I still remember all of the sites on the drive from Jeddah to Yanbu and my thoughts of "What in the world have we done!"
It's quite the view from the airport to through the desert. There are homes here and there, tents, camels, etc. You go from a large city of Jeddah to nothing very quickly. I also remember taking Abby to the bathroom before leaving the airport. There was only 1 western toilet and no toilet paper. My first impression was interesting and not overly welcoming to our new home. But we have adjusted and things get easier. You get used to the sand and the dust, the hustle and bustle, the driving and the heat. However, I still take pictures of camels along the side of the road every chance I get!
What a year it's been! We've been to Disney World, France, Spain, Austria, Germany and Italy, along with visits to Abu Dahbi and of course Jeddah. We spent nearly 6 months of this year in the states with my parents. Abby has started preschool and I've been teaching a couple courses here and there. We've made some amazing friends and my whole view of the world has gotten so broad and changed so dramatically. Things that I used to take for granted, are now a treat. I understand so much more about geography now than I ever did in school. History is all around us and I've learned about so many cultures, not just Middle Eastern, but South America, European, South African, all from my new "family" here in Yanbu.
Here's to the second year and many more adventures and memories!