This post is actually much more personal than many I have written. It is New Year’s Eve and 2008 is coming to a close. There have been some good highlights in 2008 such as the birth of my first grandson and the American Bedu blog achieving more success than I could have imagined. That has introduced me to many great readers who became friends.
Also 2008 brought some events I’d rather erase and forget about such as my bout with cancer and some relatives also battling cancer. So, I’d like to think that 2009 will bring a happier and healthier time.
I want to thank all of my readers for their continued support through the tough times and wish you a very happy 2009.
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Many happy returns to you American Bedu. Most of us are looking forward to the New Year with high hopes. I wish you continued good health and I hope that the people in your life who are battling cancer have good outcomes. It has been a privilege to read your blog and I look forward to continuing to do so throughout 2009 and beyond.
Thank you irish eyes!
Thankyou for your always entertaining and enlightening posts
May the new year bring you much joy, happiness, and continuing good health.
Feliz Ano Carol, que el ano que viene te colme de bendiciones.
Many thanks Tulip for your lovely words! And I wish the same to you.
Maru,
Feliz ano tambien! muchas gracias.
One of the good things for me in 2008 has been discovering your blog and making my first ever blog comments here–in December but still 2008!
I am happy for you that you have successfully battled cancer, and hope that your relatives achieve the same.
Continued success with the blog, you are an inspiration.
Kul ‘am wa anti bikhair, and to all Kul’am wa antum bikhair
كل عام وأنتم بخير
Or as we say in Canadian, Happy New Year/Bonne annee 2009!
Happy New Year Bedu!It’s been a wonderful privilege to read about your life in Saudi.Wishing you and your family continued good health and many blessings in the coming year.
Chiara – thank you very much! I am equally happy you discovered my blog. Now, can we tempt you to practice medicine in KSA? (smile)
Aways – Thank you very much. I’m glad you enjoy!
Happy happy New Year to all!!
Thank you for your good wishes. I have been tempted to practice in Saudi Arabia a number of times:
1) as a medical student by a pathology professor who had spent two years there to recover from the toll, financial and otherwise, of his divorce–he had a wonderful appreciation of Saudi and excellent stories;
2) by a Moroccan cousin-law, a subspecialist in internal medicine, who thought of practising there–aside from her fears of life in an abaya and not being able to drive, I’m not sure what discouraged her;
3) by my interest in bioethics which led me to conjoined twins and the wonderful work being done in Riyadh by Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah and his team;
4) by a Jordanian student who had lived in Saudi;
5) by you and your blog, although I suspect I would be lifestyle wise happiest in Jeddah
.
Who knows what the future will bring, inshallah!
In the meantime, I forgot to congratulate you on the birth of your grandson. What a wonderful life passage for you, and I’m sure he is adorable, and well-loved! Kul ‘am wa anti bikhair to him as well!
oops–Kul’am wa anta bikhair to him as well! (didn’t mean to perform verbal gender reassignment)
Happy New Year to you as well, and everyone!
Chiara,
I work at National Guard in fact and have written previously about the efforts of Dr. Al Rabeeah and conjoined twins. So let’s see what the future holds for you!
Monica – Many thanks!
Happy New Year, Carol. I truly hope that 2009 brings you and your family good health, happiness and peace. Love you.
Indeed! Just read your post on Dr. Al Rabeeah–excellent! One of the commentators took issue with the “Kingdom of Humanity” reference but when I initially read the conjoined twins site I was impressed by what a different and necessary view it gave of Saudi than the mainstream one. Especially since it emphasized the humanitarian aspect in that their work is done for patients without means, from countries without expertise (or lesser expertise).
Happy New Year Carol and all
I wish the New Year brings you good health, happiness and great success.
Happy New Year! Hope this new year brings you continuing success!
Susie, Saudi, Jammy,
Happiest New Year wishes to all of you too! And to each of you, thanks for being there!
Chiara – glad you enjoyed the post on Dr. Al-Rabeeah. I think KSA does not get enough exposure on the humanitarian work that is done in this aspect with the separation of the conjoined twins.
Happy New Year. Have you considered participating in the Spanish tradition of stuffing 12 large grapes into your mouth at Midnight? It can be rather humourous when doing it with a group of friends.
FYI – Some additional odd stuff going on with your blog Bedu. When one clicks on my name/blog address, what comes up is not my blog. I am not a very constant blogger so I am not too concerned with theft of material but it’s oddly disconcerting all the same.
That’s a new one David! Happy New Year.
Irish – when I click on your name I am taken to the URL irisheyesksa.wordpress.com. Is that correct?
Happy 1430 & 2009 to you AmericanBedu and to everyone here. May it be a year full of success and achievements to you and to your Blog . I’ve learnt a lot from it and from the highly intellectual commenter’s who regularly enlighten us with their insights.; keep up the superb work.
All the Best to you
P.S. For those who don’t know why 1430 : According to the lunar calendar, 3 days ago was the beginning of the year 1430.
AB, here in dubai, the sheik issued an order that hotels and clubs had to cancel new yrs festivities to show solidarity w/ palestinians. did they do something like that in KSA?
Happy New year Carol. Wishing you all the happiness in the new year inshallah.
happy 1430! I hope you and all you love will be well and happy for many more years.
Lots of love, Aafke
Ya Bedu, may the winds bring good tidings, health, wealth and happiness in this coming year and all those to come.
Its been great coming to this home your blog- have experienced a great many different emotions while learning about Saudia through its inhabitant’s eyes- and of those who like me have or do still live in the ME- thanks a bunch!
irisheyesksa@wordpress.com is the correct address but for some reason, in my initial comment to this particular post, when one clicks on the address, one gets taken to some other site. It’s odd.
Thank you everyone for the lovely New Year’s greetings. I also wish for everyone that 2009/1430 is a year of peace, happiness, prosperity and good health!
Betty….actually the clubs are nonexistent and I do not believe any hotels have New Year festivities like you’re referring to. Any such celebrations would likely be private at western compounds given this is very dry Saudi Arabia. (smile)
Irish – I don’t understand at all…when I clicked, I went to YOUR site so I do not have an explanation!
May 2009 bring freedom to all the Palestinians in Gaza and get rid of the illegal settlements in the West Bank by the zionist regime of Israel.
Long live Palestine.