Friday, May 12, 2023
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
My 32nd Bday - December 13, 2016
Reflecting on another year passed, I found myself really enjoying my birthday this year. It’s not because I did anything particularly out of the ordinary or planned anything special – quite the contrary in fact – I spent the day like I would any other normal working day and couldn’t have asked for more (except that I ate sugar all day, which is way out of the norm). Sure, there were a few well wishes from colleagues at work, family, and friends (one I particularly liked from my oldest friend in the word, Tony, because we have kept up tradition), which I really do appreciate, but everything else went along like any other day. And that’s the point; I am really, really loving the day-to-day. I consider myself lucky to be able to live the lifestyle I am living, and every day that I get like this that’s ‘normal’ is a win in my book. So yeah, I’m 32 now, and that sounds a little different, which is cool, but I feel fantastic and can’t complain about a thing; and that is the most incredible part of all. I guess what I’m saying is I’m grateful for my life and everything surrounding it, and I thank God for putting me where I am and placing such incredible people around me, as well as interesting challenges and unique opportunities. Thanks also to everyone who shares the journey with me – to whichever capacity – you all enrich
my life immeasurably.
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What has this year looked like for me?
In November I covered 3 countries, 3 states, and 6 cities - one of them thrice - in one week,
which is gotta be the craziest thing I've done all year. Here's a look at that trip:
Part I - Week in Drumpfville from EZ Clips on Vimeo.
In November I covered 3 countries, 3 states, and 6 cities - one of them thrice - in one week,
which is gotta be the craziest thing I've done all year. Here's a look at that trip:
Part I - Week in Drumpfville from EZ Clips on Vimeo.
Part II - A Week in Drumpfville from EZ Clips on Vimeo.
Part III - A Week in Drumpfville from EZ Clips on Vimeo.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
One Year in Saudi Arabia
Despite being away for a sizable portion of the summer, I have officially lived in Saudi Arabia for a year and have really enjoyed it more than I would’ve previously thought possible. Recently passing the one-year mark got me thinking about some of the things I have learned along the way, as well as a few things I might attempt to improve this year about my surrounds and myself. Below is a list of most important lessons about life in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
1) Don’t Freak Out
Patience is a skill most urgently required when living in the KSA. This cannot be overstated. Tasks that might have otherwise been very simple or mundane in one’s home country can take several times longer to accomplish in Saudi Arabia, and getting frustrated by that fact will only make matters worse. Take Internet access for example. There are only a few telecommunications companies operating in The Kingdom, with STC, the largest and only government-funded company stifling the opportunity for up-and-comers to break into the market. It’s not exactly a monopoly, but sometimes it feels like one. With a mix of insidious market manipulation and clever advertising, STC sits atop the heap of Internet providers yet offers abysmal customer service. The last trip I took to one of their main branches to reload my prepaid Internet (yes, the only way to do this is by physically visiting one of their centers – tragically ironic, isn’t it?) took 4 hours before I walked out with what I needed. Halting business twice for two separate prayers (called dhuhr and Asr, respectively) coupled with a “fingerprint system failure”, my brother and I were left unattended, twiddling our thumbs for what felt like the entire afternoon. Time well spent? Hardly. Of course, to successfully get what you need in that situation, you must remain cool, calm and collect. Showing any visible signs of outward frustration will only result in your being completely ignored or they will pass you along from one rep to another so as to avoid taking responsibility for rectifying the situation – the exact definition of passing the buck. Despite the fact that you are a paying customer, rightfully disgruntled due to poor service, calm patience is the key to success in such circumstances.
2) Avoid Driving Whenever Possible
The driving in Riyadh, where I live, is notoriously horrific. Aside from the aggressive, rude behavior on the road there is also the road closures to deal with. Since the city is currently undergoing a huge project to implement a comprehensive metro system, there are detours and construction-induced bottlenecks all over the place. The quietest times on the road as far as I can tell are Friday morning before Friday Prayer, Saturday between Asr and Maghrib, and super early in the morning any day of the week (I’m talking like 4-5 am). Aside from those golden nuggets of relaxed driving, it is best to avoid going anywhere by car unless it is absolutely necessary. Doing this has helped me create a much more stress-free living environment in the hopes of accomplishing my third and final point…..
3) Careful Planning = Increased Longevity
I have seen too many people burn out already in such a short period of time. Most of my colleagues in the English Preparatory Department at our university arrived one year before I did, all of us signing 3-year contracts. Of the 5 males instructors and 5 female instructors I have spoken to about resigning, all but one have decided to leave at the end of this year, which will be the end of their third and final year contractually. When asked what their main motivations are for leaving, most of them cited difficulties with the Saudi way of life as being their main reason and none of them had any real bones to pick with our university per se, all thanks to God for that.
Initially, the news of so many talented, dedicated teachers leaving our program saddened me, but then it really got me thinking as to why that might be.
A typical conversation with another expat when discussing life in Saudi Arabia usually includes at least one of the following components: 1) a complaint about the hierarchical dysfunction of the country, 2) a complaint about the corruption-derived decisions being made for future plans of the country, 3) a remark about how hot it is here, or 4) a poignant observation about the woes of driving, usually coupled with a recent, thoroughly detailed close encounter and subsequent verbal/gestural altercation with a taxi, or perhaps with a Nissan Patrol (there’s some correlation between being a jerk and buying a patrol, I just can’t figure out what it is yet). Anyhow, as you may have noticed, most of the common remarks made, while accurate, are usually one form of criticism or another. Left unchecked, this can become a daily habit, which often reduces your chances of living a happy, well-balanced life for many years and instead leaves you in a constant cycle of complaining – not fun for any of the parties involved.
In order to live a life worth living – even one that may resemble your life back home to some degree – there are a few key things to remember to maximize longevity inside the KSA (which can be applied to living in other foreign countries as well). Here’s a short list of some of the most important things to remember:
• You didn’t move there (wherever you’ve moved) to change the country, its policies, or the people
• You’re a guest in their land – act like one and be gracious
• Try to accept other ways of doing things and seek the good in them – your way might be familiar and effective, but it is likely not the only worthwhile approach
• Don’t let climate dictate your level of daily satisfaction
• Take advantage of vacation time and get out of the country for a while
• Befriend some locals
• Try new things out of your comfort zone
• Avoid driving needlessly…didn’t’ I mention that already? Why yes, yes I did.
Having said all of that, I think the main thing to remember when living in any foreign country is that it’s not your home country; so don’t try to make it out to be. Just go with the flow and adapt to your surroundings because I promise that if you don’t, the place won’t change because you will to do to so, but your quality of life most certainly will.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Explore Your Hood
It's easy to fall into a pattern of complacency. Go to work, walk the dog, take out the trash etc. But I find that when I mix things up - step out of the mundanities of everyday life and follow my curiosities - that's when my surroundings really come to life.
Today's random neighborhood adventure led me and my friend Tom to a part of our beloved, adopted Korean city of Bucheon, that we had only heard about as somewhat of a tall-tale. We heard there was a foreigner neighborhood within our own town full of Thais, Filipinos, Indians, and other people from Southeast Asia. With this, there were promises of great food, so we went searching.
Now Bucheon is a rather large suburban area of the greater Seoul Metro Area but it has its own municipality, so its a proper city in its own right. Quite simply, Bucheon is fantastic place to live with everything a young adventurous guy could want: restaurants, shopping, hills to hike, parks, well-paved roads and public transportation. Anytime I would spend the day in the hustle and bustle of Seoul, coming home to Bucheon at the end of the day always felt good. Anyhow, when Tom and I learned of the prospect for Thai food in our town, we went on a long walk in search of it. Many steps and a few wrong turns later, we arrived at what could only be described as a hidden foreign town. I mean, this market-filled area was definitely not on any main roads and it was tucked way back in the innards of an otherwise unassuming neighborhood.
Thai food in Bucheon at last. And Indian. Oh, and did I mention Vietnamese too? This place kind of had it all, and we loved it. As it would turn out, this neighborhood would become a go-to for me for years to come when I needed to buy cilantro or other rare spices, otherwise foreign to Koreans in general. I would hop on my 1997 Yamaha XJR400 and zip down to our little secret foreign neighborhood. The sound from my tailpipe would ricochet off the walls of the buildings lining the alley, and the vendors with whom I had grown friendly with, could hear me coming from a mile away. It was great to be greeted with predictive smiles as I dismounted the bike in search of curry powder or coriander.
For anyone who may have read this, you might have noticed the apparently crazy switch in tenses from the present to the perfect past. That's because the first two paragraphs were written back in 2013 and the blog post was never finished. I am only now, in August of 2016, from my home desk in Riyadh, finishing this post, thus I am reminiscing for the latter part of the post in the past tense. My days in Korea were some of the very best I've ever had, and writing about it like this makes me think I should dedicate at least a few more memories to be written as blog posts in the future. Thanks for taking a few moments to picture with me what Korean life was like.
Today's random neighborhood adventure led me and my friend Tom to a part of our beloved, adopted Korean city of Bucheon, that we had only heard about as somewhat of a tall-tale. We heard there was a foreigner neighborhood within our own town full of Thais, Filipinos, Indians, and other people from Southeast Asia. With this, there were promises of great food, so we went searching.
Now Bucheon is a rather large suburban area of the greater Seoul Metro Area but it has its own municipality, so its a proper city in its own right. Quite simply, Bucheon is fantastic place to live with everything a young adventurous guy could want: restaurants, shopping, hills to hike, parks, well-paved roads and public transportation. Anytime I would spend the day in the hustle and bustle of Seoul, coming home to Bucheon at the end of the day always felt good. Anyhow, when Tom and I learned of the prospect for Thai food in our town, we went on a long walk in search of it. Many steps and a few wrong turns later, we arrived at what could only be described as a hidden foreign town. I mean, this market-filled area was definitely not on any main roads and it was tucked way back in the innards of an otherwise unassuming neighborhood.
Thai food in Bucheon at last. And Indian. Oh, and did I mention Vietnamese too? This place kind of had it all, and we loved it. As it would turn out, this neighborhood would become a go-to for me for years to come when I needed to buy cilantro or other rare spices, otherwise foreign to Koreans in general. I would hop on my 1997 Yamaha XJR400 and zip down to our little secret foreign neighborhood. The sound from my tailpipe would ricochet off the walls of the buildings lining the alley, and the vendors with whom I had grown friendly with, could hear me coming from a mile away. It was great to be greeted with predictive smiles as I dismounted the bike in search of curry powder or coriander.
For anyone who may have read this, you might have noticed the apparently crazy switch in tenses from the present to the perfect past. That's because the first two paragraphs were written back in 2013 and the blog post was never finished. I am only now, in August of 2016, from my home desk in Riyadh, finishing this post, thus I am reminiscing for the latter part of the post in the past tense. My days in Korea were some of the very best I've ever had, and writing about it like this makes me think I should dedicate at least a few more memories to be written as blog posts in the future. Thanks for taking a few moments to picture with me what Korean life was like.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Summer 2016 Recap
The calendar was jam-packed this summer with lofty goals and transcontinental movement.
I kicked off the vacation months in late May with a quick 4 day trip to Malaysia to sell 2 motorcycles that had been sitting there, unused, for a year. Luckily, the bikes were still in excellent riding shape (after a bit of tlc) and incredibly, I was able to sell them both in the span of the 4 day trip. In addition to the crazy timetable I had sillily set for myself to complete the task, I was also battling a wicked illness that, little did I know at the time, would get much, much worse in the weeks to follow.
With pockets bulging with ringgit, I boarded a flight in Kuala Lumpur bound for Kuwait, where I would spend a few days with family in preparation for a long road trip to Jordan. Once my brother and I arrived safely in Amman, we immediately began our Arabic classes that would last for 5 weeks. As previously mentioned, I was battling some crazy illness that by this point had severely worsened and was creating some serious concern as to whether I would complete my 5 week course or not. Thankfully, I found some excellent physicians who helped me get back to full strength within a few weeks and the latter part of our Jordan trip was really stellar.
From Jordan we hopped a taxi to the Israeli border, then bused in to the country. 3 hours and some mild 'interrogation' later, we were in the Holy City of Jerusalem. We spent a week in Israel, covering most of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and even a short trip up the coast to the historical coastal town of Akko, where we chucked ourselves off a seawall into the Mediterranean - highlight of our trip.
From Israel we headed back to Jordan to collect our things and pick up the car so we could head for Riyadh, KSA. After yet another 15 hour journey, we were back at my pad in Riyadh for a few more days of rest, only to hit the road again for Kuwait to catch our flights to Turkey, where we would spend the next 3 weeks with more studies.
Turkey is a beautiful country full of scrumptious foods and colorful people, not to mention the stunning mosques all over the cities and countryside. The military coup attempt actually happened about 2 hours after we arrived in Samsun from Istanbul. Had we booked a slightly later flight from Istanbul, we would have been stuck in the Ataturk airport for a minimum of 24 hours, likely more. We said our prayers of thanks for having bypassed that whole racquet.
We studied Islam, Ihsan, and Iman, devotional practice, devotional perfection, and faith, at what is aptly called the 'Rihla', which means Journey in Arabic. Along the way we were blessed to meet revered scholars, energetic volunteers, and interesting classmates and colleagues. The experience of the Rihla was truly one of a kind and deserves its own analysis and reflection, perhaps in a future post.
Finally, we left Turkey for Kuwait and spent the last few weeks of summer vacation enjoying the desert heat between Riyadh and Kuwait city. With the new school year vastly approaching, its nice to look back at this summer's accomplishments, challenges, struggles, and lessons with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude for all of the incredible opportunities both past and present. Life in the Gulf region can be, at times, somewhat challenging for expatriates, but it's always nice to come back to a place that is increasingly beginning to feel more like home.
I kicked off the vacation months in late May with a quick 4 day trip to Malaysia to sell 2 motorcycles that had been sitting there, unused, for a year. Luckily, the bikes were still in excellent riding shape (after a bit of tlc) and incredibly, I was able to sell them both in the span of the 4 day trip. In addition to the crazy timetable I had sillily set for myself to complete the task, I was also battling a wicked illness that, little did I know at the time, would get much, much worse in the weeks to follow.
With pockets bulging with ringgit, I boarded a flight in Kuala Lumpur bound for Kuwait, where I would spend a few days with family in preparation for a long road trip to Jordan. Once my brother and I arrived safely in Amman, we immediately began our Arabic classes that would last for 5 weeks. As previously mentioned, I was battling some crazy illness that by this point had severely worsened and was creating some serious concern as to whether I would complete my 5 week course or not. Thankfully, I found some excellent physicians who helped me get back to full strength within a few weeks and the latter part of our Jordan trip was really stellar.
From Jordan we hopped a taxi to the Israeli border, then bused in to the country. 3 hours and some mild 'interrogation' later, we were in the Holy City of Jerusalem. We spent a week in Israel, covering most of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and even a short trip up the coast to the historical coastal town of Akko, where we chucked ourselves off a seawall into the Mediterranean - highlight of our trip.
From Israel we headed back to Jordan to collect our things and pick up the car so we could head for Riyadh, KSA. After yet another 15 hour journey, we were back at my pad in Riyadh for a few more days of rest, only to hit the road again for Kuwait to catch our flights to Turkey, where we would spend the next 3 weeks with more studies.
Turkey is a beautiful country full of scrumptious foods and colorful people, not to mention the stunning mosques all over the cities and countryside. The military coup attempt actually happened about 2 hours after we arrived in Samsun from Istanbul. Had we booked a slightly later flight from Istanbul, we would have been stuck in the Ataturk airport for a minimum of 24 hours, likely more. We said our prayers of thanks for having bypassed that whole racquet.
We studied Islam, Ihsan, and Iman, devotional practice, devotional perfection, and faith, at what is aptly called the 'Rihla', which means Journey in Arabic. Along the way we were blessed to meet revered scholars, energetic volunteers, and interesting classmates and colleagues. The experience of the Rihla was truly one of a kind and deserves its own analysis and reflection, perhaps in a future post.
Finally, we left Turkey for Kuwait and spent the last few weeks of summer vacation enjoying the desert heat between Riyadh and Kuwait city. With the new school year vastly approaching, its nice to look back at this summer's accomplishments, challenges, struggles, and lessons with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude for all of the incredible opportunities both past and present. Life in the Gulf region can be, at times, somewhat challenging for expatriates, but it's always nice to come back to a place that is increasingly beginning to feel more like home.
Journey to Jordan from EZ Clips on Vimeo.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Two-Wheeled Farewell
My way of saying goodbye to a great country full of beautiful people, food, and most of all endless mountain roads and twisties. This video caps off my 5 years spent in Korea and pays tribute to the friends I made along the way, the BMW s1000rr, Seoul, Gangwon-Do, and Bucheon. Thanks Korea, for being such a fantastic host country and always keeping life interesting. I am forever grateful.
Special Thanks to Tom for loaning his GoPro Hero, which was used to shoot 80% of this video. Some of the footage (Gangnam sunrise timelapse and Incheon Airport bridge) was shot on a Hero 4 Silver. I also need to thank Coffee Lab in Hongdae, Saeri for playing assistant to my chaos, and everyone who participated in the making my life in Korea what it was - an extremely rewarding and memorable half decade.
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