View From The Porch: Tales from the far side of the moon.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Tales from the far side of the moon.

Here's an interesting blog from an American woman living in Saudi. She writes well, so be prepared to fall into the intertubes for a while...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: Wait, I'm not tracking. I completely missed the purpose here.

She voluntarily went to Saudi Arabia and is shocked that it is Saudi Arabia? She was expecting. . . Winston-Salem? Didn't she crack a book before moving over there?

Isn't this like going to the zoo and complaining because they had tigers there?

Shootin' Buddy; 3:19 PM, March 10, 2009
Tam said...: Sometimes you gotta go where you gotta go.

I understand the need to vent. :D

Meanwhile I don't have to worry about moving to California, 'cause Barry O. is gonna bring California to me!; 3:26 PM, March 10, 2009
Anonymous said...: Now I know why Michael Jackson moved to their neighborhood.; 3:55 PM, March 10, 2009
Anonymous said...: I understand venting. :-)

Shootin' Buddy; 4:00 PM, March 10, 2009
NotClauswitz said...: When California comes to you you will have a lot more venting to do. We should have closed our border to Massachusetts a long time ago.; 4:13 PM, March 10, 2009
the pawnbroker said...: wondering about the official stance there on female persons operating keyboards? wouldn't want her to be given an appointment for a ten finger chop job...

jtc; 4:23 PM, March 10, 2009
Sabra said...: Why thank you Tamara for such a kind compliment and all of the traffic! I went to check my stats, and you’ve raised ‘em. I average about 150-175 visitors a day – tops, 190. I way overdid that yesterday and already have 105, in two and a half hours today! [We are 7 hours ahead of New York time – it is just after 2:30A as I type this.]

In response to Shootin’ Buddy’s comment, yes we came here voluntarily. Kind of. DH needed a job. A company in Saudi was hiring; paying quite handsomely, too. We are still here some six years – almost seven – later. I am not quite sure how you get that I am “shocked” it is Saudi Arabia. Yes. It was quite a shock, originally. Nothing “shocks” me here, anymore. I did “crack a book,” before coming. I read about anything I could get my hands on. Go to your local library or bookstore, let me know how much you find on the shelf with regard to Saudi - and by that I mean what it is really like in Saudi - now how there are tribes, oil and sand – and there is a lot more now than there was in 2002. At that time – 2002 – I was totally unaware that “blogs” even existed. Wouldn’t have known to try to search Saudi via bloggers. I knew how to use “Internet Explorer.” That was it. The best book I read on what it was going to be like for me here is called “The Saudis,” by Sandra MacKey. Much of the material that was available to me, then, was very outdated. If I knew then, what I know now… Would we still be here? Likely. There are no jobs in the States for pilots. Wherever my DH goes, I will follow him. That is why I am here.

In response to Pawnbroker, I am well aware that my blog is followed and checked by the Powers That Be. It behooves me to be cautious with what I choose to write about and if you read through random posts you will find that for the most part I avoid politics – although I’ve been unable to help myself at times with the new administration. It was only when it was getting down to the wire in November ’08 that I started giving much indication at all as to which direction I lean in that regard. And, now, there are times when I have to “vent” or something to voice my complete and utter disgust... One topic I avoid at all costs is religion. It is completely out of bounds. Just cannot go there and expect to be able to continue blogging – or expect to continue to keep my head firmly attached to my neck.

Again, Tamara, thank you very much for the link and lots and lots and lots of new visitors. I hope some of them will continue to visit in the future. I am leaving for Singapore for a quick vacation tomorrow and probably won’t post while I am gone. Things to do, people to see, places to go. And I’ll be able to do it all without having to cover myself in black!

I'm curious, Tamara, how it is that you found me?; 7:43 PM, March 10, 2009
Anonymous said...: I don't have to worry about moving to California, 'cause Barry O. is gonna bring California to me!

Wait, wait...you're getting out the bike, to ride to the latte shop down the abandoned rail line turned into a bikeway. Adn Barry is bringin' teh Kali?

Check your premises.; 8:01 PM, March 10, 2009
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the link.

I read a bunch of her posts and yes, it sounds like the middle east. Having worked in Qatar, Bahrain, Libya, etc. What she describes seems the par for the course over there.

If you have not worked in it nor lived in it, it is hard to understand how one could miss it. But at times I do. Life was simpler over there. There were things you could do, and things you don't do. The hard part was figuring out new things and could you do them.

I do miss the "Gulf Times". What a well written paper. I often lament that journalism stinks here in the states, yet in the gulf it is truly spectacular with high quality writing.; 8:06 PM, March 10, 2009
Tam said...: "Again, Tamara, thank you very much for the link and lots and lots and lots of new visitors. I hope some of them will continue to visit in the future."

You're very welcome! I know I'll be returning regularly. :)

"I'm curious, Tamara, how it is that you found me?"

I wish I could remember. :( Normally I credit folks with a "Hat Tip" in my posts, but I had your blog open in a window for a couple days as I read back through old posts and completely forgot how I found it. I'll put it down to Intarw3bz Serendipity. :D; 9:03 PM, March 10, 2009