Returning to Civilization

With three weeks to go until we return to the States for the holidays, I find myself having to get back into "civilization" mode, specifically electronically. It's time to re-download the apps I deleted off my phone and iPad a year ago because I didn't need them. Time to add back Amazon, Walmart and Target! Time to add back Barnes and Noble, Southwest Airlines (we'll be taking a domestic flight while home), and the Disney Store! All these old friends have been missing from my life until recently, completely obsolete in a country with none of these stores. 

I'll also get to delete my Ela-Salaty app. This app tells me the time of each Muslim prayer and gives a countdown in minutes until the next one. With prayer being five times a day you WILL be caught unawares and highly inconvenienced without an app of this sort. DELETE! It'll also be nice to not have to engage my VPN all the time. Being back in the States means I can once again surf the net, visiting any site I want without being blocked by the government for what THEY deem is inappropriate, like the Victoria's Secret site! Crazy!

I'll need to add back the Watch Me Grow app, used by Kel's preschool to allow us parents access to watch the classroom. After a year spending every waking hour of each day with Kel, I suspect it'll be extremely hard to be away from him while I work; so this app should help to soothe my  initial separation anxiety. At least I hope, (fingers crossed).

Time to change my playlists in iTunes.  Because of our Mediterranean cruise this past summer, my phone holds all the sun-drenched bossa nova and samba inspired albums typical of what beautiful celebrities in gorgeous sun hats languishing on the beaches of the French and Italian Rivieras in the 50's and 60's would've listened to. Music from Stan Getz, Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Henry Mancini. 

But now I'm going home, and Thanksgiving is on the horizon, with Christmas hot on its heels. Tine for new playlists. Time for timeless Christmas classics from the likes of the Andrew Sisters,  Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, Burl Ives and Perry Como. (Of course Frank stays on my phone, he never leaves, only his albums may change.)

For more contemporary Christmas artists, I'll include albums from Mariah Carey, Cee-Lo, Jackie Evancho, Andrea Bocelli, Cobie Caillat and the Jersey Boys. And before you freak out that I've left Michael Buble off the list, I point once again to Frank Sinatra. Why go with a cheap imitation when you have the REAL thing? (Listen, in our household, ALL roads lead back to Uncle Frank!)

 

The most important change I'll make on my phone? Adding back my Starbucks app. They emailed me yesterday telling me I'll lose my gold status unless I purchase the requisite number of drinks by my annual expiration date. And that date is 8 December. In a 9 day period I have to purchase 30 drinks or qualifying items. (Do they think I'm not up to the challenge?!)  Everybody better pitch in! "Kellan, time for breakfast...do you want a peppermint mocha or a spiced pumpkin latte?!?!":)

What Kind of American Are You?

So I was laying in bed, watching an episode of one of my favorite shows, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. In this particular show, he was sampling the culinary wares of Lisbon, Portugal. In a large marketplace, he held up a slice of cured ham, a beautifully thin, deep pink slice of fragrant, savory pork. Pork being illegal in Saudi, I immediately made a mental note to indulge when we went home to Texas for the holidays. It was frustrating though to have my taste buds piqued and not be able to satisfy the craving. And it was in that moment that it popped in my mind  how much most Americans take their freedoms for granted, even something as simple as eating and drinking whatever you want. Essentially, we often act like lottery winners who've won 100 million dollars but are angry we didn't win an extra million more. 

Spending an extended amount of time away from the US has given me an incredible education in appreciation.  I believe it would do the same for all those whiny, dissatisfied, overly-entitled people back in the States. No more complaints about potholes, you'd just be glad as a woman to have the right to drive. No more complaints about your local store's small selection of gluten-free breakfast muffins, you'd just be glad to have a large variety of fresh produce and a refrigerated foods section that was actually refrigerated. Angry about the 45 minute doctor's office wait? A thing of the past. You'd be glad the waiting room was clean, the doctor skilled in the latest techniques and the building wasn't crumbling down around you!

I believe as an expat you become even prouder to be American than when you lived in the country. You certainly develop a more finely-honed sense of appreciation for the things most people back home take for granted. Now, not every American is an unappreciative complainer, certainly not the people I call friends. Most are hard-working Americans who want to feel that they'll get a return on their efforts. But visiting the States this holiday season will be all the more sweet for us, as we'll appreciate everything just a little more. And isn't that what the holidays are about, after all?:)

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...

Mediterranean Cruise 2014-Cannes and Malta

Our next stop was Cannes, France, situated on the French Riviera. The city has a lovely waterfront promenade, and while we'd been to Nice and Monte Carlo on our last cruise, we had not visited Cannes. We walked down their main shopping street, popping in shops, and enjoying the gorgeous weather. We ate at a cute outdoor cafe attached to a little amusement area pour les enfants (for kids;) and watched Kel ride (yet another) carrousel and other rides.

View of the marina from the promenade

Next we visited Valletta, Malta, an island conquered many times over during its several hundred year history. We took a double decker bus around the island seeing the main sites, and ended up at their wharf shopping and dining area. Some of the best pizza I've ever had was served by one of the cafés there!

The outdoor cafe we ate at-it had WiFi!:)

Yet another of Kel's cultural souvenirs!:) 

  

It's That Time of Year Again...Hajj!

It's Haaaajj tiiiiiiime!! Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Every Muslim that is financially and physically able is required to make the trip at least once in their lives. Hajj also happens to be the largest gathering of people in the world. 

We had wanted to leave for Hajj mainly because Steven was given 11 days off (with weekends) separate from his leave days! By the time we thought about leaving, there were no available flights out to go anywhere. 

But then we started thinking about the tens of thousands of people from every corner of the world converging on all of Saudi's airports, carrying every type of germ imaginable and we got completely freaked out and decided it was for the best we couldn't fly out. (I will pass on Ebola this year, thank you!)

Anyway, we have spent the first few days off going on early morning nature hikes, swimming at the pool, going to the mall, and taking sunset walks, enjoying the cool breeze and spending time as a family:) While I started off frustrated that we had missed out on traveling, it has turned into one of the best "stay-cations" we've ever had! Now excuse me, we've got guacamole to make and drinks to mix because we have a date with the House Hunters International marathon!!:)

Out and About-Pt. 2

Always nice to see familiar sights, but the fun is in spotting unusual menu items--like the McArabia...

Or these Camembert cheese bites!

Love this huge shopping cart sculpture outside the grocery store Hyper Panda! I guess it's our claim to fame?

And at the end of a successful shopping day, a dozen Krispy Kremes goes a looong way towards overall happiness!:)

Mediterranean Cruise-Rome, Pisa & Lucca

Our next stops on our cruise included the cities of Rome, Pisa and Lucca.

Rome is a glorious city; hot, chaotic, vibrant and chock full of amazing buildings and structures around every corner. We had booked a private driver to take us around to notable sights of the city. I'm heartbroken that I no longer remember the name of the first cathedral we visited, but it was spectacular!

Continuing our tour around Rome:

The Pantheon

Inside St. Peter's Basillica

Next we visited Pisa. Below see the infamous Tower, the lesser known but gorgeous Duomo and a cafe we ate at with a peek-a-boo view of the Tower!

I end with Lucca, an ancient Medievel walled city with the quaintest winding streets. It was a gorgeous day for shopping and eating gelato. Oddly enough, surrounded by the most beautiful culture, my son decided this was the souvenir he needed most:

I can't lie, the Backstreet Boys were appearing there in concert the next day, and if we didn't have to leave, that ticket stub would've been my favorite souvenir!

All in all, amazing sights, and waaay too many pics to post here! :)