Dammam, Dharan, Whatever. It's Oil Country.

Since we have arrived here Friday night, I have yet to really know where exactly I am.  I know that our hotel is in Al-Khobar and that we flew into Dammam and that we are sometimes in Dharan, but it's never quite clear.  It's all so close together.  The important thing is that this is the Eastern Province and where all the oil is.  I wasn't able to write about yesterday because of internet difficulties compounded by pure exhaustion.

Sign at the girl's high school

So yesterday we began our adventures in this new area by going to the women's section of the University of Dammam.  We toured their medical school, nursing school, and community college.  The technology that the students were learning from was state of the art.  They had a beautiful, traditional Bedouin tent set up from an activity from the day before, so we were able to take our Arabic coffee in style.  We were able to see a segregated classroom from the female student's perspective and the male teacher's perspective.  It was really interesting to see how they were able to make that possible.  We met some remarkable women and enjoyed the hospitality. After that, we went to a local girl's school that had been built by Aramco.  We were interested in this school because their high school had recently adopted a Model Arab League program.  I enjoyed my personal tour of the whole school, from preschool through high school.  I had a lovely student show me around and take me into different classes.  They even taught home economics and Spanish.  After the tour, we had a panel discussion for the girls.  We were able to ask them questions and answer theirs.  It was really interesting.  The girls were very intelligent, but watched the worst of American television.  We greatly enjoyed our time with them.  Then we were able to go to the bank and exchange money before going back to the hotel to rest before our evening activity.  That night we went to the Prince Sultan Center for Science and Technology.  We began our visit with an IMAX film (a real one) called Journey to Mecca.  It's been a big hit here in Saudi Arabia.  It's the story of Ibn Battuta, a famous world traveler, as he makes the hajj to Mecca.  It was particularly impressive on the massive IMAX screen.  Then we were able to see the museum in all its glory.  It was an interactive museum, so we had fun playing on the different demonstrations.  Everything was in English and Arabic.  We learned about everything from sea life to the periodic table, oil to the human body.  It was great.  There was even an art exhibit as a temporary exhibit on the bottom floor.  The art was amazingly beautiful.  After that, a few of us went to the mall with our male guardian.  It was fun to see a more Saudi mall instead of a mini-American mall.  We had a great time.

Evidence that science can be fun and that you can do things in an abaya

I'm hoping this is not the best camel I ride

The Prosperity Well!

Today was a very busy day.  We had an early morning.  We spent the day at Aramco, the world's largest energy producing company.  We started the day with a 3D video about the company and then met with the Public Relations Manager.  We had our own personal tour guide through the museum/exhibit that answered all of our questions.  We are now little experts on oil.  It's great.  We had lunch at Aramco before seeing the compound and the Prosperity Well.  The Prosperity Well is lucky oil well number 7, the first one to produce oil in the Kingdom.  We stopped there before heading over to an academic center that is preparing Aramco scholars for a year after high school before sending them to college abroad.  Students are working on their study skills, English, science, math, and test taking.  In return, these students will go and study Aramco related majors around the world, at the expense of Aramco, and come back guaranteed a job.  It's a great deal for the best students of Saudi Arabia and for the company.  After that we went to the Center for Research and Development.  Our favorite part was easily wearing Aramco lab coats and safety goggles while we were touring the labs.  We felt pretty smart since we looked the part.  All in all, we learned a lot about oil and the future of oil.  Our last stop at the compound was a woman's house.  She was a collector of Saudi antiques.  Her home was full of them.  She even had a "museum" in her pool house.  She had collectibles from each region.  Her hospitality was just as delightful as her antiques.  She was a great finale to our day at Aramco.  After that, we went to the markets in town.  We were looking for new abayas and other local favorites.  We are still learning to barter, but we have definitely established our own clear styles about abaya fashion.  We all have certainly enjoyed adjusting to the life and culture here.  We have one more day in oil country before heading West.  We're already getting excited for Jeddah!