tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43745253341376403722024-03-13T11:28:08.142-04:00Fluxuating Thoughts and AdventuresRandom thoughts for family, friends, and random people.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-19098089443862678422019-12-31T07:39:00.001-05:002019-12-31T07:39:44.191-05:00Odessa for New Years? Of Course! ... Um, Maybe Not.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been inundating my readers with numerous blog posts that I hadn't had time to write previously. I now have the time because I am on the break between semesters, and we will have no classes until the 8th of January!<br />
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For this time off, many great and wondrous plans were made. All of us English teachers would head off to Odessa for five days of fun in the big city! I was all for it. Getting to better know my coworkers and integrating more into the group seemed like a positive goal. These teachers all arrived in Ukraine on December 1st and had already had the opportunity to bond and work together on schedules and other such projects concerning our teaching. As one of the two that had arrived on the 21st, I was an outsider and had a bit of catching up to do relationship-wise. Interestingly, I was also seen as linked to the other male teacher who arrived the same day I did. All the other teachers assumed that I knew him and was friends with him! This is not true, and it took a bit of work to convince the others of it.<br />
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I had purchased a non-refundable Airbnb, tickets on the night train both to and from Kyiv, and had arranged to ride to/from Kyiv with the company driver. We were to leave Saturday afternoon after the meeting. Unfortunately, I came to my senses. The experience of the party the previous night and a slight blow-up at a coworker who was just attempting to help explain something, showed me that I had not been listening to my body. I had been pushing myself too hard and become overwhelmed. I had not taken the time to relax, to take in all the changes that have been happening, or to just get some alone time. I cancelled all my tickets and decided not to go!<br />
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While the loss of just over $200 was a big blow to me, I do not regret what I did. I would not have been good company for the other English teachers, and I would probably have felt left out as well (separate train cabin, separate Airbnb, not necessarily part of the group, etc). Staying has allowed me some alone time. I have been able to sleep, catch up on some old movies, video chat with VIPs ;) , and to see some of the nothingness of rural Ukraine. For instance, my walk to Olvesk would never had happened if I were with all the others. No one in their right mind is going to walk 20 Km one-way in the snow and cold to see if something is open. The benefits of the trees, solitude, slowness, and beauty are far too often overlooked these days in favor of convenience. I needed some of the former; it is great that I have finally been able to give myself the opportunity to get it!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-3075970301531041092019-12-31T07:16:00.002-05:002019-12-31T07:17:14.155-05:00Party Night!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Friday morning the English teachers entered the teachers lounge wondering what the day would bring. We knew that it would not be a normal day: there were no classes, and there were many distinguished visitors coming to the school. As we sat at one of the desks discussing whatever mundane topic happened to come up with one of the bilingual Ukrainian English teachers, another teacher (the geography teacher I think) came up collecting money. It was at this time we found out about, and were invited to, the teachers' end of the year party.<br />
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These parties are apparently very popular among Ukrainians and are similar to our "Corporate parties" in US businesses. Apparently each part of the school has their own: the kitchen staff, the janitorial staff, the teachers, etc. The English teachers said we would think about it and give them our answer later that day (it would cost 350 hryvnia, so there were already those who would say no immediately). I, for one, wanted to go.<br />
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When we talked it over, it turned out that the other guy teacher (one other has since arrived) would go if I went, but none of the other teachers wanted to even entertain the idea of going. They were just going to send a response saying that none of us were going without actually consulting with us guys first! I did manage to get my wishes out before they could, so I was able to send a message saying I was going.<br />
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The time had been moved forward by about an hour and many of the teachers who were going to go backed out at the last minute. I am not quite sure why that happened, but perhaps it was that there was a 9am meeting Saturday morning that we were all required to attend. Either way, instead of a bus we were told we would be taking, we went in a couple of cars instead. Also, the price had increased from 350 to 400 UAH! While that is only about $16.90, it seemed like a steep increase ... and then I saw the spread!<br />
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There were meat dishes, lots of different types of fish, some vegetables, and drinks. There were many speeches, and then much rejoicing (i.e. dancing)! I was not too fond of the dancing, in general, but there were parts that were fun. Mainly, people would dance around in a circle, so it was a bit more organized in that way than what one would experience elsewhere. They introduced my colleague and I to a couple of traditional Ukrainian dances which were quite exciting. The other teachers were incredibly welcoming, but it was difficult talking with them given the language barrier. I am working on it, but not anywhere near where I need to be as of yet.<br />
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Unfortunately, there was a bit too much imbibing on the part of my colleague, so he made some of the same mistakes that would be made at a Christmas party in the US... I was a bit embarrassed to be linked with him at those moments :( . When we left, we took a taxi with 3 other teachers. This meant that one of them was sitting on my lap for the entire 30 - 40 minute trip back home. Conversations, which I didn't understand, were in abundance, and more embarrassing remarks were made by my colleague. We finally arrived home, and the Ukrainian teachers told us that the fair for the taxi was a gift from the school (I was able to look that up later).<br />
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Definitely a night to remember ... I just hope they haven't linked my colleague and I together too closely. Our behaviors are so different, and I don't want to be known by his! (I made it to the meeting on Saturday, so I was doing something right!)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-2317598674382970402019-12-31T06:43:00.000-05:002019-12-31T06:44:04.815-05:00Teaching in Radowell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have posted about my recent arrival in Ukraine, but I haven't talked about my teaching experiences, and teaching is the main reason I have come! It may seem like an oversite, but I assure you, this is not the case.<br />
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We have spent most of the time I have been here trying to get things set up so that we could start teaching. When we were finally able to do that to the satisfaction of at least the school principal, we had two days of regular teaching. Then there were meetings, presentations, plays, science fairs, etc for us to attend (or not) and try to make sense of. The plays were actually interesting and well done, even if I wasn't able to completely understand what was going on.<br />
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The science fair was fascinating! The equipment and material the students have access to is outstanding, for the most part. One of the people there was a local engineer who showed us these new devices that measured various pressures, temperatures, and other such stuff and were hooked up to a computer to display it digitally. It was the only one that was done by a professional.<br />
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This student project dealt with the effects on amperage and voltage when you raise or lower the resistance. I didn't get much more than that out of it as the person acting as an interpreter for me had gone somewhere else.<br />
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This was a selection of materials that have been purchased for the school that could also be purchased by individuals. The company also sells them to schools in the US (they had the mandatory sales representative there who spoke a bit of English).<br />
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This project dealt with optics and how colors change when a multi-colored object is spun quickly, and how they are affected by distance.<br />
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This is a demonstration of the wave pattern in which the balls are all released at the same time and start swinging back and forth like a snake.<br />
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This is another optical "experiment". It shows how the eye works using lights to show where on the eye the image would fall. You can set the lights to show you different ages, and then show how lenses move the image to the correct area of the brain allowing for "corrected vision".<br />
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To the left of the computer is what appears to be a traditional microscope, but it has its own digital screen as well!! Where were such things when I was going to school?<br />
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These were at the same place as the microscopes. The various specimens were interesting to look at to see what sorts of things the students were studying. I told them that the rat was for dinner. It took a couple of attempts before they understood, but their reaction was well worth it!<br />
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This was fun to watch. They didn't explain anything at all about it, but my guess is that this was centrifugal force at work. One would take one of the small, metal balls and place it at the top of the ramp, let it go and watch it go around the loop and into the net at the bottom.<br />
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It was a lot of fun watching a small child attempt to do it. They couldn't even get the ball to start down the first part of the ramp. He appeared to be having a good time, nonetheless.<br />
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And, of course, what science fair would be complete without the classic earth, moon, seasons model? This is made to spin and show you the position of the moon, the earth, and the sun in relation to each other at every season and partial season. Being interactive gave this one a high rating by some of the younger attendees.<br />
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The science fair was a success, and afterward, I made my way over to the hotel (guesthouse) restaurant for a little lunch. Some of the students from school were there. One group were the children of one of the workers of the hotel. We (another teacher and I) invited the four of them (the children and the mother) to sit with us. We talked about what they did at school and after school and other easy topics that helped them practice their English. When they left, a boy (one of my students) from another group of students got my attention. He was sitting with three girls I had seem previously but don't have in any of my classes. He asked me for 3 hryvnias. Of course I took the opportunity to go over and ask him a bunch of questions about it!<br />
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He said that I should give it to him as a present. Then he offered to give me a french fry for it ... when I still did not give him the money, he offered me 3 french fries! All this time, the girls were telling me not to give him money. Once an unfamiliar elderly man walked in, and the boy asked him for money as well. I finally told my student that I was poor and didn't have any money. He looked at me and gave me a french fry saying "my gift for you." The girl sitting next to where I was standing offered me ketchup! This whole encounter took approximately 10 minutes, and there was much laughter throughout. The best times definitely come outside of class!!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-70347996195824713332019-12-31T05:01:00.000-05:002019-12-31T05:01:01.778-05:00Ukraine: Recent Experiences Layed Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To start out, to all the English grammarians out there, the use of the archaic "layed" was intentional and not a mistake! That is all. (Perhaps "End of line" would be better here?)<br />
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As many already know, or could have guessed, I am in Ukraine! It is a lovely country with a deep history. I have been in Ukraine previously having visited a couple of major cities: Lviv and Kharkiv (Kharkov). Very few people spoke English, and it was a bit difficult to get around. I decided to not learn from those experiences and come back ... to a village no less!<br />
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My arrival at the airport in Kyiv was not exceptionally glamourous or eventful, fortunately. I made it through passport control with little interaction ... I filled out the immigration paper that one generally fills out when they arrive at the airport internationally, but they had no wish to see it. I am not sure why it was there if they didn't expect one to fill it out. Maybe it was just for those who had a visa or something!<br />
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I was met upon arrival by a non-English speaking driver who held up a sign with my name. He took me to the hotel the company had arranged for me. It was a nice hotel that apparently has a nice breakfast included in the price. Unfortunately, the next day I would be required to do a health check-up, so I would be unable to put that information to good use.<br />
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I attempted to take a walk around the neighborhood, but I was too tired to do anything of consequence and returned to the hotel to get some rest. I plugged in something I had brought with me without previously looking at it to make sure that it was like most of my devices: dual voltage, and I blew a fuse/circuit. I was able to bring myself to call to report it, but I don't think they believed me. They said they would tell someone and send them up, but no one ever came, and the lights were off for the duration. It seems that I have to break something in Ukraine when I come :)<br />
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Yesterday, I went to the next town over to see what it was like and if anything was open. I had no idea as to when the bus went, so I decided to walk there instead. I figured it would be a nice walk through the countryside and as it is only 20km, it shouldn't be too bad. I forgot that I would probably have to walk back as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtz5PNQaoAtx8XPbyfQf_3I-r1XyrF2fFOEZmEk8A0hoK9YFpmzipJEXnwL9QxB6qidVAb5jQUnR9yYOkzKhaQGHsV6STm4Lwww2AqWDZjZSYERUV6FetXee82UhinBS4Z76zwjaN1t0/s1600/IMG_20191230_155904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtz5PNQaoAtx8XPbyfQf_3I-r1XyrF2fFOEZmEk8A0hoK9YFpmzipJEXnwL9QxB6qidVAb5jQUnR9yYOkzKhaQGHsV6STm4Lwww2AqWDZjZSYERUV6FetXee82UhinBS4Z76zwjaN1t0/s320/IMG_20191230_155904.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cobblestone road on the way to/from Olvesk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After arriving, I walked around town. A large number of shops were closed, but there were still quite a few small markets that were not. I picked up a few small things that I have no idea what to do with, but it was good to actually buy something ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEWsxFr_Nc-JfHu2P_bE7LltMu2Ho821dzreyOHIjsjbcNoFvbXRKBAkAvEDClO1wD6KFqREcQWaIlMnIWOBWF6QXs9VRXfwQ2pgaCXlxwR1ZKPwBV4I_eT_EypvpCUVQXZ_mDtKS3TI/s1600/IMG_20191230_134142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEWsxFr_Nc-JfHu2P_bE7LltMu2Ho821dzreyOHIjsjbcNoFvbXRKBAkAvEDClO1wD6KFqREcQWaIlMnIWOBWF6QXs9VRXfwQ2pgaCXlxwR1ZKPwBV4I_eT_EypvpCUVQXZ_mDtKS3TI/s200/IMG_20191230_134142.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small bridge upon entering Olvesk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsAaz9ZScn9CPx91r0YBnDTeoL_YGpXqVpfy7ylbVITkbqVahn9qzggawGj9t9xhMdn8LmAp0jBQA0egSW7epriss_OSsl1-GjR2TuWhhHKLCZOY2Mb9k6k8rx2ywSdCxTQ9E4RkIq8g/s1600/IMG_20191230_134242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsAaz9ZScn9CPx91r0YBnDTeoL_YGpXqVpfy7ylbVITkbqVahn9qzggawGj9t9xhMdn8LmAp0jBQA0egSW7epriss_OSsl1-GjR2TuWhhHKLCZOY2Mb9k6k8rx2ywSdCxTQ9E4RkIq8g/s200/IMG_20191230_134242.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The walk home was a long and arduous one. I was sore, I was tired, and I wasn't exactly sure where I was going. Along the way, I had a couple of people stop and, I think, offer me rides. One person stopped and asked me for directions; always a bit awkward when you don't speak the language. About 6km out, a guy in a white van/truck who had passed me going the other way, stopped and asked where I was going. I told him Radowell, and he asked a few more questions I didn't understand, and then asked if I worked at the school in Radowell. I told him yes. He apparently lives in Radowell, and he drove me to where he was going (maybe a half kilometer from where I live), and let me out there. From the looks of the place, I would say he is a milkman. I just wish I had known enough of the language to be able to talk with him along the way (I think ;) ).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEmG4RGkvqItV3yYWhPV_ZOjpm6cws11r5He4VYv_sfhNWKYJAEH5fZ7OKwNmnVkq5-LQ1TZkwUMBnvm-Wf4FOAAyiyqjxQ_xdhp0Mp6FEJVfeTKBsawd0yly9W_FNhYmQSCBIQzkSQI/s1600/IMG_20191230_150211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEmG4RGkvqItV3yYWhPV_ZOjpm6cws11r5He4VYv_sfhNWKYJAEH5fZ7OKwNmnVkq5-LQ1TZkwUMBnvm-Wf4FOAAyiyqjxQ_xdhp0Mp6FEJVfeTKBsawd0yly9W_FNhYmQSCBIQzkSQI/s200/IMG_20191230_150211.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road frequently interferes with the potholes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT6fCjKjAhPgSy0f5m2oeXpq0atjO4N7Dv2qRmdmiVPbHIXr7Jehr3IZnNyX-iKxRs-DX3GBXhKaDzbFmvQP6rGq0VnSrau5vWdKy5WP_n1YWHKVxb7ng_PP5hicbhdyBYI9hGxuEPyM/s1600/IMG_20191230_155017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT6fCjKjAhPgSy0f5m2oeXpq0atjO4N7Dv2qRmdmiVPbHIXr7Jehr3IZnNyX-iKxRs-DX3GBXhKaDzbFmvQP6rGq0VnSrau5vWdKy5WP_n1YWHKVxb7ng_PP5hicbhdyBYI9hGxuEPyM/s200/IMG_20191230_155017.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vast nothingness one sees between villages.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-25896024941633723112018-10-08T21:26:00.001-04:002018-10-08T21:26:58.120-04:00The Long Wait<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is a little out of order, but I am going to write it anyway. As part of the requirements for my new job, I had to undergo a background check. It was supposed to take only around 24 hours. One week later, I was still waiting.<br />
<br />
It seemed that there was someone in Las Vegas that has my same name and a potential criminal record. The background check company took this very seriously and sent someone out to the court house in Las Vegas to follow-up on this. I finally got the word that I was no longer considered a threat and was officially offered the position on Thursday ... a full week and a day later than it should have happened.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, it has been completed, and I will soon be on my way!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-68384625416749297212018-10-08T21:11:00.000-04:002018-10-08T21:11:06.556-04:00Start Date Moved UP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There have been a couple of last minute changes in my position. I was supposed to start on Monday, but I am now scheduled to work on both Saturday and Sunday prior. This isn't a bad thing, but it did cause a bit of upset in the timing of things. <div>
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<div>
In addition to that, I was planning on taking a bus to get to New York because I was told that I would be responsible for getting there on my own. In a positive turn of events, I was informed that they would actually fly me out. Of course living in a location where there are only two flights out a day to only one location someone limited my choices. I will, therefore, be flying out early Friday afternoon in order to be ready to work on Saturday morning. I am sure it will be much fun!</div>
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All I have to do now is figure out what to pack! :) </div>
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</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-16124910403884519422018-10-05T18:51:00.000-04:002018-10-05T18:51:31.595-04:00Testing in Preparation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post is merely a test as I prepare myself for my next journey. I am not sure which way I am going to go with this yet, but it will be good either way! I am super excited, and super anxious.. but that is what I do :) </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-68300966095014880812017-02-03T10:41:00.000-05:002017-02-03T10:41:01.593-05:00More Trouble with Pay<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Anyone who has been following me and/or allowing me to complain about my situation with my former employer over pay knows that this issue has been a rather inconveniencing one. This particular problem, thankfully, has been mostly rectified (they still owe me a couple thousand dollars, but "the check is in the mail" so I guess I am all good.<br />
<br />
This post is not about that pay problem, however. My present job had a SNAFU with my pay as well. They quickly fixed the problem, so it caused minimal hardship, but it is yet another interesting example of how my life, no matter how mundane, can never seem to be boring.<br />
<br />
On Thursday, a number of people received their pay stubs. I didn't get one, so I figured that they may hold back a check like some of my previous positions had done. The actual payday was Friday, but I did not go into work on Friday, so I had to wait until Monday to ask about it. It turned out that I also received a statement, though it came on Friday, the normal day for such a thing to occur.<br />
<br />
I was advised to open it to make sure it was correct. I did so, and what I found was quite interesting. Under pay rate it had my correct wage. Under hours worked it had the correct number of hours: 30. Under gross pay: $0.00!<br />
<br />
While my math skills are not the best, I was pretty sure something was wrong here. I took it to my supervisor who then sent it to payroll. It took a day or two for them to issue a new check. Now, if my former employer was on the ball this much, it would make me very happy indeed!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-82640711388753303472017-01-27T10:16:00.001-05:002017-01-27T10:16:45.920-05:00Why Can't My Life be Boring?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When people first hear about my travels and experiences, they normally say something along the lines of "Wow! You have such an exciting life."<br />
<br />
I politely smile, nod, and say "it seems pretty normal to me." All the while I am thinking to myself, "you have no idea!" It seems that even when I do what seem to be the most mundane things, I find a way to make it just a little more exciting. I can just hear some of you out there begging for an example, so here you go.<br />
<br />
Having obtained a job, I found myself back in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, affectionately known as the UP. This was a bit of a surprise for me as I had mostly ruled out coming back up here because of the pervasive cold and snow that I am not too fond of, but find myself up here I did.<br />
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One of the first things I needed to take care of was getting my car registered. My plates expired near the end of December, and it was already the second week of January. I was told that they police normally don't catch this sort of thing, but I was weary of it nonetheless. At the first opportunity, I stopped at the Secretary of State office to take care of this issue.<br />
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I pulled into the almost empty lot, turned off the car, took a deep breath, and headed into the office. It resembled the parking lot in that it was mostly empty. As I walked through the door, I heard the person at the counter say "You dropped your glove." Sure enough, there it was lying on the floor right behind me. I picked it up, thanked her, and walked up to complete my business.<br />
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She looked up my plate information and told me that it had been blocked. I had called a couple weeks earlier and was told that it was blocked, but they also told me that they were releasing that after I provided them with the information they requested. Apparently, that release had not taken effect! She suggested that I just get a different plate as that would be the easier route. As much as I didn't want to have to try and memorize a new plate number, I decided to take her advice. "I guess I can have a fresh start to the New Year," I commented.<br />
<br />
I had given her my insurance card when I first arrived at the counter. She had made a copy of it and was in the process of handing it back when she said, "oh, this isn't effective until tomorrow. Do you have proof of insurance for today?"<br />
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I rolled my eyes realizing that I was still having a difficult time keeping track of the days. Perhaps a calendar would be a good addition to my life, even though I do have one in my phone! Anyway, I pulled out my phone and attempted to obtain my insurance information online as I thought it would be quicker than going back out to the car. Boy, was I wrong! Apparently, there were issues with my data plan or my signal or something because it just was pulling up my information. Finally, I decided that it was taking too long, and I went back out to the car to get my insurance card from there.<br />
<br />
I figured this would be easy because I knew exactly where the insurance card was. I grabbed it, turned around and headed back toward the building. Thud! Down I went. I started getting up only to slip again. I made it to my feet on the third try and slowly worked my way back into the building. I handed the card to the agent; she looked at it and said, "This isn't the right one."<br />
<br />
I took the offending piece of paper and scrutinized it. Sure enough, it was for my brother's car! We both have Ford Fusions, though different styles and years. All I could do was sigh. The next step was to call the insurance company. This took a bit of time. The call itself was easy, but it was all computerized, and there were a lot of steps to go through. Eventually, I made it to the end, and the recording stated that they would fax my insurance information in 15-20 minutes. Fortunately, it only took about five.<br />
<br />
I left as quickly as possible and wondered how, and when, I would put it on. I had no screwdriver, and I had purposely left snow over the plate to kind of hide the tags that were then expired. I did manage to change the plate, so all is well now, but one should not have such difficulty doing something so "normal" and easy.<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-23968533125143176612016-10-26T20:19:00.000-04:002016-10-26T20:29:56.932-04:00Travel is Fun, Right?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right? I sort of felt that way yesterday. It was time to say goodbye to Vegas and look back on the seminar I went there to attend. I had learned a lot and attempted to put into action one or two things that I had learned, though I did so with very little in the way of proficiency.<br />
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As I did this Monday night, my Tuesday morning came quickly and, as with all my travels, with a bit of trepidation. I had plenty of time to make a cup of coffee, wash the dishes, and watch a little tv in an attempt to relax a bit. I then went to check out about an hour before the shuttle would come to pick me up and take me to LAS, the first airport on my 3 airport day.<br />
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I checked in as I normally do, and nothing seemed to suggest the hassles that would come later on. The first flight was uneventful, and I landed in Seattle (SEA) eager for the 4.5 hours to pass, so I could board the next plane. It took a while, but seemed fairly smooth. I even bought some food!<br />
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Landing at Chicago's O'Hare airport, however, was not so smooth. The landing itself was a little rough, but it was the lack of luggage that foreshadowed things to come. As I was waiting patiently for my luggage to show itself, I watched the same piece of luggage go around three times before going to ask about my luggage's absence. As I approached the counter, the lady asked me "are you Mr. Rice?" Of course I answered in the affirmative. "Your luggage was routed to Anchorage," she continued.<br />
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I filled out the form describing my luggage and stating where I would be. After all of this, it was midnight. I dragged myself out to the shuttle to the Hertz shuttle. We slowly made our way to what turned out to be an almost empty lot. I was told to go to the Gold section and choose any car there that I wanted; the spaces stared back at me laughing! I went into the office, they said they were cleaning a car and were having it brought up for me. It only took about a half an hour or so! Then I was off to my hotel for the night, or so I thought!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1W-dzGzKvPUjz9ZfPyqbb6Zc2xiVj3tLNwZu5SHdzgti9TbODwmkK1kyBC23-tJ6W-Hj6EQJ0YMdGSJM2xeDIPFxH4dpQlybUzD_WUZq_v8kA40_A8VJWLghiOlipRvxB83eT9nqczw/s1600/IMG_20161026_015109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1W-dzGzKvPUjz9ZfPyqbb6Zc2xiVj3tLNwZu5SHdzgti9TbODwmkK1kyBC23-tJ6W-Hj6EQJ0YMdGSJM2xeDIPFxH4dpQlybUzD_WUZq_v8kA40_A8VJWLghiOlipRvxB83eT9nqczw/s200/IMG_20161026_015109.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR52f7QFQ1QNbFQ2kf_Rr_UgaNWYhQQgkoACTsvPCD3-upCUVo4KdD6HB28N9ofKGgE0bFJc3ybBQ3kIiKgCoAv63pE-v-YGl_m_FggXQ7y1_dMBcu-DuoZZT1bYg6QtDjppXODoHyVk/s1600/IMG_20161026_015037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR52f7QFQ1QNbFQ2kf_Rr_UgaNWYhQQgkoACTsvPCD3-upCUVo4KdD6HB28N9ofKGgE0bFJc3ybBQ3kIiKgCoAv63pE-v-YGl_m_FggXQ7y1_dMBcu-DuoZZT1bYg6QtDjppXODoHyVk/s200/IMG_20161026_015037.jpg" width="200" /></a>I arrived at the hotel about 1:30am. They apologized and sent me to the Best Western down the street. They provided me with a coupon for a free buffet breakfast back at the original hotel as a way of making it up to me! The room I got was a suite, so at least that was good... I then drove the 3ish hours to my next hotel. Hopefully things improve!<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-69393776097948287572016-10-25T03:18:00.003-04:002016-10-25T03:18:35.229-04:00Las Vegas Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It seems that Las Vegas is just the place to start back at my blog again. There has been a lot of things to write for so long, but I have neglected it nonetheless!<br />
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My time in Vegas has been educational and intense! I am hoping that I have retained the copious amounts of what I have learned. This week has cost me a ton of money, but I think it will all work out for me in the future.<br />
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I had two days where I could do what I wanted to do: My first day here and today. On my first day I went out to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. The tour power plant portion was interesting, and I would highly recommend it. I was supposed to have a couple of extra hours to walk the top of the dam, but I decided to add on the Lake Mead portion because all of the others on the tour had purchased it as part of their package.<br />
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The Lake Mead water is extremely blue! It was a relaxing paddle boat ride. I could have purchased meal, but I am cheap and don't do such things. Prior to boarding the boat, they take pictures of those who are participating. I refused to have my picture taken, but they didn't listen to me and actually fought with me about it. I am not so sure I like the policy of forcing people to have their picture taken.<br />
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Today was a fun day! I didn't relly do anything this morning other than laundry. This evening, however, I went to the Mirage and spent my time there. I picked up my tickets, went to Starbucks for a tea, and then stopped at Pantry for a burger. The burger was a little on the expensive side, but it was well done and came with potato wedges, so I was happy enough to finish it off with a Banana Fosters Sundae!<br />
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I finished off the night by catching a show: Terry Fator. Terry Fator is vantrilequist, impresionist, and singer. I didn't realize eactly what I was getting into, but I really, really enjoyed it. He did a great Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Donald Trump, among others. I am so glad that my friends suggested him.</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-23445741957447253432016-01-22T12:22:00.000-05:002016-01-22T12:22:00.128-05:00Woman Driver!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Normally this would be a sexist statement of frustration, but this time is different ... this is Saudi Arabia! As many people know, women driving in Saudi is not a common occurrence; some think that it is actually against the law. While this belief isn't quite correct, the culture is such that it generally maintains the same result.<br />
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It was just after 6:00 am on the first foggy morning in at least a year. We could hardly see 3 meters in front of us, but my boss was not deterred from driving a little faster than I would have felt comfortable doing on my own. We quickly came upon a car that was driving super slow, obviously driven by someone who either was just learning or couldn't see very well. As we passed them, I glanced over to see who was in the car (yes, I am nosy). The contents gave me a bit of a shock.<br />
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Woman driver! Behind the wheel was a teenage girl in a white hijab carefully steering the car with, presumably, her father in the seat next to her and two others in the back seat. I don't know if they were taking advantage of the weather which would allow them to not be seen, or if this is something this particular family was used to doing for whatever reason, but I found the dissonance to be quite in line with many of my other experiences here. </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-81893045799132441762015-01-20T06:50:00.000-05:002015-01-20T06:50:04.963-05:00Leaving for and Arriving in Ethiopia! (Part 2: BAH - ADD)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There was very little time to wait in Bahrain. I went through the screening area required for transiting passengers and immediately set out to find my gate. It was relatively easy to find, and there was already a number of people sitting there waiting. I took off my backpack and set it in the seat and then sat in front of it. I placed my computer bag between my legs and used my phone to let people know that I was soon going to be on my flight to Addis Ababa (ADD).<br />
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In what seemed like almost no time at all (about 40 min at most), the gate attendant asked us to form one line. At the same time, the other gate attendant was doing the same thing on the other side... each of them saying that we only needed one line. The confusion created was short lived as they decided that two- one lines was quite acceptable for the boarding process. I grabbed my computer bag, got into one of the lines anxious to be as close to one of the first passengers as possible. (The sooner I can get on the plane, the better I feel.) In my haste, the most likely thing to happen when one is in a hurry, happened. I forgot my backpack!<br />
<br />
I noticed my mistake, got out of line, and quickly retrieved my backpack which was left untouched next to a person calmly slouching and looking at his phone. He noticed me and smiled. I smiled back, nodded, and took my backpack and got at the end of the line. The gate agent saw me and asked "why did you get out of line?" I told him I had forgotten my backpack.<br />
<br />
"That reason is good enough for you to get in line up here." So I followed the request to cut in line a bit behind where I would have been originally. I made it to the plane, found my seat, took a couple of deep breaths, and watched the others board the plane. It was like many of them were flying for the first time. They didn't know how to find their seats, and the constant questions to the flight attendants slowed the process down. I was very pleased that they were still very respectful in everything they were doing, which is not what has been my previous experiences in such situations!<br />
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Finally everyone was seated, and we were about on our way. They gave us the safety speech, and I decided to look at the safety card during this time. The person sitting in the seat next to me looked at hers as well. I then put mine away, and she did the same. I found out that she was just doing what I was doing. She had never flown before was taking cues on how to behave.<br />
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During the flight, we were served a meal. It was not a great meal, but as far as airline food goes, it was pretty good. And when one flies in economy, it is not a certainty that one is going to even get a meal these days. We soon landed at ADD, Terminal 1. I definitely wouldn't mind flying Gulf Air again. </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-69436056366427173142015-01-20T06:28:00.003-05:002015-01-20T06:28:43.505-05:00Leaving for and Arriving in Ethiopia! (Part 1: DMM - BAH)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My excitement was overflowing as I tried to figure out what to pack a mere 6 hours before I was to head to the airport. I figured I should probably take clothes and my computer in case I found time to work. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to meet up with my friend who was supposed to have traveled there a couple of days previously as he had missed his plane and decided not to go. This being the case, I had no idea what to expect or do after I arrived.<br />
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Finally I decided that I had more than I probably needed, and that it was time to just attempt to relax (something very difficult for me to do when I am about to travel). My mind was racing, my anxiety up, and my desire to leave growing by the second. Finally, it was time! I went to my coworker's room to both exchange some SAR (Saudi Arabian Riyal) for some USD and prepare to go to the airport. He had generously agreed to take me on the hour long trip to what is basically the middle of nowhere.<br />
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This particular trip took over that hour, however. We managed to make to the airport fairly easily, but getting into the terminal took a little more doing. While it shouldn't have been quite as difficult as it was, the signs were not quite as easy to understand as they first appeared to be. It said to take the first right, but the first right did not take us where it was supposed to. We knew exactly which road we were supposed to be on, but couldn't seem to find a road that connected. We even looked into parking lots to see if there was an entrance from that side with no success.<br />
<br />
We did finally manage to find a connecting road and make it to the airport. Upon entering, however, there was a LONG line that seemed to be waiting to put their luggage through an x-ray machine. I had already printed my tickets, so I went to find the entrance to the international departure area and hoped they would let me through. Success!<br />
<br />
Then it was time to stand in line for the next hour waiting to get through passport control. Then I waited for the gate to open. I lost track of time and was only thinking about when the plane left as opposed to boarded, and it turns out that the plane was continuing on to Delhi after it stopped in Bahrain, so the destination they called out was Delhi. I just ignored it. Fortunately, I decided to go to the gate and see if it was open and found that it was boarding. I quickly got on the plane (they almost didn't let me because they were looking for a visa for India, which of course I didn't have), and while I wasn't the last one, there were only one or two who followed me!<br />
<br />
The flight was uneventful, save for a few bumps. We got a little container of water just prior to take off on this 25 minute flight. Hydration is good even on short flights!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-49773644407446583102014-12-12T14:41:00.001-05:002014-12-12T14:49:41.235-05:00The Train Ride There and Back: Dammam - Riyadh (Camel Tour Part 1 . . . and 4?)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While it seems that this section should have been written first, it has taken me much longer to write as there just isn't much to say about a train ride in either direction. In addition to that, I neglected to take pictures, so there is really nothing to show...<br />
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It was a fight to get away from work in order to get back to the apartments with adequate time to properly prepare ourselves for the two day-ish journey that was to follow. What should we pack? What should we wear? What is or is not allowed? Normally these questions would not phase me, but with my unsureness in dealing with Saudi culture, I tend to over-think just about everything. Eventually we managed to escape, and with the generous help of a coworker, we made it to the train station with time to spare.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfm05QBGtt6MwziiAfbngJHJgNVxOdFE-ZASkzNxF5ppV6QXSnITnr5nGngJhwQp1j3Xgs_dEOQHhbO4OWaQGZwzR7o7FWJL70PjHZw6QWODVc3Yie7e8pMbNMQPnEdeQ3F28lchYTjQ/s1600/Dammam+Railway+Station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfm05QBGtt6MwziiAfbngJHJgNVxOdFE-ZASkzNxF5ppV6QXSnITnr5nGngJhwQp1j3Xgs_dEOQHhbO4OWaQGZwzR7o7FWJL70PjHZw6QWODVc3Yie7e8pMbNMQPnEdeQ3F28lchYTjQ/s1600/Dammam+Railway+Station.jpg" height="212" title="Dammam Saudi Railway Station" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.panoramio.com/photo/25527386 Dammam</td></tr>
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We entered from the front and went to the left where we showed our ticket and had it scanned. We then went through the "door" to another space where they once again checked our tickets and ids and put our backpacks through an x-ray scanner. We then pick up our "luggage" and proceed to the train bypassing the first class lounge we would have been entitled to use had we arrived earlier.</div>
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We exited through the back making our way to the train. We boarded and were led to our seats. The ones whose numbers matched the ones on our tickets were at a table, but a woman and two children were sitting there. We were shown to different seats. My seat was facing the opposite direction than the train was going, but I didn't really notice, even with the large window I had been fortunately seated next to. It would have been a great view if it wouldn't have been dark!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGns4ud_svJ-yCZuKRE_4-VSLJSWGjWnaaOKqwRlGHE0ye5qUHmgToSMxGbMpY3g6RklpMclLuuII-PupgtL8wad7P5Bd4ynYgZymWvyIStt-kuVwBJZqp8fB125JJjhFM2hgfNoxoexU/s1600/Riyadh_Station.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGns4ud_svJ-yCZuKRE_4-VSLJSWGjWnaaOKqwRlGHE0ye5qUHmgToSMxGbMpY3g6RklpMclLuuII-PupgtL8wad7P5Bd4ynYgZymWvyIStt-kuVwBJZqp8fB125JJjhFM2hgfNoxoexU/s1600/Riyadh_Station.JPG" height="239" title="Riyadh Railway Station" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_stations_in_Saudi_Arabia</td></tr>
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As the train was pulling away from the station, they made an announcement over the PA system. Part of this was a recitation of a part of the Koran which is said for travelers. It was s very interesting thing to listen to (unfortunately, it was in Arabic, so all I understood was the description they gave in English before hand).<br />
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The 4.5 hour ride went fairly quickly. We chatted a bit, watched a couple of kids watch their movies and play their games, and had a nice unhealthy meal in the meal car: a cheese sandwich, two small bags of salt and vinegar chips (crisps for you British types), a can of Coke, and a Bounty (think Mounds).<br />
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The return trip was basically the same, though quite a bit more subdued. We spent a few minutes in the first class lounge before heading to the train, and we were able to get the seats we had been assigned. It was the last train of the night, and it wasn't overly populated. After the rather disheartening meal of fast food, and the long day we had spent on the tour, we were ready to sleep, and sleep we did... for a while at least.<br />
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When we arrived at the station in Dammam, we realized that we didn't know the name of the compound in such a way as to communicate it to a taxi driver without them thinking we needed to go far beyond where we need to. This leads to an extreme increase in price, unnecessarily. Thankfully, there was someone there who spoke both Arabic and English AND actually knew where we were talking about! He helped us negotiate a fair fare, and we were able to learn that the name people are going to know is quite a bit different than the actual name! Thank goodness for my bed!!!!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-55461045540855832222014-12-11T11:33:00.002-05:002014-12-11T13:18:42.800-05:00Actual Tour (Camel Tour Part 3)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12A9PEW8Ys5rvUIkdsfSEpA86A_hEaI2N9bnagc59f74xSAz3IswZjP9HksehdByCna5oS7Mr40ktrEu189dCfuRRsGNdgTe8Qwz9pE-NbRIFRUpf_6nNuJyvcWef5qGQ5TvMaX3Bw0U/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12A9PEW8Ys5rvUIkdsfSEpA86A_hEaI2N9bnagc59f74xSAz3IswZjP9HksehdByCna5oS7Mr40ktrEu189dCfuRRsGNdgTe8Qwz9pE-NbRIFRUpf_6nNuJyvcWef5qGQ5TvMaX3Bw0U/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Camel at Festival</td></tr>
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We left the hotel early in the morning... around 4:45 am or so. Getting a cab was easy, and while negotiating a price wasn't as difficult this time around, I am still not comfortable with such necessities.<br />
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The ride took about half an hour. Finding the meeting spot wasn't as easy as it should have been, but we arrived safely and relatively quickly. We boarded the bus and commenced with the waiting. They pointed out the tea and coffee that was available for us to make should we desire. I should have known then that it was going to be a rather odd day!<br />
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The bus ride took forever! It wasn't really uncomfortable, just long. It was basically long stretches of desert with occasional camels and/or goats dotting the landscape. We also passed through a town/city every now and then as well. Somewhere along the way a couple of the other passengers decided that we weren't too odd to actually talk with a bit. Eventually we arrived!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc_NrUaHCPdVmFFuwRlaItkOX0LKVDyRzuqQ4dToajp5nRfv7rXlf-9DDF1dO_YZeZFVj5FCTqwuzldZumtjZQoGbcgVvQAVkMj4qk4S6es4OQSw5KktPmP1ZRZHni9mmf9KyFO6oUQg/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc_NrUaHCPdVmFFuwRlaItkOX0LKVDyRzuqQ4dToajp5nRfv7rXlf-9DDF1dO_YZeZFVj5FCTqwuzldZumtjZQoGbcgVvQAVkMj4qk4S6es4OQSw5KktPmP1ZRZHni9mmf9KyFO6oUQg/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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We were a little late for the festival, so we apparently missed some cultural performances. As I am not sure what exactly we were supposed to have seen, I really don't feel like I missed out on too much. After we had offloaded the bus, we were taken to a place on the opposite side of the ring as the rest of the spectators. I felt like we were being given VIP treatment. This feeling was supported by a person in an SUV who upon exiting stopped to say "Hello. I hope you enjoy the festival!" Not very profound words, but the "guide" informed us, as the SUV pulled off, that the man was one of the high princes. An early morning greeting by a high prince of Saudi Arabia while being led to an exclusive viewing area at a camel festival? Yes, definitely VIP experience!!<br />
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We didn't get to see all of the camel judging. It was a typical tour at this point in which it was a bit rushed as there was a schedule to keep and such. But what was to come was as much of a joy! We made various stops where we had tea, Saudi white coffee, dates, and were given gifts of hats and trinkets. (I now have about 4 or 5 hats that I will need to give away.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqXTi3fUV4v-0ZIdv8gUIxG1_hXAFOwVIOM4nAlX6Fm5TGUsOrjc63xhIjt78u9RyCVatdW0OGiAhPzNCRyd-k61hBCquIFw1q3gdDV6ixbZr0TIrhZhlv9Wri8Ek49UyVFTxKtw4RRQ/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqXTi3fUV4v-0ZIdv8gUIxG1_hXAFOwVIOM4nAlX6Fm5TGUsOrjc63xhIjt78u9RyCVatdW0OGiAhPzNCRyd-k61hBCquIFw1q3gdDV6ixbZr0TIrhZhlv9Wri8Ek49UyVFTxKtw4RRQ/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many cups of tea!</td></tr>
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Amid all of this hustle and bustle, we also had lunch. I was under the impression that it was going to be Subway as that is what one of my traveling partners was told. It turned out to be a huge spread of pita bread, various hummus dishes, chicken, kebab, lasagna, fish, fruit, and whatever else I may be forgetting at the moment! There was no way to go hungry here!<br />
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While the food was wonderful, I was even more pleased by the discussion. Our tour guide was a Saudi woman who had earned her PhD in Special Education from the University of Syracuse! The topic of women driving came up, and she informed us that many women were actually opposed to it because of the responsibility they would have to take on if they were allowed to. She also told us about the body of 100 people that advises the king: 30 of these are women.<br />
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Off we went again. We saw a camel up close, listened to a man play a Saudi instrument (I wish I could remember what it was called, but it escapes me at the moment), and just relaxed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpgL7O3RMNTYI5N1-FCTvLh9SBaNzsA_OHphMwPZouPme_AbrBA2AkngR5QgLlPl7npsbNFwnzwGggRKfpU4JQRl-U2C13kdDjCioayunoJxEvdWAElkRwymaJVcxpMvrhNzgVdJx8rY/s1600/IMG_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpgL7O3RMNTYI5N1-FCTvLh9SBaNzsA_OHphMwPZouPme_AbrBA2AkngR5QgLlPl7npsbNFwnzwGggRKfpU4JQRl-U2C13kdDjCioayunoJxEvdWAElkRwymaJVcxpMvrhNzgVdJx8rY/s1600/IMG_0841.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel, man playing instrument, and <br />
child from tour enjoying herself.</td></tr>
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There was also a stop at a Wildlife Society station where we watched a video while sitting in very comfortable chairs. Again, included in all of these stops was coffee and a date! I think I had more coffee and tea in this one day than I did previously in two or three months!<br />
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Then we started home. To make up for not being able to stop at the souq (shop), we stopped at a store on the way home. Here there was a place one could buy dates, one that sold homemade cheese, butter, milk (cow and camel apparently), and large convenience store where they sold just about anything you could possibly want. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family centered doll set. </td></tr>
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The toys they sold surprised me a little. They had your everyday toy AK-47s, cowboy hats, and rocking horses, but they also sold dolls. These dolls were not covered; they were your standard dolls that one would find in stores across the western world. For a place that says they censor tv, movies, magazines, and the like, allowing such things as these seems a bit on the odd side. Of course after having seen the magazine selection they have here, I am of the impression that things aren't as heavily censored as people have made it sound... at least not in this area.<br />
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Then it was time to head home again. The women who had allowed themselves to be subjected to my tea induced giddiness were kind enough to continue talking with us. My tendency for puns/word-play having been greatly increased, I commend them for not throwing me off the bus any number of times!<br />
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It was quite the diverse make up, our group. There were the two of us strange Americans (plus the other who was sitting across the aisle), a South African of Indian decent, a Maori woman from New Zealand, and occasionally a British woman. It was great meeting them, and I am hoping that it isn't the last time for such an honor. As it was, they exited the bus early, and not too much later my group was at the shopping center finding a place to eat before heading off to the train station for the long ride back to Dammam!<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-34196481807822522002014-12-08T14:33:00.000-05:002014-12-11T13:19:41.401-05:00Tulip Inn Riyadh (Camel Tour Part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After the train ride, we had to negotiate with a taxi in order to get to our hotel: Tulip Inn Riyadh. They wanted to charge us 50 SAR, but we were armed with information from the hotels website: they were only five minutes from the rail station! One of my traveling companions called the hotel in order to get directions. He gave his cell phone to the driver in order for the desk worker to give him directions. The driver listened, gave my friend back his phone, and said that we didn't have a reservation at the hotel.<br />
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I said that we just wanted to get there and deal with that upon arrival, so we asked the driver to take us there. He didn't know how to get there! We re-called the hotel so he could actually get directions! We then were able to negotiate a 30 SAR price. As we were riding and getting closer and closer to the hotel, my other companion informed us that we were in the bad part of town. It was crowded, loud, and looked like many busy south Asian locals.<br />
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When we finally arrive at the hotel and find the entrance, we are greeted by a sign that says reception but with no indication as to where it is. We decide to walk up the stairs to see if we can locate it. Fortunately, it is there. Unfortunately, they state they don't have my reservation. I show them my confirmation email. The receptionist tells me to forward that email to their home office and proceeds to check me in. He confirmed with me that I had already paid for the room and gave me the key. My two friends and I go to our Executive Suite!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfuXlJSeQ8OVQiCqCYi_7VAF5OLa3GlQW657uAlPpBMgYMNa2P3hqYs1CwNtZ2CJmIP3cISdscwtPhVKG0Yl_F5Wo4AtyrrnsCpWRuUozHWDKqs4T9SfNPH-cW4VGhMH1ldm_Ajf0dsI/s1600/Tulip+Inn+Main+Room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfuXlJSeQ8OVQiCqCYi_7VAF5OLa3GlQW657uAlPpBMgYMNa2P3hqYs1CwNtZ2CJmIP3cISdscwtPhVKG0Yl_F5Wo4AtyrrnsCpWRuUozHWDKqs4T9SfNPH-cW4VGhMH1ldm_Ajf0dsI/s1600/Tulip+Inn+Main+Room.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Room</td></tr>
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The Suite is made up of the main room, which includes a television, and three bedrooms. The main bedroom also has its own bathroom. The beds are a bit hard, but I slept mostly on the couch anyway!<br />
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The view from the hotel, while in no way what I would call beautiful, gives one an idea of how things are going outside. In this case, one can see the extremely busy Riyadh traffic! The noise that found its way into the room matched the traffic on the road below.<br />
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After a good night sleep, or rather five hours of tossing and turning, I got up and took a shower. I was partially sleeping, but I was still a bit surprised to<br />
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find the bar of soap in the shower that looked as if it had been used no more than twice. It would have been a nice addition would it not have been used.<br />
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I turned on the shower and realized that I hadn't put the curtain inside the tub. I dismissed it with the thought "what is the worse that could happen? A bit of water on the floor isn't a big deal." As it turned out, it could be a big deal! I had to use the hair dryer to dry out some of my clothes that I was going to wear that day.<br />
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After my shower, it was just about time to go out and catch a cab to the mall in order to catch the bus for our day long tour!<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-27789141924731557292014-10-28T12:55:00.004-04:002014-10-28T12:55:58.718-04:00Negotiating Meaning with My Students<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The discussion somehow turned to Arabic, and I was left wondering what was going on. I finally figured out they were talking about masoob. My students quickly remembered they were in English class and started to explain what masoob was: bread, cream, bananas, and .... something else. They said the word in Arabic, but I didn't quite recognize it at first. Then they discussed it among themselves for a few moments. It was then I recalled the word.... but I didn't let them know!<br />
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The students decided to act it out: "what is animal that bzzzzzz?" while using a finger to move in a spiral toward the ceiling.<br />
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Me: A bee?<br />
Students: No! Different animal!<br />
Me: Hmmm... A fly?<br />
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A student went to the board. "This," he said as he drew a picture.<br />
"That is a flower." I was really interested to see what he came up with next.<br />
As he was finishing filling in the stinger on a crude but recognizable drawing of a bee, "What is this?"<br />
"A stinger."<br />
"Noooo!" His earnest reply made me smile.<br />
"A bee." Noticing there puzzled looks, I continued, "bzzz! It stings you; it swells; and you go to the hospital." The gestures to accompany this were being readily used throughout.<br />
The students smiled. "Bee goes flower ..." one brings his fingers to his lips to mimic eating something thick like noodles, "then goes back home."<br />
I draw a box on the board and try to make it look like a passable hive and write next to it "hive" while saying "hive. A bee's home."<br />
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The students try to gesture some other word. It doesn't really come across as much of anything, but I decide to have mercy on them and not play stupid. "A bee makes honey."<br />
"YES!! Honey!!"<br />
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The students are ecstatic. They are proud to have finally figured out the word. While it would have taken far less than the 20 minutes it took us if I had used a dictionary, we would not have learned the words 'stinger', 'bee,' 'hive,' and 'make.' And even more importantly they wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn the process of negotiating meaning. This is a skill they will need when they go to Texas and need to talk with some of the other students who may not know a lot of English or any Arabic. Hopefully this is something they have learned from and will retain!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-11323364039918571522014-10-24T14:40:00.002-04:002014-10-24T14:41:19.793-04:00A "Nice" Dinner Out.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As I have been in Saudi Arabia for going on six months, I figured it may be time to go out and have some Saudi food. One of my students suggested I try masoob. He told me it was really good for breakfast, but I wasn't about to go out and attempt to find such a thing early in the morning on my day off!<br />
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So last night, a fellow worker and I decided to have this dish for a later dinner. We left the compound around 7pm to start our adventure of discovery. Trying to find the area in which the restaurant was located proved to be a little more difficult that first imagined. Being the progressive, modern, and technologically individuals we are, listening to the GPS on his phone seemed to be the way to go. It turned out to be a little less than reliable, though. Apparently the streets are too close together for the GPS to really be able to tell if you are on the correct one. Ultimately we ended up going in a huge circle before finally getting to the area of town we needed to be.<br />
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After arriving we entered the rather small restaurant. Upon entering one is faced with the cashier to the left and a long counter to the right, similar to some kabob places I have visited in the past. If you look past the cashier, there is a hole in the wall that leads to a room with seats. We took a seat and waited for someone to come take our order.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://cookbookstoreblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/gulf-house-arabian-gulf-cusine-in.html</td></tr>
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Everything was in Arabic (imagine that! A place in Saudi where the menu is only in Arabic... the shock one must be going through hearing this.), so I was at the mercy of my coworker whose Arabic is quite good. We went through varied masoob choices and decide on one with cream, honey, and cheese. It almost had a Waffle House feel to it both in sitting and the multi-ways in which the masoob is served (think hash-brown styles).<br />
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When the food came out, I was a little skeptical about it being enough. It was a small dish, and resembled a slightly thicker form of oatmeal. It is made with crushed bananas which one can definitely taste. With the honey, this is quite a sweet treat, that is also quite filling. The oatmeal looking stuff is apparently flat bread that has been ground up with the bananas!<br />
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We started eating after 8pm. I finished mine, but just barely (and I hadn't eaten all day at that point)! The following day, I still felt full until about mid-afternoon! This would be a great breakfast food for one who likes something hearty that will keep them full throughout the morning. I like the sweetness provided by the honey, the richness provided by the cream, but I wouldn't recommend the cheese. It wasn't bad, it just didn't seem to compliment the rest of the dish.<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-29438738325173950112014-10-09T13:09:00.002-04:002014-10-09T13:09:35.261-04:00Ending a Vacation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Someone once made the observation that vacations were bad things because you either spend them in places that are worse than where you work making them something to not really look forward to, or you go somewhere great and end up coming back and being overly depressed by the job you have had to return to. I find neither of these extremes to be the norm, nor would I find them to be good reasons to forgo vacations even if they were. I must admit, though, that I am not looking forward to the work that faces me when I am finally blessed with no longer having to sit and wait.<br />
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I have just finished a short, two-week vacation. I flew from Saudi Arabia to Michigan looking forward to meeting up with friends and family. The first week was spent with my brother. I didn't do much other than sit around and talk and watch dvds. Not very productive, but just what a vacation is for! Besides, I did a little studying as well. In addition, I was able to meet up with a friend whom I hadn't seen in at least 5 years along with her children. The discussion was interesting, even if a bit disjointed and derailed by constant <strike>interruptions</strike> interjections by the kids.<br />
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Sometime during this, I took a test on which I didn't score as well as I would have liked; it was better than nothing, though! This disappointment was deflected by getting to meet up with friends I hadn't seen in a while. We had a good lunch of cheeseburgers and fries along with a side of great conversation.<br />
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Immediately following this nourishing of body and soul, I drove the over 400 miles to see yet another friend and find rest on her couch. We were able to catch up during the day and enjoy the two youngsters when they returned from their daily romp in the school system. Watching <i>Honey I Shrunk the Kids</i> and <i>Honey I Shrunk Ourselves</i> with a 6 year old is an interesting experience. As is learning about her and her 5 year old sister's take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Go green!!<br />
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I then had my mandatory meet up with APO! The friends I have made within Alpha Phi Omega are wonderful, and I cherish them greatly. Unfortunately, I see them rarely and for too short of time. Far too soon I was off to Wisconsin where I was to visit another friend from university and take a three hour test the following day. Of course, I didn't sleep that night, so my test may or may not have gone so well, not that I mind so much either way. Right after sleepily taking that 3 hour exam, I was on the road yet again. This time I had to drive over 8 hours back to my brother's apartment where I would stay for the night. I arrived around 9pm. This was the perfect time as it gave me plenty of time to figure out what to pack, what to pack it in, and then how to pack it before heading off to bed so that I would be able to get up around 4am to get to the airport in time for my flight in the morning. It seems to have worked out fine as I am now typing this at the Minneapolis airport where I am waiting the 5.5 hours for my flight to Amsterdam to board. My vacation is not yet over, but I must say it has been busy, stressful, and full of good things! The ending is like a strawberry covered in dark chocolate: rich, sweet, bitter with a dash of satisfaction in knowing that moderation is the key to enjoyment. </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-83159949981392733382014-07-31T20:07:00.001-04:002014-07-31T20:07:54.749-04:00The Eggman!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There he was, in perfect form, staring up at me with his bright, orange face, confident that his mucous-fiber would hold. Of course, he was right! If not for location, this would have been a great site for those who yearn for that perfect, sunny-side up energy provider.<br />
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After admiring it for a couple of minutes, I attempted to clean up the mess I had inadvertently caused by severely underestimating gravity's control over my everyday life. This cleanup process turned out to be a bit more difficult than I had first imagined. At first I tried using a flat device to scoop it up with. This ended in the disastrous splitting of the skin holding in the orange blood that now came flowing out. This signaled the necessity of one of the napkins I had collected (I have yet to purchase paper towels which may move up on my list of things to buy). It took two or three of them, and it was a little more difficult to pick up the gel-like substance that was left, but I did finally manage. In the future, I will remember that a pan is a much better location in which to cook eggs than the floor will ever be!<br />
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On a high note, this does mean that I have been eating, and it has been mostly at home. It may not be quite as healthy as I would like, but I am working on changing that. It is a step in the right direction for me! </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-51740064590042951232014-07-18T15:01:00.001-04:002014-07-18T15:01:15.365-04:00Iqama Received! Mall experience .... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After all the stories about how it would take two or three weeks to process, I was really surprised to have received my passport and iqama yesterday! I guess it is good to do such things during Ramadan. Who knew? Now I can leave the country and be able to come back! If I had the money I would use a few vacation days and return to the US for a bit, just to see how things were going.<br />
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Last night was Thursday; the day that I had designated as the day to go shopping for the following week. Apparently we westerners need to eat even during vacation! So, true to our word, my coworker and I headed to the Mall of Dhahran. I really don't like malls to begin with, and going at 10pm is not really an improvement. Actually we went at 8pm and finally returned about 11:30pm!<br />
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My friend and I visited a couple of stores and then stopped off at the food court. He then had to go to another store, and I, being tired, decided to go straight to the grocery store and meet up with him there. Unfortunately, I am a little more directionally challenged than I first thought. After walking around the mall for what seemed like an eternity, I exited the mall in order to find the nearest entrance from the outside. I couldn't see it and decided that it was much too hot to be walking around outside. I approached the very next entrance and attempted to enter. The guard put up his hand and hit me in the chest while exclaiming "where is your family?!"<br />
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I didn't realize that there were family only entrances to the mall itself, and I am not so sure that this was actually the case. Judging from the way he acted, and the way he said what he did, it seemed like it was personal. I think he looked at me, didn't like what he saw, and used it as an excuse to keep me out. Chalk one up for the security guard!<br />
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As soon as I get some actual sleep, I am sure this will all blow over :)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-42063325104368154072014-07-14T08:42:00.003-04:002014-07-14T09:01:03.423-04:00Reflections on the Process in Obtaining a Saudi Iqama (Residency Permit)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As I sit here during my Ramadan break with my brain seeping out my ears, I have plenty of time to reflect on the process I have recently been required to go through. It was a long, grueling process in which one endures great mental games and physical invasion in order to make sure one is "qualified" to live in the Kingdom.<br />
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A little overly dramatic? Obviously. However, one needs a little drama in life to keep things interesting, and it is much better to have it on paper than to have to deal with it in the "real world." It could also be a product of the coffee I have been drinking today, but I will throw that by the wayside for now.</div>
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The process all started with a word from my supervisor informing me that I would be going to Bahrain just before the start of Ramadan in order to get the required physical. (I had been through this whole process previously while in the states, but as that was for a visa for a different company, it apparently didn't count.) So, me and a colleague took the two-ish hour, 300SAR taxi ride from al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia to Manama, Bahrain. We were put up at the Holiday Inn Express for 3 days.</div>
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The physical took half a day; most of it waiting. We were required to do a chest x-ray, get our blood drawn, and have our blood pressure taken (along with height and weight). I think there were other things we were supposed to do but didn't. The blood draw was the worst. The one who attempted to take my blood at first, didn't seem to know what she was doing. For the first time, someone had a difficult time finding a vein. After two attempts, she went to get the more experienced worker (I think I may have caused some nervousness in her, and she was grateful to be rid of me). He had little trouble, and the process was soon over. </div>
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Then it was time to go back to the hotel for the day to wait. The following day we went to a visa processing office. We arrived around 10am and finally left around 5ish. It was a long day of waiting. All that was to be done here was to get fingerprints taken and have our passports taken to be sent to get the visa. It was time was wait again... The following evening, our passports were delivered. </div>
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We stayed the final night and returned to Saudi Arabia the next morning. We waited a couple of days to get over some sort of bug that I am sure we picked up at the hospital in Bahrain. Then it was off to yet another hospital for yet another physical! Another chest x-ray, a stool sample, and more blood!</div>
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This blood draw went easier. Interestingly enough, this time the person typed it while I was there.</div>
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"What is your blood type?"</div>
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"O-positive."</div>
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"Who told you that?"</div>
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"Doctors."</div>
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"It is A- negative. If this is true, we are the same. I will check the microscopics later."</div>
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So, either my blood type has changed; or the doctors in China, the doctor in the US, and the doctors at the DoD were all wrong. Or, more likely, this typing was wrong. Did she not know what she was doing? Perhaps she was flirting with me... it could happen! I have no idea if it was corrected or not, but this makes me very uncomfortable with the possibility of having to be treated here in Saudi. </div>
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Then we had to send the passports to Riyadh where they will be taken to the embassy and processed for the iqama. I have no idea how long this will take, though I was told that it would take about two weeks. So I sit here waiting and hoping... </div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-48966682565367358382014-05-10T16:49:00.003-04:002014-05-10T16:49:43.211-04:00Journey to Saudi Arabia (MBS - AMS)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I finally received my passport with my Saudi visa on Tuesday, subbed on Wednesday, and went to the airport on Thursday to begin my long journey into the unknown! My first stop was, of course, the airport. MBS is a small airport (though still considered international, and I have not yet looked to closely as to what rules apply to such a designation), so TSA precheck is a bit modified (still have to take out laptop and liquids, but don't have to remove shoes), but as I was the only one going through at the time, I wasn't overly concerned about inconveniencing anyone with my having to open two bags to get the necessary items.<br />
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The flight to Detroit was extremely short and uneventful; we even arrived early! I was grateful for the little additional time as I wasn't sure where I was going to have to go to catch my other plane, and I had been instructed to recheck in and get a boarding pass in Detroit for the leg to Amsterdam. It turned out to be just one or two gates down in the other section of the terminal. When I arrived at the gate and gave them my name, the agent responded "oh, Rice. I just finished processing your upgrade! Here is your ticket. Go spend some time in the lounge to wait for boarding, which should be in about a half an hour." I took him up on the suggestion and went to the lounge to breath and relax a little.... and take in the news that I had actually been upgraded to business class on an international flight!<br />
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The flight itself was comfortable. I had a very good multi-course meal, watched some movies, and may have even dozed off a time or two for a couple of minutes. I will write more on the flight itself later so as not to add to the length of this writing.<br />
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I arrived in Amsterdam and went in search of a transfer agent so I could obtain my final boarding pass. A sign pointed me to Transfer Desk 4 as I would be flying on a KLM flight. There were a number of blue self-check in machines, counters on the other side of them, and a desk where one would enter the area of the counter. I approached the desk where I was told that I needed to use a machine. I attempted to use the machine, and all was going well until it asked me a question! The flags of confusion and delusion had been raised! The computer obviously didn't like me, so it informed me that I would need to speak to an agent. I very much preferred this anyway, so I took that as a win for me, at first! I approached the desk again. As the agent was dealing with others at the time, I used the machine to the right of the desk to obtain a number. The agent, a little miffed at my obvious provinciality, took the number and told me to just wait a minute. I sheepishly waited for her to finish and call me forward.<br />
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She took my passport, and looked me up on her computer. She asked how much luggage I had checked with a bit of shock seeping through her voice. I told her two, and she related her surprise. "It says here that you have checked six, and that you owe 800 Euro." We shared a bit of a chuckle as she attempted to change it, and when she had to call over a supervisor because it wasn't letting her do it. It looked like the computer was having the last laugh on this one after all! We did eventually get it taken care of, and I went off in search of the KLM Crown lounge to wait for the 4 hours for my next flight. </div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4374525334137640372.post-81033144350455614152014-04-27T14:01:00.003-04:002014-04-27T14:01:39.181-04:00More Complications.... but closer!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My new employer has been working hard to get me my visa and on my way, but things are never as easy for me as with normal people. I am thankful that I don't have to deal with most of the issues; all I have to do this time is wait... but even that can be a bit nerve-wracking.<br />
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It seems that because my former recruiter obtained a work visa for me, it needs to be cancelled at the location it was issued: Houston. I was told that the normal procedure when someone is not sent is for the hiring agency to cancel the visa so they have that visa slot available for someone else. In my case, this did not happen. In an effort to correct what they saw as a bad situation, my recruiter decided to not cancel my visa and to look for other possible positions. This desire to help actually hurt me in this instance.<br />
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When I was hired for this new position, I had to send in my passport to the Embassy in DC. The business visa was denied because of the non-cancelled business visa. They requested a letter of no objection from the company that had authorized my visa. I was thinking this was going to be a huge hurdle, but I emailed my recruiter, and she emailed her main office to obtain the letter. The very next day, I was CCed on an email to my new company with the necessary letter attached.<br />
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My passport was sent from DC down to Houston where the old visa will hopefully be cancelled with no problems. I am currently waiting to see how things turn out. I am thankful that my former recruiter worked so diligently with my both during the time she was attempting to get me there herself and for the service she provided during this time of need. I am also thankful that I am not the one who has to deal with the airfare. My company had already reserved a ticket for me and had to cancel it. They will get another one as soon as we find out when I will actually be allowed to go. Uncertainty seems to reign in my life :)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17816176711991305428noreply@blogger.com0