CHRISTmas Spirit in a Christ-less Country- Part Two

Just days away from Christmas and our family struggled to feel the same Christmas spirit that we've felt back in the States.  What was it that disturbed the joyful feeling of Christmas for our family?  Was it the lack of snow and cold weather?  Was it the lack of community in our country?  Perhaps it was the lack of holiday pizzaz found in all of the stores or lining the streets?  No Christmas music on the radio, no Red Cross bell ringers at store entrances.... Nothing.... It was just another week, just another day so to our family it was somewhat of a culture shock.  As we starved for the joyful feeling of Christmas we found that our spirits struggled with the lack of excitement.

We tucked in our children on the eve of Christmas and told them to sleep tight so Santa could work his magic.  Michael and I fell fast asleep and before we knew it we were being awaken at 4:30 AM by an excited 3-year-old saying, "There's presents under the tree!"  "Is Santa still here?"  "Should I get back in bed?"  I said, "Oh boy, I guess it is that time! Go wake your brothers and sisters!"

 Michael and I staggered into the living room to ensure crowd control.  The excitement was mostly for our kids and their happiness but still we struggled for that true peaceful feeling.

 AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!

Jarryd is the first reveal the prize!

 Aivah creeps closer and closer as she realizes who is handing out the gifts...

 Jace admiring his airbus.

 The kids loving their new toys!  Finally, they have something to play with!

 Collin looking possessed....

Jace also looking possessed....

The day played on and we had some errands to run.  What a weird feeling to have all of the stores up and running, not to mention totally busy streets ON CHRISTMAS!  We had heard from a friend of ours who's family was back in the Philippines and he was missing them badly.  With no dinner plans of our own I blurted out, "Join us for dinner tonight?  We'd LOVE to have you over!"  When he accepted our invitation my heart filled with joy!  So Michael and I stopped by the work of another friend of ours who's family is also out of the country and just as we were finishing up our conversation I again blurted out, "Please join us for dinner tonight?"  We'd love for you to join us!"  He smiled a smile I'll never forget as he accepted our invitation.

As it turned out there were dinner plans already with our neighbors that I hadn't known about at the time.  I scurried to make enough food, from what little we had, to feed as many people as I could but I worried how it would turn out since I was making it for the first time in a LONG time and with new ingredients never before used.  I was nervous but SO excited to have our friends who were missing the company of their own families.  This is when it hit me... I realized that the excitement I was feeling was that divine Christmas Spirit that I had been seeking.  It didn't come from the flashing lights, decorations, bell ringers, snow, Christmas music, or Santa Clauses running around the malls... It was the feeling that came with loving those around me, by inviting more people to share the holiday with us, by seeing the happiness on the faces of others.

Once the dinners were combined over at the neighbors house the joy spread even further as we all enjoyed each others company and good spirits.  What a blessed occasion it is to celebrate together, the divine birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these brethren, ye have done it unto me. ~ Matthew 25:40

Gal Pal's Cruising K-Town- Introduction to Public Segregation

Tonight I was invited by my my gal pal, Allyson to come along with her and her husband to do some shopping.  I was having a blast as I discovered many new stores and sites.  There are many of the same types of stores for instance there are more furniture stores than I can count!  Our first stop was to a stationary store so I thought, "HEY!  Maybe I can find some resources in my quest of learning arabic!"  So I wandered around the store noticing a familiar trend... There is book after book of learning english yet not a one for learning arabic.  So I ventured on taking a look-see at what else this store had to offer.  I came across these little boxes that you could grow different flowers or herbs from.  I picked up the box which you could grow roses from and I started reading it.  I couldn't help but burst out laughing as I was caught off guard by what this box had to say...

It read,
"When my wife and lover together, to create love.  Love must have flowers, so that two flowers are, although they left out of the flowers opened, on behalf of a passionate lover of the red, a gentle lover on behalf of the white, but they have the same name--- Rose."

NOW THAT IS ROMANCE!  HAHA!

So we continue on our adventure in Khamis or now known by me as K-Town.  Our next stop is the 5 Riyal store or better known to us USA folks as the dollar store!!!  WHAHOO!  Now this has to be good right?!?!?!

As we walked in my eyes widened... Oh my does this place look fun!

Allyson, Edgar and myself paroozed the store looking for any treasures that seemed irresistible :o)

Walking along Allyson and I stumbled upon something that would make our husbands look totally rockin'  and best of all we got Edgar onboard with our idea....

Now if we could get Mike on board for wearing this same hat into work the next morning hahahaha.  Is it just me or does Edgar totally look like Mr. Freeze off of The Incredibles?  Bahahaha!!!

Our next and final stop was at Yam Yams, this is kind of like an chicken sandwich version of Wendy's back in the States.  As Allyson and I approached the building I noticed two doors.  I almost went into the one closest to us but Allyson kept walking.  I nearly went into the MEN's side of the restaurant!!!  Whoopsie!  Allyson and I have to enter through the "family section".  Here in Saudi Arabia men and women are very much segregated and are not allowed to sit in the same room as one another unless they are a family.  If women enter alone they must sit in the family section.

 No, this isn't a changing room... These are family booths in a restaurant.

 Allyson being mysterious in our booth.

As you can see the family booths aren't very spacious....

So the time came for us to collect our food and head back home.  We were all adventured out and ready to call it a night.  Now to see if we can get the guys to suit up in their Spiderman caps for work HAHA!

Do WHAT In a Cup?- The Hoops of Obtaining an Iqama

As it turns out all of the pokes, prods, and other exams conducted on me in the States didn't quite cut it.... I get to do it all over again here in Saudi.  We have 90 days from entering the kingdom to obtain our Iquama which is our residency permit.  If we don't we can face a substantial fine for each day exceeding our 90 days.  Not much of the process makes a lick of sense to me but I guess it is one of those things that we have to shake our heads at and move forward.

So I had to laugh when I seen the size of the "specimen" cup.  For my USA friends...We have it made with our lab cups in the states because this one was just about as wide as a Mini M & M tube or better yet about the size of a .50 cent piece!  

So as Michael and I arrived at the hospital, I decided to get my camera ready... I had a hunch it was going to be interesting.

This is our local hospital, the GNP.  I am not sure what that stands for but I will update this once I find out.

So we get in line to check in and I am intrigued by how the hospital is staffed.  All receptionist were native Saudi women in their full black dress (burka and abaya).  They were VERY softly spoken which made it difficult to answer any questions they had for me.  The nurses were running around keeping very busy.  They were all different nationalities, I am assuming primarily Filipino because a couple who worked with me told me they were from the Philippines.  Unlike the native Saudi women they wore very pretty, white hair covers.

 My inconspicuous picture of the Saudi receptionists.  

Jace assisting me in taking an even more inconspicuous picture of the nurses.

We waited in the waiting room and I tend to get my fair share of stares any time we are in public.  I can't say I blame them... I am thinking my pasty, neon, white skin sticks out like a sore thumb especially when wearing my black hair cover and abaya.  I have striking similarities to the grim reaper.... no joke... kind of spooky.  

So I am called back to talk to a doctor and he approves me to have the physical done. Then I go on to have some blood work done.  We are helped by a woman with very broken English so that was a bit alarming for the sake of my vein.  Mike just told her Iqama and she knew what to do (whew).  She took me into a run down looking room and I sat down and hesitantly pulled up my sleeve.  

Now, I am cool with things being not so tidy, after all I am a mother of five.  However, I am not cool when the not so tidy is in a room where blood is drawn!  She tightened up my belt-like arm band and briefly walked away so I glanced down to check it out only to find a HAIR wrapped in the clip of the belt.  This was definitely not my hair as it was long and black. There were two other seats that were just filthy with dirt where people had been sitting to give blood etc.  I had Mike be my undercover agent and take pictures of the nasty :o)

 This was my arm band during the blood draw.

 Nasty dirty chair number one...

Nasty dirty chair number two....

She came back in and I looked away waiting for the botched blood work to begin... Hey it would go with the setting right?  I felt a slight poke AND..... that was it!!!!!  This woman did the most AMAZING blood draw I've ever experienced!  My spirit rejoiced as my vein was spared!  She gave me a tiny circle bandaid and sent me off with yet another "specimen" cup... sigh.  

Off we went to my next round of medical services.... The chest x-ray.  Michael and I sat out in the hallway and he taught me some new funnies hahaa.  It turns out that when a man needs the attention of another man but doesn't know his name he calls out to him calling him "Hammad".  Sure enough a man comes along and looks into the room across the hall from us calling out "Hammad".  I giggled thinking to myself, "Well what are the chances?"  A few minutes later a man in the hall wanted the attention of a medical staff so he calls out, "Hammad".  I couldn't help but laugh.  I figured that perhaps it wasn't that they were making up a random name but rather than hammad meant something in Arabic like maybe "excuse me" or "sir"... So I've researched Hammad and it turns out that it is indeed only a name.  

Because of this, I am inspired to start addressing random men back in the US as Richard.  Now, who in the world can't appreciate a name like Richard hahaha.

Moving on...  All went well with the x-ray so we headed out to run a few errands.  We stopped by Sacco which is much like Ace Hardware back in the States.  We had to pick up some night lights but decided to take a gander at what else Sacco had to offer us.  I was floored to come across what I came across next.... A USA original... The one and the only.... THE.....

 SHAKE WEIGHT!!!!!

As tempting as it was I had to resist purchasing such a revolutionary product.  Michael and I made our way to the checkout line when we noticed the Tornado Mop.  We needed a mop and the Tornado Mop looked like it could suit our needs.  It had a cool name and it looked nice... Hmmm why not.  We got the Tornado Mop home and we eagerly checked it out.  As I read over the box, I thought to myself, "WOW, now THIS mop is a winner!"  Take a look for yourself at the marketing MAGIC...

 Read the little motto directly under the Tornado Mop print- "More Easily Clean Help Feel Happy" HAHAHA False advertisement big time!  

Who knew a woman in HEELS could handle the power of the Tornado Mop?  Once again this product has me in awe.

So this is where I wrap up the day... I am totally funned-out from all of my undercover picture taking, specimen giving, Shake Weight modeling, and Tornado Mop reviewing.  Much love to my readers and good night!

Out On The Town- The Ooh's and Ahh's

FINALLY, a little bit of out time for momma!  Today we got out of the house for a little bit to do run some errands.  I am so use to getting up and going when I want to that I have started to go a little stir-crazy sitting at home.  We planned ahead by checking into what time the next prayers session was going to take place then we headed out.

We took Jarryd our 3 year-old and Collin our 5 year-old with us because it had been quite a while since they got to go for a drive.  Because we had arrived quite a bit sooner than expected we arrived right after stores had locked their doors.  So we went into the mall next door and window shopped.  I found it kind of eerie being in an empty mall during the middle of the day.  Back home at that time our malls would have been jammed packed.  Anyway, the boys needed to go potty so I thought to myself, "I'll give 'er the ol' college try..." and I set out to the women's restroom.  When I opened the door the smell hit me and I turned right back around and left.  Then I thought to myself, "I wonder if they have the classic Saudi toilets here..."  I knew if they did it would make for a great picture hahaha (the things I do to tell a story right?)  So I got my camera phone out, held my breath and I went back in. I rushed to the first stall and moved the door open with my foot as I pinched my nose with one hand and held the camera with my other.  THERE IT WAS, THE "BOMBS AWAY POTTY"!!!  I snapped my picture and got the heck out of there.  It was a crude mission but I prevailed.

 Now keep in mind... This here is a very nice toilet compared to the "original" version where you squat over a hole.  You can still find them around places like the airport, gas stations, and so on.  As you see there is no toilet paper, however, there is a hose... use your imagination :-)  Another thing that happens with these toilets is often after prayer time it is commonly practiced (not sure why but am looking into it) they clean their feet with water.  Often times these toilets and the surrounding floor are drenched in water from their foot baths.  I'll stick to a baby wipe for now...

So finally prayer time is over and the shops open back up.  Collin and Jarryd want an ice-cream SO we get a small snack and their yums from McDonnald's.  I start looking around for a garbage can... Okay, no garbage can in the food court.  I look at some of the tables and they are covered in garbage.  As it turns out, here in Saudi you leave your trash on the table and there are people who clean up after you.  I felt HORRIBLE leaving my trash for others.  We put our trash with another tables just so they wouldn't have that one extra table to tend to... sigh.

This was just one of many tables cover in garbage.  They do keep the mall clean it is just hard to make others pick up after you.

After we ditched our garbage on a random table I started looking around in the mall and I noticed something new... Something with not quite as much pizzaz back in the States yet it was looking rather scrumptious here.  CORN, no NOT popcorn, but whole kernel, almost canned corn looking. Now, I don't know about you but this big cup of corn is looking jazzy to me.  I'll help spread the good word!
Is there something special about THIS particular corn?  Who knows?  I'll have to give it a whirl one of these days!

Now moving on in our walkabout we next visited a Toys R Us.  WOWZA!  Now that is exciting right?  No, it really isn't.  These toys were horribly over priced.  I can get a pack of Hot Wheels cars from Walmart (in the States) for what... $5 bucks?  Over here they must shoot fire or something cool because for that same little pack of Hot Wheels cars they wanted nearly $20 dollars.  Yes, that is the USD conversion from Saudi Riyal currency.  So I scoffed... Yes, it's true, I scoffed then I walked on to the swimming stuff.  Oh yeah baby!  FINALLY, I can take the kids to the pool IF I can get them some proper flotation devices.
WARNING:  Those who are feminist might find these pictures to be jaw dropping.  Those who are not feminist might become so by observing the following pictures.  HAHA enjoy!

This is a swimming pool BOX.  Yes, the outside covers of ALL swimming products showing women in bathing suits are blacked out with a marker or pen!!!!!  However, I could be mistaken... Perhaps this means you get a free demon with every pool purchase?

I almost need counseling over this one... CREEPY...

WATCH OUT BEHIND YOU, KID!!!!!

Alright... Who couldn't wait to get to the restroom???

After we made our unbiased purchases from Toys R Us we finished up our To-Do's and made our final stop at Makboos Chicken and Rice.  Now this place is freaking YUMMY!  I couldn't help but notice though during Michael's ordering experience there were two gentlemen, workers, who were about to have a knockdown drag out fight.  Very entertaining yet no physical contact was made!

I really do enjoy it here in Saudi Arabia.  I am intrigued by the culture rather than offended.  I am very eager to learn about their way of life.  I never feel fearful or nervous when I am out on the town and in a sense it almost feels as if I've been here before. I mean this because I am not shocked or surprised much by anything I just shrug a shoulder and hmm at some of the new things I experience.  Every time we hit the streets I find a reason to take pictures so I LOVE IT!!!!

Learning to Conform- Respecting a Host Country

As we settle in to the kingdom we work on organizing our lives and reestabilshing our daily schedules.  Along with this my desire to take advantage of my environment has taken off.  We've borrowed the Rosetta Stone Arabic language sets 2 and 3 from some friends and we've ordered set 1.  I have started to study the written language and researching other online resources.

Not only is being in Saudi Arabia a good opportunity to learn another language it is a great opportunity to learn the ways of another culture.  As a guest in another country I believe it is only right for me to do what I can to conform to their way rather than them try to accomodate my language, my customs, my preferences.  Now while it is easy to dive into a new language and culture it isn't near as easy for me to adopt new foods hahaha.  I LOVE my food so adapting a new taste might just be harder than learning Arabic.

In the meantime, let's learn another language!

Arabic for Beginners

CHRISTmas Spirit in a Christ-less Country?

NOW WHO WUDDA THUNK IT!!!  A CHRISTmas party with Santa in Saudi Arabia!!!
It has been to my complete surprise to find not only Saint Nick in Saudi but also a lot more Christmas Spirit than I had expected.  Because you can't just go into any store and purchase Christmas decorations and so on I was totally floored when a friend of ours called to ask if we wanted a Christmas TREE!
As you can imagine there wasn't a wide selection of trees to chose from but just to have someone think of our family and them wanting us to have a tree brought that sweet Christmas spirit into our home.

When Michael brought in the battered box not much longer than a yard stick and no wider than a kids shoe box, I had to smile with the visual I had in my head.  I was excited to throw it together and start making things look a bit more what we'd have back home.  I put our little tree together and I am actually quite surprised as to what can be shoved in a box that small!!!  Our little "Charley Brown" Christmas tree is actually pretty cute for being rounded up in a Christ-less/Christmas-less country.

This came just in time to keep what little bit of Christmas excitement we had still from our most recent Christmas party.  It had a WONDERFUL drama to it about the Christmas story narrated by Santa himself.  I was so pleased to see the two main Christmas icons used together to convey the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

Afterwards, the kids were able to have their pictures taken with Santa.  I feared that being away from the US we wouldn't have a Santa for the kids to visit.  Aivah even made the visit with him official by giving him the "death glare" and screamed at him.  A Santa visit just isn't a Santa visit without a child getting upset to be in his presence haha.

I have been watching Christmas countdown posts on Facebook of our friends and family back home.  It is a completely new and WONDERFUL experience to have already had Christmas for ourselves,  I say this because now I am not caught up in the rush to get our own family Christmas to-do's completed and for the first time ever I am sitting back watching the joy and excitement of so many people all at once as they prepare to celebrate the beautiful holiday.  This has been a huge blessing and my heart is full for all those I love and care for back home.

 No, the elf isn't one of mine :o)

 What you don't see is Aivah in Threat-con level 4- Santa meltdown

 Good ol' Collin enjoying his grub!  No, I don't know the couple posing in the background hahahaha!

 Our friends sweet friends :o)

 Jace looking rather creepy and Jarryd with a knife... whoopsie!

 Singing ladies

 Singing lady with elf

 Aivah loudly protesting... 

 Ummm still protesting...

 Aivah done protesting... Kind of creepy haha

 I think he likes the food

 Jace pleased to have his picture taken

 Alexis not so pleased to have her picture taken

 Guess how many pictures it takes to get ONE decent picture hahahaha

 Yup, more than two time!

 More than three times!

  I got tired of counting so here is the end result... Finding out how many pictures are taken before you get one "good" one is much like counting the licks it takes to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop... The world may never know.   :o)  

 ~I really do enjoy all of the photos in between as it shows the personality of my family~

WHAHOOIE To the World's Biggest Shopping Trolley!

The family continues to battle out the sleep schedules but for the most part everything is going very well.  We've been told that it takes one week per time zone traveled to adjust.  This being said, we've traveled from Utah, USA (Mountain Standard Time) to Khamis Mushayt, KSA... You do the math haha!

Michael and I went to the grocery store tonight and have run into a problem unique to Saudi... Prayer times.  During prayer EVERYTHING shuts down.  If you are in the middle of grocery shopping they direct you to the front of the store to pay for what you have then you must leave.  There are approximately five prayer times per day.  This means you have to plan your day very carefully.  While we were waiting for the store to open back up I took a picture of what was deemed to be "the biggest shopping trolley in the world" and I must say... It is a convincing claim!  I also took some time to observe the people around and I became somewhat confused when I noticed that men were often holding hands as they spoke or walked together.  Michael explained that over here hand holding means that they are friends and that holding hands is a sign of friendship.  However, I don't know if this is specific to men or if the women do it as well.  I haven't seen any women do it so I am thinking it is a dude thing :o)
I am excited to go down into the shopping district again.  Hopefully, it won't be quite as terrifying this next time since our older two (or three) will be in class.  Man, I need to invest in a stroller!

Insha'Allah "God willing"

The title of this blog is a common phrase with the Saudi people and they live strictly with this in mind.  Our family has experienced first hand having to live strictly by the will of God.  After our back to back job losses in 2009, and two years of unemployment, we lost nearly everything we owned including the ability to be a family.

By the time 2011 rolled around we had lost both of our vehicles and our home was being foreclosed on.  Finally, a job opened but it was unlike any other we had considered in the past.  This job would require my husband, Michael, to travel internationally... to Saudi Arabia!  As much as I hated the idea, I knew this was what needed to be pursued. Over the course of our two-year unemployment we turned in countless applications and resume's and nothing panned out for us until this opportunity arose.

"God willing" was our attitudes and we prayed so hard for employment to support our family with.  God was willing and this is what he provided so it was our job to go with it.
Michael left in April of 2011 to Khamis Mushayt (Mushait), Saudi Arabia and I stayed home with the kids.  This had been the longest seven months ever because of the kids acting out from their dad's absence.  This became quite severe and further guided me to the thought that we needed to be together no matter where we are at.  Our children are: Alexis who is 10 years-old, Jace 7, Collin 5, Jarryd 3 and Aivah 2.

On November 29, 2011, our family, together, boarded the plane taking us to our new home away from home.  I expected our compound to look like a prison but it was anything but.  I felt at home right away and have had no problems settling in.  My only bicker is that the food taste different than it does in the states.  For instance, I bought a cheese burger that about made me gag.  Our Coke does taste different but I actually like it better here.  As for the kids have had a hard time regulating their sleep schedule but other than that we seem to be trucking along.

All of our neighbors seem very nice and almost as though they form a family with all those around them.  We have ventured off of the compound and I had the chance to wear my abaya and hair cover and even that wasn't as bad as I anticipated it to be.  It will definitely take some getting use to but it is interesting nonetheless.

 HOLY CRUD!!!!  We are really doing this!!!  The "butterflies" in my stomach were fluttering so bad.  The kids just wanted to get on the plane.

 This is after SEVERAL hours of flying... They aren't near as excited anymore haha.  The best part about our flight across the Atlantic was that we flew on an air bus and it was comfy!

 Me and my biggest fan.  My little gal pal Alexis.

 This is a picture of the security wall that surrounds our compound.  There are many layers of barbwire and razor wire along the top of the fence.

Another shot of the fences surrounding the compound.