Staying Put!

One thing I really need to accomplish while being in the states for such a long time is to obtain a drivers license. I have been driving in Bahrain for the past year without one. Yes I just admitted to breaking the laws of Bahrain, but I did have an international DL but no accompanying valid DL in any country.

We changed our residence twice after leaving Louisiana and I never registered a DL in either state with my moves. My LA drivers license expired six years ago and I didn't realize what a pain in the tush it would be to get a new license. In New Jersey there is a six point system to proving your identity, which I have, a proof of address, which I have and than since I haven't had a valid drivers license in six years it is like starting all over again. Now I did have a DL in New Jersey which expired in 1993 and they have the DL number for it. I also have my expired one from LA but they don't care. A few women sympathize with my situation but not enough to change the rules.

I failed my first written exam, I don't drink so I don't know how many points it takes on a breathalyzer to make it illegal for someone to drive. I don't think people should drink and drive at all. So that part of the test I failed. I'm also not a new driver, I've been driving since I was 17 and I don't know anything about these new crazy laws they have in NJ regarding their 'graduated license program'.

It must be hard on kids today, when I was 16 I went in for my permit and got my DL not long after. I passed the first time around and didn't have to wait for so long. Now with the new insane set of laws you can get a permit at 16 as long as your enrolled in a driving school than you can drive with a license driver for six months and graduate to another level at 17 as long as you pass the road test. You than get a permit for 1 year and you have to drive with a license driver over 21 and only one other passenger and than pass the road test and get a regular license at 18.

I took the second written exam today and passed with room to spare but have to wait until August 3rd to take my road test. Yes I have to prove to someone that I can drive and I swear if I fail I will scream!! I need the drivers license in order to help Mr. Man drive to MO and to be honest I'm not his best passenger. Sure he has driven me a bit over the past eight years I've lived in Saudi but I usually complain.

He tends to have the habit on a highway of putting his foot on the gas than easing up, continuously. While it is so slight I don't think other people notice but I do and it annoys me. And he is also the type of man that has to go around the parking spot fifty times before he parks. In a spot you pointed out the first time around. DRIVES ME CRAZY!!! I still haven't learned to bite my tongue about it so he usually rants on about "I've been in the game for 10 years" don't ask because I can't explain it either. (I hear you Mr. Man.. your saying it now!!)

When we lived in the states and went out I was the driver, always. He didn't mind I think mainly because he drove a lot for work so it might have been nice for him not to drive. But I do think part of it is his unspoken acceptance that I'm a better driver. Sure the Saudi in him will never admit it, but I know Mr. Man I know.

I was kind of hoping that someone might take a look at me and listen to my situation and understand or at least look upon it as an act of American liberation to the poor down beaten oppressed woman who has experienced gender discrimination for the past eight years. Why couldn't I get some ultra feminist determined to free me from my oppression with a NJ drivers license? I don't care how much of a farce all that is I'll go with it for the license. I don't want to have to take my father along on our outings or beg my brother for a ride. I want to be the grown woman of five children that I am and be freely mobile, like I am in Saudi. But no, I got some guy who folded his arms and I swear has never smiled in his life as he uttered "tell me the story".

Considering that I need the license I have to stay here until the road test than Mr. Man will be here and we will leave together. Probably the best plan anyway I really don't want to uproot these kids time after time traveling off to the unknown and showing up on peoples door steps. Jihad is in a baseball camp for two weeks, his nick name is wheels because he can move around those bases. My father is still in the hospital, saw him today he looks better and his room mate wants to sign Jihad up for football (older man was a coach for twenty five years a talker like my father).

I also laid it down to my brother and said enough is enough!! This will be our last visit so he has to get with it even if he doesn't want to. I don't care if he frowns the entire time, gives me and the kids someone to joke about. I don't care if he complains, I don't care if his girlfriend leaves him (yea she was jealous of me, his sister, I say not a healthy relationship but he can't see it). I don't care if I took over his house he is hardly here anyway. I just care about making the best of this mess as much as I can for the sake of my kids. Thank God they are easy to please (they were excited about bunnies in the backyard today and lightening bugs) and will just go with the flow.

You Can't Choose Your Family

It can't be said I didn't try to extend myself to my brother. It has only been a week since our arrival and I think after the 2nd day I wanted to leave. As a mother myself I couldn't understand the words of my own mother in which she claimed she was done with her son, had given up on him and died so disappointed in him. I couldn't comprehend how a mother could say those words but as I sit here I honestly understand now how she got to that point. I understand that after years of extending herself only to be let down by even the smallest and simplest of things brought her to a point where she had given up on any close relationship with him.

Don't get me wrong I'm sure she loved him as any mother would love their son. But I just don't think she liked who he became, the choices he made, and how he acted so self absorbed and continually turned his back on the only family he has. I watched over the years and even with my constantly trying to patch things up between them, how it all unraveled. How she got tired of extending her self, as I am now, and just gave up.

I'm there now and I'm saddened by it all. I'm saddened that even with his own mother dying with such disappointment he has chosen not to change. Saddened that even when he was down in a place where no one would even consider giving him a shot we (Mr. Man and myself) gave him one but yet he turns us away now. He honestly thinks that he was entitled in some way, that we did wasn't all that much in the big grand scheme of things and that he honestly doesn't understand that we are the only family he will ever have and he is blowing it.

As my father lies int he hospital with pneumonia once again I think of how he could have died if I wasn't here. And as sad as that is to me as he is my parent, I am even more shocked to consider that my brother doesn't get it.

I'm considering my options now, staying till Mr. Man arrives next month or packing it up at the end of the week and finding some place to go. I mentioned this to my brother whose only words were "where would you go". Not the right words "No don't even think of it, I'm sorry I'm an arse let me try to do right as an individual", no nothing like that but I guess I'm just a different person and I thank God I am.

I looked up at him and said "I do have people in this country that love me" and Hannah chimed right in "Yea, my mom is popular". And he turns to her and says "What is she a rock star??" and because I am who I am I started to sing

So what!! I am a rock star I got my rock moves and I don't neeed you!!

So where would I go? I'm thinking some gals would be glad to receive me in Louisiana I'll know more this week as Jihad finishes up his baseball.

Saad Group Troubles

Since I have complained several times on this blog about various Saad group businesses I thought I would give the down low on what the word is around time. For those that don't know Ma'an Al Sanea heads the Saad group but as of late things have taken a turn for this billionaire. Now while I don't particularly care for some of the business practices of his compound or hospital I have nothing against this man, or his children (I know two), or his family in general.

For those that are totally lost Al Sanea owns Saad hospital, I've complained here more than a few times about this hospital. From 1. having the worst birthing experience ever 2. loosing a child during a dentist visit 3. hating the phone operators 4 the increase of prices to ridiculous amounts 5 the lack of common sense that many seem to display. While I do really like some Drs. such as my OB/GYN I won't go to another, my mothers old Drs in surgical and oncology (ever get cancer I'm going to her Dr.) and we have had good dealings with a few other nurses,Drs and even therapists over the years. No Umar can't stand Bayzura but I think she is doing wonders for that boy even though I think one day he is going to knock her out and make a run for it.

Their compound drove me insane and while it had some of the best facilities and largest homes I hated their management's attitudes, their waste of money, and their over populated staff. I tell you rabbits had nothing on the staff that seemed to reproduce over night but not many seemed to do anything. Many might recall my fight over the trees, where they uprooted them and imported and planted date tress (what a mess they make), the poisoning of my cats, as well as the picture I took of 10 guys digging a small hole for a wooden pole to go in. And let us not forget when a man (or men who knows) broke into my home and one of them did something very perverted on her bed.

So word is that there is a family dispute over some inheritance. Probably that coupled with Saads liquidity problem and your heading for major disaster. Since the freeze of Mr. Ma'ans personal bank accounts and that of his family many innocent people are being effected. Word has it some 500 employees thus far have been fired, many from the main head quarters and several are upper management who needed to go long ago if you ask me. Unnecessary staff from the hospital has been cut back and word is next month many Drs will be given the boot. While I can give a list of some Drs I would love to see go as their attitude, knowledge and patient relations stinks like a sewer I also have a long list of Drs who I wouldn't want to see loose their jobs.

They have closed down several restaurants, fired chefs, even the good Japanese restaurant at Oasis is shut down. I loved that restaurant the staff was so very good, their chef was super friendly, and their food was great. While they were heading for a slow down considering summer time is upon us I still feel bad these men all lost their livelihoods. There are plans on closing down places to eat at the hospital itself and go from several to just one cafeteria for all of their employees, the ones that are left anyway.

And this isn't all small scale, Saad hospital has been working on a new much needed oncology unit which word is won't ever open. I have no idea how much money they have put into the building, the equipment, and everything else that is needed in such an extensive project as that unit but now it may never pay off. And yes I would argue that Saudi has a whole needs a hospital that provides more extensive cancer treatments and has better services than what is available now. Of course this building wasn't going to be just limited to cancer treatments either so that brings in a wider need in this country that will not be realized and what a loss that will be.

Like so many other things in life it is amazing how one so big, rich and full of resources can so quickly be at risk of loosing it all. I'm sure things will eventually be worked at but what will be the loss? I do hope that Saad hospital isn't closed entirely or the Drs who are so wonderful are given the boot in favor of less paid staff. Although I seriously can't blame any of the staff looking for other jobs considering their futures hang in the balance of bad business decisions and a family feud over billions of dollars.

It is going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. As of now on one knows for sure what is going to happen with them as I'm sure Ma'an Al Sanea is unsure as well.

Lady It Is Not A Parking Spot!

Coming out of Mickey D's after a nice quick lunch with two of the girls. Ok not a nice lunch in terms of nutrition and taste but nice in that it is just me and the girls. Backing out of the parking spot which was right near the Mickey D's drive thru entrance I had to beep my horn at a guy who was blocking me. He moved I started to back out only to be blocked off by some older lady oblivious to the world.

"Mama she isn't even moving she is putting on makeup" Leyna says just as annoyed with her as me.

I look, she is plucking hairs from her face not caring I'm stuck and now cars are lining up no one able to move because she decided to park where it isn't a parking spot.

Waiting... I beep my horn.. she isn't paying attention. I'm annoyed I get out of my car and walk up to her.

"Lady this isn't a parking spot and your blocking me from getting out" I said nicely

"This is a parking spot" she says

"No this isn't a parking spot and your in the way" at this point she should apologize at least

"This is a parking spot I can park here" not the response I was looking for

"Lady you ran over a plastic cone it is NOT a parking spot!!" I said pointing to the cone under her left tire and she looks.

WTH I mean if you have to run over a bright orange cone something should tell you not to park there

"Don't yell" was her only response

"Lady this isn't a parking spot and your blocking EVERYONE!!" I walk off muttering idiot while she yells out the window "Don't yell at me" so I hit her car not hard just like a slap and walked back to my car. She was than yelling "Stupid" And I'm yelling back

"Your stupid it is NOT a parking spot"

She moved after I left after a few other cars beeped their horns and cussed her under the breath. One day.. I tell you one day!!

Small Glitch

Seems in my excitement updating my other blog that I deleted the background for this one. Ooops!! All is fixed but feel free to drop by here and see if I can't cause a blackout next time :) I'll be working on it the next couple of days and as you read there you'll begin to see why I haven't updated here.

Bad blogger I am..

The Loss Of Mr. Cameron

Mr. Cameron was Hannah's English teacher, I saw was not in the meaning as she moved on to another grade level. I saw was as he was killed yesterday while riding his bicycle in Juffair. Evidently a driver jumped a curb (not sure why) and struck Mr. Cameron as he was riding his bike, which he rode everywhere even to school. He was young, 31, and it was his first year at IKNS and he was planning, as we all do his life.

He planned on returning next year as he liked the school and Hannah was glad to hear it as she enjoyed his class very much. He was an easy teacher and she took to him, and he to her which was easy to do as she is the shy girl in class. He was planning a summer vacation when school ended on the 25th of this month. A vacation which would also include his honeymoon as he was engaged to a KG teacher at the school, they were going to marry this summer.

His sister, who is a PE teacher at the school as well, now has the daunting task of bringing her brother home to New Zealand, not for a wedding but for a funeral. I imagine the family is beyond words of grief as they learn that in an ordinary day of a young man's world life can be taken from you quickly. My heart goes out to the family.

The school plans on telling the kids tomorrow at school, I wasn't supposed to tell Hannah but I did. I didn't want her to sit at morning assembly and be told the news, I wanted her to be prepared. She has dealt with death in her short life but I don't think it has all set in with her yet. As with most things in the mind of a child things take time to be understood. I'm sure the impact of school tomorrow, in the classroom where he taught, and remember how Mr. Cameron used to teach her it will all come down on her.

He was a very good teacher and the entire event is so sad. Here we plan our days I'm sure as Mr. Cameron did, and in an instant it is all gone from us. What is most important is our time spent with the ones we love and living our moments day to day as we never know when our time is written.

Keep this family in your prayers.

ETA- GDN ran another article on Mr. Cameron give it a read. Hannah was wrong, the wedding was planned for December not this summer. The school had today off out of respect and I'm very glad they made that decision.

Get a Map!

Once again we are in the process of making plane reservations with our booking agent. I can not bring myself to refer to him as a travel agent anymore. The ridiculous things that this guy does makes me want to find his office and slap him a few times with a wet rotten fish. If it were not for Mr. Man I would have stopped using his booking (in)abilities long ago.

You would think after 8 years and hundreds of bookings by Mr. Man and his office he would have the ability to keep the proper spelling of our names. He just types in whatever he is capable of, which isn't much I've seen his other spelling errors (I should be a professional writer compared to his dribble) but our names should be on a database with proper spellings. Considering during our last trip I let him book and confirm all of our tickets and than pointed out the spelling errors. Oh he was livid but after 8 years I could give a hoot man, some lessons are learned the hard way. He called Mr. Man and complained about me and not telling him about the spelling before he issued the tickets but he didn't get any compassion for this is the same man he left stranded in Morocco with no confirmed flights when he was a business trip with clients.

But no I looked at his last emails and he hasn't learned. My name he includes with no last name at all, yea good luck with me getting into the US with no last name. Jihad is Jehad, Hannah is Hana, Leyna is Lina, Umar is Omar and Mariam is the only one he got right. He had my father's name so messed up when we had him book his flights it wasn't even close.

Another annoying thing is anytime he sends out an email about deals, the last one was cheap flights (under 1000 USD to St. Louis) it never is what he claims. When you book flights suddenly your working on double the cost and you ask "What about the deal" he than says "ohh yea about that". Suddenly it is a certain day, in a certain class, in a certain isle, with certain connections and blah blah blah. And his target client list includes a long list of Westerners. He should include a note "Never as advertised I just send these emails so I can get you all set up for a trip you'll never book with me".

Now Mr. Man is taking full control because not only am I sick of dealing with him (the emails I send to him are always an enjoyment for Mr. Man to read) but he was going to be totally confused from the start. Since we are driving to St. Louis and not flying from our visit in New Jersey we have to leave from a different point where we landed. And that is too much for him to understand with me. So Mr. Man says "Don't worry I'll take care of it." And I'm watching the emails go back and forth.

First email he had us flying into Detroit and than back tracking to Philly with a 2 hour stop in Amsterdam. 2 hours isn't long enough for me to gather up my five kids and get off the plane and out of the nearest bathroom in one piece. But the worst of it would been the 1 1/2 hour stop in Detroit before I moved on to Philly. Oh I can just see that now considering I have to go through customs, get my bags, than recheck them!! And that was at a price of nearly 7000 SR for an adult ticket and 5800 SR for a child.

Next up a flight to London with a 5 1/2 hour stop and than straight on into Philly. With a whopping ticket of 8950 SR for an adult and 1290 SR per child. {{{cough}}} Not to mention a nice 1 hour 20 minute stop on the way back through London which would include me leaving something of importance on the plane as I make a mad dash trying to get back to Bahrain. My luck it would be a kid I left behind. And I've already found out security isn't friendly when you leave something behind in their airport. My goodness I had an interrogation over a toy car Jihad left at a security check imagined if I left a kid!


3rd try is a charm right? Dude has us flying into Orlando and than into Philly with an hour stop in London on the return flight. So I have to totally fly out of my way to Orlando with a close to 3 hour wait to fly back to Philly. Again I have to go through customs, get my luggage and than recheck them. Make sense when I'm alone with five kids?? Someone buy this guy a flippen MAP! Hello, hasn't he heard of Google maps? Maybe I should send him a link

Philly up here
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Orlando down here


My sanity level? HA long depleted people I would be a walking mush brain and at customs when they ask "Whats your name" I wouldn't be able to utter one syllable.

But one thing I'll mention for the 3rd try is that the price is now down to 5943 SR per adult and 4839 SR per child. But I'd pay the highest price not to make two stops and retain some sense of mental capacity where I'm able to function enough to a. not forget a child on board b. not forget a child in the bathroom (or my passports) c. speak in a sentence and appear coherent.

Now do you see why I want to slap him with a wet rotten fish?

What Does A Life Cost?

200,000 SR or 53,333 USD well at least one Saudi guy hopes so after killing Suryapi Dulbari, a maid from Indonesia. I would hope that her family has enough conviction to not be swayed by money for her life from a man who beat her with sticks. My sense of justice would love to see a Saudi stand up and offer double to the family so they may not be swayed by their life of poverty to even consider letting the murderer walk free after torturing their loved one to death.

I am very happy to read that a husband was held responsible for his lack of action to protect a maid in his home that his wife tortured. It is extremely easy to have a maid leave your house, in fact it is much more easier than having one come to your house. You have her pack her bags and you have three options. Bring her to a family members home that may want to have her there to work and that will 1. pay her 2. take care of her 3. allow her to earn a living with dignity or call a friend to do the same. The third option is to return her to the agency in which you paid to find you a maid and they can find her another place or return her home depending on what she wants. What you don't have to choose is to leave her in your home to be continually beaten by a family member.

I am shocked that the wife's lawyer seems to believe that the wife will only get 2 years in prison for taking a life. I do hope that Saudi officials stand up and say enough is enough she will be our shining example of justice in cases where employers abuse, murder, and maim their household staff and sentence her to death. While Saudi has made this statement recently in other cases, it hasn't with a woman and I do believe it needs to be done. Because, no matter what our hearts want to believe, that women are the soft ones, the protectors, the reality is they can abuse and kill to.

All life has a higher value after all and Saudi, as a country and as individuals, need to stand up and act upon that basic Islamic teaching.