My recent adventures

We just got back from an escape from Saudi. We went to Bahrain for the night (which is just a few hours away, over a causeway). Most people from Saudi go there to watch movies, shop, and, drink (if you happen to do that). It is nice to get away, even though it is a middle-eastern country it is a lot more free. Women can wear what they want, so no Abaya, and it just feels different there. Plus, they have MOVIES!!! We went to see "Terminator," not my choice, especially since I haven't seen even one of them. Big surprise, I slept through the entire movie. But, much to the delight of my companions, I talked in my sleep, several times. At one point I turned to Adam and asked him to, "Please turn the volume down." I was afraid we would wake up our downstairs neighbor. He said I asked him several times, he told me I was talking in my sleep and finally I woke up enough to realize that I was sleeping and went back to my dreams. Then, I turned to my neighbor, a friend, and asked him a question, luckily he didn't hear me. Last night at the hotel I kept trying to tell Adam that we had to go (a recurrent dream lately). He said he has to hold me down and tell me that we are home and that we don't have to leave after all, I don't listen to reason, such as I am dreaming, when I am asleep. Oh, what fun!!!

Well, school is out, so who knows what I am going to do for the rest of the summer. Here on the compound, or "The Fortress" as we like to call it, most of the families go home for the summer. In fact, even those without families leave, you see, it is extremely hot here and is just going to get hotter. Lately it has been about 115-120. I don't think it is that bad, but when I walk outside it feels like a nice sauna!

Our swimming pool has chillers, usually they work, but the other day, when they were working, the pool temp was 90 degrees! The next day the thermometer wasn't in the pool, and it was probably about 10 degrees warmer! Oh well, at least it was cooler than the air. Needless to say I have a nice tan, despite my many efforts to avoid it. I don't think they make sunblock strong enough to ward off the piercing rays. Someone at church told me I had a nice tan, I nicely told him that the "tan" on my face as just all of my freckles, they had multiplied until they became one big freckle!

I have been spending hours a day at the pool, you see, I am teaching swimming lessons to the children on the compound. Granted, there are days when I have to count to ten to stop from strangling them because they are incapable of closing their mouths and as soon as they learn something that is all they want to do, show me how well they can do it. They seem to forget that the reason we have "lessons" is so that they can learn NEW things, not play and show off the things that they have figured out how to do. Plus, every time I turn around, especially when I am trying to explain a new skill, they go under water! UGH!!!! Oh, and another favorite, jumping off the side of the pool or board. No matter how many times I tell them to jump on my hand that is stretched out in front of me or the floating arm band in front of the board, they insist on jumping right on me. On my head, my chest, shoulders, legs, wherever they can aim to do the most damage. Down I go, but, to my credit, they do not go under water. I might drown, but they at least will make it to the side of the pool. I have also decided that I have to split the classes up, I can't have two children in the same class that refuse to learn new things, they egg each other on. When I have a scared child with a fearless child, the scared child quickly realizes that what they are learning is not scary at all (like putting their face in the water). So, the next time I teach lessons, things will be a little different. Our swimming pool doesn't have a shallow end where the children can touch, so, to improvise, I bought swimming noodles and the kids have learned to "pretend" to walk on the bottom of the pool and swim around the pool using these noodles. They saved my life!!! OK, enough about swimming.

It looks like I will be working in the school next year, which should be fun. These past few weeks I was assigned to tutor in the math lab. Yes, me, in the math lab, and, to make it even more ironic, ALGEBRA!!! I had to take home the algebra book and the quizzes so that I could learn how to do it all over again. Thank heavens for Adam, and his patience. He had to teach me what to do. And, I felt just like I did in school, so frustrated that I wanted to throw the book across the room. My problem is that I can't see how this all has a practical application! How does some memorized theory help me to do day to day things! I have survived just fine up to now without it! Every time I couldn't figure something out I would come back to, "BUT WHY!!!"

My first interaction with Saudi women

The other day I was sitting in a little shop having a cookie and some juice. I was on the family side, which is where single women and families go (single men have their own side). A Saudi woman, covered in the traditional garb (Abaya and burka (hair scarf and face shield) came over and asked if she could sit with me. She spoke a litte English and we started to talk. Soon I realized that the other Saudi women, similarily dressed, across the aisle were with her. We all started talking. They wanted to know how I liked living here, why I was here and how long I had been here. They wanted to know what I knew about Islam and if I had a religion. I told them that I have been studying a little about Islam and that I am a Christian. They wondered if I was interested in converting, I politely told them no and then we started talking about how we both believe in God and in being virtous. We talked about the United States and life here in Saudi. They were very curious about me and about how I like it here. The told me that if I needed anything at all to contact them, we exchanged emails. They were so nice, one even took off her face scarf while we were talking.

This is the first time a Saudi women has said anything to me, it was very refreshing. They were so nice to me, I was afraid they were going to be upset because I didn't have my hair covered, but they just wanted to get to know me. They were just as fascinated with me as I was with them. I hope we can get to know each other a little better. It was perfect timing, just when I was complaining about how much some things here bother me (like the fact that the women have no rights) I am introduced to a bunch of wonderful women who seem very happy.

Maybe Saudi isn't so bad after all, granted, I still have to walk it I want to go anywhere because I can't drive, I can't go very far on my own, I can't work, and I am supposed to cover when I am in public (which I don't always do and haven't had any problems). I am getting used to it here, I don't think I could live my whole life here, but I will make our time here as happy as I can. :)

The slacker catching up

I have been volunteering at the local international school. Right now I am watching the high school classes so that I can learn some teaching/classroom management skills. I might start teaching spanish in the fall (a very daunting task if you ask me). I enjoy going to the school, makes Saudi seem more normal. The people there are very nice and I have made several good friends.



I made a really good friend here on the compound, Melanie. She has been here a number of years and works as an aide at the school. Or, I should say, lived here and worked. Unfortunately, she moved back to Scotland, gotta love our company!!!!!!##$$%$%#$# We became friends quickly, we had a lot in common and I think being here in such circumstances really helps to build friendships. So, she is back in Scotland now, yes, I shed a few tears, it was quite depressing. But, I am making other friends and things are good.



I am going to start swimming lessons in a week, I am excited and nervous. I haven't taught swimming lessons since I was in college, but I still remember what to do! I have been able to start swimming as well, my shoulder still bothers me and I don't know if I will be able to swim breast stroke as well or ever swim butterfly again, but I am trying to strenghten the muscles so that I can. One day at a time.



We have a little country-club type place that is about 20 minutes away, by foot. It has a private beach, where I can wear my bikini, at other beaches the women have to wear their Abayas. It is really nice, peaceful. They also have some places to eat and a nice gym. I think we are going to join, we only pay a small amount and the company pays the rest, it is much cheaper than a gym membership, that is for sure! Plus, it gives me something productive to do!!!!



I finally went on one of the long shopping trips to Dammam (the big city about an hour away) and I discovered paradise! They have a store called Tamimi, which is Safeway, and the sell American food! Yeah, I can buy shredded cheese, green chiles, tide free (liquid!) and many other things I can't get down here. So, I have decided that my major shopping will just have to happen once a month when the bus takes us up there. I was also able to find a cheap mixer (not a Kitchenaid, I am still trying to figure out how to get one), but this one will do. I have been making a lot of bread, rolls, etc, so I really need a good mixer. I am kicking myself for selling my KitchenAide. Now I have to see if I can buy a used one over there and bring it as a carry on when I come back from my visit in July. So, if you see a used one, grab it for me, I will pay you back!!! :)

Well, that is about it. I promise I will try and keep things more up to date so the entries aren't so long!!!

Elder Holland's visit

I don't know why I have had such a problem posting this about Elder Holland's visit, I am not going to go into too much detail because it was just such a spiritual experience that I can't really explain it all. Maybe one day you can read my journal :)

Elder Holland came to visit our Stake here in Saudi. Because our Stake covers pretty much the entire Persian Gult he made several stops and held small Stake Conferences in each area. Therefore, we were blessed to have him speak to us at the town about one hour away, there were about 120 of us in attendance. I can't really convey in words the sanctity of this experience, and don't really want to, it was very moving. He did give our area an Apostolic blessing, which was one of the most spiritual moments of my life. He told us to remember, that even here in the middle of the Middle East, we are not alone. That the Church leadership is aware of us, our trials, our successes and most importantly our needs. It had been about 25 years since an Apostle had been in Saudi Arabia so it was a unique blessing to be here for the historic occasion and to meet him and his wife personally.

Accomplishments in the kithen in Saudi

Ok, cooking in Saudi, as in any new country, is a challenge, but I am gradually finding my way. I made some chocolate chip cookies (with a substitute for vanilla extract because it as alcohol in it and they don't sell anything with alcohol in it here). I learned how to make an Arabic Bread called Zahtar Bread, it it a sweet dough with some spices with sesame seed and olive oil spread on top. Today I made flour tortillas, from scratch, they are really really easy! Next I am going to see how well a cake turns out, banana nut bread, peanut-butter cookies and creme caramel. It is hard to find the same spices here, so I have had to make a lot of substitutions. The flour here is a little more coarse, so I am still looking for some cake flour and super fine sugar. I know that they make baked items rise and taste better. I am also going to make a Lebanese sweet called Baklaui (or something like that). It is like Baklava, but with Orange Blossom Water, I have made it before but it is easier to get the ingredients here. Heck, have to find something to do with my time. Oh, and, I am going to make Cinnamon rolls for Adam (not me, can't stand Cinnamon!). If anyone has some fun cookie suggestions let me know!

Doctor Doctor

Medical care in Saudi Arabia is interesting. You have to understand the culture to understand that it reaches everywhere, including the hospitals, even the pharmacies. Men and women do not intermingle, period. Men obviously accompany their wife, but they do not sit among a group of women. I have mentioned briefly this segregation. In the airport I was moved out of the line full of men and placed in a line for women and families. In restaraunts their are sections for men that are alone, so they can't be with the women and families. I am not sure yet why this is the case, but that is the way it is, period. And, this extends to the hospital.

In the hospital there is a seperate waiting room for the women, it is curtained off. All the nurses are women. When I walked into the waiting room I was surrounded by women, I assume they were all are Saudi, they were shrouded in black, head to toe, most of them had their eyes covered as well, and most of them had on gloves. I waited in the room until a nurse took me to the Doctor's office, where he met with me, but the rules say that a female attendant had to be present for even a consultation. This isn't a big deal, I have had doctors do this before. Then, I went to fill my prescription, I walked into a very small, curtained off room, women only, and the room was literally packed with black robed women. It is almost intimidating. I am so used to being able to read people by seeing their eyes, and I can't see their eyes, it throws me off. I wonder how they get to know each other? I am not mocking anything, just curious.

I really would like to learn more about the basis for this protectionism. Women really are protected here, separated from the men so that nothing bad could happen. I wonder if it works, on a criminal basis. I wonder if their are fewer sexual attacks and crimes because of the cultural protections that have been in place for so long. It would be interesting to see if there are any studies on this issue. Google, I'm going to have to find out!

Church

We went to church again, my second sabbath now. Once again, the spirit was so strong. I am amazed at how much the people here sacrifice to follow their beliefs and at the strength of their convictions. It is very humbling, and almost ashamed. If they knew how easy it is at home, at least in some places, to worship, to go to the temple, to do the things we take for granted at home. Here, we are so far away, yet, we feel so close. I can't really put it into words, which is a rare feeling for me.

I felt like the lesson in Relief Societ was meant for me, there were only four of us, and all of us are going through the same situation, so I am sure it was meant for all of us, but it is exactly what I needed to hear. We talked about a Conference talk, about living the simple life. I can now see what Thoreau meant when he went to the woods to live life more simply. Life here in Saudi is like that, simple. I know that I am here to learn something, not quite sure what yet, but I know I am supposed to learn at least one thing, how to be strong by living life simply, focusing on the things that really matter in life. Looking back I can see my path, how my life has become less and less simple, and I appreciate Adam more and more for the sacrifice he is making for our family, I just wish I could do more.

But, back to church, I really look forward to Friday's here (that is when we have church). I get to spend the whole day with Adam, and I get to go to church. It really does help prepare me for the week, even though my weeks now are so different than they used to be I am sure I will adjust. So, my new mantra, "Simplify your life." Try it.