The difference between a compound taxi and a city taxi

So, after being here for over a month, I still do not miss driving. The biggest reason for this would have to be from watching people here drive. As I have said before, there are not "rules" per say, more like suggestions that everyone ignores. The only law everyone follows are the stop lights, and, even then, yellow means, "Floor it!" So, frankly, taking taxi's everywhere is the only way to travel unless you know a man with a car (Chris you need to hurry up and get here!).

As for the price of a taxi, well it varies based on distance and type of cab. With gas prices soaring here at $0.46 per gallon it can get kind of pricey here to travel as I am sure you can imagine. ;-)

Now, here is where the gamble comes in to play. There are two types of taxis in Jeddah. You have compound taxis and city taxis. Compound taxis are, obviously, run through the compound. They are open 24 hours and will take you anywhere you want to go outside the compound as well. They wear a uniform, have a visible taxi certification, speak ok English, and all drive a 2009 white Toyota Camry. This is the way to travel is you are alone and need to get somewhere. However, you have two downfalls. First of all, they cost more, usually between $3-$8 depending on distance. Also, they claim to know where everything is, but, sometimes, they will take you on a crazy 2 hour drive around the ghettos of Jeddah trying to find a translation office and, when you get there and discover it is closed, they take you to an even more ghetto part of town, drop you off at a hole in the wall "office" and leave you to wonder the streets for an hour. This will also occur during prayer time when everything shuts down so there is nowhere to go inside at 12 in the afternoon in 102 degree heat wearing all black. So, all of this to say, there is defiantly a risk involved.

The other option is to walk out of the compound and take a city taxi. This, I learned, is something you never do alone. The upside to this is that it is defiantly cheaper, they know the city very well, and they can get you where you want to go faster. The risk involved with city taxis is as follows. They...
1. Don’t always speak English
2. Love to stare
3. Don’t always have certification visible
4. Don’t always have personal hygiene
5. Don’t understand staring is rude
6. Think they are NASCAR drivers
7. Don’t have a running meter so you have to specify a price before driving
8. Have to wear appropriate attire
9. Love to stare
10. Have some very beat up cars which makes you wonder...

However, these are some of the best adventures of Saudi especially when you do it with friends.

It is fantastic how certain people are placed in your life at certain times. You don't understand why or how, but something greater than us seems to control the movement of pieces in our lives with direct precision. I am seeing this more and more everyday with my across the hall neighbors.

We went to TGI Friday's on Wednesday night to celebrate TGI Wednesday. We have passed it every day to and from school and, after a long week, I wanted something that reminded me of home. In the case of TGI Fridays, I wanted potato skins. We took a compound taxi, (remember what I said about them) and thought it would only take 5-10 mins. 25 minutes later we end up passing TGI Fridays and in front of Hardees trying to explain to our limited English taxi driver to go back. We finally get out and walk to the family section of the restaurant. Segregation in restaurants is a huge thing here. Heaven forbid a woman was to walk into the singles section which, by the way, is where the comfy chairs are. We must go to the wooden chair section AKA family section. I have really come to appreciate how most Americans can at least keep their children at the table during dinner, even if they are not exactly being good. The children here, who are all in the family section, run around like crazy people hitting the glass windows, playing tag through the restaurant while the parents pretend they are not there or the nanny is trying round them up. It makes for a very loud dining experience. I guess since there is no music in any stores or restaurants, the screaming children is about all the background noise they will allow.

It was disheartening when we got our food, which took forever and arrived out of order, and my potato skins where tiny and bland. Oh bacon, how I miss thee. However, we laughed our way through dinner as we talk about what got us here and wonder what our cab ride home would be like.

We ended up taking a city cab that, as usual, tried to rip us off. Thankfully we are learning to barter and have no problem waiting for a new taxi which, thankfully, usually drops the price by half. For the most part, this was one of the few uneventful city taxis. The last one we were in had really bad BO, looked in his rear view mirror at us the whole way, and, when one of the girls in the front seat tried to get out, realized the door handle was broken. Meanwhile, the rest of us got out of the car breathing the fresh humid air of Saudi.

Everyday is a new adventure...

YAY PICTURES OF MY APT! MORE PICS TO BE COMING!


So, this week has defenitly left wondering how on earth I ended up drinking camel's milk for lunch this afternoon in October. I finally have settled into the school routine..ish. I know all of my kid's names, even if I do mix them up with 4 boys named Omar. I also learned that you cannot teach ABC in second grade by having the student's put themselves into ABC order. Why? Well when more thank half of your boys names start with the letter A, and the rest are H,O, and Y with many name repeating, it is a recipe for disaster. However, I am learning.

I also have learned parent communication, as important as it is, can be the hardest thing to do when there is a language barrier. I had my first parent conference today and I had to have a translator. Somehow, I feel something is lost in translation, but it went well...I think?

The highlight of the week had to attempting to open up a bank account and I say this with the utmost sarcasm. First, I must explain that in order to open an account you must obtain your residency card and a letter of authorization from your employer. Now, Saudi paper work moves as fast as a snail going up a greased pole. So, once you obtain these documents, you must go to the bank to open up your account. I dont leave school until 4pm each day and dont get home until 4:30. In addition, the bank workers have the same work schedule as I do and therfore work until 4pm most days. Luckily, the only time I really have to go inside the bank is to open the account. Deposits and transfers can be done at an ATM or online. However, this still requires the inital visit to the bank. So, I get off early on Monday with another lady I work with and we go to the woman's branch of the bank. We get there, along with a number of other people, and proceed to wait 25 mins to be told that we cannot open up a bank account today because the system was "down." HOWEVER, after explaining to them all we had to go through to get off work early, take a taxi here, and waiting, they agreed to let one person get an account. How their system magically popped up for one other person is beyond me. However, I digress. So, the next day, we go to a different bank branch to open the account. We sit down and everything is going great. HOWEVER, apparently on my residency card, I have no occupation which means I cannot open up an account until I have an occupation. We were told by the banker this happens a lot along with them putting the wrong gender on the card. It does not matter I have a letter from my employer with all the same information on it. So, thankfully, I was able to transfer funds home using a friend's account, but I still lack a bank account. The bank teller felt so bad because I was upset that he brought apple juice. Apparently, apple juice makes all things right with the world. Oh Saudi...

Thankfully that night we had a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner with a lot of the staff from the school which was fun and helped to cheer up. Then, yesterday I went to yet another mall in Saudi. I use to be impressed that I had 3 malls within 20 mins in GA. I think I have 10 within 20 mins here. They all start to look the same after awhile.

Today was our adventure day in Jeddah! The morning started out with a bus trip to starbucks which, I thought, was a good sign for a good day. Then we took our second stop at the red sea fish market. Now, I am personally not a fish fan in the least. However, after today, I can honestly say that hell is going to smell like this fish market. The smell was AWFUL!!! I really and truly wanted to pass out. However, the floor was made of tile, was slick, and was covered in fish juice and water. I chose to wear flip flops on this little endever which I am convicned was almost like a suiced attempt. I was slipping and sliding and the only thing to grab onto if I fell was fish, lobster, or giant shrimp. I felt like a fish morge personally. THankfully I excaped with my life but not without keeping the lovely scent of dead fish on my abaya.

The next stop was a shopping center in old Jeddah where we haggled, browsed, and bought "Italian table clothes." Our final stop was at a camel farm. I apparently bonded well with the camels and will post pictures soon. I also tried fresh camel's milk which, once you get past what you a drinking, you realize it is not half bad. You only live once so live it up! We did not get to ride the camels, but I guess we have to save some excitement for the next 2 years.

PR:
- I am missing friends and family a lot so strength is needed
- Dealing with parents
- Commitment to keeping with His plan for my life

First FULL week of school

It is amazing how ingrained Monday-Friday being the "work week" is in our brains. Somehow TFIW (Thank goodness it’s Wednesday) and hating Saturday (our Monday) does not compute in my westernized mind. Thankfully, it's not just me. Many times when we expats talk to each other, we will talk in terms of our western work week and have to correct ourselves. It all becomes really confusing and yet, make sense. Part of me wants to e-mail my friends at home and say "Haha its Wednesday and you have 2 more days to work and I am on my weekend!" HOWEVER, I know the retort on Saturday would be "HAHA you have 5 more days till your weekend." These are the goings on in my mind so I apologize if that makes no sense.

Wednesday was teacher appreciation and WOW. It takes the concept to a whole new level here. Teachers get gold plates, clothes, expensive perfume, expensive jewelry, flowers, and more chocolate than you could ever think to eat. I know I had at least 4 kids come around passing out krispy kreme doughnuts (Just an FYI, they had heath bar crunch doughnuts.)I think in our apartment building we will be hyped up on sugar till spring.

I have learned some rather interesting things being an American in Saudi. First of all, the media has truly misrepresented the culture over here. The hospitality and generosity of the families here is not to be believed. Also, I have learned what it means to be different. As I walk through malls or on the street, I felt so awkward when EVERYONE stares and points. Yet, if I saw a Saudi in my hometown, I would probably do the same things. There is a serious change of perspective that is occurring. What I have seen and researched now is what I see every day. It really is eye opening. I am going to go back to the States and wonder why all the women are not wearing abayas.

This upcoming week should be eventful. More shopping, more school, and so many unknowns. Yet I am thinking I will be getting my diving certification which is very exciting. I will also be going on a boat trip on the Red Sea in mid to late November. Still no concrete plans for Hajji and no concrete time for me to post photos but I am working on it. The one photo this week is in honor of my mother and grandmother. Grilled cheese with raspberry "preserves." Yes, this is a taste of home and much better than PB&J.

PR:
-A horrible flu is circulating through Jeddah and has been affecting students and teachers. I have not so far gotten it and am trying to stay healthy
-I have developed good relationships here and will fight to be a light
-I really have been missing home so strength to know that there is a bigger plan for why I am here
-To stay positive despite a lot of negativity going on