Oh what an experience it has been!

So I guess the time has come where I’m meant to be reflecting this experience.  I think I will be digesting this past year for a while.  It has been so exciting and entertaining to say the least.  I am so thankful and happy for the experiences and opportunities that I have had!  I have had so many wonderful trips, met friendly people from all over the world, and experienced cultures in a way I never expected!  In Saudi Arabia I have seen a culture that is so closed to the outside world, I have had the opportunity to even experience a little bit of this very different world.  The expat community of Riyadh has never failed to be entertaining with desert trips and embassy parties!  And work, well I’m happy to be heading back to the western way of practicing medicine, but it will allow me to further appreciate the advances in medicine that are actually practiced in America.

I will miss my friends here in Riyadh and the fun that we have shared!  But we have been making plans to get together and do more traveling or visiting, so yay!  I will miss the lack of responsibility.  The things I’ve worried about this past year has been, ok where will I go for all my 55 days of vacation!!??  Which since I’m such a good vacation planner turned out to be 101 days of vacation out of Saudi Arabia to 14 countries (if you include USA), 4 continents, and oh I never even got sick on any vacation!!  I must have a steel stomach because every travel companion was sick at some point, and I love eating the local foods!  I have learned that people all over the world are really funny!  Everyone seems to have a sense of humor that we can share with each other!  I have learned so much in such unexpected ways; it has been a beautiful experience! 

I have had enough religious chats to last a lifetime it seems.  But it is still interesting to hear people’s opinions.  Every country, every people practice their faith in such different ways.  Sometimes it seems to be more of a forced doctrine and other places religion is more private, personal, and natural.  I have a great respect for those who have faith.  As we learn to respect each other’s differences we move closer to living in a more peaceful world. 

My friends and I have been reflecting together about the state of Saudi Arabia as a whole.  In a country with all the money in the world it seems unequally allocated.  I suppose this wealth has only become available in the last several decades so maybe they are still working on updating infrastructure, healthcare, education, and civil rights to a modern level, and I hope that this country is working in that direction.  I feel empathetic for the women in this society.  It is not easy to be a woman here.  For me though, as a foreigner, as an American, I can leave anytime.  I know that I have rights and freedoms in my home country.  I know things are different in other places and I know I will have all my freedoms and rights handed back to me as soon as I leave here.  But for the women here, they can’t leave without the permission of their guardian, they can’t have jobs, they can’t drive, they have to cover.  They are citizens without rights covered from the world without a voice, stifled by their own government, the entity that is meant to protect you and provide for you is taking everything human decency away from you.  Women can’t even order from the same counter at a coffee shop as the men, if the coffee shop allows women at all.  Women are blamed and oppressed.  I am hopeful that this is changing.  Women are speaking out as much as they can by driving and protesting and through social networks.  With the wave of the past year, the Arab Spring, I was hopeful that Saudi would jump on board, but the government is strong, the King is well loved, and I think people are both fearful and even mildly content. 

As far as the expat community goes, it was unexpected entertainment galore!  I have lived out of the USA before but never in such a way as this, and probably every experience is very different.  I think in such a closed society we had to bind together and try to make our little oasis of western normalcy.  Lots of parties at embassies and compounds.  Desert trips for hiking and camping and dune driving.  The community is pretty small as far as those who go out end up continuously running into each other at various events.  This is both comforting and also at times a bit hilariously like high school.  Again, it has been a fun and entertaining year!

What am I looking forward to back in my homeland?  Oh my my my!!!  As much fun as this has all been I am excited for the next adventure, as always!  I can’t wait to see my friends and family, hike with my puppy, go out with friends, be in the outdoors, listen to music, ride my bike, drink yummy microbrews, and just simply be!  I’m sure there will be a lot of reverse culture shock.  But hopefully I will handle it gracefully!  I am sure to appreciate all that I have in terms of freedom so much more having had this experience!  Thanks for coming on the journey with me!