[This is part of the series: A List of Things I Remember About Living In Saudi Arabia.]

I remember being in Jeddah for the weekend and staying in the Marriott hotel.

Not a motel, a hotel.

I mean one of those big high-rise resort feeling ones.

There were businessmen everywhere, shuffling papers and talking loudly.

I wanted to be just like that someday.

Everything was made of marble and every banister and handrail was the color gold.

I felt like a high-roller watching it all while my parents checked us in.

Only important people stayed in a place like this.

On one trip, it was for my birthday, we had breakfast brought to our room and I don’t think anything else could have made me feel more destined for greatness.