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Respiratory therapist Valerie David of Whitsett recently returned from working in Saudi Arabia. David worked three years at Moses Cone Hospital before leaving and will return to Moses Cone next week.

Living and working in the kingdom of Saudia Arabia can be challenging and rewarding.

As a respiratory therapist working and traveling around the United States, I was intrigued by the idea of working abroad - a new culture, traveling to exotic places in the world, and making great money.

I learned of travel assignments in Saudi Arabia from an old edition of the Advance Magazine. I made some phone calls and after months of chatting back and forth with an agent, I was off to the other side of the world.

The preparation to leave was daunting . The application process was long and exhaustive. I felt that I had applied for a position with the CIA.

Next was the medical portion of the application, which included a complete physical.

The final step was a visit with a recruiter from the agency - a sort of mental examination to see if you would be ready for the challenges of working in Saudi Arabia.

After I was accepted, I began to prepare. What should I take to wear? How will I do my hair? What will I need? How will I call home? These questions would soon be answered.

Saudi Arabia is an interesting country. Having learned just over 50 years ago about its vast oil supply, expatriates from all over the world are recruited there to work. Westerners work in defense, health care and the oil industry.

With my luggage and my passport, I flew to the city of Riyadh for my two-year contract. I was told that I needed to wear a covering called an Abaya. An Abaya is a long black overdress worn with the traditional Muslim head covering, also black. I would soon become accustomed to this attire.

When you first arrive in the kingdom, you are processed by the hiring hospital. You must surrender your passport to the hospital in exchange for an Iqama, the equivalent of a residence visa.

Next, you are assigned hospital housing, which consists of a flat that you share with others from similar areas. My flat-mates were from New Zealand and from South Africa. This made for very interesting conversations and dinners.

Life on the compound was like being in a resort. The accommodations included single female housing, tennis court, swimming pool, an exercise room, a shop, a bank and laundry facilities.

Inside the compound, we lived as we would at home, but outside the compound, we had to adhere to the Saudi way of life.

Women are not allowed to drive in Riyadh, so our mode of transportation was local taxis . Shopping was an adventure as we searched for interesting local and international items to buy and bring home. It was also a way of seeing the culture in action.

The hot, dry weather was also a challenge. Some days, temperatures reach 120 to 130 degrees . The Abaya came in handy for me as it kept the blistering sun at bay.

The language spoken in Saudi Arabia is Arabic, by far one of the more difficult languages to learn as it requires a motion emanating from the throat. Mostly, we tried to learn simple medical terminology, directions for the taxi drivers and how to greet and exchange money.

At the hospital, interpreters were available.

Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country and adheres to the Qu ran. All across the country, the prayer call goes out five times a day and the entire country comes to a halt. The shops, banks, restaurants and all government places shut down for prayer.

Religious police, called Mutawwahs, patrol the malls and shops to ensure that the Qu ran is being followed and that women are fully covered. There is no dating, no drinking and no clubs allowed in the country.

Most of our activities revolved around life on the compound and trips in the desert, where you can still see a traditional Bedouin family and their herds of camels.

The state-of-the-art King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center is the largest Research hospital in the Middle East. Because it is the hospital of the royal family, the Saudis have spent lots of money to recruit the best physicians, nurses and staff from around the world. The hospital boasts seven ICUs and a busy emergency room. The respiratory care department is a dynamic department to be a part of. The staff includes therapists from the U.S., Canada, and Saudi Arabia and technicians from the Philippines.

The staff rotates through all areas and has the opportunity to care for royal family members.

The most challenging part of working in a mostly male-dominated culture is that the male physicians will often challenge the knowledge of female therapists.

Of course, there are rewards. One is the tax-free salary that therapists, nurses, and physicians make while working in Saudi Arabia .

Secondly, working in an international environment is hugely enlightening as you learn about people from all around the world.

Finally, and by far my favorite, is the travel. The Middle East is central to Africa, Europe and Asia - a great place to launch all of your travel aspirations economically.

I have traveled to South Africa, Egypt, Kenya on safari in the Serengeti, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, England, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and the United Arab Emirates. I still have my sights set on Australia and New Zealand.

I am writing as the war is going on in Iraq and am mindful of how many terrorists there are in the world, but I have never lived my life in fear.

I remain vigilant and cautious. I pray that political issues can be resolved because it is a shame to live in fear and not explore this great, vast world.

Living and working in Saudia Arabia helped me learn, grow and challenge myself to tremendous heights.

My life will never be the same.