First Steps

Forget people crossing - look out for camels!

This is the first day of my first blog. I am feeling nervous and at a bit of a loss for words. Let's start as to why I am doing this. I want an outlet for my emotions and experiences of being an expat in a very alien environment. Hopefully there'll be others out there who are going through or have gone through what I'm experiencing and who can then perhaps offer words of wisdom or just encouragement to get each other through the current rough patch.

The magnificent Escarpment west of Riyadh on the road to Mecca

Modernity and Tradition - they are uncomfortable bedfellows in this country

 For that is what I have learnt in my 18 months in this alien culture. I have some brilliant times and then some not so very brilliant times where I struggle to try to understand what on earth we are doing here and question if it is worth it and what we as a family and individuals are actually achieving. I live with my family in a western environment in an alien culture. There are times when it feels that we are in a holiday resort with constant sunshine and beautiful pools. 

Camel training at Tabuk NW Saudi Arabia

 I came here from another overseas location so have been pretty used to not living in my own country. I knew that there were restrictions on the fairer sex in this country but thought "Others have done it, many for 10 or 15 years, so how hard can it actually be?" The answer for me is, a lot harder than I had imagined.

Madain Saleh - Saudi's Petra

Water server at the Janadiryiah Cultural Festival

The ordeal for camel and herder to get camels loaded

She was a proud mum having just given birth as we arrived!