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  • Golf!

    12 Mar 2013 9:42 AM | Gina Hess-Tanner


    Well. . . . .we're only 74 days away from the 2013 Tucson Reunion.  I wanted to let all the golfers (who replied to the golfing poll last year) know that I met with the golf director and event coordinator at the Westin La Paloma yesterday.  We took a drive through the course so they could show me all the improvements that have been taking place on the course.  I've mentioned in the past that this is a Troon facility.  If you've ever played golf at a Troon facility, you know that this is one of best run/maintained courses nationally. Troon Golf took over the golf course 2+ years ago and have invested $3-$4 million into upgrading the golf facilities and the three (3) 9-hole courses.  The greens and fairways are in immaculate shape and the sand trap work has just been completed.  We played a few holes to check out the fairway turf and the rolling of the greens.  I also "accidentally" hit into a couple of sand traps.  All I can say is. . . . .the course is in excellent shape and it is calling our collective names to come out and play!!  OH BTW, if I have failed to mention in my previous postings, the golf course is part of the resort so we will NOT be driving all over Thugba looking for the course.  You can walk to the pro shop right from your rooms.  Or if you truly are storing your energy for the course, you can be driven via golf cart to the course by calling the front desk.

    When we polled last year, we had about 60 people respond with a "yay".  So, where are all of you?  Would love to get all of you registered so I can get all the teams organized.  I'm checking the registration list with the "poll" list I made and the current showing is a bit slow.  Yellah!!!

    Your humble caddie,

    Hirath Ghori

    The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa—Tee off on 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf.

  • Hami Hami!

    10 Mar 2013 6:10 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)


    The early registration deadline is fast approaching.  You need to be fully registered (i.e. paid in full) by March 31st, midnight CT to get the $77 registration rate.  Late registration (after March 31st) and walk-ins will be $97.  So, if you didn't finish registering and/or haven't yet paid, hami hami! If you've been on the fence about attending, this is such a fabulous location and is sure to be a big one!  Join us!

    Some other important dates for you:

    March 31, 2013 - Raffle drawing for 2-night stay at La Paloma: At that time you MUST have a hotel reservation and MUST have paid your registration for the reunion in full.

    March 31, 2013 - Last day to cancel and receive FULL refund of registration fees.
    April 1 - May 17, 2013 - PARTIAL refunds will be given if you cancel between these dates.**

    No refunds after May 17, 2013.**

    **If you registered and only want to cancel a sporting event, you must do so no later than April 30, 2013 in order to get a full refund on your sport fees. After that date, you may find someone to take your place and reimburse you directly.


  • Who's Coming?

    22 Jan 2013 10:26 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)


    Now that we're open for reunion registration, we've made a "Tucson Reunion Attendance" list. It's sorted first by class year, then district, then alphabetically by last name.  It's also searchable (name, district, year), so you can quickly cull down the list to a particular Brat or group of Brats with whom you are hoping to reconnect.  If you would like to drop someone on the list a note to let them know you're coming or just to say "marhaba," click on the name to pull up their directory listing then click the "send message" button.  It's that easy!  HINT: It's members-only! Log into the site, or you will see nothing but a nice, blank page.

    The searchable "Tucson Reunion Attendance" listing is not automatically populated, so you may experience a slight delay between when you register and when your name appears on the list.  If several days go by after you register, and you still don't see your name, please contact Dawn, so we can check to make sure we haven't dropped any names from the list.

    Don't see your best friends from childhood on this list, yet?  Send them an email or give them a call to make sure they know registration is open and/or encourage them to attend.  We've got a great setting and a great committee, so it's sure to be a blast!

  • Even More Exciting News!

    20 Jan 2013 7:37 PM | Gina Hess-Tanner


    We negotiated a special treat in our Tucson Reunion contract that we would like to share with Brats who register for the reunion prior to the early registration cut off date (March 31, 2013):  A certificate for a two-night stay at La Paloma and breakfast for two at Azul!  Buy your raffle tickets today!  2 Night Raffle/Click Here

  • On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

    20 Jan 2013 7:24 PM | Gina Hess-Tanner


    Registration is now open for the 14th Biennial Reunion.  Registration Form
    A Happy Sid after registering.

  • The La Paloma Westin is SO excited we are coming - they redecorated!

    16 Jan 2013 9:59 AM | Gina Hess-Tanner


    Here are a few pictures of the newly renovated Grand Ballroom and Pre Function area.  Registration will be opening soon!


    Chandelier, The Grand Ballroom, and The Pre Function area.

  • What I Would Like for Christmas

    22 Dec 2012 7:03 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)


    (Thoughts from your ABI Nominations Committee and other board members on being involved in the organization.)

    Our home is an explosion of memories from my years in Saudi Arabia. One year my husband and son requested that at least one room in our home did not house a camel. I am proud to tell you that I accomplished this in 3 rooms (family room, kitchen, and dining room).


    Diana's Middle East Christmas Tree

    Last year I decided to put the majority of my camel and Middle East ornaments on a Christmas tree of their own. This tree represents the history of my childhood, and the love of family and friends that understand my strong ties to Saudi Arabia and have contributed to my collection. If you look closely you will see many things that will spark memories of your childhood as well.

    I have been involved with the Brat organization in various capacities for over 21 years which truly reflects my love of my/our past. True, it is a lot of work getting us to our beloved reunions - and yet, my involvement has produced wonderful lasting friendships with Brats of all ages. I cherish these relationships that I would never have had if AramcoBrats did not exist. It has been a pleasure working with past and present board members. We all take pride in what we do. The reward is seeing all the happy faces at our reunions, listening to stories, watching pure joy when childhood friends hug someone they haven't seen in many many years, meeting new people, talking and laughing with each other. Well, I could go on and on - but you know what I mean if you have attended a reunion.

    So, what would I like for Christmas this year? I would like our Nominating Committee to hear from lots of Brats younger than I that would like to become a part of the ABI to help ensure that our organization and reunions continue FOREVER.

    Merry Christmas,
    Diana Ryrholm Geerdes (RT '62)
    Director at Large

  • Roads of Arabia

    22 Dec 2012 7:01 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)



    How many of us took dhow trips to Tarut Island, climbed around the old fort, spent time pot-picking in the Eastern Province or explored Qaryat-al-Faw or Mada'in Saleh?  Who didn't sometimes wonder what other treasures and tales lay buried and hidden beneath the sandy surface of those places so familiar to us...Jubail, Hofuf, and even Dammam? A traveling exhibit could finally satisfy a little of that curiosity.

    The "Roads of Arabia" exhibit, currently at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, offers a rare chance to tour ancient Arabia through a remarkable collection of over 300 historical and archaeological artifacts, many of which have only recently been unearthed.  The collection features pieces spanning the entire Arabian Peninsula and thousands of years (4th millennium B.C. to the early 20th century).



    In addition to Islamic era relics, such as ancient funerary steles from the region around Mecca, an old door from the Ka'ba, the exhibit includes archaeological finds from Tarut, now thought to have been the center of Dilmun at one time, as well as from Thaj (~80 km west of Jubail) where archaeologists recently discovered an ancient, Hellenistic burial chamber with solid gold jewelry, masks, and the remains of a young girl.  Artifacts from the ruins of Dedan (modern-day al-Ula near Mada'in Saleh) are windows into the ancient kingdom of Lihyan which predated the Nabataeans and covered much of the same area.  The list is impressive, especially when you consider how relatively young the field of archaeology is in Saudi Arabia!

    "Roads of Arabia" will be on display at Freer/Sackler through February 24th, 2013.  If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, don't miss it!  Future exhibit locations are:

    • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX - Dec 22, 2013 - Mar 9, 2014
    • Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA - Oct 17, 2014 - Jan 18, 2015
    • Chicago, IL - location and dates not yet announced.
    If you would like to plan a trip or learn more about the exhibit, visit the official site.  Some other great sources of information on the exhibit:

  • I'll Tell You What's on my Mind...ARAB DRESSES

    22 Dec 2012 6:58 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)


    The first of a series from your ABI Nominations Committee and other board members with some thoughts on becoming involved in the organization.

    by Annie Oskam (DH '74), Nominations Director

    The kind of arab dresses made for girls that we bought in the suqs of Al-Khobar and behind Abqaiq camp. They came in flat cellophane packets and were made of dark floral prints, sewn closed at the neck and the wrist so you had to open the seams before you could wear them. You can find many photos of us wearing them when we were young in the 1960’s and 1970’s, completely unaware of the how different we would feel as we made our way in the wider world.

    Mrs. Weidner's 3rd Grade Class - Abqaiq 1967
    I’ve been searching the internet for some hint of these dresses, a photo, a vendor, a pattern, a description – anything to help me get near them – with no luck. I came across the Wikipedia entry for Al-Khobar and was pretty amazed to realize that Al-Khobar is no longer the dusty donkey cart town of our youth, but a modern metropolis and resort town. According to the article the Dhahran, Al-Khobar and Dammam area, or “Triplet Cities” has a population of 2.5 million people. No longer the place where we would get our bell bottoms handmade by tailors and puzzle rings sold by the ounce, Al-Khobar has become the place of Malls and Hotels and the Bahrain Causeway. Things have really changed.

    Arabia has changed, Brats have changed and ABI needs change.

    A gap is developing between the age of the average reunion attendee and the Board. In order for the Board to stay in touch with Brats and keep us moving forward we need to draw from the considerable talents of younger Brats. As years go by the Brats making up the largest portion of attendees gets younger. Our numbers in Dallas show the classes from the 80’s being those who are enjoying this special weekend in the largest numbers.

    We have enjoyed wise leadership of Brats from the 50's 60's and 70's, and now ABI needs to “grow” younger. The next generation of ABI stewards must come from younger Brats if the reunions are going to continue. There is need for people with experience in leadership, management, hospitality management, finances, law, contracts, technology – all kinds of skills are helpful – along with some ordinary enthusiasm and willingness to work together to make the Reunion weekend come together.

    WE KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE! WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?

    The author now makes her own Arab Dresses
    And volunteers for ABI
    For more information, you may contact Annie.


  • The Directory & How To Search

    22 Dec 2012 6:55 PM | Marie Littlejohn-Dunn (Administrator)


    You want to find your best friend from 3rd grade, but you are not sure where to start. Start here! Become a member of ABI and pay your small membership fee (Adbak) of $20 per 2 year term. Next, log on, using your email address and password. Click on “Main Gate” and then "ABI Directory". For a simple, 1 person search, type their first or last name into the box and almost instantly, every person in the database with that name, will show up. When you find the correct person, click on their name and their contact information is revealed.

    What if you want to find all Brats living in your city or state? Or perhaps those that graduated from 9th grade the same year? Follow these easy steps and before you know it, you will have the data.

    Click on “Advanced Search”.
    The following fields are available: First Name, Last Name, Email, District, 9th Grade Year, High School & College Attended, City, State, Code, and Country. Decide which parameter you want, and enter the information.
    Example: I want to find all those that would have graduated from Abqaiq in 1976. In the box next to District, I would click on “Is”, then “AB”.
    Right below that, I would select “Contains” and type in 1976.
    Then click on “Search”. Voila, there are 27 people that would have or did graduate from Abqaiq in 1976!

    Maybe you want to see who lives near you and arrange a dinner get-together.  Try searching by your city or even you zip code, and you might be surprised to find how many brat neighbors you have!  If the individual(s) you're looking for have entered an email address, just click on an address in their profile and drop them a note!.



    Please note that the visible content of each Brat's directory entry is controlled by that Brat.  If some information is missing, it was either never provided to ABI OR the person has hidden that information from view in the directory.



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