I grew up in Wisconsin and South Dakota. I was originally an advertising copy writer, but wanted to travel while I was still in my twenties. So now I am teaching in Saudi Arabia.
I joined expat.com on 26 May 2013.
Pictures by SimB
I'm actually a bit south of Riyadh in a small town called Al-Kharj. I'm an English conversation teacher at a language institute.
I enjoy being close to Riyadh and all it's activities, while not having to deal with the traffic and trash of the city on a daily basis. Kharj has everything I need, it's ridiculously cheap, and I'm in a very nice apartment with a gym and pool attached to the building. The city is small and safe, and I have already made friends with several locals.
I wish it were closer to the ocean. And it doesn't have many Americans or other Western expats, which would be nice sometimes. But other then that, I love everything about this city.
I spent a few months in Madison, Wisconsin before leaving the country. I just wanted to be close to some friends and family.
Madison is the best! Great music, great food, great parties, and several of my friends from university live there now. It's still small enough that people are friendly and everything is clean, but large enough that it's always busy.
I love everything about Madison. But the stereotypes are true - don't go there if you don't like beer, cheese, or snow.
I graduated from university with a degree in professional writing and some amateur creative writing projects. After graduating, I began working as a copy writer for a few advertising agencies - mostly for the marketing of sustainable technologies.
South Dakota is a beautiful place with friendly people and a low cost of living. The prairies and rivers are a perfect environment for anyone who likes to hike, camp, fish, or hunt. I moved there as soon as I left my parents' house, and never looked back. This state is where I really "grew up." I had more adventures then I could (or should!) recount. Despite the fact that it is small, South Dakota will always have a special place in my heart.
Although Sioux Falls is growing rapidly and making a name for itself, the city is still trapped in a small-town mindset that makes it hard for young creatives to flourish.