Idea

Since they are not really sure how long it will take to complete my visa process and I am sitting in the hotel going stare crazy I decided I needed to do something constructive. I have been looking at Arabic classes for about six month now and thought this would be a great time to do that instead of sitting around being unproductive. So, I am off to Jordan to study Arabic in a few days. I’m excited about the opportunity but sure it will be a great challenge.

Emergency Departure

Today, is the last day of the current trimester and academic year. Yes, I made it! I was looking forward to going home and chilling out. You know, veg out on the couch, sleep, watch some movies and possibly work on my blog. No chance! I began to get a string of emails stating that my visa would expire on Sunday. Today is Thursday! And, I need to leave the country. Say what!?!  Well, in my opinion email was no longer the appropriate form of communication, thus I picked up the phone to call HR. The HR personnel asked me if I planned to go on vacation and if so, would I go ahead and take it. (Blink twice, take a deep breathe, blink again, open mouth, close mouth) Soooooo, you want me to purchase an international plane ticket with a three day departure time frame. Hold that thought – you have lost your mind. Actually, my response was, “I will not be purchasing a ticket as I had no plans on taking vacation until July. What the company can do is send me to Bahrain and pay for me to reside at a hotel.”

This is the icing on the cake! First, the company had to send about 30 teachers to Bahrain several weeks ago as their visas were expiring. We were all told the teachers would be back in about three days and that turned into weeks for several of them. So, that left the remaining staff and classroom teachers short staffed and overcrowded. And now, you are doing this to senior management as well? I don’t have any words for this type of non-organization and inconsideration. It is simply unacceptable. The company did agree to comply with request/demand. I told them the driver could pick me up on Saturday, giving me a day and few hours to pack and get my things together as I was in the middle of creating timetables for the next academic year. Well, off to Bahrain I went and here I am; working in the hotel – in a waiting pattern.

Touring Saudi Arabia

I have been working so hard these days that I haven’t really had the opportunity to explore the country. Everyone knows that I don’t believe in staying in a country, state, or city and not know what secrets, history, and hidden places it holds. So, I outlined a weekend of adventure for myself and invited two friends along. One of them was able to tag alone, Mia. We started the weekend by having a driver drive us to Riyadh instead of fly. We had dinner at a nice place and settled in for the evening as our touring would begin early the next day.

We starting out by doing all the hiking in one day. I read that it’s best to go to Hefta Cave as early as you can due to the heat and possibly a crowd. We were able to arrive to the surrounding without a hitch and in no time. It was finding the actual cave that became a problem. After about an hour and a half of searching we found it successfully. It was worth the search. You simply see this huge monument of a mountain that you realize could be possibly a cave and then when step into it you realize it is in fact a cave with natural spring water at about 100 – 125 feet below. The view was stunning and natural oasis looked refreshing. I didn’t go into the water as there were only men there and well, you know how Saudi is. I was down for it, but my friend Mia was freaking out it. SMH. Nevertheless, it was still a pleasant experience.

Once we left there we traveled back into the city as we need to go to the opposite end of Saudi. We grabbed a bite to eat and then headed to find what is famously referred to as “The Edge of the World.” The ride there was very harsh and bumpy. We stopped to say, “Hello” to our animal tanned friends, Mr. and Mrs. Camel and then proceeded to our destination. I could definitely understand why they call it The Edge of the World. Literally, there is nothing, I mean nothing for miles long. No sign of past habitation, no sign of current habitation; just lifeless and hot with a plethora of mountain formations.

After of the day’s rock climbing and exposure to heat, I was ready for a shower and the bed once we returned to our hotel room. I even ordered room service since I couldn’t bear to leave the room again. It was a good day.

The second day was more relaxed. It was full of true tourism viewing. The driver drove us around and we existed the car when we so pleased to get a better view of the scenery of our choice. First, we travel the old capital of Riyadh, ----. In that city there remains remnants of the original structures and royal family’s castle. History states that Riyadh became the new capital as ---- was too small to contain its growing population Back then, they would build walls around their cities and have guards at varying entrances and in strategic places to word off the enemy and the original area no longer suited that needed. Once on the grounds, we were pleasantly surprised to find out they were rebuilding and preserving those artifacts in the area and adding venues such as restaurants, shopping stores, and an open park.

After we saw all that we could see, we headed over to Fort ---- and Chop – Chop Square which are literally next to each other. The fort was full of artifacts and history about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in general and the purpose the fort served. Then, there was the Chop – Chop Square. Yes people, it does exist and it’s true. There is an area where they publicly behead people for their crimes. Actually, these days there are several areas where the punishments are handed now. These places are now rotated instead of it being strictly one area. If you are not aware, Saudi follows the Sharia Law, which is the law of religion. Thus, the punishments can be quite brutal and range from lashing to beheading. Really, what more is there to say about this area? It’s where people lose their lives for the crimes they have commented. Don’t commit a crime and you will be just fine.

Saudi Women: In Focus (VIDEO)

This is a compilation video about women in Saudi and how they are making strides to be more independent and contribute to their national history as well as local society. The educational reform that I am currently working under is meant to do just this! Create more independent women and provide them with a sense of self identity. Now, whether or not that is happening to the level of significant impact is another story. Unfortunately, as I am sure we can all relate, most of the institutions meant for women reform are more concerned about the money than anything else. 

Kingdom Centre

I have driven by this massive structure on several occasions when traveling to our other two colleges; however, I never took the time to explore exactly what the structure was all about. So, this business trip I decided to go a bit early and get in a little sight-seeing; mainly the massive structure affectionately known as Kingdom Centre.

Kingdom Centre is located in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. It is the third tallest building in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the third largest building in the world with a hole. The centre encompasses a mall, the Four Seasons hotel, and the Sky Bridge. The mall is fitted with various named brand stores from across the country. The Four Season hotel speaks for itself. The Sky Bridge was a wonderful experience with a large view to take-in and enjoy the scenery.










Kingdom Centre