What Day Is It?

Things are a bit confusing here for us. First we have to keep all the different time zones right. We are exactly on the other side of the world from Anchorage so the 12 hour time difference seems pretty easy right? Usually it's OK. We talk to Grandparents early in the morning or late at night. However, we also have siblings that we talk with regularly in Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones. That gets a little crazy.

Now here's where it really gets complicated. Saudi Arabia's weekend is Wednesday night through Friday.  So our Sabbath is on Friday. When we are just finishing up our weekend the rest of you are just starting it.  Since we aren't used to this whole new arrangement, sometimes when we are making plans we'll say let's do that on Friday night but we really mean Wednesday night. Then we have to ask each other, "Do you really mean Friday, or do you mean the weekend?" Then we have to correct ourselves.

Now, for the boys their whole lives they have heard that Sunday is a special day and we don't do certain activities... but now we can. So we just try and "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy" whatever day that ends up being.

Just to make it even more confusing, the surrounding Arab countries' weekends are different than Saudi's.  Bahrain, which the locals frequent regularly, has a Thursday/Friday weekend.  Dubai is the same way, so trying to get special weekend rates or make plans 'for the weekend' is complicated.

On to another topic. The desert is growing on us. The rock formations in camp are really cool, but there are only a few. The surrounding desert is not so pretty. Don't get me wrong - there are parts that are nice to look at but along the road it is just old tire after old tire and litter everywhere. This desert is nothing like the American Southwest we are used to.

We would post some pictures, but we like our new employment. I can take pictures on camp but have to be very careful. Our home is in the middle of the oil field and taking pictures of infrastructure is illegal. I did get a nice one which is a view diagonal from my house.

Contrary to popular thought, I do not have to wear the abaya (long black head to toe covering) when off camp. I do however have to be extremely modest in dress (i.e, long sleeves, long pants, no cleavage).  Right now it's not so bad but in 120 degree weather I will not be so happy-- but probably happier than the abaya girls.

Two weeks ago I was out and modestly dressed while shopping. I had Graham in the front pack, and everyone kept staring at me. I thought I guess they have never seen a baby front pack before. Later I realized that they aren't used to seeing women without an abaya and taking care of her own child. I was told they all have nannies for that sort of thing.

Which brings me to another point. Everyone on camp has a gardener, a house boy to do the cleaning, and a housekeeper/nanny. My new friends all keep asking when our help will be arriving. We got the gardener, I have a house full of boys, and I am the nanny/housekeeper.  I say my help should be riding his bike home from work at 4:00.

I am seriously missing my regular babysitters.