| Description | Tape 1 Side A: SANDRA FRANCIS GORRARA. Paternal family details. Recalls maternal grandparents. Only grandchild till 9. Recalls grief at grandmother's death, childhood home near sea, boating, relations. Feelings at arrival of siblings. Was a tomboy. Explains. Parents both lied about ages to get into forces during war. Father a painter/decorator/builder, went to night school, became contracting engineer. Details re grandfather's marital situation, effect on family. Describes mother, changes when siblings arrived, own role then. Liked making things when young, fantasising, keeping scrapbooks. Explains desire to travel. Describes sporting etc activities. Background to decision to go to Africa (Rhodesia). Attitude of parents. Wrote weekly letters home. Recalls homesickness, first real experience of black people. Changing attitude to going home. Effect of African experience on own attitudes. Financial and other details of contract in Africa. Renewed contract. Details re other people there, accommodation. Details re 6 months looking after house with servants, relationship with them. Mentions own children, nanny. Husband worked in computers for government. Own job with travel agent. Details re work, leisure. Left Africa 1974. Recalls rumblings of trouble, some murders, learning how to use gun, car thefts, having to take dog when out etc. Details re decision to leave after murder of friend. Feelings about leaving black, white friends. Went to Libya. Recalls first impressions of Benghazi, desert. Spent 2 years there. Mentions interest in Roman history. Difficult to walk about, given robe, went into market with garden boy, bought Italian antiques to send to England. Recalls need to adjust when back in England. Details re ex-pat community in Libya, accommodation, restrictions on gatherings, alcohol.
Tape 1 Side B: Left Libya, spent year in England, bought/sold antiques. Went to Oman. Marriage split up, retained friendship. Details. Went to Hong Kong. Returned to England, started single life with children. Details re meeting with second husband, engineer with Schlumberger. He worked offshore. Feelings about this. Details re first stay with him in Norway. Married, went to live in Norway. His work pattern irregular. Details. Got to know other engineers, families. Explains love for spontaneity, unexpected activities. Helpful to have oil community around in Norway. Schlumberger very supportive of ex-pat communities. Lot depends on manager, his wife. Recalls group activities. Recalls early mobile phones. Communication with husband offshore by phone. Problems relayed through office manager. Attitude that if wives, girlfriends, kids happy then guys happy. Family attitude in Schlumberger. Importance of mutual help in foreign communities. Comments on facilities provided. Went to Egypt 1985, husband in training school in desert. No support systems, had become the ones to support others. Importance of being independent as spouse/partner, having support systems around. Compares real, transient friendships. Significance of being away from families. Attitude of others to people working/travelling overseas. Attitude in Aberdeen to English etc. Recalls scare that husband in [Alexander Kielland] disaster. He is safety conscious. Example of his calm approach in emergency. Mentions fallout shelters in buildings. Explains own attitude to husband's safety, his attitude. Describes a very rough North Sea ferry crossing. Schlumberger always helpful re contacting husbands. Attitude to disasters. Feelings about having husband at home, effect of constant partings and reunions on family. Reference to time in Indonesia, driving daughters, without husband, to Egypt.
Tape 2 Side A: Biggest problem with Schlumberger being sent off at short notice. Wives left to pack, trail after husband. Details re driving to Egypt, Venice etc with daughters. Company paid but did not help. Felt like Gypsy. Schlumberger staff only stay 2 years on postings. Effect on friendships. Did not have job during time of second family. No need to work because of husband's salary. Took time to settle in new places. Most people have children to look after. Attitudes have changed. Gives example of female engineer having holidays cancelled at short notice. Describes oil company camps in Indonesia with all facilities - people never need to leave them. Some, Americans particularly, never know Indonesia, only know camps, wary of locals, lead sheltered life. Some companies run 'lollipop specials', flights for kids going home to boarding school. Made friends with oil company people though some wives cliquey within companies, social discrimination. Explains. Own attitude to hierarchies. Feelings about Petroleum Wives Club, activities, their attitudes eg to local markets. Many travel but don't see world. Further details re PWC. Comments on OWLS (Offshore Women's Link Support). Reason for going to Aberdeen. Details re children's schooling. Feelings about Aberdeen. Comments on sense of home, impact on this of travelling. Aberdeen harder to live in than overseas posts. Explains friendships. Less company support than abroad. Mentions smothering attitude of oil companies. Recalls husband's phone calls from offshore, keeping in touch. Schlumberger safety amazing. Husband loves job, no problem going away. Recalls excitement at his coming home, his falling asleep. Has always told children everything, including preparations in case of death. Explains.
Tape 2 Side B: Possible to know about company equipment, rigs etc. Husbands talk a lot about work. Comments on oil shows. Recalls going on rig. Impression of accommodation etc. Recalls husband's calls from offshore, his photographs of tropical birds etc. Husband's attitude to survival course, fire-fighting, flying in helicopters etc. Less of social network in Aberdeen than overseas. Comments on reputation of Aberdeen from elsewhere. Mentions numbers of graduate engineers in Schlumberger. Meets people in Aberdeen from overseas posts. Lot of mixing in Schlumberger. Attitude of company to single, married staff. Eventually most quit because of travel requirements. Explains. Recalls difficulties as young wife. Feelings about sticking with things, not being a quitter. Mentions Aberdeen friend who has never moved, has family around her. Compares with own situation. Recalls Christmases abroad with husband away, arrangements to make up for this. Hardest for kids. Quality time when father comes home. Kids adaptable. Importance of attitude of wife/partner. Overall, oil industry kids have good time. Explains. Difficult for women working offshore. Gives examples.
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