Gatorade

For our trip, everything needs to be frozen. We've filled our freezers, the Boy Scout house and Girl Scout house (luckily, considering my Mom is the top dog with the Girl Scouts, and my Dad is the top dog with the Boy Scouts, we live across the street from both Houses) freezers with water jugs and other things. By the 10th day, everything is thawed.

My Mom came home today with a bunch of Gatorade that needs to be frozen. One small problem- Gatorade is filled to the very top of the bottle, leaving no room to expand and lots of room to explode.

Luckily, I saved the trip with my unmatchable problem solving skills.

We just drank a few swigs out of each bottle.

We both felt sick afterwards. I discovered I don't like the dark blue - which was Bob's favorite. Bob discovered the green one makes her make a horrible face, run out of the house hunched over holding her stomach, and throw up in the bushes.

Halloween

Halloween checklist:

Decorating for Halloween - Check

Haunted houses - Check

Lagoon's Frightmares - Check

Haunted Halloween space misison - Check

Halloween parties - Check

Dressing up - Check

Halloween food (including caramel apples) - Check

Trick or Treating - Check

Helping Bob get ready to be Ferb (Riley was Phineus) - Check

Answering  the door for trick or treaters - Check

Yup, awesome Halloween indeed!!!!

More details, for my own remembering:

Frightmares was a blast. I even toughed out the  haunted houses. Kip told me he'd buy me a caramel apple if I went into scary ones. They rate the haunted houses 1-6. We started small. We couldn't get into the 1 rating, since we were over 50 inches. So we went to 2. I decided I could handle scarier. We went into the 3. It was scary, but I did awesome! So we went into 4... it was WAY scarier than 3. I tried to be brave but I wasn't really. All that mattered though, is that I went in so I got my caramel apple. It was a really fun night, and great way to start off Halloween.

The Friday before I left for home, October 28th, at work we had trick or treating. Everyone invites their families and everyone brings candy, and the kids go around trick or treating. This is my favorite work day! The kids are so cute in their cosutmes. It's so fun to see how they all dress up, and to see my co-workers' families.

Last year, I invited Brittney Henderson and her little girls to come trick or treating. Apparently they had a blast, because they asked her if they could come again this year, and I was happy to have them. This year was a new addition though, cute baby Alivn. So we walked around with the 3 kids and got candy, and went through the spook alleys.

That night, was Kip and my halloween party. We had people over, and we ate dinner and payed games. After, we went to iWorlds' haunted space mission, which is a blast!!! Taylor and Liz drove from Rexburg to join us, which was so fun. After, we went into space at iWorlds, in Thanksgiving Point. For Halloween, they've done haunted missions. They are pretty scary and awesome.

After, some of us hung out at my house until 3:30am. Great last night in the states!

On Halloween day in Saudi, Bobbie and Riley were Phinneus and Ferb, and 2 of their friends were also dressed like characters from the show. We even died Bob's hair green. They looked awesome.

That night the trick or treaters came, which was awesome. Everyone who came to our house was Saudi and spoke NO English.

They had memorized, "happy Halloween" and "have a nice day". No matter what you said, they would just say that. If you deviated from either of those phrases, they were completely thrown off and would just stare at you. One little boy was so cute. I was handing out New York Peppermint patties, and had some Butterfinger wafers on the floor. This little boy, after I handed him the peppermint patty, kept pointing at the floor. I figured he wanted the other candies, but was only willing to give him one piece (we didn't have a whole lot of candy) so he pointed to the candy, then he rubbed his tummy while saying, "yuuummmyy!!"

Hahahhaa...

Happy Halloween!!

Love,

Brittney

Homeward bound and Loss of Rights

15 Flights in 15 Days

Salt Lake City to Dallas, Dallas to DC, DC to Kuwait, Kuwait to Bahrain, Dammam to Riyadh, Riyadh to Yanbu, Yanbu to Jeddah, Jeddah to Abha, Abha to Riyadh, Riyadh to Dammam, Bahrain to Dubai, Dubai to Bahrain, Bahrain to London, London to Chicago, Chicago to Salt Lake City.

Passwords

At work, I've had the honored privilege of being deemed worthy enough to become privy to some of my close co-workers various passwords.

As I've been told these various passwords, it got me thinking how passwords say a lot about a person.

One co-worker, for instance, has picked musical terms for her passwords. A cappella, G minor, keys, etc.

Another co-worker's passwords are her family nembers' names.

I've never tried to pick a theme with my passwords. I've always just picked something that came to mind that I can remember (not the easiest task, considering I have the memory of a tree bat).

As I went through my old passwords, there was an absolute theme: places I've lived. Addresses, zip codes, cities/countries (If you plan to try and hack into my personal accounts using this disclosed information – tough luck! I've since changed my passwords).

I like music, a lot. I like to sing, I play the violin, I love listening to various types of music and going to concerts… but it would never occur to me to make my password anything musical. Nor would I choose my passwords based off of family members' names. I like some various sports, but I'd never choose sports as my passwords.

As I am selecting passwords, I pick past locations with a favorable connotation to me.

So what does that say about me? I think a lot. I am a homebody. I live in the past. I love old memories. I like places where I feel completely comfortable and secure. I grow very attached to places/things.

Anyways, this is just something I've been thinking about… how personal things such as passwords tell us a lot about ourselves.

Love,

Brittney


 

You know you're an Aramco Brat when...

1. You can't answer the question, "Where are you from?" (And when you do, you get into an elaborate conversation that gets everyone confused and/or makes you sound very spoiled)

2. You flew before you could walk.

3. You have a passport, but no driver's license.

4. You think California is cold.

5. You watch National Geographic specials and recognize someone.

6. You run into someone you know at every airport.

7. Conversations with friends take place at 6:00 in the morning or 10:00 at night.

8. Your life story uses the phrase "Then we went to..." five times.

9. You can speak with authority about the quality of various international airlines. (P.S. British Airways is the best)

10. You feel self conscious around all white people.
11. You get offended when someone turns down an offer for food.

12. You live at school and go home for vacation.

13. You treasure pork and alcohol as highly-valued commodities.

14. You have ever had to wait for prayer call to be over to finish shopping

15. You are fascinated by any wildlife bigger than a gecko.

16. You know the true meaning of "football"

17. You know that it's a small world.

18. You have ever gone to the hammam or endured a shamal.

19. You get all the jokes in Aladdin.

20. Rain is still one of the most wonderful sounds in the world.

21. You haggle with the checkout clerk for a lower price.

22. Your wardrobe can only handle two seasons: hot and warm.

23. Your school memories include duck-and-cover drills and sonic booms.

24. You are used to being stared at.

25. You think VISA is a document stamped in your passport, and not a plastic card you carry in your wallet.

26. You call a chicken burrito a shawrma.

27. Your dorm room/apartment/living room looks a little like a museum with all the "exotic" things you have around.

28. You've heard of hubbly bubbly, and its the only thing you smoke shisha out of!

29. You've woken up in the middle of the night to watch the Superbowl on cable.

30. You have sat in a "men's" or "women's" section in an airport, hospital, or restaurant.

31. You know the geography of the rest of the world, but you don't know the geography of your own country. (Isn't Philadelphia it's own state?)

32. Your best friends are from 5 different countries.

34. You ask your roommate when the houseboy is scheduled to come clean.

35. You read the international section before the comics.

36. You sort your friends by continent.

37. You don’t know where home is.

38. Every time you drink from a water fountain, you think, Water Is Life, Save It.

39. You've run from Security.

40. You can have an educated discussion on the quality/functionality of major International Airports around the world.


I guess I'm just aching to be in Saudi today. In my childhood home, on the streets I know, with the warmth and sunshine and endless swimming pool days. With the racquetball courts down the street, endless sand dunes and quading adventures. Shawarma's and Desi food and crazy Khobar streets, with their gold, stray cats and nauseating odors and fluids. And the beach. Oooh, the beach. The Commissary, its cheesebread, the palm trees, and the gates coming in. 


Yes, I'm an Aramco brat.
My dad works for Saudi Aramco.
I hail to the small compound town of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
I am a TCK (Third Culture Kid).


And I love it.


Love,
Brittney

Ode on a Rambo

Oh Rambo

Where art Thou?

Once upon a moon so clear,

we were together, you and I, dear

We talked and laughed endless hours

But together we did not take any showers.

White Christmas, Gilmore Girls, Coraline -

Oh for you, I shall always pine!

So much time, so much fin

And then, like that - our time was done!

A series of flights we took

But together, no need for a book.

Our destination would sepersate us, my love

Into two different worlds, we've been shoved.

With one day together in a land so supreme,

The architecture divine, simply a dream!

Let's break into a cathedral (twice for good measure) and i'll make sure you're fed

With your weight in pastries, cheese and God's bread.

We'll stand behind a drug lord

And never, ever be bored.

We'll get lost and ride around the track

But in the end, don't worry - we'll get back!

But good memories alone, won't make it

The time apart, definitely will shake it!

Texts and chats alone - no no!

So to you, my love, I will go!

Two (possibly three) nights

We'll never, ever turn off the lights!

You'll be there, yes you will,

All weekend we'll be keepin' it real

Because I'm a better poet

AND YOU KNOW IT!

Love,

Brittney

Going Home...

Saihat House

Birch House

It’s been a year since I’ve felt the Saudi sun shining down on my face.

A year since I last rode bikes through the streets of Aramco with Bobbie, singing the song, Rain drops keep fallin’ on my head! at the top of our lungs, scaring all the workers waiting for the buses to come take them home.

A year since I sat on the sand dunes talking with my sisters, went dirt biking/quading with my bro in the jebels,

walked to the racquetball courts with my dad (and sometimes mom), put on my beautiful abaya and headed to the souqs and malls, crammed all 5 of us guys in the front seat of our Desert-Storm era blue suburban (Car-ie), or took Kamiah out to the 2 foot patch of sand a quarter mile from our house.

When I was in boarding school, I would wait all week to go home… to get away from the British dorm parents, the Bahrain School, which was commonly mistaken for a prison (I’m completely serious. It was so secured and foreboding/horrible looking, people thought it was a prison), from my isolated life as a white Christian Dormie.

I would sit on the crowded, loud Saudi-Bahraini transit bus and think about the gates to Dhahran. The pretty rock/waterfall facade as you drive in, the white mosque on the left hand side. And the gates with Welcome to Saudi Aramco above them. And then, as years went on, they got a digital display that would encourage safe driving, and my personal favorite Aramco saying, Water is Life, Save It (That has become my very favorite phrase for life. Every time I get a drink from a drinking fountain, I think it. And when I miss home. And when I go swimming. And when I see someone waste water. And when I see some stupid slogan saying something to the effect of conserve water. Nothing is as clever to me now, after having grown up in Aramco).

And the Security guards, standing there ready to raise the gates to my personal paradise, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. In their brown security jackets. Some cross and others just as jolly as Ole’ St. Nick. And I always do the gun check. Not all security have guns. As I’ve always heard it, and I can’t verify it, but everyone knows it, Security only get guns if they pass this mental test. If they have a gun – they passed. If not, they are not mentally stable. So naturally, I do the gun check.

The big green tanks with the camo-mesh-netting and the 16 year old boy sitting on the seat texting have even warmed their way into my heart. The front gates just don’t seem as complete without them now.

Yes, the front gates to Aramco have a special place in my heart. I can’t wait to go home. To drive up, be waved on through, and continue through the familiar streets to my house.

Park next to my Saihat house, where I spent most my time as a kid. We played every game imaginable. Night games were our favorite. This view is accross the street from Ghada's house. With the top left window brown from her fathers' smoking.

Closer view of the park

The phonebooth in front of our Saihat house. We used it like a second phone line. Seriously. At any point of time while living there, one of the Johnson's could be seen standing there having a casual conversation. My house is right behind the phone booth, and to the right.

Saihat Phonebooth. Saved our family. This was, of course, back before we all had cell phones.

Khalas

Buying Some Time

I was just informed my internship has been extended to mid February – a year from when I started, the maximum time an internship can go. So this is way good news!

This time when I’m home at Christmas (I AM GOING HOME FOR CHIRSTMAS!) I will have a job to come back to. That relieves so much stress. I’ll have more time to figure out what to do from here on out. This is such a HUGE stress reliever for me. Also, it gives more time to try and figure out HOW to get me on as a full-time employee. Odds are still not looking very good for that, however.

So that is my awesome news for today.

Awesome news for Friday – I had a Winter Formal I attended. And I wore my high school prom dress.

Fun thing 1 – It is pretty (the dress)

Fun thing 2 – It was only the second time I’ve been able to wear it (the dress)

Fun thing 3 – It was way fun getting all dressed up (me)

Fun thing 4 – My cute new blue coat looked super cute with it (the dress)

Fun thing 5 – IT FIT! YEAH, BABY! Personal triumph. My high school prom dress fits!

Fun thing 6 – I got it zipped up all by myself. (Becki was going to be home to do it ((It goes all the way up my back – and I’m just not that nimble – or so I thought! HA!)) But then she ended up leaving early. And I was left in a sticky situation. How on earth do I get my dressed zipped up? I am home alone. Do I ask my date to do it? How awkward/inappropriate is that? Or do I just leave it not zipped up and put on my coat, and have one of my friends do it once I got to the formal? Anyways, it all worked out, obviously).

But, I didn’t take any pictures. Sad, yes. But I wasn’t feeling particularly into pictures. And now, of course, I wish I had some. Oh well.

Anyways, today is a good day. There’s a plethora of snow outside, which always makes me happy. And I have a job until at least February. I have time to figure out my life. I had an awesome weekend filled with good friends and food. What more could a girl want? (Lots, but I’m trying not to push my luck…)

Winter Formal

Officers and our Dates

Officers

Group Shot

Thanksgiving

ALPHA Officers
Battle of the Chapters!

I died all our tights. In my trash can at work. I'm awesome. And resourceful. It took all day of them stewing. I'm sure all the guys though I was nuts. But I don't care. I didn't have time to do it at home the night before, and I didn't have a bucket or anything - so I used my trashcan. Then I used the sanitary sacks in the bathroom to wrap the wet tights up for each girl. I felt proud of my ingenuity

ALPHA Girls!

Love,

Brittney

Catchings up...

I didn't want to put anything on here until I had some pictures. Lots has been going on lately, most of which I don't have documentation of.

I'm living in SLC, in the lovely duplex, where I lived when i was born, and for a stint in 6th grade. Its rent-free, which is the best thing ever! I'm going to paint soon, and am working on getting it all fixed up.

I'm working for the Church, which I love!

I've been doing lots of snowboarding...

In past news, I went home for Christmas, and had a blast, of course...

Hofuf Camel Market

We left really early in the morning... 5am, to be exact. The sun eventually got up, and so did we.

I love the 7-up bottle on the saddle. McKenzie and Grandpa rode the camel... It almost fell over on the way up. Did I mention I hate camels?

We went sandboarding. A Johnson favorite. Don't be fooled - the sand is not soft and it HURTS when you fall. And it's gross. Your finding sand everywhere for the next week.

We went digging for sand roses, a Saudi novelty. This is our hole. It is a lot bigger than it looks.

Camels wondered over, to assess our progress. I love wild camels like this. But I don't like riding them. And I don't like touching them.

Grandpa was extremely proud of his hole. He dug by himself for a long time. He didn't want to dig where anyone else had dug. He got some good sand roses.

Bobbie and I on the beach. I love half Moon Bay.

We also went to the Hofuf caves. We had to show grandpa how amazing and wonderful Saudi is. The caves were so cool. The best part is that they are not monitored at all. You can explore wherever you want. And believe me, we did. It was a lot of fun.

Oman!

We got to go to Oman, and it is one of my new favorite places. I would love to live there some day. It was so fun to explore, anywhere we wanted. We climbed around on anything we could. Including crumbling ruins...

I went and visited my best friend Samar in texas at Thanksgiving.

Here is a picture of bobbie and I. I love this picture and this girl!

My new thing I am into is making mosaics. I LOVE IT! Here are the 2 I have made. I like the women one best. I would love to see it and make money - but I am way too attached. I can't wait until I have my own place to put them.

You can't tell, but the camel mosaic is HUGE. It weighs more than I do. Seriously. Mom hung it up in the bathroom. She said it's the only place with enough room. I tried not to take offense.




Sorry this is so long. This is what (well, sort of) I've been up to the last couple of months!

Love,

Brittney