The girls, Melina and Nadia, were just 7 years and three months old, respectively, when they joined me n Dhahran in 1982. I made a special trip to Colombo to collect Shirani and the kids and return, via Karachi, in Pakistan where their visas were issued. We had the wonderful opportunity of staying with Shirani's paternal uncle Dhahlan Ibrahim, Aunty Honeya, and family in Karachi in the PECHS area. Their hospitality was unprecedented. May they both be blessed.
Setting up house in AlKhobar was an interesting experience before the family joined me. A Pathan carpenter named Ghulam Rasool, who worked for one of Al Gosaibi's subsidiary furnshing companies called Reyash, turned out the furniture by hand according to my specifications. He was a wonderful man, all smiles and cooperation, all of the time. carpets and fittings and utensils, in addition to Air conditioning and other household stuff took some effort to mobilize and put in place. Everything was done in good time and the family settled in well in AlKhobar town in the Al Shawan building.
We had some extremely friendly neighbors in Saika and family, a nurse from Kerala working with AlFakhry Hospital in Khobar, Careem and his family from Egypt and most of all the Maimany's, who were of extreme help to us in settling down.
Melina started her schooling career at the Dhahran Academy, the best school in town, run according to the American Education system. Nadia, initially, attended Mrs Rose's Wise Owls School and then went on to join the British School in Riyadh once we moved there in 1985.
Visits to the beach on the Arabian Gulf was a very much liked activity by the kids. We also had Nazeer Rasheed, Reza Ashroff (Bawa), Fiaz Hameed, Dr. Ziaudeen Abdul Cader, and a few other Sri Lankan families who joined us on social gatherings and events.
The Dhahran Video Library was a very frequently patronized place where the latest movies and music from the USA was available for all SAMBA employees. Saudi Aramco Channel 3 was also another favorite of the Kids with Sesame Street, Cosby Kids, Muppet Show and many other forms of music and entertainment on through the evenings.
In 1985, we were compelled to move to Riyadh in order to join the local team of system designers and developers at the new SAMBA Technology Unit office in Malaz. This was a huge change from Dhahran and the EP. Riyadh was a totally different city.
Our home in Sulaimaniya is set up by a youthful band of young Sri Lankan Travel workers at Transad Travel, Riaz, Fazal, Chris, Terence and Iqbal Hassan of DHL. The young men were of immense service during the move and settling down process. TransAd Travel was located right next door to where we lived.
The girls settled down at the American and British Schools respectively.
Shirani starts working with Ms Inge Hall, a German educator, at her school training young kids at KG and Pre School levels.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh, headed by Ambassador ALM Hasheem engage in many social activities and events that we are able to support and participate in and enjoy the company of other Sri Lankan expats and families.
SAMBA Technology takes in more staff to build up a large local IT support center.
In 1988, we decide to relocate the girls back in Colombo due to the non availability of English High School education for girls in Riyadh. I move to Citibank Colombo as Head of IT and the girls attend Stafford International School in Colombo.
We return back to Riyadh in 1992 to work for SAMBA technology once again, after I complete one year in Colombo with Citibank and another 2 years with the Ministry of Defence in Seeb, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
This time we move into Al-Rajhi Compound in Sulaimaniya since many SAMBA employees and their families were also living there. Anup Kumar Das, Sivakumar, and Shafi Qureshi, to name a few.
The girls return to the British School in Riyadh and then, later join Manarat Al Riyadh International School to continue their education.
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