What A Joy! Our very own Quota member Sue P. shared her travel experiences with us during our last dinner meeting. How many of you can say you’ve been to all 50 U.S. states or have traveled to 76 different continents (so far)? Well, we are lucky to say our Quota member Sue has traveled extensively and was willing to share a couple of her experiences with us.

A delightful dinner meeting hosted by our Quota president Kim was had by all and was topped off when Sue shared about the time she and her family lived in Saudia Arabia and Hong Kong for multiple years. And WOW what a contrast in cultures and experiences!

A moment that stood out for many was Sue’s explanation that understanding Saudi culture begins with letting go of ‘Western logic”. Being respectful of the culture in Saudia (as well as mandated for all women), Sue wore an abaya even in 120-degree temperatures, and she was not allowed to drive a car at any time. Additionally, even the public buses had a partition which separated male and female passengers. Sue also taught in the International School during her time there as well. Another memorable moment was when Sue described the impressive shops throughout the mall. When the call to prayer sounded, everyone paused to pray, and despite the stores being left unattended, theft was never a concern because the consequences of stealing were extremely severe.  Sue also expanded on the beautiful country and her memories of the friendships she made while living there were incredibly powerful and so special.  

Hong Kong, which is made up of over 230 islands, was an amazing contrast in cultures, especially the sense of “freedom” and living conditions.  Sue mentioned that in Hong Kong it was considered one of the most expensive cities, where a tiny apartment was at least $5000 a month to rent back in the day (67 stairs up to their apartment) but the shopping was phenomenal!

While living in Hong Kong she joined the International Women’s Organization which allowed her to become lifelong friends with many, many individuals. And to top it off this is where she began to build her confidence and skills in writing and performing comedy skits!

Special thanks Sue for a great evening of introspection, knowledge and as usual a fun time.