I remember my mother telling me that when she got married in 1960 her family paid a dowry of a thousand pounds to my father for her hand in marriage. That was a lot of money back then. Dowries are found in many other societies and cultures in the world. It is common throughout the Middle East where the groom provides the dowry to the family of the bride...
This small collection of verses was written as a poetic diary of my thoughts and impressions, influenced by my life and travel within Saudi Arabia during the past eight years (circa 1980s), intending, hopefully, for them to be handed on to my three granddaughters - Emma Louise, Sarah Jane and Lisa Maria - in the fullness of time.
As any resident or passerby of the cities of Aramco knows, the cities of Dhahran, Ras Tanura, Abqaiq and Udailyah are extremely clean and well maintained. And that reality wouldn’t be possible without the efforts of the domestic workers that spend hours working in the hot, Arabian sun.
I knew my grandfather Milton after he retired in 1960 until his death in 1970. I fantasize about the questions I would ask him now. Sadly, I didn’t really understand the breadth of his distinguished career until 2013.
A group of Aramco Retiree Golfers, determined to play the top golf courses on their “Bucket List” in North America and around the world, bagged world-renowned Pinehurst May 3-7, 2021. The courses hosted the Men’s U.S. Open Championships in 1999, 2005 and 2014 and the U.S. Women's Open Championship in 2014.
Big changes are happening at Reilly Financial Advisors, and we want to make sure everyone at Aramco is kept in the loop! It seems that while Vice President – Middle East Mark Shane was helping Aramcons craft and maintain their retirement plans, he was also working on his own.
Washington, D.C.: The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations' ("National Council") Annual 10-week University Student Internship and Summer Scholars Program began on May 24, 2021. Keynoting the inaugural session – and serving as the lead lecturer and resource specialist for the duration of the program – was Dr. John Duke Anthony, the National Council's Founding President and CEO.
Who does not like roses? They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. When I heard that a rose farm existed in Wadi Hanifa, close to D’Iriyah, it was hard to know if the rumor was true or not. Buzzing with excitement, I set off one morning with my driver, bumping down dusty tracks to locate the farm and buy a dozen red roses before they were all sold out.
When the devastation caused by the winter storm Uri in the U.S. dominated the news in mid-February, UPA was in the midst of its Winter Shield campaign. The annual initiative to protect Palestinian refugees from the harshest stretch of winter took place in the Gaza and Hittin refugee camps in Jordan, both of which were established to accommodate...
Scent has been entrenched into every aspect of Arabian society since the Queen of Sheba’s visit to King Soleiman, the development of the spice trade, and the control exercised by the Nabateans at Mada’in Saleh (Al Hegra) over the camel caravans traveling north to the Levant. Socially and spiritually, scent still plays a prominent role in every aspect of today’s society.
Ali-Al Baluchi's new memoir Heart and Soul is now available in Saudi Arabia, other GCC states, the UK and Europe, and North America. In his own words and through testimonials from friends and colleagues, Ali Al-Baluchi offers unique personal insights, from the challenges of navigating a foreign work culture to nurturing lifelong global friendships in Saudi Aramco.
The Aramco Retiree Golf Group held their first 2021 event in Grapevine, Texas April 12-16, 2021. The event was hosted and organized by local resident Tim McGhee and by the golf group's organizer Mike Haas. A full week of fun filled activities included 3 rounds of golf at Grapevine Golf Club Mockingbird and Pecan nines, Grapevine Golf Club Mockingbird and Bluebonnet nines and Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Karin Avila, an Aramco Brat who moved to Saudi Arabia from California during her teenage years. Her family resided in Ras Tanura, where her father was a general physician at the Saudi Aramco hospital. Karin’s story brought back my own nostalgic memories of the Kingdom...
“Travelling is a great experience, but how can it be better?” That’s the question I asked myself when I was reflecting on my past travels. Before I get into my start-up’s story, let's go back to Saudi Arabia for a minute. I was born in Dhahran and lived there for 13 years before moving to Ras Tanura.
Deciding on a boarding school education for your child is a huge emotional and financial decision. As parents we all want the best for our children including the best possible education to ensure that they achieve their academic potential, learn life skills that are going to prepare them for adulthood and above all are happy in themselves.
My love affair with the Bedouin silver jewelry of the Arabian Peninsula began with a weekend jaunt to the old souq in Riyadh in 1989. We parked in a dirt car park and trudged along a dusty track past stalls selling all manner of household goods and car parts before reaching an area where Bedouin women were selling jewellery.
Gary Bain, retired manager of Aramco aviation, is managing a GoFundMe page for his granddaughter Hali who is fighting cancer. Hali urgently needs help with medical bills, including treatments, surgeries, and hospital stays as well as living expenses.
Hooriya Naushad Shah, daughter of Engr. Syed Naushad Shah, celebrated her 9th birthday on April 5th. Hooriya is the granddaughter of Syed Yousaf Shah, Aramco Badge ID 71533.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning, with the winter breeze in the air and a lightness in my heart. My parents and I had just finished breakfast at the Dining Hall, and we were walking back to our 6th street home.
I arrived an hour before sunup on a January morning at a small village northwest of Billahmer, in the highlands of the Asir region. At about 2,700 meters above sea level, the early hour — coupled with stiff winds up over the edge of the Sarawat escarpment — meant, for the first time, I was properly cold in the Kingdom.