Friday, May 22, 2015

The perks of growing up in Jeddah, K.S.A

I miss you... I guess that's what I could say to the place I called my second home. I spend half of my life in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and living there could be one of the most happiest days of my life. I get to spend my life playing with my siblings, watching tv, going to beaches, breathing the fresh sea air in the morning, roller skatings, abaya, and I could say that "Close Family Ties" were simply practiced in Jeddah.


I was 1 year old when my dad decided to take me and my mom there. We used to rent a room together with my grandparents in one flat. I couldn't barely remember what is like to be there when I was 3 to 4 years old,

Being shy was in me. So making friends was hard to do, so I spend my afternoons studying, since my dad would pick me up late due to his work, I also went to swimming lessons in Saudia City, Piano Lessons with Tita Sylvia so that I could boost my confidence once in a while! I think it work! But what actually really makes me miss this country is simply everything. I bet some of my friends, Seniors, Juniors would exactly know what is it like living in Jeddah. Proud Jeddah Kid here! So I list some of the memories I really love when we used to live in Jeddah.

1. Their Magical Rebulto's! Which I describe them namely because they are entirely huge, I felt that they were owned by giants. As you can see in the photos I have taken way back 2008, their landmarks where really huge. But unfortunately this statue (SOME STATUES) no longer exists in Jeddah, since they needed to make their road bigger.

Bicycle and it's spare...(my favorite land mark in Jeddah! When I was young I really wished I could get close to it but unfortunately I cant) 

SANDOK! (hahaha... I actually don't know what it is but it's just there! <3 <3)

The Kamao! 
















2. Al-Baik, Shawarma, Al-tasaj,  Ikot- Ikot, Filipino Cuisine Shawly and many more, are just a few restaurants that we enjoy during our stay in Jeddah. Ahhhh childhood!



Ahhhh Yellow Rice! :) (Photonotmine)

3. As a kid, we all went to Science and Technology for field trips (Jungle Land, Al Shalal, Atalla Parks)




4. Spending quality time with Family and Friends while Malling. Ballad or Corniche, is one of the most visited destination of Filipino's in Jeddah, not to mention their Shawarma and Orient Pearl Restaurant (Ikea, Serafi, etc)I remember when me and my classmates goes malling, my parents/their parents where actually with us (and then leave us for some barkada bonding) and we're not ashamed of it. I guess we're really lucky to have close family ties in Jeddah :) 













(Ikea is one of my favorite places when I was young!)

5. Family Get Together in Ohbhur especially on Holidays!

6. Once in your life you have been in Taif! (Our Jeddah Version of Baguio where you can see Camels and Monkeys saying hello to you!) 
(Photonotmine)

7. Swim with your friends in Saudia City
(hello brothers)

8. You spend half of your life in Saudi but the only arabic words you can say is Kaif Halak (which means how are you)? Say the Arabic Alphabet, Numbers and some basic words like Eshada! Habibi, Moya, Hada, Alatul, Anabahekbak, or Mabrook! 
and then as soon as you study in the Philippines, your classmates would be so shock that you can speak deliberately good Tagalog!

9. The famous Fountain where your parents usually say "The king is here". My dad usually says that when the fountain is ON the king is in Jeddah, but whenever the fountain is off, the King is out of the country :D 



10. Your siblings are your best friends. (Growing up within the four walls of your apartment wasn't that bad after all. At least for me)

12. Just aircon! (I can read books all day without sweating! Or sleep without putting my fan directly to me!

11. When you say Supermarket you say SARAWAT! 

12. I miss wearing abayas. I remember when my friends and I used to brag how cool our abaya looks like. 

13. We love Ramadan! Not because classes are canceled but because we can't wait to eat "Sambusa" 


14. Every kid must graduate and study here in the Philippines. Yes! In my case, I was so excited to go to school for the first time, and little do I know, there are a lot of  different challenges I have to go to, that I ended up having culture shock. 

15. Lastly, I will always miss Saudi Arabia! :)  I have all my memories accounted in every picture, small little things, and how I was hone to be a person I am today. :)
 If ever I have missed anything about how our childhood life was spent in Jeddah feel free to leave your comments below!


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