From Saudi Arabia – Cancer Survivors Unite

With October being global breast cancer awareness month and as a continuing fighter/survivor of this disease I will be supplementing my blog posts with additional information. And also to remind I’m still waiting for the Saudi guys to come forward in their pink thobes and while we are at it, how about some Saudi women in pink abayas… and we all have dinner out in a sign of solidarity!

Thanks to my friend, Tariq Al Meeana of Arab News and the internet, I have been connected with an incredible woman, who like me, is also a cancer survivor. She has a story I wish to share as well as encourage others to visit her web site for even more details.

Norine is 50 years young and a remarkable woman. Not only a wife, mother, professional photographer but she also plays Major League Baseball as the only woman on the otherwise all-male team AND plays on a women’s football team too. Furthermore, she managed to keep playing on both of these teams in both of these sports while undergoing her chemotherapy treatments. She has been honored and recognized by the Susan G. Komen Foundation as the Southern Nevada 2008 Athlete Survivor of the Year! This is indeed an accomplishment.

And thanks to Norine and her ingenuity in spreading awareness of this common disease which affects so many women, she also institute the “A Real Live Pink Bat” for all sports fans who wish to show their solidarity and support to the cause.

I do not want to steal all her thunder and believe readers will appreciate hearing Norine’s story in her own words. Her web site is a do not miss site:

http://www.norinevphotography.com/ARealLivePinkBat.html

and you can also get to know her and her way of spreading awareness of breast cancer at this video link too:

We are dialoguing on how we can combine our efforts towards further educating and informing men and women worldwide about breast cancer and particularly how it is NOT a disease that should be ignored or buried deep down in the sand. It IS okay to talk about breast cancer. It IS okay for families to laugh, to cry and KEEP ON LIVING as they battle this disease with a loved one. And as Norine epitomizes for all of us, it can be fought with valor and survived. Who knows…sometimes life even gets better…

Saudi Arabia: Buying Lightbulbs

I know…it’s an odd subject but very much worth mentioning.  Yes, to begin with you need to know not only what kind of voltage is in your Saudi residence but what kind of light bulbs are required when replacing burned out bulbs.  As I’ve written before, some Saudi homes will have outlets and wiring for both 110V and 220V so knowing what’s what can get confusing.  My own villa for example has both.  That’s convenient for in the kitchen since some appliances you can only find here in KSA are 220V or a special one you really want to have is only available in 110V.

 

Now back to the light bulbs.  It is critical to know which voltage is needed and then …. Here is where it gets interesting and sometimes challenging, locating that light bulb that is needed.  Tamimi (local Safeway) or Saco (equivalent to a hardware/Home Depot kind of store) usually have a wide selection of light bulbs.  For some reason though the outer packaging of the bulbs rarely tells what voltage it is.  The wattage such as 60 watts or 100 watts will be clearly identified but until I open the package, I may not know whether it is meant for 110V or 220V.  Of course a sales clerk can be asked but he may not necessarily understand different voltages so again, be careful.

 

I cannot say if it is only my particular home but we seem to replace light bulbs on a monthly basis.  And I am not purchasing generic name lightbulbs.  I purchase the Phillips brand which are imported from Europe.