Funeral Traditions
We came home one day to a blocked street in front of our apartment. Rugs lay side by side, blanketing the road, chairs were organized in rows, and bulb lights were strung overhead. At first we thought there was a neighborhood party we weren’t invited to, but the atmosphere was a little too formal and […]
Saudi’s Swift Response to COVID-19
Saudi has taken Covid-19 seriously from the start. They reacted quickly by closing their borders, suspending all flights and implementing a nationwide curfew that reduced travel between cities. All this happened when their number of cases was still low. :: Over the past 3 months we’ve experienced a variety of curfews and restrictions, usually with […]
My Experience at a Saudi University
I first learned of King Abdulaziz University from my colleagues in grad school at the University of Findlay, circa 2012. They were Saudi, had worked at the university, and were in the US to receive more training. In the years after grad school, the idea of applying to KAU always lingered in the back of […]
You Don’t Know Your Birthday?
I used to run university orientations for international students in the US and there was inevitably a lot of paperwork involved. We had to get student info and have them sign releases, etc. Often my Saudi students would have a hard time writing their birthdate, or even telling me what day it was. At first […]
Prayer by the Seaside
Upon first glance, we thought these rectangular boxes that can be found in parks and along the Corniche, were benches. Eventually we realized they are actually prayer rug holders. :: If you look closely, you can see a crank on the short side. When the crank is turned, a long rug rolls out of the […]
Into the Desert…
Dune bashing/off-roading/“going to the desert” is a thrilling weekend activity for adventure seekers in Saudi. Sean has a coworker who is really into it and he’s taken us out a couple times. :: Like most sports or activities, dune bashing has die-hards who go every weekend and we were introduced to this group of guys […]
The Cult Chicken Favorite of Saudi
Our first couple months in Saudi, we would constantly get the question, “Have you tried Al Baik yet?” :: Al Baik is a greasy, fried chicken chain with a major cult following. It gets hyped up similar to Chick-fil-A or In-N-Out Burger in the US – but let’s be clear that it’s more of a […]
Gathered Around the Kitchen Table
Although we have a nice dining room, most meals are eaten around this little kitchen table. I love our kitchen for the space it has, the huge bright window over the kitchen sink, and the inoffensive tiling (much of the tiling here is very eclectic – our last kitchen tile design was a confusing combo […]
Working as a Hospital Pharmacist in Jeddah
King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital is where Sean works as a clinical pharmacist. He’s only one of a handful of Americans employed there. It is a military hospital which is under the Ministry of Defense and Aviation. The Director of Defense is Mohammad bin Salman, so…basically Sean’s boss is the Crown Prince of Saudi. 😁 :: […]
Home to the Largest Olive Plantation in the World
Growing up, olives never had a place in my food consumption. Then I studied in southern Spain where olives are served with every meal… where my host mom would use generous portions of olive oil for cooking, poured from a huge jug kept on the floor by the stove…and where I toured an olive oil […]
