Help Solve an Aramco Mystery
Two weeks ago my wife and I went into Khobar and stopped by a little coin shop. The owner had two Aramco medallions for sale. One says Safety Award and the date 1959. The other is an Award of Merit without a date.
A Party Like No Other
In the mid-1990s, Cordoba compound was opened in Riyadh. At that time, it was at least a 30-minute drive to get to the city center, with roads devoid of traffic, yet far out from the center of activity. It seemed a world apart from the heart of a bustling Sulamaniya/Olaya district we had come to love...
2020 Year in Review: Highlights from the Past Year
Through our common bond, Aramco ExPats from around the world persevered in 2020. Meaningful stories, heartwarming photographs, and shared memories helped us stay connected which was needed more than ever. Here at AXP, we draw comfort from this and hope that you do as well. These are some of the highlights...
The Camel Races of Kuwait – A Photo Essay
On a blustery, overcast day in early Spring 1988, a friend and I spent our Friday day-off work at the camel races on the outskirts of Al Ahmadi, near the small residential community for employees of the Kuwait Oil Company.
Layakath Could Stand So Still: Vignette from 'Life in the Camel Lane'
A palpable sensation of peace and power emanated from him. A sarong was usually wrapped about around his waist and with rough keffiyeh fabric wrapping his ears like a package. Calm, steady stillness poured out of him in every direction while he simply held Autumn Breeze’s halter.
Bus as Social Institution: Vignette from 'Life in the Camel Lane'
In Al-Hasa, a town about two hours from Dhahran, there was a remote clinic operated by Aramco and staffed with a multinational workforce. The closest camp to Al-Hasa was an Aramco-sponsored compound called Udhailiyah, where many ExPats lived and worked.
Arabian Winters: A Homage to the Arrivals and Departures in Dhahran
Home is shuffling through Heathrow to reach the gate counting how many movies I can watch based on the flight duration but underneath the exhaustion of the journey rested the excitement of nestling under the covers upon arrival.
Saudi’s Asir Province – A Photo Essay
Although retired only three short years, my wife and I jumped at the chance to return to Saudi Arabia to attend the KSA ExPats Reunion in March 2019. Saudi visitor visas were rare and difficult to obtain at that time, but Aramco seamlessly arranged visas for the reunion attendees.
A Trip Down Memory Lane with Bil Jines
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with William (Bil) Jines who arrived in Arabia in October of 1988. Bil was a senior reservoir engineer who was in the PEASD department on loan from Mobil Oil Corp. He and his wife, Glenda, lived in Dhahran. Of particular note, the couple is soon to celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary on December 23rd.
The Gift of Kings
Of all the senses, our sense of smell is one most closely linked with memory. The slightest hint of a familiar smell can trigger powerful memories of treasured moments past. Little wonder that when I cast my mind back to my first visit to an Arabian souq, it is the tantalizing aromas that I remember first and most vividly.
Big Adventure Inside the True Arabia: Vignette from 'Life in the Camel Lane'
Jacque graduated from college in 1985, immediately married her Greek boyfriend and within two weeks was living in the desert town of Hofuf in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Jacque’s husband was hired by a Greek friend, who was the general engineer for a local construction company.
Ma’a Salama Saudi Arabia: Making Peace Without Closure
I have a feeling that ExPats know a thing or two about closure. Closure is our mind and body’s way to be at peace with something we have lost—a relationship, a job, a move. For Aramcons, we all have to depart from the Kingdom at one point or another...
Arrivals: Vignette from 'Life in the Camel Lane'
“WHERE AM I?” This Middle Eastern adventure living and working in KSA was certainly not unique to me. Expatriates since the early 1930s have made thousands of similar trips to this same part of the world. Eight decades of history have happened since the inception of Aramco.
Have You Retired or Been Laid Off? Here’s How You Can Access Funds
The novel coronavirus has caused many changes in all our lives, but changes that can be particularly impactful include retiring or being laid off amid this pandemic. Reilly Financial Advisors wants to let you know that, no matter your situation...
A Princess Wedding, Saudi Style
My friend Sharon, who was involved with helping to establish the first Women’s Cancer Support Network in Riyadh (and editor of the network’s Cultural Cuisines Cookbook), was invited to the wedding of one of King Fahd’s daughters. She was told to bring a female friend and I was the lucky one.
Jewels in the Crown: Introducing the Endemic Birds of Arabia
While the Republic of Yemen, which includes the island archipelago of Socotra, dubbed the “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean”, boasts the highest number of endemic bird species of any country on the Arabian peninsula, Saudi Arabia now stands as the easiest and safest country in which to see many of these singular gems.
Behind the Sand Curtain
Saudi Arabia and Libya share a lot in common: camels, heat, a conservative Islamic culture and most of all--a lot of sand. They are also two Arabian countries where former Peace Corps volunteer Randolph Hobler lived and worked.
Cuba – A Photo Essay
“How was your leave?” “Where are you planning to go on holiday?” While the day-to-day workplace can be similar anywhere in the world, one of the favorite pastimes for ExPats living abroad is to discuss, seek advice, reminisce, and plan for their holidays.
Charlie Foreman’s Story: Stories from Expatriate Arabia Through the Eyes of a Third Culture Kid
I would like to start off by noting that the utmost privilege I have in writing these articles is the conversations I get to have with other Aramco Brats who lived in the Aramco towns at very different time periods.
Fall Migration 2020: Catch the Action at Al Ahsa’s Birdwatching Hotspots
With COVID-19 still limiting travel, migratory birds tease us with the purest symbol of what’s been curtailed for so many of us—the freedom of movement. Yet one unexpected gift of the pandemic-era lockdowns has been a renewed awareness of the wonders of the natural world around us.