When you upgrade to new software, you miss the familiar style that the older software provided, but you enjoy the features that the new software offers. Moving is just like updating to a new version of something. The newer addition can provide dramatic changes or a few minor fixes. You always have to adjust to it to become instantly familiar with it. That can be difficult at points in time. For me, Moving was like upgrading to entirely new software. My lifestyle itself changed and it will never be the same. I never thought I would move to a new place that is until I left for college at least that is what I expected. In April 2013, Boring Illinois, My dad was recommended to submit an application to Saudi Aramco. Our family didn’t even know that Aramco existed. My dad left earlier than my mom, sisters and me when he received new that he got the job. Eight months later I found myself hugging and saying goodbyes to my friends and family. I told them: “it’s not goodbye, its see you later”, but I didn’t even know if I would really see them again. My arrangements for the future shattered right before my eyes. I have no experience with moving or adjusting to a new lifestyle. People thought there was something seriously wrong with me when I announced I was moving to a foreign country; Saudi Arabia. I experienced small amounts of criticism and racists jokes. I excluded those thoughts out of my head and proceeded into the process of moving with an open mind. This was the first sign that showed: "Nick you're moving to a completely new world". All my friends were upset to find that I was moving. Most people didn’t even believe me. I threw on a fake smile and acted like I was so excited and my life was going to be great but to be honest, I still didn’t know what was going to be in store for me. To hear the rumbling engine of the Large metal plane on the way to Saudi made my stomach uneasy. Once this plane stopped touching the ground there was no turning back. I felt like running to the front of the plane and tell the pilot to turn around and land. The decision came to a conclusion; I would never call Illinois boring again. The Plane ride was long. It seamlessly felt like forever. The Business class food was delicious though. I inhaled my perfectly cooked chicken and sucked all the sprite out the can. Full and exhausted I curled up into a ball and passed out. After three plane rides, my family arrived onto the compound. Everything was warm and sandy. Dry and deserted looking Saudi Arabia was just as I imagined it would be, although my mind hadn’t accepted this new look and lifestyle. Saudi Arabia has religion-based laws, their culture is a completely separate way of life from America. The thought of not being able to identify different facial expressions on women under the abayas absolutely drove me insane. The Prayer Call disturbed me during shopping and interrupted everything I was doing. The Prayer call was like my younger sisters trying to wake me up at 2 in the morning. To combat this, Transportation was an extreme and unpredictable challenge. My family and I were stuck on a small compound with no friends and no personal visits to the main camp. My world was breaking down on me. Life felt as if it was suffering from a nasty virus, infecting a device. I came to only one conclusion; acceptance. Since there was no other way I was going to adjust, that was the only way. “This is a new culture and it was completely normal to them so if I’m going to get irritated and annoyed with it, I’ll never be happy and content.” “I knew my life was going to change and now I’m going to make the best of it”. I had gotten over jet lag in a week. I had directly jumped into my schoolwork and I wasn’t going to give up now. I immediately made the best of every experience whether it was mental or out loud. Welcoming teachers, adults and friends surrounded me. I prayed nearly every day. Before I knew it, a schedule was developed plus I was on student council and running in cross-country events. Life began to spring like vibrant eye-popping colors on icons. Starting a new successful life is defined by experience and experience is classified by attitude. I learned that it all started with me. The key to adjusting was acceptance and attitude. The struggle had been strangled. That new software had been familiarized to an extent where it became invisible and seamless but I'll never forget my old friends or lifestyle. Looking back I would have smacked myself in the face and said: "That fake smile deserves to be a real one, because I am truly happy here and I don’t regret it”. This was the overcoming struggle I had and this was my new life. This is me, Nick In Saudi.