Riyadh is not a city for single women. To live even somewhat comfortably here a woman needs, at least, a husband/father/brother/adult son to drive her around. The cost of drivers is expensive, we're constantly told that taxis are unsafe, and there's really no place to go in the first place. It has not been a fun stay.
Things I have discovered: It's much more difficult to live without my husband than I thought it would be. My rationale was that he is gone at work for over 70 hours a week so I don't see him that often anyway, therefore I wouldn't really miss him if he was on the opposite side of the world as me. WRONG! I miss him. I miss him lying in bed next to me at night (even though he gets up about 3 or 4 times a night!) I miss his smell......cigarettes, cologne, and sweat. It may not sound appealing to you but it's HIS smell. And I miss it. I miss our dinners out on Sunday nights. I miss his messed-up English. I just miss him.
I also miss my kids. They are adults and (mostly) living away from home. So, again, I thought "How bad will it be?" It's bad. I miss spending time with them. I miss taking them out for dinner. I miss being able to call them whenever I want to hear their voices (time difference and work schedules has made talking to them nearly impossible).
The craziest thing? I miss my cats terribly.I always knew that I was teetering on the edge of being a Crazy Cat Lady but what I've discovered is...I really am! I miss those little furry babies like crazy. Every cat I see on the street here I just want to scoop them up and hug them and kiss them the way I do my sweet babies. I don't miss having cat hair all over all of my clothes but I sure do miss those sweet babies. No one greets me when I get home. No one sleeps in-between my legs at night so I can't roll over. No one cuddles with me when I'm sad. If you don't have a cat you need to get one! They can be your lifeline during difficult times and I miss mine terribly.
I miss my parents. Much of my life I haven't had a great relationship with them. Just in recent years has it improved. I really don't see them all that often so I didn't think I would miss them. I DO!!! I worry about them and I miss them. And I miss my mom's cooking on Sunday's when I make it to Indiana to join them for dinner. I think those trips will be more frequent when I return home. I took it for granted that I have two healthy parents. I don't want to take that for granted anymore. I want to continue to make memories with them.
These are my self-discoveries while living on the other side of the world. My family means more to me than I ever thought they did and I need them in my life more than I ever imagined. I guess it took me going to the other side of the world to realize how fortunate I am to have the wonderful people in my life that I do.
TWENTY ONE DAYS AND I'LL BE HOME!!!!!!!!
Things I have discovered: It's much more difficult to live without my husband than I thought it would be. My rationale was that he is gone at work for over 70 hours a week so I don't see him that often anyway, therefore I wouldn't really miss him if he was on the opposite side of the world as me. WRONG! I miss him. I miss him lying in bed next to me at night (even though he gets up about 3 or 4 times a night!) I miss his smell......cigarettes, cologne, and sweat. It may not sound appealing to you but it's HIS smell. And I miss it. I miss our dinners out on Sunday nights. I miss his messed-up English. I just miss him.
I also miss my kids. They are adults and (mostly) living away from home. So, again, I thought "How bad will it be?" It's bad. I miss spending time with them. I miss taking them out for dinner. I miss being able to call them whenever I want to hear their voices (time difference and work schedules has made talking to them nearly impossible).
The craziest thing? I miss my cats terribly.I always knew that I was teetering on the edge of being a Crazy Cat Lady but what I've discovered is...I really am! I miss those little furry babies like crazy. Every cat I see on the street here I just want to scoop them up and hug them and kiss them the way I do my sweet babies. I don't miss having cat hair all over all of my clothes but I sure do miss those sweet babies. No one greets me when I get home. No one sleeps in-between my legs at night so I can't roll over. No one cuddles with me when I'm sad. If you don't have a cat you need to get one! They can be your lifeline during difficult times and I miss mine terribly.
I miss my parents. Much of my life I haven't had a great relationship with them. Just in recent years has it improved. I really don't see them all that often so I didn't think I would miss them. I DO!!! I worry about them and I miss them. And I miss my mom's cooking on Sunday's when I make it to Indiana to join them for dinner. I think those trips will be more frequent when I return home. I took it for granted that I have two healthy parents. I don't want to take that for granted anymore. I want to continue to make memories with them.
These are my self-discoveries while living on the other side of the world. My family means more to me than I ever thought they did and I need them in my life more than I ever imagined. I guess it took me going to the other side of the world to realize how fortunate I am to have the wonderful people in my life that I do.
TWENTY ONE DAYS AND I'LL BE HOME!!!!!!!!
