3,001 Arabian Days: Growing Up in an American Oil Camp in Saudi Arabia (1953-1962). A Memoir.

by Rick Snedeker

Growing up in an oil “camp” in Saudi Arabia provided lots of exotic experiences, round-the-world travel, and, yet, somehow, a recognizable American childhood. On a steamy August day in 1953, Rick Snedeker, then just three years old, stepped off an Arabian American Oil Co. (Aramco) company airliner with his family into a life as different from what they left behind as sandpaper is to silk. It was to prove fabulously exotic and at the same time just like “home” in many ways. In his charming memoir — 3,001 Arabian Growing up in an American Oil Camp in Saudi Arabia (1953-1962) — author Snedeker describes via a series of vignettes his fond and strange remembrances of living for nearly a decade in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Aramco, then the fledgling national oil company, was in those years run by several American oil giants including Standard Oil, and was hastily hiring American experts to develop the far-flung Saudi oil fields. To ease life for the new residents, Aramco built comfortable communities, some aspects of which were reminiscent of how families lived in the States. While a child, Snedeker considered the camels, endless sand dunes and kindly Saudis that filled his childhood in the desert as nothing unusual. Kids enjoyed the live Nativity pageants at King’s Road baseball field; Santa’s arrival on a camel or by helicopter at Christmas; the crowded, boisterous annual tri-camp desert fairs; Pep Flakes cereal, powdered whole milk, and chocolate milkshakes churned in his dad’s new-fangled Waring blender; the Dining Hall’s culinary delights. Then, too, Aramcons occasionally had to confront dangerous diseases, some unknown in America (polio, for example, ravaged Dhahran children in the fifties). But everywhere, watchful eyes looked out for the kids, creating an enveloping sense of safety and security and, Snedeker recalls, a great deal of happiness. Aramco provided generous biannual “long vacations,” allowing round-the-world travel to visit the planet’s most glittering metropolises, unusual getaways and remote hideaways. London. Hong Kong. Zurich. Honolulu. Asmara. Bangkok. Venice. Hofuf. Bahrain. New York City. Being raised in the unique, exotic environment of oil-camp Dhahran made the kids who grew up there different from other American children. When the expatriate Aramco dependents returned to the U.S., they were often seen as “other” by their untraveled peers. But it all turned out fine, as the entertaining read of 3,001 Arabian Days makes clear.

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Rick Snedeker was born in Rockville Centre, New York, in 1950, but grew up from ages 3 to 11 in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the headquarters of the Arabian American Oil Co. (Aramco), where his father worked as a mid-manager. Snedeker, a journalist and public relations professional during his career, retired in 2011 and now has plenty of time to write every day.

Reviews

[Kay Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his delightful memoir, Rick Snedecker has shared his family's one-in-a-lifetime adventure in Saudi Arabia in the 1950's and early 1960's living in Dhahran, the Aramco company town. It was a golden age to be a child in America in those years. Turns out, it was great in Dhahran too. The author introduces his family, and then shares their adventures, big and small. From the point of view of a boy, Dhahran was a safe place with a strong community, full of fascinating characters. He and his family experienced a unique (and often hilarious) confluence of civilizations there. Who knew that the Saudi's used to call Western TV shows like Gunsmoke "Horse Operas"! The author also shares stories about life outside the compound - not only locally - but on overseas trips the family took. Snedecker is a seasoned journalist who returned to Saudi Arabia and worked there as an adult. His grownup reflections on his first stint in Arabia are imbued with perspective, appreciation, and humor. As a former resident of Saudi Arabia, but never an Aramco employee, I've always been fascinated with life inside Dhahran. This book held my interest throughout, as it tells how it was, once upon a time in Arabia. A really fun read and highly recommended.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories of American kids that grow up in isolated American environments in other countries have always fascinated me ever since our family spent a year in such a community in Colombia. Rick Snedeker's tales of growing up in an American company town of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1962. I enjoyed his descriptive and humorous stories and also his later evaluations of how profoundly he was impacted by this lifestyle. Two parallel lines run through the book...how normal his "American" life was in Saudi Arabia and how really abnormal it was!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool recollections of a historical, bygone era

It was an interesting look back at a unique ex-pat lifestyle from the eyes of an elementary aged boy. They lived the quintessential 50s-era suburban American lifestyle straight out of Ozzie & Harriet, in the midst of a bygone era of Saudi accommodation.

Not exactly a biography but a series of anecdotes representing a man’s memories of a special childhood.

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remembrance

I too have lived I Said is Arabia several times and the authors remember and brings back pleasant memories.I was there during the 1960,70 and early 80s years. On a four day trip in the 1990s, it was much different

[omar algarni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

For Americans it really Interesting, for native Saudi it was good to read the other side, but we kind heard the stories from our relatives who worked in Aramaic. But still really good book.

[Joseph Sprietsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing back wonderful memories

15 years as a teacher for Aramco - Rick restored many beautiful memories! Thanks for sharing your life with me.

[RG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

A wonderful story recounting a childhood of innocence in a completely different land. Sharing fun memories of a life in childhood exploration.

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting childhood in Saudi Arabia. Prides himself in being non-religious.

[Ted M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazingly accurate

My family spent the years of 1978 to 1988 in Dhahran. Rick’s memories of the 50’s to early 60’s are eerily reminiscent of our time there 20 years later.

[StivitTheBlivit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this memoir. It felt as if I was going back in time to my Boomer childhood. This book also had me taking deep dives into the history of the US in the Middle East. Great read.

[Paul Sauser]

I won't let myself rate or review my friend's book.