A few words about this place

I left home a week ago today, and this afternoon I finished my first work week. A lot has happened in seven days – it’s hard to choose what to tell you about! But in honor of my first week on the job I may as well explain why I’m here and tell a bit about that.

Saudi Aramco is the largest producer of energy in the world, most of it in oil and gas. They are also on the way to becoming one of the giants in renewable wind and solar energy production. A few years ago they decided it was time to become the world leader in training for its upstream professionals – these are the guys who find the oil and figure out how to most effectively and efficiently get it from the ground. They created the Upstream Professional Development Center, as seen below! (I quickly grabbed these shots with my iPhone; I've been assured that if I stop to carefully line up shots and look like I'm taking pictures, security will show up and discuss things with me!!)

 The building and the program are only a few years old, and the curriculum is still in development, and that’s why I’m here. I’m part of a content development team as a technical writer, along with instructional designers, subject matter experts, and graphic designers. Between us the courses get designed, written, and illustrated. Another team takes over to teach the classes.

So I’ve spent the week onboarding, getting online and into the system, and getting oriented to the task, the team, and the place. All in all I’m impressed – the team is comprised of some very talented people under good leadership. The place has some state of the art and world-class technology, and the place will grow on me, I’m sure!

Today it was 100 degrees F but I’m not bothered so much by the hot as by the BRIGHT!  I cannot go out without my sunglasses; my eyes just (so far) refuse to adjust to the brilliance of the sky. With the dust load in the air helping to reflect and refract the light the sky just looks chrome for the past few days – I’ve never seen a sky like it. Time will tell if I get used to it, but for now I’m thankful I tucked my heavy-duty wrap around my head sunglasses into my bag!

The camp is very well laid out and nicely maintained. There are lovely trees and flowers and planting beds with all kinds of greenery. The sidewalks are lined with delicate little flowers which must be watered most of the night to survive the daytime onslaught of sun and heat.  The headquarters building is a beautiful piece of architecture, but I won’t take a picture of it as they are very sensitive here to cameras. Government buildings must not be photographed. It is an awful social error to take a picture of Saudis.  And people have been lynched for taking a picture of women – it just isn’t done. I will respect this, unhappily, but I also intend to go home intact and that is my higher priority! This shot kind of jumped out at me yesterday after work – beautiful feathery stalks backlit by the afternoon sun!

I’m on the top floor of my building, and it is enclosed in tinted glass which is mostly very dirty. They clean the windows every month or so, but it’s a losing battle against wind-borne sand, grit and dirt. Reportedly there was a thunderstorm last night, but I didn’t hear it. When it rains after a long drought, though, the rain may come down as mud, making just the kind of mess you can imagine on everything.

Off camp looks a lot like Tatooine in Star Wars. In fact, if memory serves those scenes were shot in this region of the world, so I suppose the resemblance is fair.  Dry, dirty, rocky, dry, dusty, rough, and forbidding. People have lived here for a long time, but there is nothing inviting about what I can see there.  I could survive if I had to – I’ve had appropriate training while in the military – but would just as soon not exercise that opportunity! Here’s a view from the top floor of my building – this is just down the street.

While I’m here I do want to say thanks to Darby, Bertha, and Lena for pitching in to fill my place with all the photography activities I’ve disrupted by being here!! But especially I want to thank Dana for taking on all my stuff and doing an amazing job with it! I love you Sweetheart!!  See you again soon on Skype!

It’s been a long week since I left Arkansas. Busy days, lots to take in, and not enough sleep do tend to finally catch up to me, so I’m off to bed. Thursday and Friday are the weekend here, so I have the next two days to explore on my own. For sure I’m going to the mall to find shoestrings! Sadly the new ones I intended to install in my black shoes before leaving are still safely on the closest shelf, awaiting my return!  Good night all.