Off to Faraway Places

 In my youth, I found adventure in whatever I did (e.g. minding animals or working at the hospital) but I always dreamed of travelling to those places I read about in encyclopedias. I wanted to see, smell, touch and hear about those places not just read about them. This work chats about my childhood and young adulthood as a foundation for the journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) affectionately called the “magic kingdom” as it is indeed a land of mystery and unique lifestyle. My early upbringing, my educational endeavors, and my career advancements prior to Saudi Arabia and beyond molded me into the confident person required to work, play, and travel as I did. Now if you are a “city” folk, you might not relate to some of the simple adventures I talk about in the beginning, but for those of you from the rural parts of the country, you will be able to shake your head and say “Oh, yes, I can relate and/or remember that.” Also included is a section commenting on my stay in Australia which was “ordinary” when compared to the time spent in KSA. Americans tell me that they want to go to Australia. Indeed it has beauty, interesting characters, and a unique social structure but when you live there you pay taxes just like in America and grapple with everyday routine; living there seems to lose some of its appeal.