Reflections on my first week

I have now completed one week of living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has been a difficult transition in many ways, but it is not my first major move so it is not that traumatic - other than leaving behind Moxie, my house, and a great life in Houston. Things are slowly coming together and this coming week I should have a proper size bed (a double) and Internet (by Wednesday). Right now I am completing a bunch of safety training at work; Saudi Aramco takes safety very seriously to the point it has a profound effect on your annual merit. This includes being responsible for anyone with you (e.g. a taxi driver caught speeding while on camp for you will show up on your safety record). Hopefully I will have my work computer soon so I will no longer be on my laptop; the information technology (IT) team at Saudi Aramco is very efficient and the help desk extremely responsive!

The past week has been interesting. I got a Saudi cell phone (a Samsung Galaxy Mini) and while it worked, I preferred the LG that I got from T-Mobile (for full price as an unlocked phone which was not unlocked). After talking to T-Mobile, they refused to unlock it so I asked Bank of America to reverse all charges and gave an explanation ... after less than one week, T-Mobile sent me the unlock code and instructions - unfortunately I had already paid another organization to provide the unlock codes, which they did (and they worked perfectly). So once I got it unlocked and working (not with the T-Mobile info) It went right on the STC network ... but no data. So the Internet became a source of knowledge and provided the programming details so now my well liked LG phone is now fully on the STC network for voice and data! I will probably sell the Samsung Galaxy Mini ... it is a good phone, but I just like the LG better :-) I is quite amusing that it took intervention from my bank to get T-Mobile to act responsibly ... did I mention that I really like Bank of America?

Last night I went to IKEA again to get a cover for my duvet and a couple of other items. I called Majestic taxi and lo and behold, it is Akter who shows up once again! So we took a small detour to see if we could find a bicycle for me, but the store was closed for prayer time and we did not want to wait ... so on to IKEA. The trip was easy, but it still takes getting used to seeing women in abayas who are fully covered including their face with only their eyes visible. I have decided that shopping is both entertainment and sport in Saudi Arabia and Khobar is main event! So after IKEA it was another trip to the commissary outside of camp to get additional time for my cell phone and Internet device - plus a few other items since I was in there.

Today was a break from routine. I had a good night sleep and decided (eventually) that I should go for a walk. So out to the walking trail that went around the golf course so I could get to the ballpark area and go to the cafe for a bite. Today it was nice and breezy, which really took the edge of the 45C heat, but the walk was still 4km from my house to the cafe where I had a mint lemonade (very yummy), a strawberry smoothie (also yummy) and a chicken quesadilla. I was tempted to have a lebanese (turkish) coffee but decided against it ... the place was full of middle school (and possibly high school) kids, so it was fun to watch the antics. The meal was SAR58, which was quite reasonable ... the next stop was a walk to the Dhahran Commissary, which was another 1km, where I got a few important items, not the least of which was a new broom. Things need to be swept here at least once week!

So that is the extent of my first week. It went well and hopefully over the next week I can adjust a little more and look into some clubs in Dhahran. Getting around is going to be problematic until I get a car ...

Other news is that Moxie is moving to a different home. The place where she was staying that looked hopeful did not work out as well as it could have; the current bird, a Timneh Grey, did not handle a new bird well and it was decided she should go to another place. The people who are caring for Moxie are incredible though! They checked out a few people and found an ideal home which could be good for all :-) More on that later ... I am very hopeful!!

The skateboard park in Dhahran Camp

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The skateboard park in Dhahran Camp

Part of the walking path around the golf course in Dhahran Camp, near the skate park

Part of the walking path around the Golf Course in Dhahran Camp

One of the parks in Dhahran Camp

Walking path in Dhahran Camp

Moxie Bird!