All my expectations of extra time with nothing to do and stacks of books to read have gone out the window. The time really does go by quickly here. Maybe it's because it is Thursday everywhere else but already Saturday here!
Work is going well although we still have not mailed decision letters and we are all very anxious about that. We sent three to PhD candidates on Tuesday but then told to not send any more because the senior administration had additional changes to the Terms and Conditions of the Fellowship that students receive. If we don't send letters soon students will choose other programs no matter how much money we are giving them. We also will be interviewing admitted students in April so until we send offers and know where our admitted are located it is hard to plan travel for these interviews.
Last Thursday there was a baby shower for Aida who is due at the end of April. She is the Program Coordinator for the faculty in the Applied Math and Computer Science Division and her husband, Ibrahim, is a professor in Earth Sciences. He is from Lebanon and she is from France and they already have an adorable two year old son. The shower was held at one of the Early Childhood Centers and everyone brought or did something. I made a shrimp pasta salad and helped with the favors. There was all sorts of delicious food from all over the world- the benefit of being in an international community! Someone organized games, there were home made decorations, and fun socializing.
Friday I spent a few hours at our beach! I took just a couple of photos because I have heard that cameras and taking pictures are not allowed. The list of rules is really way to long for me to read. I have also heard women are required to wear one piece bathing suits but did see a couple of bikinis and no one was being escorted from the beach. There are many water sports activities- kayaks, water boards, paddle boats etc. The sand is imported! I guess there isn't enough sand here in the desert- or more likely it is not 'beach' sand. There is a snack concession stand that has great frozen lemonade- if only I could add a shot of tequila. volleyball and soccer areas... I heard the actual beach lounge beds are to arrive this weekend. The slingback chairs are not the most comfortable for napping. I also bought water shoes because there is so much dead coral in the water you really can't go in without something on your feet. It is wonderful though to sit under the umbrellas and enjoy the sun and the water. There is a nice breeze and I think beaching will be a regular weekend activity for me!
I also cooked a lot this week!! I had three faculty from the Electrical Engineering program over one evening to thank them for reading the EE applications so quickly and throroughly. Khaled, Hakan and Jurgen enjoyed lamb-stuffed tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. I made some great tzitiki (greek yogurt with cucumbers and garlic) and baked pita chips, a spinach salad with raisins and toasted pine nuts and black bottom cupcakes for dessert. And then I also had Yvette and Jeremy over for spaghetti and meatballs one evening. I went to a baby shower for them one of the first weekends I was here so they have Sierra who is absolutely adorable. Yvette is one of the few people I know here from the US- Texas and Jeremy is British.
This morning has been full of laundry and organizing and tv and coffee and facebook. I am off to Jeddah this evening for dinner at an Italian restaurant with the girls- Aida and Dalila. Most likely a few hours at the beach tomorrow and then to the MOVIES! Yes, our movie theater opened last night! I am not sure if you all know that there are NO movie theaters in Saudi Arabia. So we have a theater on campus. It seats 150 people. So tomorrow I am hoping to get into the 8:00 showing of The Book of Elijah with Denzel Washington. There is no FANDANGO here to reserve my seat in advance ;-)
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