The online edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives several definitions for “Brat”: (1) a : CHILD; specifically : an ill-mannered annoying child, as in “a spoiled brat.” b : an ill-mannered immature person; and (2) : the child of a career military person, as in “army brats”; also : the child of a person whose career is in a specified and typically unusual field, as in “Hollywood brats.” Knowing that no offspring of an Aramco annuitant could possibly be described as “ill-mannered,” or “annoying,” or “spoiled”; knowing, too, that no Aramcon that any of us know merits being labeled “an ill-mannered immature person’; and, finally, realizing only some Aramcons I know qualify as a career army person (a lot of Vietnam vets);—that leaves only one option for explaining the origin of the term “Aramco Brat.” It’s obvious to us all that any progeny of an expat who once lived and worked in Saudi Arabia qualifies as “the child of a person whose career is in a specified and typically unusual field.” If one is to believe Merriam-Webster, that puts them on a par with Hollywood brats. If Aramco Brats start to believe that, they may end up becoming ill-mannered and annoying. Let’s hope, then, that none of them make that progression. Being serious for a moment, in truth, Aramco Brats are the folks who were either born or raised in Saudi Arabia as children and/or minor dependents of employees of the Arabian American Oil Company (a.k.a ARAMCO, Saudi Aramco and Saudi Arabian Oil Company) or any ARAMCO-affiliated company. Aramco Brats rightly think of themselves “Third Culture Kids” whose life stories span several generations and who are bound together by their common experience of growing up in the unique international community that is the Kingdom.
In 1996, a group of Aramco Brats banded together to form Aramco Brats, Inc. (ABI) to promote continued contact and fellowship among Aramco Brats through biennial reunions, newsletter publications, and maintenance of AramcoBrat contact information. ABI’s Board of Directors, comprised of four elected and seven appointed members, coordinates the organization and funding of these activities. Every two years, ABI sponsors a reunion. The most recent such reunion was held at the Omni Hotel in Houston on Memorial Day Weekend of this year. A wonderful time was had by all, despite the fact that three-and-a-half inches of rain fell on Saturday afternoon and evening. Not even a deluge like that could dampen the spirits of Aramco Brats. Having all grown up in Saudi Arabia, they were made of tougher stuff than that. The power went out on Monday? No problem! The hotel pool was completely under water? No problem there, either. The good times continued despite myriad challenges. As the accompanying photos show, the theme of the reunion might as well have been, “Water, water everywhere…” Staci Husted-Hosford, DH-’84 served as Reunion Chair, while Sandra Acuna-Klein DH-’86, Laura Bissell-Comtois DH-’83, Diana Cameron-Keller, DH-’84, Liz Germani, RT’-’84; Carol Goff-Hlavaty, DH-’82; Del Husted, DH-’82; and Susan Husted-Cowles (Parent) served on the Reunion Committee. Many thanks to all of them for their hard work. Great job, everybody!