurring dream for many years and it's always the same dream, only located in different areas around camp. The dream goes like this: I'm walking around Dhahran. I look around and say, "I dream about this all the time, but now I'm here. I'm really, really here!"
Part of me expects this all to be another dream. I'm very curious to see if those dreams will finally end.
Would I live here again? After much thought, I'd say no. I would not want to live here again for a variety of reasons. The sense of community is not as strong as when I was here before, there are not as many westerners living here, I don't have a family (would be pretty lonely), and I'm now too accustomed to the bounty and liberty of California. It just seems to be very quiet here.... much more so than when I lived here. The bustle of children playing is gone... people seem to be inside with doors closed.
I have come to the conclusion that I am madly in love with two main themes about Saudi Arabia:
1) The Middle Eastern desert. In all my travels, I've seen many deserts.... but none like the one here. Perhaps I'd do well as a Bedouin, but I'm utterly transfixed by the natural landscape here. Its vast emptiness and blinding light clears my head and soothes my soul. Every object that speckles it looks so lonely and like it's fighting its own battle to simply exist in such a harsh environment. I feel this way about everything here from the bone-dry shrubs, to the tires half buried in sand, to the dusty plastic bags clinging to a rusty fence on the side of the road. It's all just so lonely and still. Forgotten... mother nature just tempting them to disappear.
2) Perhaps it's not the place I missed so much, but rather the feeling I had of being a child here. That's been proven by coming back to Dhahran. It was not the "place" I yearned for as much as it was the chapter in my life. In that sense, I can never truly go "home". So, someone asked what it meant when I said being here means something different than I thought it would. I guess I thought I would find my closure in a sense of deep satisfaction... satisfaction that never quite arrived. Like the deep yearning in me would suddenly turn into euphoria upon entering Dhahran's gate.
No, in reality, being here simply means I don't have to wonder anymore.... That I can comfortably live in California and objectively think of Dhahran as it is now.... and be able to maturely separate a location on a map from a "ring" on my tree of physical, spiritual, and emotional growth.
Growing up in Saudi profoundly shaped who I am today..... I will always be grateful for having grown up here and for the experiences I've been blessed enough to have had. Truly, getting to come back to Saudi has been a gift from God. He works in mysterious ways.... some more obvious to me than others. This one is quite obvious.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Horse
So, not sure if I've blogged this yet, but my old horse, Shaggy (full name is Shagara) who I said goodbye to 18+ years ago is STILL ALIVE and lives out at the Hobby Farm. I was stunned and elated when I heard she was still there. She's an old lady now.... pushing 30 years old which is reeeeally old for a horse. I barely recognized her, although she still has the same sweet face and unruly cowlick on her mane. She came from Iraq and there they tattoo the inside of the lip of their horses. I had to check. Yup, it was her.
Looking at her in the sunset of her life made me so sad, but so, so glad to be able to see her again. It was hard to look at her and see the star show jumper she was when I had her. For such a small little horse, she out-jumped the huge Warmblood horses from Riyadh at the shows.
She is not ridden anymore, but has a wonderful owner who takes very good care of her. I'm going to see if I can find their email address so I can stay in touch and find out how and when the story of Shagara ends.
It was a tearful evening as I was at the hobby farm, the sun was setting, and the desert doves were cooing.... and I gave carrots to my horse from 18 years ago... for the last time. The Pakistani grooms (laborers who care for the horses) did not quite know what to do with me as I was in her stall sobbing. They were like, "WHO are you and why are you crying all over Mrs. Spalding's horse?" All they could think to do was to cut up some carrots and hand them to me. It was so nice of them and simply the best thing they could have ever done at that moment.
I have to say, leaving the stables tonight was the hardest part for me. I never thought I'd be back there and I never thought how hard it might be for me to leave it all over again. It truly is my heaven on earth.... always will be. When I saw a dad dropping his young daughter off at the stables, I just hoped she knew how lucky she was at that moment.
Looking at her in the sunset of her life made me so sad, but so, so glad to be able to see her again. It was hard to look at her and see the star show jumper she was when I had her. For such a small little horse, she out-jumped the huge Warmblood horses from Riyadh at the shows.
She is not ridden anymore, but has a wonderful owner who takes very good care of her. I'm going to see if I can find their email address so I can stay in touch and find out how and when the story of Shagara ends.
It was a tearful evening as I was at the hobby farm, the sun was setting, and the desert doves were cooing.... and I gave carrots to my horse from 18 years ago... for the last time. The Pakistani grooms (laborers who care for the horses) did not quite know what to do with me as I was in her stall sobbing. They were like, "WHO are you and why are you crying all over Mrs. Spalding's horse?" All they could think to do was to cut up some carrots and hand them to me. It was so nice of them and simply the best thing they could have ever done at that moment.
I have to say, leaving the stables tonight was the hardest part for me. I never thought I'd be back there and I never thought how hard it might be for me to leave it all over again. It truly is my heaven on earth.... always will be. When I saw a dad dropping his young daughter off at the stables, I just hoped she knew how lucky she was at that moment.
Dammam
Today was my last full day in Saudi, so I was hesitant to go on the shopper's route to Dammam since it takes a while to get out there and I wanted to maximize my time. I decided to go ahead and hop on the bus since I still had some shopping to do.
Dammam is a lot more user-friendly than Khobar in a lot of respects. We were in the "old" area and it seemed to have more walkways, and outdoor shopping "plazas" than Khobar. It was a nice change from having to walk over broken sidewalks and dodge cars in Khobar. I bought a gorgeous abaya with gold and ruby colored stitching all over and a matching hijab. I am going to miss wearing my abaya! It's been wonderful and so, so easy. Besides, it's big billowing shape hides a multitude of sins. :-)
I also bought some scarfs and tunic dresses in the Indian section as well as, yes, another gold ring. Heeeeey, I fell in love with a pair of earings, but was able to walk away from that hefty purchase. Besides, if I MUST have more gold, there is always Dubai. :-) We'll be there the day after tomorrow.
There are just so many things I would love to take home, but my suitcases are bulging already. It's always a rush to shop here. Prayer at about noon leaves just a small window in the morning for shopping and then, hallas. No more until evening. My mom is in Khobar now, but I opted to pack, blog, and organize photos instead. I've had enough shopping and dirty streets.
I did tell her to bring me a shwarma though. Lol! :-)
Btw, I was dying for a Diet Coke while in Dammam (nothing new), but had to ask one of the men on the trip to go into a store to buy one for me. No women allowed. Still amazing to me.
Dammam is a lot more user-friendly than Khobar in a lot of respects. We were in the "old" area and it seemed to have more walkways, and outdoor shopping "plazas" than Khobar. It was a nice change from having to walk over broken sidewalks and dodge cars in Khobar. I bought a gorgeous abaya with gold and ruby colored stitching all over and a matching hijab. I am going to miss wearing my abaya! It's been wonderful and so, so easy. Besides, it's big billowing shape hides a multitude of sins. :-)
I also bought some scarfs and tunic dresses in the Indian section as well as, yes, another gold ring. Heeeeey, I fell in love with a pair of earings, but was able to walk away from that hefty purchase. Besides, if I MUST have more gold, there is always Dubai. :-) We'll be there the day after tomorrow.
There are just so many things I would love to take home, but my suitcases are bulging already. It's always a rush to shop here. Prayer at about noon leaves just a small window in the morning for shopping and then, hallas. No more until evening. My mom is in Khobar now, but I opted to pack, blog, and organize photos instead. I've had enough shopping and dirty streets.
I did tell her to bring me a shwarma though. Lol! :-)
Btw, I was dying for a Diet Coke while in Dammam (nothing new), but had to ask one of the men on the trip to go into a store to buy one for me. No women allowed. Still amazing to me.
The Farewell Dinner
Last night was our (very sad) Farewell Dinner. Seems like yesterday when we had our Welcome Dinner on Sunset Beach. A lot of people have already flown back to the States by now. We're leaving tomorrow.
Most of the women wore their abayas since it was held at an ENORMOUS banquet hall in Dammam and there were lots of Saudi business men in attendance. In the buffet line, the lamb skull was ontop of the bed of rice (again), and the look on my face must have been horrified enough for the man next to me to tell me I needed to work on my poker-face. We had a good laugh and I was a vegetarian for the night.
I met the man who processed all of visas and some other important people.... felt honored. Ali Baluchi, the man responsible for making this reunion a reality, was there and people were in tears around him... we're all just so grateful that he helped us come home when most of us never thought we could/would. The emotions were tender and with sincere thanks. How does one repay for something like this? I, like most people, are at a total loss.
What a great, great man.
Most of the women wore their abayas since it was held at an ENORMOUS banquet hall in Dammam and there were lots of Saudi business men in attendance. In the buffet line, the lamb skull was ontop of the bed of rice (again), and the look on my face must have been horrified enough for the man next to me to tell me I needed to work on my poker-face. We had a good laugh and I was a vegetarian for the night.
I met the man who processed all of visas and some other important people.... felt honored. Ali Baluchi, the man responsible for making this reunion a reality, was there and people were in tears around him... we're all just so grateful that he helped us come home when most of us never thought we could/would. The emotions were tender and with sincere thanks. How does one repay for something like this? I, like most people, are at a total loss.
What a great, great man.
Shaybah
Wow! It's no wonder people at this reunion say over and over that Shaybah was the highlight of their experience in Saudi! Shaybah was unbelievable for so many reasons.
Background on the area is that oil (and LOTS of it) was discovered in Shaybah in the 1960s but it's located in the middle of the Rub al Khali desert with nothing around it, so it remained pretty untapped until recently. This Aramco "town" they built is a true miracle of modern man's power.
Basically, they cleared millions and millions of tons of sand out of the way and built an airstrip out there and then built an oil and gas processing plant in the middle of the huge (1000 foot) red sand dunes. It's 500 miles to the nearest town and the most inhospitable terrain in the world. That's why it's called "The Empty Quarter".
We took a bus to the (private) Aramco airport in Dammam, then took an Aramco plane to Shaybah. I had no idea how nice and luxurious their planes were! Wow! An hour flight and we touched down on a runway with towering red dunes on all sides of us.
They have built an oasis in the middle of nowhere - litterally. It was very, very hot there - much warmer than Dhahran, so I can only imagine how hot it gets in the summer. A sense of claustrophobia kicked in..... knowing I was pretty much surrounded by an environment I would not last long in.
We drove around the HUGE oil processing plants... called GOSPs - Gas and oil separation plants. There are several of them and they are building more.
Apparently, very few people live there full time, and most everyone who goes there is male... even the restrooms were unmarked as mens and womens.
Most people work there and fly home at the end of the day, and if they're really unfortunate, only on weekends.
At the end of our trip we were set free to run up and down the huge red sand dunes. Most of us collected sand to bring home and it looked just like paprika! Just an amazing experience. I wondered how on earth they manage to keep the shifting dunes from engulfing everything, but Shaybah is a miracle of modern man... reminding my that very little is truly impossible.
Background on the area is that oil (and LOTS of it) was discovered in Shaybah in the 1960s but it's located in the middle of the Rub al Khali desert with nothing around it, so it remained pretty untapped until recently. This Aramco "town" they built is a true miracle of modern man's power.
Basically, they cleared millions and millions of tons of sand out of the way and built an airstrip out there and then built an oil and gas processing plant in the middle of the huge (1000 foot) red sand dunes. It's 500 miles to the nearest town and the most inhospitable terrain in the world. That's why it's called "The Empty Quarter".
We took a bus to the (private) Aramco airport in Dammam, then took an Aramco plane to Shaybah. I had no idea how nice and luxurious their planes were! Wow! An hour flight and we touched down on a runway with towering red dunes on all sides of us.
They have built an oasis in the middle of nowhere - litterally. It was very, very hot there - much warmer than Dhahran, so I can only imagine how hot it gets in the summer. A sense of claustrophobia kicked in..... knowing I was pretty much surrounded by an environment I would not last long in.
We drove around the HUGE oil processing plants... called GOSPs - Gas and oil separation plants. There are several of them and they are building more.
Apparently, very few people live there full time, and most everyone who goes there is male... even the restrooms were unmarked as mens and womens.
Most people work there and fly home at the end of the day, and if they're really unfortunate, only on weekends.
At the end of our trip we were set free to run up and down the huge red sand dunes. Most of us collected sand to bring home and it looked just like paprika! Just an amazing experience. I wondered how on earth they manage to keep the shifting dunes from engulfing everything, but Shaybah is a miracle of modern man... reminding my that very little is truly impossible.
Ras Tanura
It's been a few days since I've had time to write and tonight is our last night in Saudi, so I figure I'd better get current before my computer washes away in a torrent of tears. :-)
Two days ago we caught the early bus to the beach town of Ras Tanura. It's another one of the Aramco compounds, mainly used for loading oil tankers since it's on the Gulf. Oh, before I forget, I found out that gas is 60 cents per gallon here. Just an FYI... I was curious.
Ras Tanura is built up quite a bit from the time I was last there. It's a BEAUTIFUL compound, especially right on the beach area. Palapas are on the sand and the swimming pool, schools, walkways, theaters, and general areas are really gorgeous. It kind of reminded me of being on vacation in a tropical place.
We toured around a bit and visited the Ras Tanura golf course, which is still the oiled sand. They don't have the grass that Dhahran has. Another stop we made was a swanky building where are the major Aramco meetings are held... sort of a big wig meeting spot. Very shee shee.
All the volunteers in Ras Tanura were VERY FRIENDLY. Almost too friendly. It's like they were starving for human interaction! Lol! Apparently Ras Tanura's population is about 2,500 whereas Dhahran has about 18,000. That's a pretty big difference. Despite how beautiful it is there, I would not want to live in a community that small... just too small.
No, I'd say it's the perfect weekend spot.
I heard a lot about what a ghost town Abqaiq is now... that it's withering away and a lot of the houses are boarded up with broken windows, etc. It was very sad for folks on this reuniuon who used to live there to see it in that condition. I can understand why.
Two days ago we caught the early bus to the beach town of Ras Tanura. It's another one of the Aramco compounds, mainly used for loading oil tankers since it's on the Gulf. Oh, before I forget, I found out that gas is 60 cents per gallon here. Just an FYI... I was curious.
Ras Tanura is built up quite a bit from the time I was last there. It's a BEAUTIFUL compound, especially right on the beach area. Palapas are on the sand and the swimming pool, schools, walkways, theaters, and general areas are really gorgeous. It kind of reminded me of being on vacation in a tropical place.
We toured around a bit and visited the Ras Tanura golf course, which is still the oiled sand. They don't have the grass that Dhahran has. Another stop we made was a swanky building where are the major Aramco meetings are held... sort of a big wig meeting spot. Very shee shee.
All the volunteers in Ras Tanura were VERY FRIENDLY. Almost too friendly. It's like they were starving for human interaction! Lol! Apparently Ras Tanura's population is about 2,500 whereas Dhahran has about 18,000. That's a pretty big difference. Despite how beautiful it is there, I would not want to live in a community that small... just too small.
No, I'd say it's the perfect weekend spot.
I heard a lot about what a ghost town Abqaiq is now... that it's withering away and a lot of the houses are boarded up with broken windows, etc. It was very sad for folks on this reuniuon who used to live there to see it in that condition. I can understand why.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Westerners in Saudi
Just on a side note, as I was looking around Dhahran Hills School yesterday, I noticed a huge wall full of class photos. Each class had about 12 students and, on average, only about 3 of those students were Westerners. 95% of the teachers were Westerners, however. Very interesting and very different for when I lived here.
Black Gold
Oil was the buzzword of the day. We drove to see the Saudi Aramco Oil Exhibit where we were greeted like royalty and given warm welcome and gifts. The museum is like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but with oil rather than candy. So cool! The oil production process is complicated, but the little knowledge I did retain was mind blowing.
I had no idea how big and important Saudi Aramco is to the world. Aramco is the only oil company in Saudi Arabia and Saudi oil accounts for 25% of the world's oil. Wow! Every drop of Saudi Arabia's oil is accounted for right here in Dhahran!
We visited Dammam Well #7 which is the first area to strike oil in Saudi Arabia. It was shut down in 1983, but would still produce oil, only not enough to justify keeping it in operation. It is now called the "Prosperity Well".
Oil production was started by Americans in the 1930s and over the years we have trained Saudis to take over the job and that is clearly happening.... More than 75% of Dhahran's residents are Saudis. As it should be, I think. Very American to think we can go over to someone's country and rip stuff out of their hands.
Anyway, they are obviously very appreciative of our contributions, regardless.
I had no idea how big and important Saudi Aramco is to the world. Aramco is the only oil company in Saudi Arabia and Saudi oil accounts for 25% of the world's oil. Wow! Every drop of Saudi Arabia's oil is accounted for right here in Dhahran!
We visited Dammam Well #7 which is the first area to strike oil in Saudi Arabia. It was shut down in 1983, but would still produce oil, only not enough to justify keeping it in operation. It is now called the "Prosperity Well".
Oil production was started by Americans in the 1930s and over the years we have trained Saudis to take over the job and that is clearly happening.... More than 75% of Dhahran's residents are Saudis. As it should be, I think. Very American to think we can go over to someone's country and rip stuff out of their hands.
Anyway, they are obviously very appreciative of our contributions, regardless.
Khobar Shopping
Why does Saudi Arabia make me feel like I need to take a shower every hour!? This morning I hopped the bus into Khobar to the King Khalid St. area and looked around. My mom says it's changed a lot, but I would never know the difference.
First stop... Latif Bakery for some cheese bread! We walked into the main area and it was all men standing in line, so I glanced around for a "Family Section" sign, but did not see any. The man behind the counter quickly pointed out that we were in the wrong place, and apparently we had to go next door and order through a different window because we are women. weird. Too, too weird.
Cheese bread is AMAAAAZING!
There was not much time left before noon prayer time (all the businesses close down at each prayer time for about 30 minutes), so we made haste. Time for gifts and GOLD! I bought a 22k ring and 22k pair of earings. There was a beautiful bangle, but I couldn't justify spending $250 on it, but my mom simply would not let me walk away without it, so she bought it for me. Sweet.
Khobar in that area is still pretty dirty. Trash everywhere, honking cars, stray cats that look near death (soooo hard for me to see that), and seriously uprooted sidewalks. Still, it was an amazing experience and everyone was really, really kind. I am feeling really safe here.
First stop... Latif Bakery for some cheese bread! We walked into the main area and it was all men standing in line, so I glanced around for a "Family Section" sign, but did not see any. The man behind the counter quickly pointed out that we were in the wrong place, and apparently we had to go next door and order through a different window because we are women. weird. Too, too weird.
Cheese bread is AMAAAAZING!
There was not much time left before noon prayer time (all the businesses close down at each prayer time for about 30 minutes), so we made haste. Time for gifts and GOLD! I bought a 22k ring and 22k pair of earings. There was a beautiful bangle, but I couldn't justify spending $250 on it, but my mom simply would not let me walk away without it, so she bought it for me. Sweet.
Khobar in that area is still pretty dirty. Trash everywhere, honking cars, stray cats that look near death (soooo hard for me to see that), and seriously uprooted sidewalks. Still, it was an amazing experience and everyone was really, really kind. I am feeling really safe here.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
My Date with Dhahran
Whoa! What a day! I'm now back at the hotel and it's only 5:30PM, but I'm exhausted. My mom and I split up this morning and the cab driver (we're getting to know him since he works at the hotel) dropped me off in main camp and then took my mom to Khobar. She insisted she still wanted to go even though she was alone. Dang, she makes me nervous with all her "it'll be fine" nonsense. Go naked to Khobar? "Aaaah, it'll be fiiiiiiine. We used to do it all the time."
The cab driver was very sweet and suggested he wait for her while she shopped and then take her home. Not only did he wait for her, but he got out of his cab and "shadowed" her wherever she went, never letting her out of his site, but leaving enough distance that she still was able to do her own thing. How glorious! Private security at only $10 per hour! Very nice man.
Alone on camp, I grabbed some food, water, and Diet Coke at the Dining Hall and stuffed it in my bag along with the abaya and hijab I had to strip off once on camp. Boy, this big purse was a great investment!
I took a separate cab out to my old house on Hofuf Drive in the Hills. 10 Riyals... about $3. I spent a lot of time around my old house and in my old neighborhood taking pictures, drinking Diet Coke, and listening to Mr. Mister and the Beatles on my iPod. Boy, it really felt good to have some alone time. Even back in California, I am a bit of a "lone wolf" and even though my mother and I are getting along really, really well, it is nice for me to be able to recharge.
After I felt like I'd processed some emotions in and around my old neighborhood, I decided to walk to the Hills School and check it out. I used to ride my bike (BMX bike, yay!) to school, so it couldn't be that far.
Like the Jr. High in Main Camp, the Hills School also has a huge wall around it. I started out by going to the pool and snack bar area. Wow! Looks just the same, but the entry gate is a bit nicer. The snack bar is also decorated a little more "restaurant style" as opposed to cafeteria style. I ordered a cheese pizza for nostalgia. Jenna, they are not what we used to get, so you can stop dreaming of them :-) They are close, but not what we used to get.
The little maze area (was there mini golf too?) area is now just a run down looking play area on grass, but the pool looks the exact same. The locker rooms look nice too. They must have been spruced up.
I then entered the security gate into the Hills School. A lot of it looks much the same, but the outside landscaping has been upgraded. There is a huge play structure and lots and lots of grass where we used to have our bike racks. There is just a lot of grass that's been added surrounding the entire school. The basketball courts around the back are still there.
The inside of the school is still the same although, like the Jr. High, it seems a bit more colorful. The library is still in the same place in the middle of the building.
One of my goals today was to get out to the Hobby Farm (the stables) so I decided to walk there. The heat is not too bad this time of year... in the low 90s today, and I had lots of water with me.
On the way out of the Hills School area, I walked through the soccer, baseball, and track area. I remember a lot of red dusty clay, and that's now grass. Were there always 3 baseball fields and one soccer field out there? Well, there are now. The track for running is tucked in the back a bit and is pretty run down. The track is made of black asphalt! No, not even new asphalt.... just run down asphalt. Weird.
The walk out to the stables took me about 30 minutes from that area and I love the part of the walk that goes from housing to PURE DESERT. I used to ride my horse out in the jebels (desert and rocky areas), so it brings back many memories.
There is an Equine Flu scare in the Eastern Province, so security getting into the stables is a bit tight and reserved only for memebers. There was no one at the front gate, which was nice. Still, there are members who are keeping an eye out, so I had to keep a low profile.
There was just no way I could not go to the stables. Horses were my life back then and a lot of my fondest memories are times spent out there with Shannon and Ghislaine. The stables have REALLY been spruced up. A lot of the structures are the same, but tons, and tons of grass has been added as well as white fencing (it's plastic, but made to look like white picket wood) around the arenas. Another large arena has been added to the farthest end of the property and that's now the gymnkana field. The modules and main structure in the middle (dark green gazebo type thing) are still the same, as are the stalls.
Back where the lunging arenas were are now more stalls, tack rooms, and a hot walker. The groom's (laborers) quarters are now much better than the shanty town that was there before. This is an acutal "structure". For shame that it took them that long to put something decent in there for them!
It looks great. I'd have to say one good change to Dhahran has been that a lot of the landscaping and trees have had a chance to mature since I left, giving it a lush, green feel. In thinking back, a lot of the trees were pretty small when I was there. The stables is a great example of this.
Besides, the camp's "best retaurant" is the Chuck Wagon at the stables. Everyone says so. Perhaps that's why it seems to have been upgraded a bit.
I'd had enough of looking around the stables and proceeded to stomp off into the desert for a while. I spent so much time out there as a kid, I feel very comfortable in the hot sand and shrubs. I just sat out there for a good long while, letting the sun burn it outta me and remembering the way the sand slid and crunched under my feet. God, I love the desert.
How on earth did I manage out there during the summer though? And what's up with me never wearing sunglasses as a kid!? It's so terribly bright here! I'm honestly surprised I don't look like one big catcher's mitt by now with no sunblock or sunglasses for all those years out here.
After a nice amount of time, I took a taxi back to the 3rd St. Pool area with my mom. We had a quick tabouli and hummus snack, then walked to the Dining Hall for fried shrimp before jumping on the bus back to the hotel. Hmmmm... the fried shrimp were not quite what we remember.... the shrimps were really small and I'm not sure they were even fresh... maybe frozen? Either way, it wasn't the famous "shrimp night", put it that way.
It's been a long day and I'm dusty and tired. Gonna take a shower and turn in early.
Tomorrow we are going to Khobar in the morning (gonna buy some gold!) and then to Well #7 (the site of the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia) and the Oil Exhibit Museum later in the day. Ras Tanura the next day. Wow! Still lots of time here.
Today was good. I was eager to explore and feel like I've done that. Emotions are being released and the experience is finally sinking in. It means something different than I thought it would though....
The cab driver was very sweet and suggested he wait for her while she shopped and then take her home. Not only did he wait for her, but he got out of his cab and "shadowed" her wherever she went, never letting her out of his site, but leaving enough distance that she still was able to do her own thing. How glorious! Private security at only $10 per hour! Very nice man.
Alone on camp, I grabbed some food, water, and Diet Coke at the Dining Hall and stuffed it in my bag along with the abaya and hijab I had to strip off once on camp. Boy, this big purse was a great investment!
I took a separate cab out to my old house on Hofuf Drive in the Hills. 10 Riyals... about $3. I spent a lot of time around my old house and in my old neighborhood taking pictures, drinking Diet Coke, and listening to Mr. Mister and the Beatles on my iPod. Boy, it really felt good to have some alone time. Even back in California, I am a bit of a "lone wolf" and even though my mother and I are getting along really, really well, it is nice for me to be able to recharge.
After I felt like I'd processed some emotions in and around my old neighborhood, I decided to walk to the Hills School and check it out. I used to ride my bike (BMX bike, yay!) to school, so it couldn't be that far.
Like the Jr. High in Main Camp, the Hills School also has a huge wall around it. I started out by going to the pool and snack bar area. Wow! Looks just the same, but the entry gate is a bit nicer. The snack bar is also decorated a little more "restaurant style" as opposed to cafeteria style. I ordered a cheese pizza for nostalgia. Jenna, they are not what we used to get, so you can stop dreaming of them :-) They are close, but not what we used to get.
The little maze area (was there mini golf too?) area is now just a run down looking play area on grass, but the pool looks the exact same. The locker rooms look nice too. They must have been spruced up.
I then entered the security gate into the Hills School. A lot of it looks much the same, but the outside landscaping has been upgraded. There is a huge play structure and lots and lots of grass where we used to have our bike racks. There is just a lot of grass that's been added surrounding the entire school. The basketball courts around the back are still there.
The inside of the school is still the same although, like the Jr. High, it seems a bit more colorful. The library is still in the same place in the middle of the building.
One of my goals today was to get out to the Hobby Farm (the stables) so I decided to walk there. The heat is not too bad this time of year... in the low 90s today, and I had lots of water with me.
On the way out of the Hills School area, I walked through the soccer, baseball, and track area. I remember a lot of red dusty clay, and that's now grass. Were there always 3 baseball fields and one soccer field out there? Well, there are now. The track for running is tucked in the back a bit and is pretty run down. The track is made of black asphalt! No, not even new asphalt.... just run down asphalt. Weird.
The walk out to the stables took me about 30 minutes from that area and I love the part of the walk that goes from housing to PURE DESERT. I used to ride my horse out in the jebels (desert and rocky areas), so it brings back many memories.
There is an Equine Flu scare in the Eastern Province, so security getting into the stables is a bit tight and reserved only for memebers. There was no one at the front gate, which was nice. Still, there are members who are keeping an eye out, so I had to keep a low profile.
There was just no way I could not go to the stables. Horses were my life back then and a lot of my fondest memories are times spent out there with Shannon and Ghislaine. The stables have REALLY been spruced up. A lot of the structures are the same, but tons, and tons of grass has been added as well as white fencing (it's plastic, but made to look like white picket wood) around the arenas. Another large arena has been added to the farthest end of the property and that's now the gymnkana field. The modules and main structure in the middle (dark green gazebo type thing) are still the same, as are the stalls.
Back where the lunging arenas were are now more stalls, tack rooms, and a hot walker. The groom's (laborers) quarters are now much better than the shanty town that was there before. This is an acutal "structure". For shame that it took them that long to put something decent in there for them!
It looks great. I'd have to say one good change to Dhahran has been that a lot of the landscaping and trees have had a chance to mature since I left, giving it a lush, green feel. In thinking back, a lot of the trees were pretty small when I was there. The stables is a great example of this.
Besides, the camp's "best retaurant" is the Chuck Wagon at the stables. Everyone says so. Perhaps that's why it seems to have been upgraded a bit.
I'd had enough of looking around the stables and proceeded to stomp off into the desert for a while. I spent so much time out there as a kid, I feel very comfortable in the hot sand and shrubs. I just sat out there for a good long while, letting the sun burn it outta me and remembering the way the sand slid and crunched under my feet. God, I love the desert.
How on earth did I manage out there during the summer though? And what's up with me never wearing sunglasses as a kid!? It's so terribly bright here! I'm honestly surprised I don't look like one big catcher's mitt by now with no sunblock or sunglasses for all those years out here.
After a nice amount of time, I took a taxi back to the 3rd St. Pool area with my mom. We had a quick tabouli and hummus snack, then walked to the Dining Hall for fried shrimp before jumping on the bus back to the hotel. Hmmmm... the fried shrimp were not quite what we remember.... the shrimps were really small and I'm not sure they were even fresh... maybe frozen? Either way, it wasn't the famous "shrimp night", put it that way.
It's been a long day and I'm dusty and tired. Gonna take a shower and turn in early.
Tomorrow we are going to Khobar in the morning (gonna buy some gold!) and then to Well #7 (the site of the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia) and the Oil Exhibit Museum later in the day. Ras Tanura the next day. Wow! Still lots of time here.
Today was good. I was eager to explore and feel like I've done that. Emotions are being released and the experience is finally sinking in. It means something different than I thought it would though....
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tomorrow
Tomorrow I am ditching my mom and have a private date with Dhahran. I am going to spend the day alone in camp trying to process the emotions and reflect on the years. Should be a good day and something I've been eager to do since I've been here. Boy, I might knock on someone's door and see if I can borrow a bicycle.... you think I'm kidding? :-)
Photo Uploading Mooshkala (Problem)
Ack! I have all my photos ready to go, but for some reason I am not able to upload anything OR attach any photos to emails. I tried all my pseudo-IT skills to no avail. I've come to the conclusion that it is a security setting the hotel (or surrounding area) has.
Sorry folks. I'm so sorry, but I'll have to wait to upload photos until I get back to Bahrain on March 19th. Super bummer, as I am eager to show them off.... it's been amazing.
Sorry folks. I'm so sorry, but I'll have to wait to upload photos until I get back to Bahrain on March 19th. Super bummer, as I am eager to show them off.... it's been amazing.
Supermarket Below our Hotel
Tonight we hopped on our hotel elevator and went 2 floors down and popped out in a HUGE supermarket. It's like an upscale Walmart right under us! Of course, we were dressed in our abayas and head coverings. It was extremely crowded with over 300 people bustling around. I saw a few Asians, and 2 Western men, but other than that, we were the only Westerners in there.
I can't tell you how safe it felt... really. I feel much safer here than I do in NYC - hands down!
No one stared at us or made comments. People were as polite as could be. Very nice and a welcome change to the anxiety I felt when first arriving here. I made sure to walk my shopping cart back to its proper area.... don't want Americans to look any worse.
So, we stocked up on water, Diet Coke, food, and tea and headed back up the elevator to our room. No wonder we need a room key to start the elevator!
Btw, I could not get a picture of it tonight, but the Starbucks (yes, Starbucks) in the store under us has a "Singles Section" and a "Family Section". Amazing photo opp.
I can't tell you how safe it felt... really. I feel much safer here than I do in NYC - hands down!
No one stared at us or made comments. People were as polite as could be. Very nice and a welcome change to the anxiety I felt when first arriving here. I made sure to walk my shopping cart back to its proper area.... don't want Americans to look any worse.
So, we stocked up on water, Diet Coke, food, and tea and headed back up the elevator to our room. No wonder we need a room key to start the elevator!
Btw, I could not get a picture of it tonight, but the Starbucks (yes, Starbucks) in the store under us has a "Singles Section" and a "Family Section". Amazing photo opp.
SAEA Dinner
Last night our buses drove us across the rocky desert into an area on camp. Yes, we were bumping through the DESERT in a huge bus! I had no idea they were that rugged! Once out there, we had to walk a bit towards the HUGE tented area to the event called the Desert Dinner. They weren't kidding! Somehow Aramco managed to build a huge Bedouin village in the middle of nowhere with tents, food, incense, camels, lights, bonfires, and tons of Arab dancing and music. It was just so totally cool.
My mom and I sat on the floor cushions surrounding the dinner table.... red Persian carpets covered most of the sand.... a virtual fortune and a ton of labor, I'm sure.
A Saudi woman was doing henna tattoos for the women, so naturally I had to get one. Very cool.
We were so tired from the day spent in Hofuf that we took the bus back at 10PM while the rest of the group continued to party in the desert. So fun.
My mom and I sat on the floor cushions surrounding the dinner table.... red Persian carpets covered most of the sand.... a virtual fortune and a ton of labor, I'm sure.
A Saudi woman was doing henna tattoos for the women, so naturally I had to get one. Very cool.
We were so tired from the day spent in Hofuf that we took the bus back at 10PM while the rest of the group continued to party in the desert. So fun.
Hofuf Trip - Camel Market, Pottery, and Gold Souks
Our trip to Hofuf yesterday took all day. Buses picked us up at 6AM from our hotel and I near panicked when I realized there was no coffee at the Reunion House (our main meeting house on camp near the Dining Hall). I high tailed it to the Dining Hall. Dang! Who gives little to-go coffee cups. Just a "snifter" of coffee in the morning!? I think not. Yikes.
The buses left for Hofuf and we were in for a huge, long drive through the stark desert. Man, it's desolate, but I love it. We arrived at the Camel Market and it was just AWWWESOME. I love animals, so I was in heaven. The camel market I remember was more of a "flea market" style, whereas this is more of a very large, run down and rustic stable. I had no idea camels were so expensive! Tens of thousands of dollars each! Some people say that Saudis think killing a camel is worse than killing a person. So, my fear that the animals were not being well cared for was extinguished. Baby camels everywhere. They were hosing off some of the adult camels.... it must be an important thing since the market is in the middle of nowhere and water is precious. Boy, I'm glad I'm current on my tetnus shot.... trash and rusty metal wires littered the ground.
The shoes everyone wore on the Hofuf trip probably need to be burned.
We then got on the bus and headed for the Hofuf Souks. The old Souk I remember that lined the main street burned down and is currently being rebuilt. The gold souk was tucked in a weird alley... Saudi men toting big machine guns were milling around. I think Khobar is the place to go to buy gold since not many people made purchases. According to my mom, the price of gold in Saudi has tripled and it not much of a bargain anymore. The 22k gold rings I got a long time ago for $40 each now run at about $120+ each. Still, I'd love to get another ring.... that's the one big purchase I want to make while I'm over here. Saudi gold is just so deliciously rich and yellow.
We then drove through the Date Farm area en route to the Potter's Cave. The date farms are amazing and gorgeous. Hofuf is a natural oasis and over 20,000 liters of water per minute have been coming out of its ground for hundreds of years. Over 40 varieties of dates are grown there. The trees are healthy, but everything here is dusty, dusty, dusty.
The Potter's Cave was kind of boring and more of a tourist attraction. I doubt any pottery is even made on site anymore. Still, it was quaint.
The buses left for Hofuf and we were in for a huge, long drive through the stark desert. Man, it's desolate, but I love it. We arrived at the Camel Market and it was just AWWWESOME. I love animals, so I was in heaven. The camel market I remember was more of a "flea market" style, whereas this is more of a very large, run down and rustic stable. I had no idea camels were so expensive! Tens of thousands of dollars each! Some people say that Saudis think killing a camel is worse than killing a person. So, my fear that the animals were not being well cared for was extinguished. Baby camels everywhere. They were hosing off some of the adult camels.... it must be an important thing since the market is in the middle of nowhere and water is precious. Boy, I'm glad I'm current on my tetnus shot.... trash and rusty metal wires littered the ground.
The shoes everyone wore on the Hofuf trip probably need to be burned.
We then got on the bus and headed for the Hofuf Souks. The old Souk I remember that lined the main street burned down and is currently being rebuilt. The gold souk was tucked in a weird alley... Saudi men toting big machine guns were milling around. I think Khobar is the place to go to buy gold since not many people made purchases. According to my mom, the price of gold in Saudi has tripled and it not much of a bargain anymore. The 22k gold rings I got a long time ago for $40 each now run at about $120+ each. Still, I'd love to get another ring.... that's the one big purchase I want to make while I'm over here. Saudi gold is just so deliciously rich and yellow.
We then drove through the Date Farm area en route to the Potter's Cave. The date farms are amazing and gorgeous. Hofuf is a natural oasis and over 20,000 liters of water per minute have been coming out of its ground for hundreds of years. Over 40 varieties of dates are grown there. The trees are healthy, but everything here is dusty, dusty, dusty.
The Potter's Cave was kind of boring and more of a tourist attraction. I doubt any pottery is even made on site anymore. Still, it was quaint.
3rd St. Pool & Jr. High
Whew! It's been a rockin' last few days here with not much time to write. The same day Shannon and I went to the Golf Course, we also stopped by 3rd st. area and the old Jr.High on Main Camp. The guy we were with left Saudi in the late 70s and a lot of the buildings were just desert when he left, so it's no wonder why buildings are looking "tired" to me. They were fairly new when I was there in the 80s.
3rd st pool is layed out just the same, only the high dive is gone and there is a big tent thing over the bigger area of the pool. There were a lot of Saudi women in the pool area, so I did not take photos. The snack bar's tables on the outside patio are gone, but other than that, the outside looks the same. The inside is different... mainly where the food serving area is. The seating area is the same. There was no country music playing on the radio in there :-)
Rec room is the same, although closed at the time I was there. It's still a Rec room. I remember playing PacMan in there, doing dance contests, watching Friday the 13th in there, and the "make out room". Lol. I was not in there much, put it that way. :-)
The gate to the complex is new and nice. Seems that they are a little more serious about security there now.
The school. Wow! What a walk down memory lane. They have put tile flooring in throughout. In fact, Aramco made the first floor of ALL housing tile as opposed to carpet. It's a lot more colorful in the school. Blue lockers. The gyms look the same. Nice grey and red brick walkways and those sun-tents have been added. It looks nice.
Biggest change is that there is a huge wall around the entire school and only security gates one has to go through to gain access. Security is not too tight; we just showed our temporary badges and we were allowed in.
3rd st pool is layed out just the same, only the high dive is gone and there is a big tent thing over the bigger area of the pool. There were a lot of Saudi women in the pool area, so I did not take photos. The snack bar's tables on the outside patio are gone, but other than that, the outside looks the same. The inside is different... mainly where the food serving area is. The seating area is the same. There was no country music playing on the radio in there :-)
Rec room is the same, although closed at the time I was there. It's still a Rec room. I remember playing PacMan in there, doing dance contests, watching Friday the 13th in there, and the "make out room". Lol. I was not in there much, put it that way. :-)
The gate to the complex is new and nice. Seems that they are a little more serious about security there now.
The school. Wow! What a walk down memory lane. They have put tile flooring in throughout. In fact, Aramco made the first floor of ALL housing tile as opposed to carpet. It's a lot more colorful in the school. Blue lockers. The gyms look the same. Nice grey and red brick walkways and those sun-tents have been added. It looks nice.
Biggest change is that there is a huge wall around the entire school and only security gates one has to go through to gain access. Security is not too tight; we just showed our temporary badges and we were allowed in.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Golf Course
Shannon and I had our own wheels for a few hours today and one goal was to grab a bite to eat. Arrival... the golf course! I heard rumors that it is all grass now, and there is a lot of grass, but not as much as I was expecting to see. I don't golf, so I'm not sure of up from down in the golf world, but I do know that the old "oiled sand" areas don't appear to be there anymore. Where the holes are, I could not tell you. Still seems like an awful lot of sand out there though.... sand, sand, sand between Main Camp and The Hills. All sand. Just the way I like it.
The snack bar at the golf course was nice. I'd never been there before, so I had nothing to compare it to, but the menus were a sort of "check list" like I remember at other places in Dhahran.... kind of like the thing they give you at a sushi restaurant.
I had a grilled cheese sandwich for a walk down memory lane, but they've changed since I was a kid. Still delicious, still zero nutrition, just a way to get the job done I guess.
The snack bar at the golf course was nice. I'd never been there before, so I had nothing to compare it to, but the menus were a sort of "check list" like I remember at other places in Dhahran.... kind of like the thing they give you at a sushi restaurant.
I had a grilled cheese sandwich for a walk down memory lane, but they've changed since I was a kid. Still delicious, still zero nutrition, just a way to get the job done I guess.
Welcome Dinner
Again, the location was given to us at the last minute. We were off to Sunset Beach to have our Welcome Dinner event. Red carpet entry, men greeting us with tiny cup after tiny cup of Arabic coffee, oh my gosh! The President of Saudi Aramco spoke and in his speech, he said as Aramcons, we experienced a "true sense of belonging"... so very true.
I ran into Tamara Tair at the dinner and she now lives and works in Ras Tanura. Lucky girl!
The dinner tonight must have cost an absolute fortune. This is a VIP beach and they covered it with carpets and an extravagant set up, just for us. I almost felt guilty for taking their gift.... heck, all I did was go to school here, ride my horse, goof off, and lead an idyllic childhood! It's not like I actually worked or contributed to their oil production goals in any way! :-)
I ran into Tamara Tair at the dinner and she now lives and works in Ras Tanura. Lucky girl!
The dinner tonight must have cost an absolute fortune. This is a VIP beach and they covered it with carpets and an extravagant set up, just for us. I almost felt guilty for taking their gift.... heck, all I did was go to school here, ride my horse, goof off, and lead an idyllic childhood! It's not like I actually worked or contributed to their oil production goals in any way! :-)
Missing the bus
We were due on camp to get onto the morning bus for Khobar Shopping, but ran horribly late because the taxi failed to arrive on time. Apparently, he felt compelled to "wash his car" before picking us up. Hmmm.... so when he finally arrived we had him racing to Dhahran, Arabic music blarring, and prayer beads swinging from the rear view mirror.
I'm noticing my body adapting to the Arab environment by staying loose in the cab rides as opposed to stiff as a board with fear.... these drivers are crazy! Today in the cab I was able to put on my abaya, check my email on my phone, and find my camera and Aramco ID card all effortlessy by going with the bumps in the road. Celeste grew some shocks! Brilliant!
So we missed our bus and told our cab driver to flip around and follow one of the green Aramco buses coming out of camp's front gates. It took us to the Al Rashid Mall.... the area we had just left from..... we're staying at the Al-Rashid Apartments. Good times, even the cab driver was laughing.
Al Rashid Mall is enormous and the clothes are far cuter and more fashionable than any clothes I've seen in the States. "Honey, under these abaya, there are some sirens" my mom said. Speaking of abayas, all Western women we saw at the Mall had abayas on, but not all of them were wearing head scarfs. I heard some women from the tour were given a hard time by a young Saudi man in Dammam today for not having their hair covered. These women had abayas on, but no head covering.
So, bottom line. Western women wear abayas off camp... head covering strongly recommended unless you feel like taking a chance getting harrassed.
The Saudi women have suprised me though. While Western protocol has become more stringent, the Saudi women have stepped out a bit. Rarely do I see any Saudi women wearing a full face veil like before.... with NO bit of face showing. Now, the "only-eyes-showing" look is popular, as is a little "bling" added to the abaya trim.
There are more than several young Saudi men who've tossed the thobe and gutra and adopted the Euro-Metro-Sexual look. Wow! Quite bizarre, but it somehow works. Yup, men still hold hands when walking around. So strange. I forgot about that bit.
Al Rashid Mall, as modern as it is, still has hammam toilets.... only one Western style toilet. Wonderful! Ah, some things never change!
I'm noticing my body adapting to the Arab environment by staying loose in the cab rides as opposed to stiff as a board with fear.... these drivers are crazy! Today in the cab I was able to put on my abaya, check my email on my phone, and find my camera and Aramco ID card all effortlessy by going with the bumps in the road. Celeste grew some shocks! Brilliant!
So we missed our bus and told our cab driver to flip around and follow one of the green Aramco buses coming out of camp's front gates. It took us to the Al Rashid Mall.... the area we had just left from..... we're staying at the Al-Rashid Apartments. Good times, even the cab driver was laughing.
Al Rashid Mall is enormous and the clothes are far cuter and more fashionable than any clothes I've seen in the States. "Honey, under these abaya, there are some sirens" my mom said. Speaking of abayas, all Western women we saw at the Mall had abayas on, but not all of them were wearing head scarfs. I heard some women from the tour were given a hard time by a young Saudi man in Dammam today for not having their hair covered. These women had abayas on, but no head covering.
So, bottom line. Western women wear abayas off camp... head covering strongly recommended unless you feel like taking a chance getting harrassed.
The Saudi women have suprised me though. While Western protocol has become more stringent, the Saudi women have stepped out a bit. Rarely do I see any Saudi women wearing a full face veil like before.... with NO bit of face showing. Now, the "only-eyes-showing" look is popular, as is a little "bling" added to the abaya trim.
There are more than several young Saudi men who've tossed the thobe and gutra and adopted the Euro-Metro-Sexual look. Wow! Quite bizarre, but it somehow works. Yup, men still hold hands when walking around. So strange. I forgot about that bit.
Al Rashid Mall, as modern as it is, still has hammam toilets.... only one Western style toilet. Wonderful! Ah, some things never change!
Hertiage Dinner
Last night we were put on buses for the the Heritage Hall Dinner. At first I was a bit frustrated by the lack of info given out to us as far as where exactly we are going and when we are due to depart, but I'm quickly learning that is done for our safety. So, often we don't know where an activity is truly being held until the day before.
In last night's case, we were on the bus to this supposed "dinner" for so long, that I thought either this dinner was going to be in Dammam or we were being abducted by our Pakistani bus driver.
We arrived in the most beautiful "fort" looking thing (yes, in Dammam) that was actually a rich, lush, rustic, courtyard, chamber-room, oasis-like thing. We were able to walk around and take photos (soon to come) and later that evening we were taken to a red velvet room to have traditional kabsah (a whole cooked lamb atop a huge bed of rice). For our sake, however, they strayed from tradition by removing the lamb's head before serving and by giving us Americans chairs and silverware. :-)
Whoa! Delicious and extravagant! The upper floors housed a literal dusty museum... we have to go across the roof portion to get to it, and through the blowing wind and sand, we could hear prayer call.... just AWESOME!
In last night's case, we were on the bus to this supposed "dinner" for so long, that I thought either this dinner was going to be in Dammam or we were being abducted by our Pakistani bus driver.
We arrived in the most beautiful "fort" looking thing (yes, in Dammam) that was actually a rich, lush, rustic, courtyard, chamber-room, oasis-like thing. We were able to walk around and take photos (soon to come) and later that evening we were taken to a red velvet room to have traditional kabsah (a whole cooked lamb atop a huge bed of rice). For our sake, however, they strayed from tradition by removing the lamb's head before serving and by giving us Americans chairs and silverware. :-)
Whoa! Delicious and extravagant! The upper floors housed a literal dusty museum... we have to go across the roof portion to get to it, and through the blowing wind and sand, we could hear prayer call.... just AWESOME!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hot Shower - Hooray!
I took a hot shower last night for the first time since I left California. Apparently, we did not realize there are light switch looking things one has to turn on in order to heat the water. Wow! That felt good! So, we got the voltage/plug converter thing ironed out too (without blowing anything up - hooray) so we are officially settled in.
Photos Coming Soon, Sorry!
I SWEAR photos are coming soon! We have been sooo crazy busy from morning to late at night, so finding time to edit, process, and post photos has been limited. I'll post them on Facebook soon and give a link to see them through this blog for those of you who do not have Facebook. Coming soon!
Older Posts
Don't forget there is an "Older Posts" button at the bottom of this page... to see my previous jabber. Every ounce of Dhahran counts, right?
Shammall
A wicked shammall (sand storm) is currently blowing in. Kind of exciting, lovely, nostalgic, and a nice twist on the trip, but I hope it doesn't last too long. This girl's got stuff to see!
Visiting My Old House
We took a cab over to Hofuf Drive where we used to live. My mom got a bit turned around and kept telling the cab driver to turn at the wrong streets... but I knew EXACTLY where we were. Why? Because that was my stomping ground as a kid! I walked or biked everywhere, knew all the nooks and crannies, every crack in the sidewalks, and secret hiding spots, etc. Can't say I know my current neighborhood all that well. Being over 16 and having a car is to blame for that. :-)
Whoa! What a trip to be back there. New windows and spanish tile was added to the roofs. We just so happened to run into a guy who was leaving the house. We explained why we were taking photos of it, and he asked us if we'd like to come in and look around. Apparently, the owners are out of town and he is watching the place. The palm tree that was planted in our backyard when we first moved in (and Anthony was in diapers) is now a towering tree; far taller than I thought it would be. Same goes for the banyan tree out front.
I think I'm going to go back there alone tomorrow... without my mother.... without a cab driver waiting with the car running.... and just spend some quiet alone time in my old neighborhood. A lot of dreams have taken place around there since I left. Don't worry, camp is totally safe. :-)
Whoa! What a trip to be back there. New windows and spanish tile was added to the roofs. We just so happened to run into a guy who was leaving the house. We explained why we were taking photos of it, and he asked us if we'd like to come in and look around. Apparently, the owners are out of town and he is watching the place. The palm tree that was planted in our backyard when we first moved in (and Anthony was in diapers) is now a towering tree; far taller than I thought it would be. Same goes for the banyan tree out front.
I think I'm going to go back there alone tomorrow... without my mother.... without a cab driver waiting with the car running.... and just spend some quiet alone time in my old neighborhood. A lot of dreams have taken place around there since I left. Don't worry, camp is totally safe. :-)
Saudi Products
Ohhh I had so much fun pouring over all the food brand names at the Commissary.... the stuff you can't find in the States: Smarties, Lion Bars, Polo Mints, Igloo ice cream, Strepsils, Mango Tang, Pif Paff bug spray, Knorr Chicken Noodle Soup packets, so many more..... oh, why HELLO! They now carry Coke and Diet Coke here!? Amazing.
F-18 Jets
The F-18 jets are still in full effect over Dhahran. I've gotta get a pic or video of them screaming across the sky but they always appear out of nowhere and move so darn quickly! I guess that's the point, right?
Women and Safety
Its changed a lot since I lived here. There are hardly ANY Westerners around and it was suggested to wear hijabs (headcoverings) everywhere when off camp, and abayas (black cloak) out in Khobar or Dammam. It didn't used to be that strict. I've been told over and over that it is "easier" for an American woman if she's wearing an abaya. Sounds fine to me.
It's also been suggested to not make eye contact with Saudi men when off camp, and not speak unless spoken to, don't make conversation with the taxi driver, etc. It's hard to resist the American instinct that smiling and saying hello is better, but I'm a fast learner, especially when it comes to my safety.
It wouldn't be as much of an issue if we had a male with us, but since we are two women traveling alone, we need to be hypervigillant. Strange that I am the one keeping my mom in check. She's a feisty little thing. :-)
So overall, a bit scarier now than when I lived here. Some people say it's fine, others say proceed with much caution. I'd rather error on the safe side.
It's also been suggested to not make eye contact with Saudi men when off camp, and not speak unless spoken to, don't make conversation with the taxi driver, etc. It's hard to resist the American instinct that smiling and saying hello is better, but I'm a fast learner, especially when it comes to my safety.
It wouldn't be as much of an issue if we had a male with us, but since we are two women traveling alone, we need to be hypervigillant. Strange that I am the one keeping my mom in check. She's a feisty little thing. :-)
So overall, a bit scarier now than when I lived here. Some people say it's fine, others say proceed with much caution. I'd rather error on the safe side.
The Reunion Lunch
We met the nicest couple from Syria at the (quite swanky) Reunion Lunch. They were just wonderful! So sweet, they invited us to stay with them in Damascus and made sure they had all our information written down correctly so they could contact us in the future. My mom and I did not see any other people we recognized from years past. Missy (now Michelle) Saner was there and we had a chance to catch up. She's also on Facebook for those of you who have her as friends, check out her pics. Shannon McNulty and Corey Kruegar are also here. Soooo great to see Shannon. That girl has not aged a BIT! She now lives in Qatar, as most of you know.
Main Camp
- Hospital area looks the same; a colorful front exterior has been built though
- Front gates are a bit nicer and built up
- The shanty town right outside of the gates is gone
- The area by the bowling alley and movie theater is modernized a bit. Facades have been put up on the outside, but the arc through which the buses line up in that parking lot area looked much the same.
- The library behind it looks like it got a facelift, but nothing fancy.... still beige
- Ad Duwan building is sooooo the same. The letters are even falling off the beige wall. Remember our school dances in there??
- A few new restaurants are next to the bowling alley... a Tandoori place and an Olive Garden.
- Apparently the best food in town is at the Chuck Wagon at the Hobby Farm. I have not been out there yet.
- Dining Hall looks the same on the outside, but TOTALLY different inside. Neither my mom or I saw anything familiar at all about it. Food is still super cheap. Boo-hoo, they don't have Shrimp Night anymore, but there is a Turkey Night apparently. Jello was still in the same upside down dish molds with a dollop of whipped cream on the side
- The Commissary looked pretty much the same outside and inside. They now have fresh meats, and their Rauch Grapejuice section is tiny. My mom said it used to take up almost an entire aisle (People would use this grapejuice to make their own wine, since alcohol is banned in the country). Over 80% of Dhahran's population is now Saudi, so it makes sense why there is less grapejuice in the supermarket, if you catch my drift. :-)
- The "pork store" is now a flower shop
- Front gates are a bit nicer and built up
- The shanty town right outside of the gates is gone
- The area by the bowling alley and movie theater is modernized a bit. Facades have been put up on the outside, but the arc through which the buses line up in that parking lot area looked much the same.
- The library behind it looks like it got a facelift, but nothing fancy.... still beige
- Ad Duwan building is sooooo the same. The letters are even falling off the beige wall. Remember our school dances in there??
- A few new restaurants are next to the bowling alley... a Tandoori place and an Olive Garden.
- Apparently the best food in town is at the Chuck Wagon at the Hobby Farm. I have not been out there yet.
- Dining Hall looks the same on the outside, but TOTALLY different inside. Neither my mom or I saw anything familiar at all about it. Food is still super cheap. Boo-hoo, they don't have Shrimp Night anymore, but there is a Turkey Night apparently. Jello was still in the same upside down dish molds with a dollop of whipped cream on the side
- The Commissary looked pretty much the same outside and inside. They now have fresh meats, and their Rauch Grapejuice section is tiny. My mom said it used to take up almost an entire aisle (People would use this grapejuice to make their own wine, since alcohol is banned in the country). Over 80% of Dhahran's population is now Saudi, so it makes sense why there is less grapejuice in the supermarket, if you catch my drift. :-)
- The "pork store" is now a flower shop
Celeste's Meltdown
Wow! Yup, I had a full blown meltdown about an hour after entering Saudi. Not the good kind where I was all sad from the nostalgia and the 18 years of yearning to go back finally coming to fruition, but the sheer terror kind. Ya.
We arrived at our hotel, the Al Gosaibi, and were shown to our room. I think that hotel has been the setting for more than a few of my nightmares. As we walked down the hall, I could swear we were in the Shining, only much mustier, older, and more decrepit.
We got in our room and it was just awful. Like the Shining combined with an Arab youth hostel. There was only one outlet in the room and the TV was plugged into it. I got a light shock trying to jiggle it.
I whipped around to my mom and said, "We can't stay here." She explained why we have to stay there and the room is prepaid so we won't recoup our money. I whipped into the fetal position and began sobbing uncontrollably. Totally paralyzed by the thought of staying there for 10 nights, and felt so unsafe. Bottom line is I made my mom move hotels and I'm paying for it. I soooooo don't care.... just had to get out of there. I heard today that an 86 year old woman traveling alone was there for a night and said her room was infested with fleas. Whoa. Reunion volunteers found her a place to stay on camp. Bless their hearts.
Sooooo, we checked into the Al Rashid apartments which are ontop of the Al Rashid Mall. It's like 5 stars, gotta use keycards to operate elevators, and multiple key card doors to go through before getting to the room.
We have 20 electrical outlets, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a living room, a flatscreen TV, and a washer/dryer. My mom looked at me and said, "Are you happy now?" We had a good laugh but it was a pretty rough day for me.
We arrived at our hotel, the Al Gosaibi, and were shown to our room. I think that hotel has been the setting for more than a few of my nightmares. As we walked down the hall, I could swear we were in the Shining, only much mustier, older, and more decrepit.
We got in our room and it was just awful. Like the Shining combined with an Arab youth hostel. There was only one outlet in the room and the TV was plugged into it. I got a light shock trying to jiggle it.
I whipped around to my mom and said, "We can't stay here." She explained why we have to stay there and the room is prepaid so we won't recoup our money. I whipped into the fetal position and began sobbing uncontrollably. Totally paralyzed by the thought of staying there for 10 nights, and felt so unsafe. Bottom line is I made my mom move hotels and I'm paying for it. I soooooo don't care.... just had to get out of there. I heard today that an 86 year old woman traveling alone was there for a night and said her room was infested with fleas. Whoa. Reunion volunteers found her a place to stay on camp. Bless their hearts.
Sooooo, we checked into the Al Rashid apartments which are ontop of the Al Rashid Mall. It's like 5 stars, gotta use keycards to operate elevators, and multiple key card doors to go through before getting to the room.
We have 20 electrical outlets, 3 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a living room, a flatscreen TV, and a washer/dryer. My mom looked at me and said, "Are you happy now?" We had a good laugh but it was a pretty rough day for me.
Prayer Call
Oh how I missed the Prayer Call! 5 times a day, the mosques all over the city boom out a chant over a loudspeaker as a call to prayer. Stores close down for the next 30 minutes and it's....well.... time for prayer. It's a haunting, amazing sound. Even though it has woken me up at 5AM the last two mornings, I don't mind in the least! It's wonderful. I wish I had the discipline to pray 5 times a day. Their religion is fascinating.
Over the Causeway into Saudi
Sheesh! This is where my meltdown began (I'll explain more later).
The AM we were to meet a Saudi taxi driver to take us from our hotel in Bahrain over the Causeway (a long bridge) into Saudi. My mom and I were dressed in abayas and hijabs (black cloak-y things) because it was suggested, and we wanted to test the overall climate for Saudi protocol before really making an American mess of things.
First off, I don't care much for long, tall bridges going over a lot of water, but then mix crazy Arab driving into that, and I was starting to sweat. Traffic halts about a half mile before the Passports line... right over the water, of course. Boy, most of the world really makes use of the car horn. They honk at just about every move around them.
At the Passport kiosk, we were instructed to pull over and go into a little building to get photographed and finger printed. Our cab driver seemed keen on holding our passports himself and walking around to different buildings, which made me very uncomfortable. I watched him like a neurotic hawk! Passport office was dark and dingy full of angry looking Saudis in green uniforms with guns. Nice. Surprisingly, they let my mom and I jump to the front of the line. Fingerprints... photos... (in our abayas mind you)... then a Frogger-style maneuver across traffic back into our car. Luggage still there. Phew. I firmly insisted we hold our own passports. I've seen too many movies.
Next was the Customs line. When living there, I remember having our suitcases torn apart in search of prohibited substances and materials. A-ha! So THIS is why they say entering the Kingdom through the Causeway is better than going through the Dammam airport! The guard popped the trunk, glanced up at us, then let us go on our merry way. I asked the cab driver, "Hallas?" as we got back into the car. He nodded, meaning yes, we're done.
Yippee. Not too bad and it only took us 2 hours. I've heard stories of it taking up to 7 hours to cross.
Fun fact: A lot of Saudis go to Bahrain becuase unlike Saudi, Bahrain allows alcohol and is overall much more liberal.
The AM we were to meet a Saudi taxi driver to take us from our hotel in Bahrain over the Causeway (a long bridge) into Saudi. My mom and I were dressed in abayas and hijabs (black cloak-y things) because it was suggested, and we wanted to test the overall climate for Saudi protocol before really making an American mess of things.
First off, I don't care much for long, tall bridges going over a lot of water, but then mix crazy Arab driving into that, and I was starting to sweat. Traffic halts about a half mile before the Passports line... right over the water, of course. Boy, most of the world really makes use of the car horn. They honk at just about every move around them.
At the Passport kiosk, we were instructed to pull over and go into a little building to get photographed and finger printed. Our cab driver seemed keen on holding our passports himself and walking around to different buildings, which made me very uncomfortable. I watched him like a neurotic hawk! Passport office was dark and dingy full of angry looking Saudis in green uniforms with guns. Nice. Surprisingly, they let my mom and I jump to the front of the line. Fingerprints... photos... (in our abayas mind you)... then a Frogger-style maneuver across traffic back into our car. Luggage still there. Phew. I firmly insisted we hold our own passports. I've seen too many movies.
Next was the Customs line. When living there, I remember having our suitcases torn apart in search of prohibited substances and materials. A-ha! So THIS is why they say entering the Kingdom through the Causeway is better than going through the Dammam airport! The guard popped the trunk, glanced up at us, then let us go on our merry way. I asked the cab driver, "Hallas?" as we got back into the car. He nodded, meaning yes, we're done.
Yippee. Not too bad and it only took us 2 hours. I've heard stories of it taking up to 7 hours to cross.
Fun fact: A lot of Saudis go to Bahrain becuase unlike Saudi, Bahrain allows alcohol and is overall much more liberal.
Bahrain
We had a fantastic time in Bahrain. What kind people! We walked around Babal Bahrain (old Bahrain) for a while, then hired a cab driver named Abu Ali (why not?) who took us all over town on a VIP tour. By VIP I don't mean 5 star luxury, but rather a smooth talker who got us into all the major sites despite being closed, into the back entrance of a Bahraini candy factory (apparently Bahrain is famous for it), into people's homes, and into a fisherman's hut for tea and sweets right on the Gulf. Boy, are they hospitable! They were thrilled to hear me speaking Arabic, but soon realized I know next to nothing. At least I'm trying, right?
Overall, the kindness of the Bahraini people was over the top wonderful. What a great way to live... where everyone is a good friend just because they live in the same country.
Overall, the kindness of the Bahraini people was over the top wonderful. What a great way to live... where everyone is a good friend just because they live in the same country.
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