Razan Alaqeel's

Since the first day of October I knew that experiencing Fall will be extremely new and beautiful, because we basically don't have a lot of tress that turn colors due to the climate of Saudi Arabia. And I also knew that experiencing Halloween for the first time ever will defiantly add a new chapter to this year.  The color of the leaves stole my heart, as the sound of crushing them brought joy to me everyday whenever we went out to walk the dogs. The smell of this season, its food, and the spirit that I found in all of the people in here made each day joyful and different.  Those people that I'm living, studying, and interacting with here are like nobody else in the world. They're very special in their own way, and they're like this one huge family.  They all know each other, care for each other, and love one another.  Marion may not have a lot, but its people and nature are simply enough for this Saudi girl who looks at everything differently.  Carving my

Last week started with reviewing an essay that I'm currently writing about different alternatives for oil in Saudi Arabia. I was looking for something very interesting to add into my 750 words essay, furthermore, I wanted to have something interesting at the school too. I wished for a new and exciting experience as my future was hiding a great surprise for me.  I went to school on Tuesday in the thick darkness of the morning, and I arrived, walked up the tiny and wet steps of the school's entrance and headed to the library to complete working on my essay. Then the day started regularly.  Yet something very, very, very new to me occurred.  "Teachers, please mind the interruption, but the school is currently going through a Code Yellow Lockdown.  There's nothing to worry about now as we'll keep you updated" announced Mrs. Butler through the class's speaker. The first thing I said "What the hell is a Code Yellow?  Are they having a party that we should w

People sometimes say that a good kid is a reflection of good parents who worked hard in building their kid's personalities and ethics. Starting with Pre School, the credit is always given to those parents, and as the kid grows and reaches high school, the attention is drifted to him as the mother stands on his back with a proud tear in her eyes, while the father pets his back in what I call: a man's pride.  يقال بين الناس أحياناً أن الإبن الصالح هو إنعكاس لوالدين صالحين تعبوا في تربيته و بناء شخصيته و أخلاقه.  إبتداءاً من الروضة، المديح يذهب دائماً للأم و الأب، و بينما يكبر الإبن و يدخل الثانوية، ينتقل كل إهتمام الناس إليه بينما تقف أمه خلفه مع دموع فخر في عيناها، و بينما يربت الأب على كتفه في ما اسميه: فخر الرجال.  Most of the kids though forget about those great inspirational figures who brought them to life. They forget that they'll do anything just to make them happy. They forget that they do their best to give them the best life.  We forget that our parents happiness l

We drove into Pleasant Gardens from the McDowell High hill, then turned left to Walnut Street, and after that we took another turn to Oak Circle.  My coordinator Ron said goodbye as he dropped me by the house, and then he left.  I heard my host family's dog (Titan) barking just like any other normal dog, and I knew that we I open the door he'll go outside, then come back inside the house to chase me.  This time I was all by myself with nobody in the house, so I opened the door, went inside as Titan ran outside. I thought that he'll come back, but he just kept running away.  Titan has a hard life as he had different accidents throughout his five years, and he has just left the Animal Hospital yesterday with multiple stitches on his body. So he really can't go outside because he's not as strong as he thinks, maybe that's why I got used to him very quick when I first arrived here.   He ran all the way to Walnut Street and he seemed to know where he was heading.  I