Week one...

Today Phillip and I grabbed a taxi from work to a mall near our campuses just to arrive during prayer time, so everything was shut down.  We looked around a bit and ended up buying some stuff from a big department/ grocery store.  We're still trying to stock up on basics.  The only problem is that our apartment has all V110 American plugs and all Saudi appliances, hair dryers, etc., we have found are all British plugs V220.  So I'm sure you can see my dilemma.  If I had known we'd be able to use all American plugs I just would have brought the stuff myself.  I'll ask around tomorrow and see if anyone knows where I can buy V110 things.

Leaving the mall, we managed to check out as the call the prayer was being called.  We were relieved the guy didn't just leave us there in line.  Then we got in a taxi where the driver asked for permission to stop and pray.  Of course we said yes.  Who would say no to someone praying?  We did make sure he wouldn't be running the meter while he prayed.  He said he wouldn't but did anyway, then drove us around the world to get back to our apartment as Phillip gave him a free English lesson.  It was entertaining for a bit, but then they talked about me in the third person and the taxi driver said he hoped I would give Phillip many children.  

We've arrived.

So far everything is really good in Saudi.  I've just completed day three of work and my coworkers are super helpful and friendly.  I just found out my class sizes are going to go up by half, but we're short staffed so I understand even if it's unpleasant.  I've been promised it's only this semester.  I can't complain as I only have 18 teaching hours a week, which is a huge improvement over Korea.  It's so wonderful to be able to plan a lesson. 

The only thing I'm worried about is offending my students.  I hope it never happens, but I'm really not supposed to talk about anything that is forbidden in Islam.  It's more difficult than you think seeing as music and any interaction with a male I've ever had in my life that's not a relative or my husband is taboo. 

Phillip and I haven't ventured out too much.  A bus picks each of us up every day and takes us to our respective jobs.  We finally worked up the nerve last night to finally hop in a taxi.  We just went to a Wal-mart like store called Panda Mart or Market...something like that.  Anyway, I'm still not comfortable with most situations here just because I'm ignorant.  I don't know where to go.  I don't know what entrances or stores are appropriate me for to enter.  So far I haven't had any trouble, but I've only gone to the market.  From what I hear though it's not that bad.  I think our university keeps us pretty sheltered. 

I'll make sure to let you all know if anything more interesting happens.