Category Archives: Uncategorized

This friendly service announcement came through today. “We would like to inform you of a potential outbreak of desert locusts migrating through the Eastern Province and surrounding areas. Therefore, please note the following: Do not panic. Although they will come in large numbers, they are only passing through. Keep your windows and doors closed. KeepContinue reading “Desert Locusts”

Charlotte is a card carrying Saudi Resident with a visa to travel to all of the neighboring countries. She can travel freely as long as she isn’t driving. The Resident card is known as an Iqama. Today we visited the Security office to get a permanent Aramco ID for Charlotte so she can go inContinue reading “Blood Type”

Abaya shopping at the Black Rose.  Charlotte finally accepted that you can have any color you want as long as it is black. Now she doesn’t have to wear the same grey sweater everywhere we go. Bought a scooter for Charlotte to get around camp. There’s a motor in the back of this Honda. BoughtContinue reading “Busy Week”

  Arabic has a different alphabet and different symbols for numbers.  Many road signs are in English and Arabic.  This speed limit sign is for 65 km/hr.  The Arabic symbols for 65 look like 70.  Saudi Arabia has speed cameras and red light cameras all over the place even in the camp.   Most ofContinue reading “Arabic Numbers”

  First weekend out, Charlotte followed the customs by wearing an abaya. This is in the restaurant in Ikea which was supposed to have good beef bacon, but did not. Croissants were very good. We really enjoyed the shopping cart so you didn’t have to carry your tray through the line and to your table.Continue reading “Abaya”

Charlotte arrived on time Thursday night and made it through baggage claim and customs in 30 minutes. Charlotte wanted to go early shopping the next day at IKEA and Saco World the home goods store. She ended up sleeping until noon. Then we toured the camp and got food at the main commissary. At 2:00Continue reading “First day with Charlotte in the Kingdom”

In a stunning turn of events, Chili’s has chips and salsa. In a cruel twist of irony, no other food is available. Waiter keeps giving us the cryptic line that food will take some time.

I’m pretty much one of the coolest guys on camp because I have a car. I have been driving new arrivers to the mall, to Arabic class, to the grocery store, to Bahrain and out to eat. None of them are American. All are single guys waiting for their families to arrive in the nearContinue reading “Cool Guy with Car”

I had been buying cheap generic biscuits, but today I decided to pay the extra money and get the Oreos. Never forget how good Oreos are. I have a lot of interaction with British people. I switch between Hello, Marhaba and Cheers Mate. I also decided to try Nutella. I’m picking up quite a fewContinue reading “Biscuits”

SabaaH il-kheyr. Good morning in Arabic. Capital H is a hard “H”. kh is a throat clearing sound. I was able to say this to a native speaker who understood me. Made my day.