Category Archives: Uncategorized

Spending the day at the Duck Pond park studying Arabic. I completed one week of the Conversational Arabic class I enrolled in. My teacher Manar Matawea is very demanding and she makes you work during class. She teaches at the Middle School during the day. She allows cell phones in the class room, but IContinue reading “Arabic Class”

 Two of the new hire female engineers put together a list for me of the best Trendy restaurants and coffee shops to try out.  I wanted local places to eat. I asked them for their recommendations because they are young and hip.  I can tell they are hip because they don’t cover their faces and even showContinue reading “Restaurants”

I’m completely mobile. I have a drivers license. I have a car. I have my Visa that allows me to visit all the GCC countries. (Gulf Cooperation Council). Basically all the countries that border Saudi Arabia. I spent the day today driving around the area. I found the dunes. A popular off roading area. IContinue reading “Mobile”

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture also known as Ithra was built by Saudi Aramco in 2017. It is the museum center for art, science and cultural. No money was spared on this building. It reminded me of the Guggenheim in New York City. It was free to enter and located right next to theContinue reading “Ithra”

I have been struggling to learn and remember the names of all the new people I meet especially at work. My group includes Maher, Jasem, Osama, Ahmed and Maged. Maged’s last name is Dossary. There are two other people in the office with the same first and last name. The expats in my building areContinue reading “More Names”

A group of coworkers were talking in Arabic and I heard the name Zinadene Zidane mentioned. (Zidane is a famous World Cup soccer player and coach of Real Madrid) I looked up and they said do you know Zizou. I had never heard Zizou. They explained that is Zidane’s nickname. Nicknames are common in Arabic.Continue reading “Names, Nicknames and Futbol”

This is the funniest sign I have seen. How can you not hire “The magic fingers touch” company to do your decorating. Burger restaurant selling fuel for the human engine. Win 200 bars of gold from a jewelry store. Getting Dessert and Desert correct matters here.

The weather here has been compared to San Diego. It is sunny and clear skies. High in the 70s with lows in the 60s at night. Low humidity. Weather is like this from November to March. I get daily reminders from coworkers who have been here a while to prepare yourself for the other 7Continue reading “Weather”

Oil was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938 by the Standard Oil Company of California. Dammam Well #7 was the first well to produce commercial quantities of oil. This well was later renamed Prosperity Well and a memorial was set up on the original site. This well produced oil until 1982. I visited theContinue reading “Prosperity Well”

Experienced my second sandstorm today. First Sandstorm was in 2012 by Darude. The sky looks like overcast Ohio weather, but that is sand being blown around. I was on a tour and guide said to pull out your scarf or handkerchief to cover your mouth. Need to add dust mask to my travel gear.