Getting Settled Back in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is one of my favorite places. It definitely holds a special place in my heart having graduated high school and college here, plus my mother still lives in town, but it really is one of the BEST "small' towns in the country. I think after my medevac I'll have to write post of all there is to do and my favorite spots. I've discovered some new ones since our arrival so I need more time to thoroughly research. So far I'm really fortunate that friends from Chicago came to visit/help our first weekend, that our nanny arrived from Riyadh, and that my mother is here to loan me her car as well as spend time with The Gents when she's not working...and J arrives this weekend!

Surprising to me, our time here has been busier than imagined. We moved into our apartment almost two weeks ago and I feel like I've been going non-stop since our arrival - doctor appointments, grocery runs, getting some items to make this new place a little more comfortable and nesting for baby girl. Being productive is a wonderful feeling, but now being almost 38 weeks along, my bed with new linens is like a siren beckoning me...as is the TV with all of the on-demand content I've missed this last year! I kind of just want to lay in bed (so much respect to women who work up until giving birth AND chase kids around), but these boys need activity and stimulation. Most importantly, I want them to feel more settled and secure before baby girl arrives and their world turns upside down. 

I'm getting C&R into a new routine, that seems to be working well. There is a park a block away that they spend a lot of time at and a pool steps away so they're staying on top of their swim skills. This morning we got to the downtown branch of the library for a very entertaining morning story time and followed by lunch on Main St. I discovered some restaurants where kids eat free! Now to add in a day to go to the Hands On Museum and we'll have a nice weekly schedule. 

What's been a particularly special treat is going to the farmers' market. There are actually a number of them around town throughout the week so it's always possible to get really fresh, in-season fruit and veg. We just finished strawberry season so I think I got the last in-season strawberry rhubarb pie. YUM. And having an abundance of gorgeous peaches, super sweet blueberries, and so many beautiful varieties of tomatoes is wonderful! It's simple things like this that make me appreciate the US, and Michigan so much more. Definitely something I want to make sure our children are exposed to, learn, and appreciate about their food. 

It's not even September/fall yet, which means football season, fresh donut eating and apple picking are still to come! Can't wait to share more with you all soon. xo

Mentally Preparing For My Medevac

It’s pretty quiet here in Riyadh. The wind down of the school year, Ramadan, Eid, and the heat has sent a lot of the mothers and children packing. Most take the summer to go visit their families back home or travel. It’s also a transition time of year when people leave for other posts.

In just over a week we’ll be leaving for our first R&R back to The States (finally!). I will be staying on for my medevac to deliver the baby, The Gents in tow. This is the longest stretch of time I’ve ever been away from family so I’m more than ready to get back for an extended period. Not going to lie, I’ve been a little jealous as friends here have been leaving and posting pics of freedom on Instagram.

Before I got pregnant I really didn’t think we’d spend more than an R&R (3 weeks) back home. If a mother isn’t working, I can see why she would take the entire summer break. The challenges of Riyadh are especially hard for children. Kids need to be outside, burning off energy. Once the temperature crept past 100 degrees our playgroup disbanded. It’s hard to get The Gents to play outside, first thing in the morning and in the shade, longer than 15 minutes. This summer they’ll be able to run outside on green grass any time of day they want, won’t be exposed to 110+ degree heat and residual dust from sandstorms.

The positives come without a little stress though. First, packing for me and the boys for 3+ months, spanning two Midwest seasons, is a bit overwhelming. Then there is all the gear – car seats, stroller, and cribs; and the long haul flight. Oh and don’t forget about baby girl! I’ll be shipping some items we used early on with C&R to make the first month+ a little easier on me.

J will be there for R&R, but he has to come back to Riyadh for work. Hopefully he’ll make it back in time for the delivery (fingers crossed because I’m getting nervous about this!), but at the very least he’ll be able to take a couple weeks of paternity leave to be with us. The baby and I won’t get medically cleared to fly back to Riyadh until 6 weeks post delivery.

This impending time apart is what I’m dreading the most. Sure we dealt with a long distance relationship while he was in Virginia and I was still in Chicago, but I’m already getting sad about it. Not only do I miss him terribly when we’re apart, but The Gents do, too. 

J had to travel last week and was gone for five days. On the fourth day I was playing with the boys in their play area. C heard the front door open and said, “Dad?” as he started to run to the door. It was our nanny. He handled the disappointment well, but my heart sank for him.

On the plus side, it’s hard to imagine a better place to spend the summer – between Chicago and Michigan – surrounded by family and friends. I’m thrilled our family will have so much time with the boys. I know they miss us all so much. It’s going to be a really special time, finishing up this pregnancy back home. I’m grateful I’m able to deliver this baby in The States and have The Gents with me for it all. So yeah it’s a little bittersweet to be separated form J, but there is a huge upside. I’m thrilled to be coming HOME, again.

Onward!

As most of you know we’re only going to be in KSA for two years, leaving June 2019. Where we’re moving next remained to be seen though. There is a process every year, where people learn about open positions, apply for those of interest and then get matched. I touched on this a few posts back when I referenced J’s Riyadh placement. It’s liberating for me to let go of control…to an extent. J and I discussed extensively where he’d apply for 2019. To be honest, there were only two positions that made sense for him – Cairo and Amman.

I'm fine with either. First, they’re relatively safe (it wouldn’t be accompanied if it wasn’t). Second, Starcom (Publicis) has offices in both. And third, we know people who have lived in either location that have spoken well of these cities. Plus, when you’re coming from Riyadh any other accompanied post in the Middle East is going to seem like a breeze. I jokingly refer to both cities as Muslim-lite.

It's not a given we’d be staying overseas though. Someone at J’s level doesn’t always get back-to-back overseas posts. With only two positions and the pool being highly competitive, we had to be realistic and open to the possibility of J getting placed back in D.C. Neither of us are eager to go back to Virginia though. We’ve really enjoyed our time and look forward to more adventures and experiences that we’d never get otherwise. Like all things, I knew it would work out for the best for us. I also had a strong feeling we’d be staying in the region.

Last week the matches were announced and we’re going to Cairo in October 2019! We’re really excited. It says tremendous things for J and all of the work he’s done here so far. This is definitely a reward for his hard work and he’s going to get to do more of that in Cairo. I’m so proud of him (in case you couldn’t tell)!

I know this in tough on our family and friends back home, especially our parents who want to spend time with their grandchildren. I definitely felt a tinge of surprise and disappointment that we’re continuing overseas AND staying in the region. The upside is that we’ll be back in the States for summer 2019 and get lots of time with everyone then. In Cairo, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to work and continue Arabic (as well as this blog!). The Gents will start nursery school with an international group of children and be exposed to more than I could have ever imagined myself at that age. Baby girl will also get to experience life in the region and hopefully have some memories there. It’s awing to think of all the historical and religious significance Cairo holds!

Yes, there are a lot of sacrifices that we make, but the positive outweighs the negative. Not many adults, let alone children, can say they’ve lived in these places. We get to do this as a family. It’s so much more sweet than bitter.

So when you’re thinking of exotic places to visit, keep Cairo in mind. Or if you’re want to meet up in Europe, let us know where you’re traveling and maybe we can link up. Looking forward to sharing more adventure with you all over the next few years. xo

Maldives

This was kind of an unexpected trip. We weren’t really planning on taking another big vacation until 2019, before we’re set to leave Riyadh. When we realized I was pregnant, and factoring in having a newborn plus twin toddlers in tow, we thought “Wouldn’t it be nice to have one last really memorable trip with just the four of us?” And we could make it a baby moon! The timing worked to celebrate our anniversary as well. Perfect.

So, what made us choose the Maldives for this trip? For the ease of travel with The Gents, we really wanted to go somewhere with a direct flight from Riyadh. There are a lot of options, but we wanted to get out of the Middle East. To Male it’s just over four hours.

We certainly could have gone to Europe. Now being 5 months pregnant I knew I was not keen on the idea of running all over a city with twin toddlers and having to plan every detail. Plus, where’s the fun is a Michelin starred restaurant if you can’t have the wine pairings?! ;)

It seems like nearly everyone J works with in KSA has been to the Maldives. We’ve never done a beach vacation together. The thought of lounging on an island and having someone arrange plans for us was idyllic.

Oh! And we could just make it in time before the monsoon season starts. The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and April. The high season falls between December and March, which is when things are more expensive. The monsoon season runs from May to October, peaking around June. 

Factoring in all of this above, the Maldives was a no brainer. It’s a place I always dreamed of going to, but it’s really long and expensive trip from the US. It been on my bucket list, but I never really thought we’d be able to vacation there. I actually got a little emotional when our seaplane landed on Niyama, probably hormonal, but this place is so special and you feel it immediately.

We were literally in a jungle. Sure, there are all of the modern amenities available so we didn’t rough it. There is something about being surrounded by pure nature for five days - seeing lizards and hermit crabs, hearing birds and the ocean breaking, taking showers outside, feeling saltwater, stars shining bright diamonds, and the moonlight on skin. It’s grounding and makes you appreciate nature even more.

Below is a pretty detailed recap of the trip and the resort. We’re so glad we were able to make this dream adventure a reality. It truly was a luxury experience. Although J promised me that we’d be back one day, I’m not sure we would have been able to do this had we not been living in the Middle East. And for that I’m grateful. xo…

Transit – We flew Saudia direct to Male International Airport and then a 45 minute seaplane via Maldivian Aero direct to Niyama. There are a ton of islands/atolls to stay on so the seaplane or ferry time from Male varies. The seaplanes don’t operate after 3:30 in the afternoon because they would be flying into the sunset and returning in the dark. Depending on when you arrive in Male, be prepared that you might have to stay a night on the capital island. When you book your flight and resort be sure to communicate with the resort so they know your flight details and can arrange your transportation accordingly.

Safety side note for parents – we used the KidsFly Safe CARES Airplane Safety Harness with The Gents on the Saudia leg. It was so nice to not have car seats! Overall experience was 50/50. C actually did really well with it. He’s less of a wiggle worm than R, who just can’t sit still for long. C also does a better job of not slouching when seated so the harness stayed in place on him. And they’re now both clever enough to know how to work a seat belt, so they often unlatched themselves. There is no way a convertible car seats would ever fit on the seaplane seat so if you’re thinking of bringing your toddler, save yourself some trouble and get the harness. On the seaplane they just used the lap belt and were fine with it. Children under two can sit on your lap on the seaplane.

Male – since we arrived to Male in the afternoon, right when the last seaplane was leaving, we booked a night at Hotel Jen. A representative picked us up from the airport island and we took a five minute boat ride to the capital island where a van was waiting to drive us a few blocks to the hotel. There are a lot of hotel options. It’s a small island so nearly all restaurants are in walking distance. We even walked to dinner with The Gents, sans stroller because the sidewalks are pretty narrow and tough to navigate with it. Was good for them to walk a bit since they’d been on a plane most of the day.

Important cultural note – Maldives is a Muslim country. Even with it being incredibly hot and humid you’ll notice that most women are covered head to toe or dressed modestly. Men also wear pants. You will hear call to prayer when you’re out. Some friends of ours visited the Maldives on their honeymoon and she had said that she felt uncomfortable dressed in Western weather appropriate clothing as she got a number of looks from people. Since we were flying out of Saudi, J and I both had our legs covered and wore short sleeve shirts. Although we were uncomfortably hot when we landed, we didn’t feel inappropriate. On the resorts you can wear whatever you want!

Hotel Jen coordinated with Niyama to know what time our seaplane was leaving Male the following morning and ensured our transport back to the airport. At the airport, a rep from Niyama was waiting to check us in on our flight and then put us on a shuttle to the seaplane terminal where we waited in the Niyama lounge until the flight as ready to board. I had heard that the friendliness and service here was impeccable. We weren’t even at the resort yet and I was already impressed with all of the escorts and handlers we had at this point, which were at least five different people just that morning.

Niyama – we arrived at Niyama Private Islands just after 8am. It was an early start to the day, but wonderful to take advantage of the full day at the resort. As we stepped off the seaplane we were greeted by staff members, a cool towel and juice cocktail. Each couple/family is assigned a person/concierge who takes care of them for their stay. Mahey introduced himself to us and walked us to a golf cart to give us a quick tour before taking us to our villa. The resort is set on two small islands, with a connecting bridge. Restaurants, shops, gym, and spa are nestled into the grounds.

We opted to reserve a beach studio with pool, rather than one over the water. If you have small children you have to sign a waver to stay over the water. For peace of mind and less stress of having to hover over the boys, the beach was more than fine! And we were really happy that we got a room with a pool. It made for an even more relaxing experience. We could go down to the beach for a bit and once The Gents got tired of the ocean (it was work for them!) they could splash in our private pool. Also nice to be near their beds when it was nap time. The resort had cribs/playards that they set up in the room. The studios are situated so that they’re very private, with wood fences and trees surrounding each. We rarely heard or saw anyone on either side of us. Beach cruisers are provided to easily get around and ours came with kid seats. C&R loved their bike rides with us. And it was a bit of a workout for me. If only my balance wasn't so off being 5 months along. HA!

There are SO many resorts to choose from, but there aren’t many luxury resorts with a kids club that will take children under 3 without a parent or traveling nanny present. It’s $20/hour for kids under 3, but totally worth it when the boys needed to let of some steam or J and I wanted some quiet time. We never dropped them there for more than an hour, so it wasn’t a big expense. What we did take advantage of was the babysitting services in the evening. By the time the evenings came the boys got a bit unruly at dinner - being tired from the long day, dealing with a two hour time difference and being out in the heat makes a less than enjoyable experience for all. An early dinner, movie in our air-conditioned room and a cool bath made up their evening so J and I could have a few dinner dates.

Speaking of dinners, the restaurants are really well done. The only one we didn’t eat at was Edge. SubSix was a really cool underwater experience, but it was topped by dinner high in the trees at Nest. They had a crab pre fixe dinner one evening that was phenomenal! Honestly, one of the best meals we've ever had. Take advantage of all of the fresh grilled fish and seafood, shashimi, and anything else that’s a special for the day. You won’t be disappointed.

And last, but not least to note is the Maldives is a playground for people who love water sports. I think most people definitely go for diving and surfing. We don’t dive, and clearly I couldn’t surf, kite surf or parasail, but there’s still so much to enjoy even if you’re not into any of these activities! On our last day we at least got out for a private breakfast dhoni cruise with The Gents. It was beautiful and the perfect way to cap off this wonderful week.

London

For those of you who don’t know I lived in London for about six months, seven years ago. I romanticized the idea of living there. There are so many wonderful aspects the city has (history, food, culture, architecture, shopping, etc.), but the weather generally is terrible and I’m always cold from not having a heavy enough coat or hot once I get inside from wearing too many layers. Oh, it’s expensive! And it’s a tough place to make friends. I was lucky enough a have an English friend living there when I moved who made my experience there so much easier. I don’t know what I would have done without her. Overall, I have a love-hate relationship with London, kind of like my feelings toward New York and Paris. I really do enjoy visiting these places though.

When I found out I had to go to London (I’ll get into the reason why in another post) I was so excited and a little bummed. Only my expenses would be covered, and we’re trying to be good about money, so that meant I would be going without J and The Gents. I’ve been wanting for us all to travel there for sometime now, but this wouldn’t be the trip. The silver lining is that I’d be back in a place I really enjoy visiting and with plenty of time to hit up some of my favorite spots, experience some new ones and get to see some old friends.

I arrived early Monday morning, around 5a. By the time I got through customs and jumped on the Heathrow Express to arrive at Paddington Station it wasn’t even 7a. With my bag in tow I began walking to my hotel, in Marylebone and just a few blocks from Marble Arch. It’s about a 20 minutes walk and I know this because I used to walk this route to work everyday when I lived there. Even though it was raining it was nice to be able to stretch my legs and reminisce a bit.

Fortunately my room was ready when I arrived so I was able to freshen up and relax a bit while planning out some spots to see. I didn’t have a too much time to dilly dally because I needed to be in Wimbledon at 4:30 that afternoon to catch-up with friends.

My goal for these two days, aside from my actual reason for being there, was to only eat at places I’d never been to. The food scene in London is pretty fantastic, and I have some reliable places I can count on, but why not discover some new ones? And although it was a quick trip, it was fun to be back. Fingers crossed we can get here as a family soon!

EAT
Gail’s – I noticed an adorable bakeshop as I was walking to the hotel. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t there when I lived in London before. It’s a chain, but this place is a gem! I couldn’t get over the number of pastries, quiche and scones. So freshly baked that they’re still warm. There was also cookies, sweet breads, loafs of bread, prepared salads. I wanted to pick up a number of items, but I restrained myself and chose the Comte and ham quiche. I walked up to counter to order a latte. As I was paying the woman behind the counter asked if I wanted the quiche warmed. Yes, please! Better yet it was plated with a side of greens and dressing. I’m routinely impressed with the level of detail, service and civility shown in customer service in London (Note: Heathrow security is an entirely separate beast though and I do not hold it in such high regard). I leisurely enjoyed my breakfast and people watched while people rushed in and out on their way to work.

Daylesford – By lunch it was misting outside, not a real rain bit enough to get you wet. It was only a five-minute walk from Selfridges, but I was chilled enough by the time I got there that I wanted tea. This is one of the reasons for the hate portion of my relationship with London, the never-ending cold rain. Enough complaining! Daylesford is one of those farm-to-table, locally sourced, organic restaurants where everything on the menu sounds yummy and comforting. In addition to the restaurant, there is a small market with meats, cheeses, deli takeaway, desserts and a nice selection of English pantry items. Coincidentally they have a small kiosk of the market items at Selfridges food hall. I wanted the full experience though so I sat at the restaurant and opted for a trio of salads as well as a pot of white peony tea. Perfect.

The Ivy Café (Wimbeldon) – I have friends from the States who now live in Wimbledon. Was thrilled that this trip gave me the opportunity to visit them and their sweet boys. I didn’t get the opportunity to see too much, but from what I saw the district is quaint and the high street of the village is lovely. The village has even been called the “nicest place in London”, by The Telegraph, and I could see why. We had dinner at The Ivy Café. On a cold, wet London evening the comfort food on the menu was exactly what I wanted – butternut squash soup and duck curry! The art deco décor and ambiance gives you the feeling that you stepped back time, complete with proper cocktails and doting wait staff. The journey to Wimbledon, from the city center via the tube, only takes about 45 minutes. I highly recommend a trip out!

Kaffeine – I found myself in Fitzrovia on my way to an appointment and having read a fair amount of good reviews on this little coffee shop I figured I had to check it out. This is the type of place that purists (you guys know who are!) love. They have every specialty hand pulled coffee you’d think off and more. There were a couple I’d never heard of. I order lattes everywhere I go because it’s my bar that I measure coffee on (akin to my ordering petit filets at every steak house I go to). They have a nice selection of pastries, salads and sandwiches as well, but this place is all about the coffee and it didn’t disappoint. It’s so legit that they offer barista and latte art courses. I can’t wait to bring J here!

Mayfair Chippery – admittedly I really wanted to go to Burger and Lobster for lunch, but the gas wasn’t working in their kitchen so I made a pivot and headed a couple blocks over to Mayfair Chippery. I had to get my fish and chip fix at some point! Fortunately I arrived right before the lunch rush hit and got a seat at the bar. They had to turn people away 10 minutes after I got there, so it’s definitely a popular spot. They have a nice, varied menu, but don’t mess around - just get the Mayfair special. The restaurant is definitely on the pricier side, probably some of that has to do with being in Mayfair, but it was worth it. And they give you a little bag of sweeties with your bill. Nice touch!

SHOP
Selfridges – swinging to the love side of my relationship with London this is one of my favorites places. From the food hall, to the champagne bar, Wonder Room filled with watches and jewelry, the accessories hall of luxury handbag boutiques, the stationary department (Brit’s love their paper), gadgets, house wares, kids department, books, shoe gallery and designer boutiques – it’s just so much fun. It’s kind of like going to a museum. If you aren’t able to go there often you need a few hours to properly see everything. It would be a shame to overlook something.

Liberty – much like Selfridges, ALL of Liberty must be taken in. It’s such a wonderful place and maybe my favorite store I’ve ever experienced in all of my travels. The company has a storied history, dating back to 1875, with the intent to bring luxury goods and fabrics from all over the world. You’d probably recognize their trademark print fabrics. There are so many nooks and crannies in the historic English Tudor just steps away from Oxford Circus. It’s quintessential English and a great place to buy truly unique gifts. Liberty does a great job of balancing being relevant in modern times and while staying true to its roots. It’s a must seeing shopping destination.

Surviving An International Move...With Kids…And A Dog

The impetus for writing this came from a friend who called me a few days ago from Miami to inform me that she and her husband, along with their two toddlers, are moving to New Zealand in three weeks. THREE. WEEKS! He got a job offer that he couldn’t refuse and they need him there quickly. Dang. At least we had a year to mentally and physically prepare for our move. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.

I was impressed with the calm in her voice. She admitted she must have been in denial or the reality hadn’t set in. I know that feeling. It wasn’t until our movers came and I was standing in an empty apartment, out first Virginia home as a family, did it sink in that we were leaving for Riyadh. She was looking to me for some tips so immediately I starting thinking back to that time and how I might compress it in three weeks. I was getting overwhelmed for her.

If you Google this topic (timing aside) you’ll mostly find a slew of helpful lists to get you started, but not much real-life wisdom. And those that are first-hand accounts are blog posts from some wanderlust millennial, single and most definitely without children. If you’re thinking, “Man, I really wanted to live abroad before I got married and had kids. Forget it now!” you are absolutely wrong. Yes, international moves are HARD. What person in their right mind would do this to their spouse, let alone children? Well, J and I for starters. And hundreds of thousands of people once you start thinking about all of the diplomats posted all over the world and the expat community working internationally. It’s actually much more common than most realize, as we now know first hand.

If you want a little inspiration or you’re thinking that boat has sailed, I’m here to reassure you it’s absolutely doable. In the spirit of camaraderie (and dedicated to my dear friend P) I thought I’d share some life experience at it relates to my London move back in 2010 as well our Riyadh move in 2017 with, then, 16-month old twins. Note: I’m not going to talk about finding a job. This is merely prepping for the move itself, the flight and settling in at your new destination. Below is a very detailed and pretty comprehensive list of what you’ll need to prepare, ideally in chronological order. I didn’t put timing against anything as most situations are unique (e.g. three months vs. a year!)....

Congrats! You or your significant other got a new job and you’re moving to an amazing city on this glorious planet. Or maybe the city isn’t amazing at all...and maybe you’ve never visited...and don’t know a single soul there. Hmmmm, sounds like Riyadh to me. Fear not! Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be fine.

Passports and Visas – check all of your passports to make sure they don’t expire within six months of your departure. If they do you need to get them renewed, and potentially expedited depending on your timeline. Look into the visa rules for the country you’re moving to, how long the application process is, what’s required and who all from your family will need a visa to enter the country upon arrival. Hopefully the company that's moving you will be able to help/handle, but never assume and it’s good to get a jump on this. 

Current Home – do you rent or own? If you rent, what are the penalties for breaking your lease? Are you going to sell your home or hire a management company to rent your property?

Contracts – speaking of leases, what other contracts are you responsible for that need to be terminated – car lease, car and home insurance, gym memberships, etc.?

Vehicle – depending on where you’re going you may have to sell it and buy a new one. Coming to KSA we were able to ship our car, but we did get rid of our previous vehicle and bought something a little less nice along with a color and interior more practical for the desert.

Pets – this is HUGE and can take a lot of time depending on where you’re going. I think the rules have lessened a bit for UK, but when I took Wally in 2010 he had to be “quarantined” 6 months Stateside before entering UK. Even getting him to KSA was an ordeal and took about a month of prep. Also some countries have banned breed lists. We know of vets that have fudged paperwork for clients though. Do your homework so you don’t have to leave your pets behind.

Will and Testament – I know this is morbid, but it’s that pragmatic thing to do. If you and your spouse don’t have one already, hire a lawyer to draw it up and get it notarized before you leave. And if you do have one, get it updated. Make sure it’s sent to the person who will be the executor of your estate. God forbid anything happen, but you don’t want your blasé thinking of “nothing will happen!” being a massive point of contention amongst your family members and things getting tied up in court.

Medical Stuff – depending on where you’re going, you and family may need additional vaccinations or at least an update on your current ones. This is a good time for everyone to get to the doctor for a check-up and to request medical history packets, including lists of current vaccinations, for all family members. Also, make use of your current insurance and go to the dentist, eye doctor, get prescriptions refills etc. before you leave.

Packing – start making lists of what to bring in your luggage vs. shipment, what you’ll sell vs. put in storage. When I moved to London my contract was only for 6 months so I didn’t have the luxury of movers. I packed a few suitcases, put the rest of my stuff in storage, rented a furnished apartment and bought whatever else I needed upon arrival. This was entirely different than our Riyadh move as we had movers and everything was paid for.

Think about the comforts of your home and what will make your new home feel more familiar. In hindsight I wish we had shipped our furniture and Christmas decorations. We thought we could do without the furniture since we showed up to a furnished home and the stories about Saudi customs scared me enough that I didn’t want to risk the decorations. I was wrong on both counts! Bring whatever will make the transition easier for your kids. We put nothing of theirs in storage. We prioritized some of their stuff in the air shipment and had everything else in cargo so their room looks pretty much like it did in Virginia.

Movers – the company you’re relocating with may hire your movers or they may give you money to hire them yourselves. Either way find out what your options are for airfreight and cargo shipments. Having an idea of what you will ship will be helpful when getting quotes. Shipping by air is expensive so it would be a limited amount of your items. If you’re able to do an airfreight shipment you’ll get some things considerably sooner. In ours we packed the majority of our kitchen, electronics, and The Gents everyday necessities plus some toys to get them by until the rest arrived.

Future Home – it is secured for you or do you need to find one? I didn't secure my London flat until the day before I left! Talk about anxiety. It was crazy because property moves so quickly there and six hour time difference made it difficult to communicate with agents. I also had to wire funds vs. using a credit card to make a deposit. Will your new home furnished? Can you rent furniture to start? Some locations take a looong time to ship to. Depending on how long you’re going to be there you may have to weigh what’s worth shipping vs. selling/donating or putting in storage. 

Utilities – call within the month of leaving to get a scheduled shut off date for your current utilities and find out where to return equipment. Also, at your new destination, will utilities be set up or will you be responsible? Again, UK may have moved into the 21st century but years ago they required being in country 3 months to get wifi set-up. Ridiculous. In Riyadh, since I would be working from home, we asked that this be set-up before we arrived and fortunately one of J’s co-workers was really kind to come to our house to make sure it was up and running upon arrival.

Mobiles – you don’t have to give-up your US number. For a small monthly fee some carriers will allow you to put a hold on your account. This comes in handy if you know you’re coming back to the States and if you’re going to be traveling back for an extended period of time. Keeping your mobile number and adding an international service for the first month may also be a good way to transition to your new country before you get a new card SIM card, with a local number. Just remember to hold on to, and remember where you put, that old SIM card for when you do return to the US!

Bank Accounts – We have USAA, which is great because its' core clients are US military, so their customer service caters to those who are deployed. Even though J is not longer active military being posted abroad has similar complexities and it’s wonderful to have a US bank in a foreign country with no foreign ATM fees. Citi has a global footprint as well and I know some people who use that. At any rate, you may need to keep a US account and transfer funds to a bank once you get that account set up. Write down, and keep in a safe place, ALL of your family members bank account numbers, bank routing number, and ABA number as some international banks require it for wire transfers.

Local Resources – we have a community liaison here are the Embassy that I was in touch with a few months before we arrived. I also got connected with women posted here. Having never visited I asked all sorts of questions about the Embassy, being a woman in KSA, childcare, grocery stores, getting technology set-up. I realize in the private sector many do not have this luxury. You or your partner shouldn’t be afraid to ask your co-workers/contacts questions or request some resources to help. My biggest concern was getting a nanny. Because I let people know and posted an ad in the weekly Embassy newsletter I was able to secure a nanny within a few weeks time.

Nanny/Childcare – J started work hours after we landed. You’ll be jet lagged, you’ll need to go to the grocery store immediately, run errands, etc. Again, do a little research or ask people to keep their ears open for you. Having someone to help once you arrive to your destination will be a Godsend. Long term thinking, nannies and household help in foreign countries are considerably cheaper than the US. If you have young children you may want to consider a full-time nanny or someone to help a few hours or days/week. It will give you more time for yourself as well as time for you and your partner to spend together! 

Schools – since the boys haven’t started school I don’t have much to share on this topic, but from what I gather it’s a bit of a process requiring quite a bit of research, leg work of visiting schools and the process is different everywhere you go – public vs. private and then factoring in American vs. British vs. French vs. International schools. From what I understand you can’t do much until you arrive in-country, but it’s probably good to see if you can do some research online before you’re on the ground.

Flying With Kids – Likely you’ve already flown internationally quite a bit so you’re a pro, but have you flown internationally with your children? It’s an entirely different beast. J and I purposely went to Paris for my birthday before moving to Riyadh so we had a little experience under our belts. I’m not suggesting you do the same, but just do what you can to mentally prepare yourself. Bring some familiar items, maybe even a surprise, but things that will definitely occupy and comfort them during the long haul. If we didn’t fly with the Gents’ lovies I don’t know how they/we would manage. Recently C was once occupied for an hour just going through my bag to open and close various containers - lip balm, lotion, my compact, rattle a pill case, etc. Plastic water bottles and cups did the trick when they were really young. Admittedly we have now resorted to using an iPad and turning on Sesame Street when they’re really antsy. It’s called survival. Do want you need to do!

Maximize your luggage allowances to the total people flying and pack as much as you can in those bags (keeping in mind weight limits) to get you through until your airfreight and/or your cargo shipment arrives. We brought five large in total. If you’re checking your stroller and/or car seats, make use of the empty space in those bags for light, but bulky items that take up too much space in your suitcase (kids winter coats, swim vest/puddle jumper, stuffed animals, blankie they can’t live without, extra diapers in case you can't find your brand when you arrive, etc.)

If you’re flying with children there are a lot of FAA rules that still apply for international flights. If your child is under two and has its’ own seat/ticket then it needs to be in a car seat. Be sure to read the manual for your car seat to make sure it’s FAA approved. Kids over two require their own ticket and need to be in their own seat even for take-off and landing, which is usually when they want to be held. And know that kids over two don’t need to be in a car seat either, but there are weight requirements to use the flight harness instead. Do your FAA and specific airline research and PRINT the pages from both sites that back you up because you don’t want some flight attendant telling you your kid can’t fly because you haven’t brought the proper equipment…I can’t even imagine.

Ear pressure is the worst for little ones and is the only reason our guys have ever cried in-flight. We attempt to give them liquids and or snacks at takeoff and descent (no sooner in either event so they don't down an entire bottle before reaching cruising altitude or landing) to help combat the ear popping. If your kid isn’t thirsty or hungry be prepared that they may scream and there is nothing you can do about it. Just take a deep breath and smile when people glare at you. This too shall pass.

Leave enough time for connections between flights, about three hours minimum. Depending on where you're connecting you may have to go through customs before boarding your next flight. This could take an hour+ with kids. Factor in the possibility of first leg being delayed, restroom breaks/diaper changes, grabbing something to eat, boarding starting 60 minutes before the flight leaves and you're now out of time. Everything takes longer with kids, especially when you're flying. If you have a really long layover, make use of the airline’s lounge to shower/freshen up and, if possible, take a nap. I know, this may be difficult with small children but J and I took turns and managed to accomplish both in the Lufthansa lounge in Frankfurt. If your class of ticket doesn’t come with lounge access you can usually purchase them at the lounge. It’s worth it.

Transportation – you’ve landed. Success! You’ve gotten through customs, collected all of your bags, and your pet (if you brought one). Double success! Now who’s picking you up? If you opt to hire a driver to get your family to your new place, keep in mind if all of your luggage will fit a large vehicle in a foreign country. They're usually smaller than US vehicles. We uncomfortably fit all of us, luggage, stroller, travel cribs, etc. in a Chevy Suburban from DC to Dulles. And we didn’t have Wally with us while we were living in the Rosewood so our dear wonderful brought him at the airport. When we arrived in Riyadh, thankfully, the Embassy brought two SUVs for all of us.

Settling-In – (Check out some of my first posts from Riyadh in the KSA Lifestyle section) By the time we arrived at our new home it was Tuesday 23:00, 26 hours of door-to-door travel. Our priority was The Gents and Wally, getting them settled and to bed. J was on top of getting cribs set-up while I gave C&R a bath and we got them down for the night. Wally needed to eat and a walk. I’m a firm believer that routine is important with kids and animals in general, but it also helps with transitions. They all slept soundly until our nanny arrived the following morning. Our second priority was unpacking suitcases which we did after the boys were down for the night. It felt good to get stuff put away before taking a shower and passing out. The following morning The Gents were a bit jet lagged, but in good spirits exploring their new surroundings. Overall, they were champs and never had sleep issues because we kept them on schedule. J went into the office that first morning and we’d later make it off the DQ for our first grocery run. There was so much admin stuff for J to get done, paperwork, IDs, etc. By Thursday I had completed everything I could possibly do at home, until our first shipment  arrived. I felt good.

That night we went over to the Embassy, with C&R, and I was actually able to meet some people. Granted, we have Embassy establishments we can go to and people are pretty social and empathic to the new people because they were once in the same position. We also have groups that arrange events so it’s easier to get out and meet people. I know, being in the private sector you’re entirely on your own to get out and make friends. I think back to my days in London. If I was invited out by someone I went, even if I didn’t feel like it. You just have to get out and force yourself to meet people. And today there are so many Facebook groups to make it easier to connect with people in any location on the globe. If you put in the time and effort you will get a return. Every person you meet won’t necessarily be your new best friend, but they could lead to a good friendship and meeting other people to build your tribe, making things feel a little more normal.

Also, get in with your resident country Embassy and try to make friends with diplomats. If you’re American and your kids go to the American school, that’s also a way to potentially connect with American diplomats. We’ve met a number of American expats hanging at the pool or attending events as guests. Coming to the Embassy and being with other Americans is a way for them to have a connection to home.

You might go through a low period after you get settled in. It’s been said it happens around six months after arrival. I think I just kept myself so busy with family, work, my projects, social events, and hanging out with people that it didn’t affect me as much as it can others. Around Christmas was the only time I felt homesick. There will come a point when you miss home, your friends and you’ll feel like you’re missing out on so much. Just know that they love and miss you a ton, too! This too shall pass.

Before you know it, you’re nine months into it and in a years’ time you’re going to be prepping for your return. Or you and your family may decide you love it and want to stay. Or maybe you want to transfer to another location?! Whatever you decide you’ll look back on this time and think, “Wow! We did that. It made us stronger as individuals and as a couple. We learned so much about ourselves. We gave our kids an experience that they could never have back home. I met some good people and made forever friends. I’m so grateful for this!” I’m pretty certain you won’t regret a single thing about making this life change.

Hopefully this makes you feel better and arms you with some knowledge to tackle this next life challenge. Best of luck in your endeavors! xo

Abu Dhabi

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this before that you can get antsy being in Riyadh too long. I often feel limited in our movement (have to be driven, must wear an abaya, trips are planned around prayer times, etc.) and in the variety of what’s available to us (no good Mexican food, can’t go see a movie, not really any museums, etc.). I go through periods when I’d rather not leave the DQ, so I end up feeling like a bit of a recluse. And J works a lot here, often with long hours, so he’s been in need of a break for a while. Plus, we’re surrounded by people who are constantly traveling so when we’re not we get a little FOMO. While we’re living here, we want to see as much of the region as we can. Bahrain is so nice and easy to travel to since it’s an only drive away, but it’s time to hop on a plan and see something new. Which brought us to Abu Dhabi.

You might be asking, why Abu Dhabi over Dubai? In US comparisons, it’s probably like going to West Palm Beach vs. South Beach. For us we just wanted something really chill. We definitely want to check out Dubai though so maybe we’ll go for a long weekend sometime soon.

When we travel we keep things pretty loose. We don’t plan out our days, but rather make a list of priorities when it comes to sightseeing and eating, then just tick things off as we go. Being flexible and agile, especially with kids, makes for much less stress. I’m so lucky to have married someone with the characteristics I love in a travel companion.

That being said, we wanted to see the Grand Mosque, go to the Louvre, check out Emirates Palace, spend a day at Saadiyat Island and take The Gents to Legoland. As for restaurants, there wasn’t anything we HAD to eat at. There are a lot of nice places, especially around our hotel, so we knew we’d eat really well. J has some colleagues who are posted at the Embassy there so we wanted to see them as well. One of them was so kind to let us borrow her nanny for a couple evenings so we could get out on our own. A Godsend! Unfortunately The Gents both had tummy issues ALL week and there were sand storms/high winds 2 of the 5 days we were there. The only thing we didn’t do was go to Saadiyat Island. All in all, it was a really successful trip. These kids are troopers and they never cease to amaze me.

There is definitely more in Abu Dhabi than we took advantage of. We would love to have gone to Ferrari World but C&R couldn’t have gone on any of the rides, which would have meant that J and I would be taking turns. It was even tough for them to get the full Legoland experience, but we did all that was allowed. There are also sailing trips and more Middle Eastern culture to take in. Having toddlers limits some activities anywhere you go though. When they’re a little older it will be easier, so for now we make the most of all we can.

One additional note, I was really impressed with the level of service and catering to children everywhere we went. Abu Dhabi seems very family-oriented, which makes sense with the number of expats livings there. Everywhere we went there were small children and restaurants always had enough highchairs and crayons. Staff in shops and restaurants always stopped to interact with The Gents. It was really sweet.

If you're thinking of visiting, don't hesitate to reach out with questions. Here’s a quick rundown of our week…

STAY

Rosewood Abu Dhabi – we’re big fans of the Rosewwood since we stayed there for an extended period before we left DC. The hotel and rooms are gorgeous, the amenities are great and service is impeccable. They have kids services as well, including a kid’s club and nannies for hire. When we arrived cribs were already set-up. There was a mini pop-up castle in our room, with gift bags for The Gents, as well as children’s toiletries. Cookies, other sweet treats and milk were waiting for us when we arrived.

SEE

Grand Mosque – come completely covered (hair, shirt to wrists and pants to ankles) in regular clothing or an abaya, unless you want to wear a loaner abaya. Also be prepared that you will be walking barefoot as soon as you enter the mosque. I had never been in a mosque before so I had no clue.

Legoland Dubai – we had a lot of fun and we were surprised with Dubai Parks, which also included Motiongate, Bollywood and Riverland. The surrounding area of theme parks was also a pleasant surprise with all sorts of Western chain restaurants to make you feel back at home.

Emirates Palace – this used to be an actual palace so you can imagine how grand it is. We didn’t spend a lot of time here and it was in the evening so we could see much. The grounds were rolling and immaculate. A friend later showed us pics of a hotel room she had been in and it was jaw dropping. We walked around a bit after our Haakasan dinner. The shops are luxe and geared towards Emiraties. I had fun just looking at the Rolex watches that you’d never see anywhere else with leopard print brands, swirling diamond designs in the bracelet and ombre gemstone bezels.

Louvre Abu Dhabi – I’m so impressed with this place. Not only are the grounds and building an architectural delight, the pieces on rotation are incredibly special. You don’t get to see these types of works often. The art history lover in me was swooning.

EAT

Leopold’s of London – an easy breakfast spot for good coffee and tasty simple breakfast. We usually had croissant, muffins and yoghurt, but they have some nice plated breakfasts and salads. Also got chicken nuggets and pasta for the gents in evening.

Rosewood Aqua (breakfast buffet) – pricey, but has everything you could need.

Loco – what a treat to have Mexican food! We both got chicken enchiladas, something we haven’t eaten in a very long time. The boys had grilled shrimp and nachos.

Prego’s – an Italian spot, known for their pizzas. You can also get some really nice cheeses and PORK charcuterie!

Bentley’s Kitchen – I felt like I was in a London gastro pub. Good comfort food. We both got burgers and shared with C&R.

Haakasan – when I found out there was one here I was really excited because this is a favorite place of mine in London. Even though the original chef has sold of the global chain, the food is still great and did not disappoint.

Dai Pai Dong – they serve all you can eat dim sum during lunch hours!

Butcher & Still – intended to be a traditional Chicago style steakhouse, we were in awe of the aesthetics of the restaurant (think of every art deco leather Restoration Hardware piece you can imagine) and authentic quality of food. This place made me homesick for Chicago, but filled my craving for a bone-in filet, and wedge salad.

Roberto’s – we celebrated Valentine’s here with The Gents. For being a white tablecloth restaurant I was impressed that there was a kids menu. They noshed on calamari fritti and pizza margherita, while J enjoyed black truffle risotto and I had the fusilli cacio e pepe con ragu, which I want to replicate.

SHOP

The Galleria – we spent a lot of time in this ultra high-end mall. The only designer missing was Chanel. No, I didn’t buy anything (other than restocking on French skincare products) but it was nice to look and get some ideas. The mall is situated between the Rosewood and Four Seasons, on the waterfront, with restaurants dotting  the waterfront path.

Yas Mall – before our return flight we had a little time to kill so we stopped at Yas Mall since so many people have told us about it. It’s on Yas Island, a new development. Wasn’t really in the mood to buy anything, but gathered more ideas for upcoming purchases.

Note: Prices are a little more than you’d expect for certain brands. For instance, we can’t get Kiehl’s in Riyadh so it’s has to be ordered online. They had it at a Yas but it was ridiculously expensive. The French skincare products I purchased were also more expensive, but those are much tougher to find online and take forever to ship (from France, to US, to Riyadh) so I paid the premium for convenience. With any place we go we do our research on product prices, exchange rates and VAT to make sure we’re not getting gouged.

TRANSPORTATION

Taxis are very reasonably priced and Careem (Uber of the region) is easily available. If you’ve got kids it’s a good idea just to rent a car. They’re affordable and make getting around so much easier.

Lyon

When J and I were thinking about where we wanted to visit on our first big trip out of Riyadh easily agreed that we wanted eat at Michelin starred restaurants and drink great wine. We had a few cities short listed that we thought could deliver both and Lyon quickly rose to the top.

Lyon is the second largest city in France. It’s not as cosmopolitan as Paris in that it doesn’t have the glamorous nightlife, number of museums or amount of luxury shopping, BUT it is known for its’ food and wine scene. There are 117 Michelin starred restaurants in Lyon. It sits on two rivers, the Saône and Rhône. You may have heard of a little area called the Rhône River Valley, which produces some of my personal faves – Cote-du-Rhone, Gigondas, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

We stayed in a lovely and artfully styled Airbnb in the 2nd. It’s central and a quick walk across the river to old Lyon. We’re finding that Airbnb is more cost effective and super easy with the Gents. Baby proofing is a bit of a challenge, but having the room for them to spread out and a proper place for us to prepare meals for them is great. And being able to wash and dry clothing is key! The downside was that it was a walk-up building and we were on the third floor, but it made for good exercise. The big bonus was that we were situated a block away from a really nice park so that C&R we able to get outside and play, which has been a rarity for them. We also rented a car for the week, knowing we’d want to explore wine country. Lyon is very reasonably priced so a week is easily doable.

We arrived in the city at around 10a Sunday morning. Unfortunately we couldn’t get into our Airbnb until 4p that afternoon. The farmers market, along the Saône, was a block away from the flat. I had read about this before arriving and had high expectations. It did not disappoint. In-season fruit and veg, locally produced saucisson, any French cheese you can imagine, poulet roti, bread, pastries, wine and flowers. This farmers market is open every day, except Mondays, and was a frequented spot during our stay.

We killed time that day by roaming the streets, sitting at outdoor cafes, and discovering a great coffee shop called Slake. Boutique coffee shops are not common in France, like the US, as the café is the usual spot to grab your pick-me-up. We drank quite a few coffees here during the week.

We’ve gotten in a routine in France, which started during our Paris trip. Jeff runs out to Eric Kayser (it’s chain) is the mornings to get the obligatory petit dejuner items – coffee, pastries and quiche lorraine. It makes mornings a bit more leisurely so we don’t have to rush to get us all ready, out the door, and sit in a café that might be crowded. Also our fruit finds from the market were a precursor for the Gents that held them over until their quiche arrived. Then it was time get out!

It’s said that Old (Vieux) Lyon is one of the more extensive Renaissance neighborhoods in Europe. It really is unlike any area I’ve visited in Europe, making me feel like I’d been transported to the middle ages…and not in a gimmicky way. It’s been preserved so well - the gothic cathedrals, buchons, shops, the nooks and crannies of the meandering cobble stone streets. In the evening it’s juxtaposed with college students, spilling out bars and wine caves. It sits at the bottom of a very steep hill that we really wanted to explore, but there was no way were making that hike with the stroller. We figured we’d wait on that. In the meantime, we scoped out wine caves and picked up lunch for C&R at a boulongerie.

That afternoon, we picked up the Gent’s godmother from the train station. We call her Tia. She happened to be heading to London for work so she carved out some time to spend with us. Note – driving in Lyon is a bit nerve wracking because you have to circumnavigate the streets that only allow buses, trams, bikers, and pedestrians. It was a little stressful so by the time we picked up Tia we were ready for lunch and glass of wine. We weren’t too far from a bouchon that I wanted to checkout so we made our way over towards the Opera House and Hôtel de Ville. Of course by the time we got there they were no longer seating anyone. Also something good to note is that most of the smaller restaurants only have about an 2-hour window for lunch (noon-2p), but you need to get there no later than 1p to get seated and ensure there is food as many items are made to order. We opted to eat a café outside Hôtel de Ville.

Before going home we made one last trip to pick up a few bottles in wine at Guyot, a sizeable wine shop a few blocks from the flat. We were feeling rosé (shocking) and the person manning the shop was helpful in making our final decisions. When he asked where we were from Tia said, “Chicago”. To which he replied, “In Michigan?” You can imagine a French person knowing of the state of Michigan put an immediate smile on my face. By time we got back to the flat that babes had woken up from their nap and already had some time in the park.

We sat with the Gents while the had their dinner, played before their evening bath, and kissed their golden locks goodnight before we left for our first Michelin starred dinner of the week at La Mere Brazier. (le sigh) This really was a lovely kick-off to our dining experiences of the week. I didn’t take any pics of the dinner and I wish I had because it was really special. The restaurant was started in 1921 by Eugénie Brazier…a woman! And under her reign she was awarded 3 Michelin stars, twice. The restaurant now has 2 under Mathieu Viannay and he’s even kept some Madame’s signature dishes on the menu. The food, wine, the ambiance, the staff…everything was impeccable and the restaurant deserves its notoriety. We particularly enjoyed the sommelier, Jeremy. Not only did he hand write a list of ALL of the wines we had (each of us had different pairings for each course), but we mentioned that we were driving to Chateauneuf-du-Pape the following morning and he suggested a couple places wineries to visit. To cap off the evening, after closing down the kitchen, Mathieu Viannay come to each table in the dining room to say hello. It was a nearly 4 hour dinner and we were beyond ready to get some rest before our morning road trip.

After that decadent meal we we’re all a bit slow moving the next morning. We got on the road as quickly as we could though to get to C-d-P. It was a picturesque drive, nestled in a valley with the Alps to the east in the far distance. We made it to the village just in time to be seated for lunch La Mere Germaine. The dining room is really pretty, but it was a perfect day and we took advantage of sitting outside. It felt like we were in Italy, and when we realized how far south and which Italian cities we were longitudinally aligned with, it made sense! We didn’t have much time, so we had to make the most of this vsit. After an elegant three-course lunch, it was time to start tasting more of the local product. There are a lot of tasting rooms in the village, but there was one nearby on my list that I wanted to check out, Boutique Santa Duc. Tia had mentioned to the person working the wine room that she wanted to learn more about the various blends and make-up of the different wines. He ended up giving us a nice little overview, education and tasting. And for that we walked out with two great bottles. We popped into a couple more shops, J bought another bottle while the Gents stretched their legs running about the sidewalk. We were running out of daylight so we decided we better drive out to one of the reco’d wineries before the tasting rooms closed. We made it to Chateau La Nerthe with an hour left to spare. We had already had La Nerthe the night before and we ordered a bottle a lunch, so we knew this was going to be good. Again we bought another bottle, took advantage of the photo opp in the country, let C&R stretch their legs a bit more, and it was time to make the two-hour trek back. If I had to do it over I would have stayed overnight so we could have experience more, but I’m glad we were there if even for a short time.

Since we sat in the car most of the previous day is was time to get out an walk a bit on Wednesday. We ended up at the farmer’s market to grab items for the day. And knowing we’d have a rich dinner that evening we wanted to keep it light and simple for lunch. Tia took charge with getting a poulet roti, hericot vert, and a head if greens. We also needed more cheese, so we stopped at the fromagerie in the market to get our favorite truffled brie and comte for the boys. One last stop for a baguette and we were set for our lunch at home. With one of the bottles of rose we had purchased and the French window doors open, it made for a ‘grama-able setting!

That evening we had a reservation at Paul Bocuse. We continued our nightly routine with the C&R before leaving, and sipped a little bubbly before heading out. Paul Bocuse is an institution in Lyon, as he should be with 50 years-worth of Michelin stars. The entrées and plats were quintessentially French, and so meticulously plated that they were almost too pretty to eat. That didn’t stop us though. And we pushed through to the cheese course/buffet. Our waiter was disappointed when we didn’t ask for more as we were saving ourselves for dessert. The funniest and fortuitous moment of the night when J said, “This may sound really cheesy, but I love a good dessert tray. You know, when they bring it to the table?” Then low and behold not one, not two, but three carts are pulled up to our table! One by one trays of the prettiest confections you’ve seen were placed on each. We all choose our own dessert. Yet, again our waiter is disappointed that we didn’t select more. Little did we know it really was a dessert buffet and we could have loaded our table with anything we wanted. Am so glad we didn’t know better. Mind you I still ate every bite of my beautiful floating island. (le sigh) Another 4-hour dinner in the books.

More walking was in order on Thursday so we thought it would be good to cross the Rhône over to Les Halles (Paul Bocuse’s indoor market). It’s kind of like Eataly meets Union Market, except it’s all French. There are a few restaurants there as well. We have family friends, a couple and their son, who recently moved to Lyon. The father was working and the son was in school, so the mother, D, met up with us for lunch. To be honest, I think she really wanted to see C&R more than anything! I don’t blame her. It was great to see another familiar face. After more rosé, salads, and escargot we ventured back over the river to their new flat. En route D picked up some champagne and patisseries. We settled in to their home, relaxing, enjoying the view, and letting the boys scamper about. It’s so nice when you can go to a foreign country and be in a friend’s or family’s home. After this respite it was time to venture back to our flat.

This was our second to last night in Lyon and we had to make it count as we already had plans for our last evening. When doing some research before arriving I came across a little wine cave in Old Lyon, Le Cave du Voyageurs. A handful of tables are lined on the sidewalk, but inside only has two tables and five bar stools, in which we were fortunate to get three. They have an extensive cellar, with a glass trap door as soon as you enter (I don’t know why I didn’t take a picture of that!). We maybe sat there for 20 minutes before we piped up that we wanted to order. It didn’t really bother us though because the scene was entertaining. I theorized that it was a brother owned operation, one managed the bar and the other the kitchen. One was short haired and clean shaven, the other a bit of a disheveled mess. The guy in the kitchen, with a long French nose and thick bushy beard, walked out shaking a baguette and speaking loudly in French to an overdressed patron in a suit and tie. He and his two friends were buying bottles at the corner table. The patron smirked and didn’t say anything back. In this place, the maison is right and you better put up with it, smug guy in suit! I knew this was place was awesome and I wish I could be a regular. On the bar, lined up in front of us were bottles, to be ordered by the glass. When looking at these bottles of wineries and varietals that we didn’t recognize, admittedly, we were a little intimidated…or as Tia aptly put, “I feel like a dummy.” The one additional guy working the bar was great though. We each had something in mind that we wanted and that helped guide him to a recommendation for us. Two glasses in, it was time to find a quick bite somewhere before closing time. Again, we were too late for most places. But not too late for the kabob place, where J and I practiced Arabic and Tia got the BEST falafel we’ve ever eaten. But we didn’t go home just yet. We had a recommendation from an Embassy friend to have a beer at Les Fleurs du Malt. It may not have had a ton of character compared to other bars in the neighborhood, but it had an extensive selection of beers. I founds the lightest blonde on the menu at 5.5% for my nightcap and drank it out of plastic cup with the college kids standing on the sidewalk outside of the bar.

Every evening ran late on this vacation and every morning started early with toddlers being mere feet away from us. By Friday morning we started really late. We had the grand idea to trek up the Old Lyon hill to the Basilica. It was one thing I really wanted to do, but I knew wasn’t going to happen. Maybe next time. At that point coffee became a necessity and Tia got a good reco from a friend, called Puzzle. I was just what we all needed After coffee we shopped a bit. It was now the perfect time to hit the bouchon that we couldn’t get into earlier in the week, Bouchon Lyonnais Chez Hugon. We walked in just after noon. It seats 20 people and was already half-full. We were asked if we had a reservation, of course we didn’t. We were almost turned away again when the owner, Arlette Hugon, held up her hand and pointed to the end of one open table and started moving place settings around to squeeze us in. The waitress asked if the table arrangement was OK with us. I was thrilled they were nice enough to make room for us (this would never happen in Paris). A traditional Lyonnais bouchon menu is VERY country – tripe, brains, blood sausage, pigs feet, coarse pate – essentially, all of the parts on an animal that might go to waste. We started with the pate and some lentils with a vinegar dressing. It was a nice balance to cut the richness of the pate, which was so good! J and Tia went with the house traditional plate of blood sausage. My first choice wasn’t available, so the runner-up was chicken in a vinegar sauce. The creamy tomato based sauce was reminiscent of Thanksgiving, full of rosemary and thyme. With the dark meat quarter chicken and pasta it was served with, it was pure comfort food. The blood sausage was served with baked apples. The flavors were great, but the texture was mushy and not what we expected. The food is unique and we definitely appreciated the style of cooking. It may not have been our favorite meal of the trip, but we all agreed that we’re glad we tried it!

As this point we were full of wine and food and I was ready to see the boys since we left them at home for the morning with Joy. She needed a break too, so we took them out for the afternoon. The day before Tia had done some pharmacy shopping. French pharmacies really are like candy stores for adults who love beauty products. I’ve never really delved into them, but now that I’m 40 and dealing with a desert climate it’s time to take a cue from the French. I’ll write another post in a few weeks about my new skincare regimen. For now, I will say I noticed an immediate difference overnight. With our new beauty finds we walked through the park and let the boys run free. It was so fun to watch them in this environment since we don’t have anything similar in Riyadh. Carter ran up to a group of people kicking a soccer ball, then tried to steal it. Royce just ran in the wide open, giggling while being chased. I marvel and how quickly they can develop their social and motor skills when given the chance. Their vocabulary has expanded. This week they didn’t have high chairs but still sat up like big kids in regular chairs at a normal table to eat their meals. They used adult utensils and fed themselves. Carter even proved he can hold a champagne glass without breaking it! These are testaments to allowing them the space to grow and them proving the can meet the challenge.

It was time to get them home for dinner though. Tia decided to take a break from 4-hour dinners to stay back that evening and cook her Godsons dinner…spaghetti with red sauce no less. They were a mess and enjoyed every bite of it! At this point we had one last bottle to drink before the end of the trip, so we toasted our last evening together in Lyon before J and I left for our last dinner. I specifically made the restaurant reservations in the order I did so we could get a culinary history of Lyon. Ending the week with La Neuvieme Art made for such a vastly different experience compared to its’ predecessors since it’s rooted in molecular gastronomy, but you can feel and taste the influence of the chefs that made Lyon what it is today. In total we had 9 different courses (pics are in Instagram). It was spectacular and surprising well priced! It reminded me of being at Alinea or Next, but at a fraction of the price.

When I think about this we just scratched the surface on all that is available in this area of France. I’d love to go back and check out more restaurants and other wineries. Maybe in a few years when the C&R are a little older and can actually remember the trip. I’m glad we were able to explore a different corner of the world and make some wonderful memories doing it. These trips are also even more special when we can share them with family and friends. So when you start thinking about your travels, let me know. Who knows? We may be able to link up with you!

Bahrain Reflections

Now that we have the Gents, vacations and holidays are a bit different for us. Before kids, trips were much more carefree. We're not going to stop travelling and we'd much rather them be with us, but it definitely makes for some adjustments and more planning. Travelling can be costly and it's regrettable if we're not all enjoying ourselves. With that in mind, I definitely feel more aware of the journey during it - how we’re experiencing it, consciously living in the moments, tag teaming C&R so that J and I are maximizing time with them while we're all having fun...awareness is a lot of work. And now more than ever, I’m trying to be aware of as much as possible so I can share our experiences with you all. This first trip to another GCC country was enlightening from a Muslim and Middle East perspective, plus we're always learning a little more about ourselves, too...

People still live in tents in the desert. It’s 2017 and, I repeat, people still live in tents…IN THE DESERT. I suppose it’s kind of fantastic and romantic, right? This really intrigues me and I want to know more about these Bedouins. There may be some desert glamping in our future.

Do you know there are tan, white AND black camels? I'm pretty sure we saw a few camel farms, which may explain the tents as I now understand that some Bedouins raise camels. There also appeared to be much smaller packs of camels roaming free. I’m sure the novelty of these animals will wear off, I know they're dirty and they spit, but for now I still want to ride a camel.

Saudi drivers are maniacs. I thought it was bad in Riyadh but it seems that driving is even more aggressive in the dessert. Lanes are mere suggestions, passing on the shoulder is completely normal, and people make the quickest lane changes into a car length's space. I kept having flashes of Robert Duvall in Days of Thunder saying, "Rubbing's racing." Needless to say, being in a car in KSA, with the Gents, makes me a little uneasy. Driving in off peak hours is much better. It’s experiences like those that make me feel good about the driving skills J picked up in the Army and that I’m not allowed to drive here.

Bahrain is lovely but it's humid AF. I knew it would be steamy, but I’ve never experienced every pore on my body opening up at the same time and sweat immediately pushing out. Understandably the resort was not very busy, which was nice, but I think we’ll return in the late Fall and Winter months when the temp and humidity will be more manageable.

Modesty is more prevalent in Bahrain than I imagined. As much as I like to envision the empowering image of women tossing their abaya, hijab and niqab out the window of their vehicles as soon as they cross the border, the truth is many Muslim women are still completely covered in Bahrain. And these women were sitting outside! I supposed much like how I’ve become acclimated to Riyadh dry heat, these women have acclimated to the humidity? I even saw a few burkinis for those modest women that got into the water. Juxtaposed there were a few Middle Eastern women in bikinis. I didn’t feel so haram in my two-piece after seeing them.

I expected a bit of excess from the locals when it came to alcohol, given that it is available, but there weren’t many Muslims drinking alcohol. In fact, I actually heard some specifically order mocktails. I think the only people that we drinking were the expats, me included. It was really nice to have a Negroni at lunch and wine pairings with dinner though!

Keeping with religious practices, I was impressed with the number of people praying on the side of road during sundown prayer on the drive back to Riyadh. I’m talking vehicle parked, prayer rug laid out and kneeling to Mecca prayer. Legit. Mind you, there were still a lot of cars driving, but the devotion by some definitely made me feel some Catholic guilt. Prayer time is a great reminder for me to pray.

Travelling with friends and their kids you all REALLY like is wonderful. T works with J, and I quickly hit it off with T's wife H when she and their almost 4 year-old boy-girl twins(!) arrived. We've spent a lot time with this family already so it was a no-brainer when T asked if we wanted to go to Bahrain with them. J & T often play golf together, which means us ladies have solo duty with the kids. We took advantage of some spa time and had a one-cocktail, girls night out after the kids went down. I know not very crazy, but these are big deals after kids! I think we going to have to travel with them more. 

We learned that 19 month-olds can only sit still for so long without entertainment. I knew the Gents would eventually get bored during the drive. This boredom resulted in C's shrill screaming that pained my heart, and ears. In an out of character move, while I was sitting in the back trying to calm C, J abruptly passes my phone back to me. He’s not keen on using the screen to entertain them and I don’t want to be reliant on it either. We'd been delaying the inevitable. This is an instance when you switch to survival mode and do whatever needs to be done to get through the moment. I quickly went to YouTube and found a 74 minute video of nursery rhymes. STC reception is spotty in the middle of the desert so C was getting frustrated when the video kept freezing. At that moment H rang me, heard C crying in the background and immediately empathized. H usually has an iPad and extra phone with her for their twins. We made a quick pit stop and she loaned us their iPad, loaded with all sorts of videos. I don’t know how people survived without these things. They must have just let their kids scream. C was soon content and R was happy to wake up to see the Curious George movie playing. And yes, this exact story replayed itself on the ride back to Riyadh. Honestly, I don't feel that guilty about giving into the almighty screen. These guys don’t really watch TV anyway so if a little screen time on a road trip makes them happy and quiet, that’s fine by me. Seeing their faces light up watching something they enjoy is reward. I guess it’s time to finally get an iPad though.

The Gents are becoming swimmers! Although they’re both wearing a “Puddle Jumper” they are surprisingly comfortable in the water already. When they see their swim gear now they actually get excited. The older twins, E&E, are really good swimmers, which has already been a positive influence on C&R. The Gents are learning quite a bit from them already – kicking their legs and moving their bodies in the direction they want to go. We barely need to hold them in the water since they can now control their bodies pretty well, rolling to their backs so they can float. They see E&E jump into the water so now C&R are getting brave enough to walk off a ledge to “jump” in, too. It's fun to see what they're picking up from older kids. Now E&E just need to teach C&R to talk or at least interpret the twin speak for us!

On a final note, and funny story, we learned that J is an excellent paddle boarder. He and T went on a minor rescue mission in Bahrain Bay for a pair of sunglasses that fell off H while she was in the pool. J took a paddle board (first time ever) and T was in a kayak to go fish the sunglasses out of the bay. J started paddling, FAST. I’ve never seen anyone move that quickly on a board. Racing T to the sunglasses, J gets there first, jumps into the water and comes up with the sunglasses. I cheer, “Yay Dad!” as the Gents watch. Gallantly, he places them on his face and proceeds to get back on his board. And he falls off. The sunglasses are lost, again! T then swoops in on his kayak, jumps into the water to soon come up with the prized sunglasses. It was much more fitting that T save the day and retrieve his love’s sunglasses though. The friendly competition in chivalry was sweet and such a perfect comedic J moment! 

Sadly it was a quick trip, but a good one for us to get familiar with the drive. Knowing how easy it is to get there, I know we’ll be back soon. I’m thrilled to still be learning so much about the culture and people here, to see our little gentlemen develop and grow stronger, spend QT as a family and have good friends to travel with. 

And So Our Middle East Travels Begin

As you can tell from the blog and my Instagram feed, we're settling into life pretty well here.  Riyadh is growing on me. Yes it has its’ quirks, but there are so many worse places in the world we could be! On the plus side, there are two, week-long holidays. Eid Al Fitr marking the end of Ramadan and Eid Al Adha commemorating the willingness of Abraham to follow God's command to sacrifice his son. Things get pretty quiet around here for both as locals and expats take advantage of the holiday break to travel.

Since we just arrived right before Eid al Fitr J got stuck with work duties and we weren’t able to get away. I was really excited for Eid al Adha because I would be off work and hopeful J would get some time as well. One of our friends, T, brought up taking a trip with the kids to Bahrain. (Have I mentioned he and his wife have almost 4 year old boy-girl twins? We’ve been having a lot of fun with them and all the kids!) We talked about Bahrain long before we arrived. As soon as our car was delivered I started bugging J, "When are we driving to Bahrain?!" 

In my mind this would be similar to a Chicago-Ann Arbor road trip. Easy. The drive from Riyadh to Bahrain is about four-and-a-half hours, including the time to get through the five different customs checkpoints at the border. Not a bad drive at all to get to a much more liberal Muslim country. And gas barely costs anything in KSA so it’s really ideal to drive. We stayed at the Four Seasons, which is pretty much is its own island. We didn’t need to leave the resort for anything the 48 hours we were there. We swam, ate great food, had some cocktails, went to the spa, got to hang out with new friends and make some family memories. It was a perfect little getaway. I can't wait to go again. 

I realize I’m now getting into a routine in Riyadh. Occurrences that once seemed foreign and strange are now starting to become commonplace. On the drive to Bahrain, while driving through what felt like an endless desert, it hit me all over again - "Holy crap, we live in Saudi Arabia! And we're driving to another country!" It's wild and special. These are things most people will never get to experience. The Gents' Midwest road trips seem a world away. Instead of pointing out cows, I’m pointing at camels. I hope they know how special and unique this life is. We’ll have to reinforce it so they don’t take it for granted.

Before arriving in Riyadh I'd never been to the Middle East. Most Americans haven't and have no desire to visit. I will admit KSA had me scared. If it wasn't for J visiting a couple times before, and assuring me we’d be safe, I never would have agreed to move. I can definitely understand how most people think it's scary and are constantly praying for our safety, but when I hear Americans and Europeans say they feel safer being here than other countries, that's really telling.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't continue to be vigilant. I'm just saying we should continue to make smart choices, not be afraid to live our lives and experience what this world has to offer. I do not want to live the next 21 months solely on the DQ. I certainly want to see as much of the region as possible while we're here, and have my Indiana Jones moment in Petra! Can't wait to share these adventures in the region with you all. More to come…

Bathroom Humor

Last week we had one of our male friends over for dinner. We’re all just talking about the week and I mention something work related. He then asks me if there is a women’s restroom on the floor of the office building I work in. You might be thinking, “That’s a random and ridiculous question! Why wouldn’t there be a women’s restroom at your office?”

Keep in mind, women working in KSA is still a novelty. If you didn’t read my post on my first STC client visit you may not have caught that the handful of women who work at STC headquarters all sit in a separate building as there are no women’s facilities in most buildings on campus. The meeting I attended was held at the Executive Club, which is a pretty large building intended to host large conference style meetings. In this building there was only one women’s restroom with two stalls. There was also no direct way to get to this bathroom from the side of the building I was in, so I had to exit the building and walk through another entrance.

In a NYTimes article about what it’s like being an American businesswoman working in KSA, an architect shares her story of what it was like trying to use the restroom while visiting a client’s office with no ladies’ rooms. Someone would walk her back to her hotel when she had to go, which wasted about 15 minutes each time, until she asked that they convert one of the executive’s private restrooms for her use when she was on the office.

Faisaliah Tower, where Starcom is located, is one of the most posh office locations in Riyadh. The other is Kingdom Tower. The tenants are international companies, with some Western men and women now working in them. On our floor we share space with a handful of other global companies. There is only ONE ladies' room…no stalls. I’m certain it was converted from an executive restroom. The building was built in 2000, long before anyone could fathom women working in this country. It’s bizarre to think that there was once a conversation about the restroom situation, as women began working, and the need convert a space for women to use.

Which brings me to the humorous impetus for this post. Before I went to the Lazurde meeting a couple weeks ago R, my only female colleague, warned me that there is no women’s restroom at the client’s office and to make sure I use the one at the office before leaving. Wait a minute, this is a luxury WOMEN’S jewelry company. How are there NO restrooms for women? And why aren’t any women working for this company?! I didn’t actually ask her these rhetorical questions. This woman has been dealing with this wackadoodleness of women being second class people her entire life.

Since moving to Riyadh I drink a LOT more water, 2 liters before I even leave our villa. This meeting came up last minute, and even though I stopped drinking as soon as she told me about the bathroom situation, I was worried. We left at 10, the meeting was supposed to begin at 11, but of course started late waiting on other people to arrive. I had to pee as soon as we got there but didn’t say anything, unsure of how the client would react. By noon I was so uncomfortable. I said to R, “I really need to use the restroom.” She leaned over to the more junior client and whispered to him.

The client was really kind and smiled at me before he got up to walk out of the conference room with me, through a security door and to the corridor. Being a jewelry maker there is a lot of security in the building. We can’t just hang in the halls without an escort. He asked me to wait a moment while he spoke with security. I’m thinking, what does security have to do with me using the restroom? He pops into a room, speaking Arabic and comes back out, telling me it’s OK and walks me to the men’s room. HOORAY! I have never felt so relieved. And a part of me got a kick out of being haram and breaking the rules. When I exited the men’s room I was surprised no one was standing directly outside the door, ensuring no one entered while I was in there. I didn’t give it a second thought as the security guard quickly came out of his office and escorted me back to the conference room.

After the meeting, on our way back to the office, R asks me about the experience. She then proceeds to tell me the last time a women used the men's room, the security guard sent an email to the entire company letting everyone know that there was a woman in the men’s room and not to use it until an email was sent stating that it was clear! I love the lack of discretion. It would have been easier for him to stand next to the door for the minute that I was in there, but whatever. Before coming to KSA this situation never have crossed my mind! I wish I was creative and funny enough to think it up on my own, but I couldn't possibly make this stuff up never having experienced it. It's made possible by our cultural differences. Good and bad, it's the uniqueness of this country and it's customs that gives me material to write about. I just hope next time to I get more a of a heads-up before the meeting so I can limit my liquid intake. 

It's A Small, Small World

This is THE best story I have to tell since we've arrived. I'm so excited I had to write a post about it NOW!

As I've mentioned, I'm the only woman to work in the Starcom Riyadh office. We have a couple sister agencies here, Spark and Zenith. There is one other woman that works at Spark, which is located right next to our physical office. I'll call her R.

Even though I technically work for Starcom right now, I have the opportunity to float across agencies depending on needs. This morning I get an email from R, asking me if I can join a client meeting with her today to introduce them to Snapchat. The client is L'Azurde. It's the only Saudi luxury jewelry maker.  I'm happy to oblige! I tell her to swing by when she's ready to leave.

Since I don't have enough time to eat breakfast in the mornings I bring my smoothie with me. I carry it in this Michigan cup that I've had since the 2015 football season, specifically the Ohio State game. It was the only game J and I made it to and I was 24 weeks pregnant for the Gents. I almost threw these cups away in the fury of packing for Riyadh. Then I thought, these may come in handy. And they do as they're now my smoothie cups.

I have this cup sitting on my desk when R comes to get me for the meeting. She sees my cup and says "You went to U-M?! Me, too!" She's Saudi. Has lived here her entire life. Her Dad is a neurologist and spent some of his career practicing and teaching at the University of Michigan. She visited there once, fell in love, applied and got in. She had a brief internship in Boston after graduation, then came back to KSA to work at Starcom, Mediavest, and now Spark. And she's lovely. I learned so much from her today and am really looking forward to working together.

Isn't that wild?! The two women that work for Publicis agencies in Riyadh BOTH went to the University Michigan!!! I'm so proud. 🦁〽️🙌🏼🙌🏼

Everyday day I feel so blessed for our experience here so far and it just keeps getting better.