Trick or Treating Saudi Style and Jack's First Haircut

On Thursday we had Halloween on the compound.  Jack was dressed as a giraffe, but he was not keen on wearing the hood that looked like a giraffe head.  He sat nicely for group pictures with all the other kids, and then he and Rob made it to about 4 villas to get candy (which I obviously ate).  If you couldn't tell, in the video above he is saying "trick or treat."

On Friday, Jack went to our neighbor's 6-year-old birthday party at a play area about two blocks away.  Every mall and shopping center has a huge play area with rides.  I think this is because the hot weather prevents kids from playing outside, or maybe just because Saudis love kids.  There is a kids' barbershop inside the play area so I took the opportunity to get Jack's first haircut.  He sat really still, maybe because there was a tv with Tom & Jerry playing right in front of his face!  Then he and the other kids played on rides and ate dinner and cake.

Before...notice the chair is a bicycle!

Apparently it was necessary to style it also...Jack amazingly didn't mind the blow dryer!

This is what it looked like the next morning when he woke up...

The play area included lots of toddler rides, as well as bumper cars, a water ride, and a roller coaster.

Jack and his friend on a ride.

Jack's favorite, the train ride.

On Sunday, the kids at school all dressed up.  Not so much high schoolers, but everyone from nursery to 8th grade had costumes, and they had a Halloween parade that was really cute.  Jack went as a Minnesota Gopher with big muscles.

Tomorrow and Wednesday we have the ISG Conference.  ISG is International Schools Group, the district we work for.  All the teachers from the seven ISG schools across Saudi Arabia are coming to Dhahran High School for this conference.  There is a guest speaker and we will do small group activities.  I'm excited that breakfast and lunch are provided AND it starts half an hour later than usual!

Hope everyone had a good Halloween!  The weather here is much cooler and actually feeling slightly fall-ish.  There were pumpkins for sale here for $60 each!  One thrifty teacher carved a watermelon instead.