The Waiting Game

We were never sure how long we were going to be (or wanted to be) in Saudi. It's been a year for Kel and I, a year and a half for Steven. It has been a wild ride, with ups and down--no different I guess than moving anywhere new.

We've been thinking about a long term solution for Kel's schooling among other less major issues, and we came to the conclusion it was time to test the waters (job market) on going home. We've put out the applications, received the interviews, and now the waiting game--were we selected? Did I get my job but Steven did not? Is he the winner and I'm the loser? It's hard to not get entirely emotionally invested in the idea of going home, after all, home means freedom for each of us in a different way.

For Steven, he'll finally be able to breathe a little easier, relax a little on the hyper-vigilance he instinctively displays every time we leave the compound. For me, I can wear what I want at home, drive a car, go wherever I want--by myself! I can once again work and earn money for the family, restoring my sense of fiscal self-worth. For us as a couple, we can display affection in public, holding hands, a peck on the cheek, a quick hug, all things we're denied here. But most of all, my son is once again exposed to a multitude of new experiences, getting to attend a school with a formal classroom setting, having more kids available to interact and play with. Yes, he has quite literally had the chance to travel the world, visiting Turkey, France, Italy, and Greece among other countries. But as far as availability of experiences on a daily or even weekly basis, the choices are extremely limited. The Saudis don't do family style entertainment on any grand kind of scale--there are no movie theaters, bowling alleys, zoos, children's museums or the like. The nearest beach is about an hour and a half away, (Red Sea) but to reach it is to commit to a fairly dangerous drive down a steep escarpment, where the local drivers have no problem driving in your lane head-on around a blind curve. No thank you!

So for now, we sit and wait to hear the outcomes. If they're not what we had hoped, we'll come back to Saudi after our Christmas vacation in the States and focus on the future. The good news is, we have it fairly easy here, in spite of the lack of access to the lifestyle we were used to in the States. We'd have more time to continue to pay off bills, and to do more travelling. We're looking at Dubai, Istanbul, and Budapest (among others) as potential vacation spots for 2015. But truth be told, if it works out that we get to stay in Texas, I'll be just as happy at Walmart:) Fingers crossed...