2007: Year in Review - More Than Just a New Look
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Author: Aramco ExPats
Released 30 December 2007
Aramco ExPat's new layout makes your stories and photos look great.
2007 was year of transition for Aramco ExPats. As our members continued to send us more content, rich with photographs and other images, we realized that we needed a new layout that would do justice to the wealth of contributions. Thus, the “online magazine” style of Aramco ExPats version 4 was launched this Fall. Massive though this cosmetic overhaul was, it merely served to cap-off a year that saw plenty of other exciting news, events and reunions. Here are just a few highlights from the online community of Aramco expatriates, annuitants, and Brats during the past year.
6,400 and Growing
Since its inception in 2002, Aramco ExPats website has grown its support to over 6,400 members, welcomes global visitors, and shares new information daily with people interested in knowing more about our online community of Aramco expatriates, annuitants, and Brats. Join our growing network of Aramco ExPats. It's free!
Aramco ExPats Continues to Gather Industry News
Saudi Aramco is an enormous operation, to say the least, and our readers are always hungry for information regarding the company. This is easier said than done when Aramco regularly makes headlines from Houston to Singapore. Our Pipeline section is therefore updated daily with dedicated news about Saudi Aramco and the petroleum industry. This provides our readers with the convenience of looking to a single source to provide information on topics ranging from the appointment of Vela’s first Saudi tanker captain to OPEC’s recent discussion on climate change. The Industry News section of our weekly e-newsletter remains popular as Aramco continues to launch newer projects of unprecedented size and scope.
Stories from Aramco’s Pioneers Continue to Pour In
The personal accounts and letters home from Saudi that we publish never fail to provide fascinating glimpses into a world thrust into a period of rapid growth and transition. The popularity of and demand for these articles never wanes. New in 2007 we brought you the first installments of Aramco Annuitant Colleen Wilson’s book, “First Trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” in which she chronicles her first adventure in Arabia from June 1951 to November 1956. Truly wonderful is a world where a twenty-two year old girl can leave a small, East Texas town to experience the beaches of the Persian Gulf, the aches of playing donkey polo and the honor being nominated Miss Refinery in the Miss Ras Tanura Contest. Aramco ExPats enjoys the privilege of sharing your stories with the rest of the community. If you enjoy reading about our collective history, perhaps you may also enjoy adding your own perspective.
Brats Reunion in Asheville, NC.
The Year of the Brats in Asheville, NC
Asheville, North Carolina played host to the 2007 Aramco Brats Reunion over the Memorial Day weekend, and we dutifully sent our correspondents in to cover the event and take plenty of photographs. This bi-annual reunion opens a portal through time and space and allows Brats of any and all generations to take another trip to a far away desert. In addition to the usual golf, tennis, dining, dancing, auctioning and general carousing that is now commonplace at these much anticipated events, Aramco Brats Matthew Miller and Todd Nims surprised reunion attendees with a sneak preview screening of their documentary film, “HOME: The Aramco Brats’ Story.” The 2008 Aramco Annuitants Reunion in Las Vegas is just around the corner and will coincide with Aramco’s 75th anniversary. We’ll keep the community updated on all the news for this major event.
Annuitants Staying Busy
A significant source of material comes to us from Saudi Aramco Annuitants whose lives continue to be awe-inspiring in the wake of their time with Aramco. In 2007, the roster of Aramcons-turned-authors continued to grow. From Victor Friedmann’s “Loafer’s Guide to Successful Retirement and Slow Cooking”, Owen Oxley’s “Saudi Arabia, The Great Adventure,” to the publishing (Selwa Press) of the long awaited book "Discovery! The Search for Arabian Oil" by Wallace Stegner, it seems that Aramcons refuse to slow down. This year we were inundated with stories of lunch bunches and mini-reunions, of births and deaths, of graduations and weddings and all manner of celebrations and accomplishments. Annuitant Lynette Hardy retired from the bustle of Aramco only to take on the grueling task of owning and operating a bed and breakfast in beautiful Hout Bay, South Africa.
Photo Galleries Swell
Our readers can't get enough of the photos we post on the Aramco ExPats website. We are a community, after all, and we love to know what our old friends are up to these days. Not surprisingly, the Galleries section is consistently our most viewed attraction. Because of its popularity, special attention was lavished upon this portion of the site during our overhaul. Visitors now have multiple options for viewing photos as well as the ability to rate and comment on the galleries. More than any other aspect of the site, the Gallery lives or dies by the strength of your contributions. We love to publish dog-eared black-and-whites from the pioneering days just as much as those crystal-clear digital snapshots of your child’s graduation. They are equally important and interwoven pieces in the mosaic of Saudi Aramco’s life. Please keep the photos coming.
Aramco ExPats Continues to Support Charities and Non-Profits
We are fortunate to have wonderful families and the opportunity to live and work in Saudi Arabia. As a community of thankful and caring individuals, our members are very giving to causes they hold "Dear to Their Hearts".
Things we do in life often have measurable results but the extent of their impact is often difficult to quantify. With the contribution to charities supported by Aramco ExPats, you help us help others.
Aramco ExPats Foundation helps to support the following organizations:
American Cancer Society
Charities supported by Beta Sigma Phi in Dhahran
St. Joseph's Foundation Childbirth Center
More Suq for You
In 2007, we added more of what you want to the Aramco ExPats Suq and expanded our book selection even further. Some of the new titles include “Saudi Arabia, The Great Adventure,” by Owen Oxley; the ever helpful “Loafer’s Guide to Successful Retirement and Slow Cooking,” by Victor Friedmann; and “Discovery! The Search for Arabian Oil,” by Wallace Stegner.
We Are Pleased to Present the ExPats Travel Club
The Aramco ExPats Travel Club has a variety of trips planned for the future.
The newly created Aramco ExPats Travel Club is officially up and running and the club is working hard to organize exciting trips for 2008. We have decided to go through travel agencies for group travel to ensure that our trips are very professional and will accommodate all needs. One of our first outings will be a ski trip to British Columbia led by Anneliese Tedeschi. The travel club will act as a "self directed" group within Aramco ExPats. We are not looking to profit from the organization; our only goal is to promote the fellowship of world-travelers, support the club’s membership and foster good times and good fun.
Forum Filled With Questions and Answers
The Aramco ExPats Forum has become the place for people considering life and work with Saudi Aramco to ask questions and get answers about what to expect from a life overseas. Each year, more and more visitors post in the forum. Many visitors are asking questions that you may know the answer. Consider sharing your experiences and knowledge with those who may benefit from it.
Thank you for your contributions and support of Aramco ExPats.
The Future
As we look back on a year so full of growth and change, we cannot help but look forward to 2008 with excitement. Membership has grown steadily every year since the creation of Aramco ExPats. With more traffic to the site comes an ever-increasing amount of member-submitted content. This keeps us busy, of course, but more importantly, it ensures that our community is always fresh and new. We revamped our site this year to meet the needs of our ever-growing membership. The continued evolution of Aramco ExPats is ensured through your constant and meaningful interaction with the site. Thank you.