My daughter will be having a baby in the U.S. in February, which is fantastic. I'm so excited to snuggle a little newborn girl and to play with her toddler brother. This guy: But nothing good comes for free. I'll be making a substantial sacrifice to go. See, if the baby were coming in, say, … Continue reading Party On: Riyadh’s Janadriyah Festival
Category: Blog
The New Normal
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Ergo, weird is also in the eye of the beholder. So I guess it's simply a matter of what you're used to being normal and what's different being weird. I'm confident that expats everywhere have moments where they catch themselves doing some formerly weird thing that's become normal and say, … Continue reading The New Normal
Decked Out: More from the Princess Souk
I went to the Second-Hand Souk this past week with my motto clearly in mind: NO MORE SILLY DRESSES I don't have mounds of them or anything, but you don't really need that many, do you? The sole use I've been able to come up with is princess night dinners, which are parties among my neighbors … Continue reading Decked Out: More from the Princess Souk
Inside Out and Backwards
To understate the obvious (double whammy!) Arab and Western cultures have some...difficulties understanding each other. But don't worry--I can totally fix this. Yes, it's true that I'm completely untrained in anthropology or sociology, and have done zero structured research. Minor details. The important thing is that I'm fairly well acquainted with Hollywood and Riyadh, two cities of about … Continue reading Inside Out and Backwards
That Coffee Morning Jolt
Until I embarked on expat-wife-life, the term "coffee morning" would have conjured an image like this: Or maybe this: You know, the ladies-who-lunch crowd who have gotten the kids to school, gone to the gym, had their blow-outs, and still have some time to kill before lunch. It's morning, there's coffee, and by making enough of … Continue reading That Coffee Morning Jolt
Make New Friends, but Keep the Old
This is me and my friend Chris. We've known each other for close to 20 years, and have been taken for sisters time and time again. Back when we both had teenagers, my own daughter, seeing Chris bent over something, came up behind her and said, "Mom?" Chris has only sons, and was delighted to have … Continue reading Make New Friends, but Keep the Old
The Winter Garden
The weather has turned! The three-digit temperatures (ahem, 40+ in centigrade) are gone. Winter in Saudi Arabia means breakfast on the patio, dinner under the twinkle lights in the garden, evenings by the pool, afternoons with the windows open listening to the birds. Sure, there are a lot of things you might be used to … Continue reading The Winter Garden
Natural Facts
Okay, kids. This is a test. I want you to think REALLY hard. When was the last time you heard any straight-faced conversation that touched on the term "women drivers"? The straight-faced part is important. Plenty of dudes will say it as a joke, grin, and wait for a nearby woman to swat him. Kinda … Continue reading Natural Facts
What the Cave Man Knew
I have always loved history in the laziest way possible. I love the stories, and the complicated way stories cross and influence each other, and I love puzzling over why people did what they did and how the consequences still play out today. The older and more mysterious, the better. Plus I'm a sucker for … Continue reading What the Cave Man Knew
Of Head Cases and Head Scarves
So there's this: It's a headscarf, commonly called the hijab here in Saudi Arabia. There are a lot of different ways to wear it, and wearing it well requires more effort than I've ever invested. I know, right? Pretty stunning. (Headband not required--this is just one of bazillion YouTube tutorials.) And as Europe and the … Continue reading Of Head Cases and Head Scarves
Margo Catts 