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susie's big adventure
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Documenting an American woman's move to her husband's native Saudi Arabia in a post 9/11 world
Recent Posts Tagged With 'jeddah'
When It Rains, It Pours!
A n unbelievable downpouring of rain showers fell in Jeddah yesterday over a period of several hours, wreaking havoc on this normally very dry city and the surrounding area. I woke up to dark heavy clouds and the rare sound of ominous thunder. I hav...
Mugged in Saudi Arabia
My teenaged son, Adam, also known as Captain Kabob, was mugged on the streets of Jeddah last night - ironically the night before the start of Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims. He made a bad decision and mistakenly got into a car h...
Film Festival Finished Before it Started
One thing that my son and I miss the most since moving from the states to Saudi Arabia is simply going to the movies. There used to be movie theaters in KSA back in the 1970s. But when the big oil development boom arrived in the Kingdom, along with i...
Riding Horses in Arabia
Although there are many things that women cannot do here in Saudi Arabia, horseback riding is not one of them. Private equestrian centers are places where women are free to take off their abayas and uncover their hair. I would imagine that this is ...
An Educational Day
I was recently invited to be a guest at a medical conference that was held here in Jeddah at the Intercontinental Hotel which is located on the Corniche – the long and winding boardwalk running along the Red Sea coastline. I know, I know - I am no...
Still She Smiles
We first saw her at Burger King. She was sitting alone at a table in the family section, with no family in sight. We sat down at the table right next to her. We smiled at each other and she chomped a tiny mouthful of her giant Whopper sandwich which...
Hair Do or Hair Don't?
Yesterday our family was invited for dinner to the home of a Lebanese family whose son is friends with our son Adam. They live in a residential compound where women can walk around the grounds without an abaya or having to cover their hair. I was v...
Shopping Malls of Jeddah
One of the few things that women can do here in Saudi Arabia outside the home is shop. Consequently Jeddah is bursting at the seams with the newest craze in the whole shopping experience: "destination malls." Saudi Arabia is a shopper's paradise. ...
Hot Flashes
It's the middle of January and I'm still hot. Not as hot as spring, summer, or fall, that's for sure, but I just don't find the weather in the winter as cool here in Jeddah as everyone else seems to. Maybe it's just that the older I get the less tole...
Talking to a Wall
Hubby just got back from a trip he took with his brother "A" up to a small town in northern Saudi Arabia about 800 km away from Jeddah called Diba or Duba, or something like that. Trying to get information out of my husband - a man of very few words ...
The Road to Madinah
Early December marked the time here in Saudi Arabia when millions of Muslims from around the world came to perform what is called the annual Hajj - a requirement of the faith stipulating that all able bodied Muslims must visit the holy city of Mecca ...
Old Jeddah's Bab Makkah Souk
Jeddah, like many cities around the world, has a really interesting mix of ultra-modern and absolutely ancient. Less than a century ago, Jeddah was a completely walled in small city, boarded up at night to keep its residents safe from outsiders. It...
Old Jeddah and the Al-Balad District
The city of Jeddah is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, exceeded in population only by the capital city of Riyadh. Because Riyadh is inland and Jeddah sits right on the beautiful Red Sea, Jeddah is considered to be the commerce center of the c...
Like a Sister
My sister-in-law H is really good about including me in her plans. Spunky H is married to one of Adnan's brothers. She drags me along to most of her activities, like weddings, her family's get togethers, shopping, and other outings. And I must adm...
Weekend Getaway on the Red Sea
Last month we took a lovely weekend getaway out of town for my birthday, for three days and two nights, in a beautiful resort on the Red Sea north of Jeddah in an area called Obhur. (Weekends here in Saudi Arabia fall on Thursday and Friday). Our v...
The City of Art
One of the reasons that I was excited at the prospect of moving to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in the first place was because it is a city filled with art, mostly in the form of sculptures, everywhere. There is no exact count on how many works of art grac...
"No Reservations" in Jeddah
"No Reservations" is a hit TV show on the Travel Channel, in which charming chef Anthony Bourdain travels around the world sampling exotic local dishes and slices of life. The show made quite a splash in Jeddah earlier this year when an episode was ...
Safety in Saudi Arabia Scores Low
One thing that I have noticed here in Saudi Arabia is the seeming lack of concern for safety and well being of the citizens, children and workers. It has actually been a little shocking to me because I come from the US, where at times it can seem tha...
I HATE SHOPPING IN SAUDI ARABIA!
I hate shopping here in Saudi Arabia. All right, maybe the word “hate” is a little strong, but I for one, just speaking from my own personal experiences, really do not find shopping here nearly as enjoyable as I always did back in the states. The...
Life of Leisure on the Red Sea
Jeddah is often referred to as the Bride of the Red Sea and is one of its largest seaports. There is abundant and thriving sea life and coral reefs alive with colorful fish, octopus, sea turtles, crabs, and many other sea creatures. The Corniche runs...
Carpet Cleaner
Right next door to this medium sized neighborhood supermarket that we frequent sits a roomy open lot with 8 foot high lofty walls all the way around it, except for a sizable opening in the front where the massive gate is. From the top of the steps o...
Al Qalzam Fish Restaurant
One evening we drove out of the city a short distance to have dinner at a popular fish restaurant called Al Qalzam. Adnan’s whole family was invited to come, which in itself was unusual because mostly they all gather at one of the homes instead of...
Family in Crisis
Education for women in Saudi Arabia has gained tremendous importance over the past three decades or so. Prior to that, many women quit school to marry in their teens and raise their families. A girl’s education used to be limited to those areas s...
Ex-Pat Women in Jeddah
The expatriate women’s population here in Jeddah is comprised of a lively group of remarkable, energetic, and talented ladies from all over the world. Some have come here to work, some have accompanied their husbands who came here to work, and some...
Head Over Heels in Saudi Arabia
Recently I had the pleasure of attending an historic groundbreaking event here in Jeddah. In all likelihood, it was the first of its kind – a play called “Head Over Heels in Saudi Arabia,” written, directed, and performed live by “MS,” a wo...
Pajama Party
The other night, my sister-in-law “H” invited me to go with her to her sister’s home for her niece’s 15th birthday. The theme was a pajama party - not a sleep over party - where all the guests were asked to wear their favorite PJs. We were th...
Meet the Cousins
Recently Tata (my MIL) and I were invited over to my sister-in-law’s home. I knew it would be “Women Only” because I was told to dress nicely and wear makeup and jewelry. When we got there I learned that it would be a gathering of Adnan’s fem...
A Little Bit About Jeddah
You may have noticed a new look to my blog recently. The new heading graphic featuring the blog title is actually from a photo I took myself here in Jeddah. After some manipulating with Photoshop, the result is what you see now. It looks like a paint...
Shopping at the Fruit & Vegetable Souk
Jeddah's big open air Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Market (in Arabic, the word is "souk") is not far from where we live. It is about three blocks long by three blocks wide. Imagine something like a Costco or Sams selling ONLY fresh fruits and vegetabl...
Islam & Me - When in Rome...
Let me just start off by saying that the intent of this post is not to offend anyone or any religion. The opinions expressed here are solely my personal feelings and beliefs and I realize many people out there will not agree with what I have to say, ...
