So, here I am in Al Khobar. The next morning, bright and early at 6:30 am, I'm outside eagerly awaiting the driver. Two hours pass, and I'm still standing under the sun. I try calling his number, but there's no answer. I then reach out to the school; they assure me they'll pick me up shortly. Another two hours elapse, and I'm still outside in the sun. I call the school again, and they inform me that they can't locate the driver who dropped me off, and they have no idea where I am. Well, neither did I. I approach the motel's receptionist and ask for assistance in explaining our location. After 15 minutes of back-and-forth discussions, the school labels the driver as incompetent and promises to pick me up the next day, hopefully...
The following day, the same narrative unfolds at 6:30 am. By 8 am, I call the school again, and they're still unable to find the driver. They suggest I wait in the hotel until further notice. By this point, anxiety overwhelms me. I don't know my whereabouts, and the school is equally clueless. I was so stressed out that I didn't think clearly; in hindsight, I could have sought help from others in the area, but we all have moments where we could have done better.
In the evening around 6 pm, hunger forces me to explore for food, and I venture out into the unknown. As I walk down the street, a blue Ford Focus pulls up, and the driver looks at me, asking, "Is jy Vannie kaap?" (Are you from Cape Town?). It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard; I nearly jumped through the window to hug this guy.
This is how I met my dear friend Talieb. He had also heard about this lost teacher and literally drove around town looking for me. We still reminisce today about that day and the miracle of him finding me in the middle of the city. Talieb then took me to his home, where I met his family and enjoyed a wonderful supper. I will forever be grateful to him and his family.
He then arranged for me to stay in a hotel near his home, and the next day, I began teaching at my new school. Some people are truly heaven-sent, as I don't know if I would have survived this ordeal without Talieb's assistance.
You often hear about the importance of networking, but it's not until your life and sanity depend on people that you truly understand the significance of these connections. The beauty of traveling lies in meeting incredible people and having the strangest and best experiences.
My story is not unique, but neither is it the norm (in fact, it's one of the worst landing stories I've heard). I have changed companies three times since then, and each experience has been fantastic. So, don't let this crazy story deter you from taking the plunge into expat life. I promise that if you decide to try out expat life, you will never regret it, and it will change you in ways you could never have imagined in a million years.
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