Pure American
My husband gets mistaken for an Arab all the time here. And Mexican when we go to Central America, and Turkish when we’re in Turkey. He’s even been asked if he was Chinese at a couple points, which I really think is just too far. Nevertheless, he has the unique gift of blending in to […]
The World of Dates
I never gave dates much of a chance until I was recommended to try the bacon-wrapped date appetizer at Biaggi’s in Perrysburg (sorry Muslim friends, but everything truly is better with bacon). That divine little appetizer steered me on a path toward full-on date acceptance. Then my Saudi students started gifting me dates they had […]
Becoming a Mom in Saudi
Oct 14, 2018 – the day I became a mother. I woke up early with light contractions and started making pancakes for Sean bc it was his 30th birthday – about 12 hours later I was holding Ezra in my arms. In the blink of an eye my identity expanded and ‘mother’ became a role […]
I’ll Do Your Laundry if You’ll Do My Dishes
Laundry is my favorite household chore: washing, hanging, folding, ironing – I’ll gladly do anything related to clothing. 👚👖 :: I love that our apartment has a dedicated laundry room (with the bonus of a pleasant little window 🌞). It’s definitely not a crisp-white, shiplapped, Pinterest-worthy room but in a lot of apartments we viewed, the […]
I’m Not Fancy Enough for Saudi Salons
“Beenefsijee? Beenefsijee?! (Arabic for ‘purple’) Crazy, crazy…” The ladies at the salon were clearly not used to bold color jobs and they weren’t afraid to share their opinions. 😅 :: When I get bored and need change, my hair is the first victim. It adds a whole layer of excitement when the person wielding scissors and […]
Learning Arabic: A Lifelong Pursuit
Several years ago at university, I enrolled in Intro to Arabic and we spent a whole semester just learning the alphabet… It was then that I realized studying Arabic would likely be a lifelong process. 📚😂 :: The opportunity to be immersed in Arabic was a huge motivator for our move, although it is a bit […]
My Favorite Place to Shop in Jeddah
When IKEA gets a little old and I’m craving variety and inspiration, the first place I’ll pay a visit is the secondhand store, Mawakeb Alajer. :: If it’s not the only thrift store in the city, it’s at least the most popular. The two story villa is a treasure trove of unique Arab furniture and […]
No Thanks to Compound Life
We have been married 6 years and this is our 6th home together – 3rd in Jeddah. We’re not planning on moving again. 😆 :: Our apartment building is the tallest tan one on the right. The first floor is a drive-in garage area and we have the 5th and 6th floor. 🏠 In the […]
The Home Store that Feels Like Home
I know it sounds a little strange but IKEA has become something like a sanctuary for me here. :: It’s the place where I go to combat homesickness. I’m not Swedish so I’m not really sure why it works, but it instantly feels comfortable when I’m there. Maybe because the employees all speak English quite […]
Bizarre and Beautiful Sculptures
Jeddah is full of some of the oddest, most tacky… yet compelling sculptures. A boat spilling with giant fruit, a car on a magic carpet ride, a 15 meter granite and stone bicycle (supposedly the largest bicycle in the world) 🚲, a massive bronze fist, a huge protractor and ruler, a larger-than-life mosaic wave. 🌊 […]
