Why I'm Not Posting a Blog Today (Yeah, Again)

Summer 2014

 

I should tell you about my Egypt-themed story published in October 2014's Highlight's for Children. Or meeting with a lovely (ma sha' allah) Qatari woman and her female relatives in a gold, silver and mirror lined majlis as part of the American Women's Association/Qatari Women's Association "language buddies" program. Learning conversational Arabic in Kansas City. Or what it's like to live in the heart of the Middle East during a crisis period.

 

Katie and Krissy snuggle

Summer 2014

 

I could write about Qatar's falcons and how these birds get their own business class airplane seats. Or about shopping for groceries in a place that doesn't produce its own produce. Or what it's like to sit in one airplane for 16 3/4 hours, nonstop. And why some expat women in the Middle East take up drinking.

 

Or perhaps:

 

Desert Rose Hunting

When Humidity Set Off My Fire Alarm

Sounds of Doha (Traffic Redux)

Why I am not Muslim

 

my babies
omg I love them

 

Sigh. Yeah, I know. I should write a blog today.

 

Killian
adorbs

 

Krissy

tutu perfect

 

But doggone. I'm 16 3/4 hours from home - and five of the most beautiful people ever.

 

these faces

 

Seriously. Wouldn't you be distracted too?

Three Years, 300 Words

We're in Ireland this week!

atop Trim Castle, Ireland

This vacay day, I offer a summary of the last three blog years with links to 5 essays per year:

2011

Initial blogs outline Bob's experiences setting up housekeeping, adjusting to a 6-day work week, searching for the Catholic Church. There's info about Eid al-Adha, a photo tour of the Pearl, and an explanation about how to obtain a license to drink in Doha.

Katie and Kimber

Katie, Kimber and I make our first trip across the world and Bob earns his temporary driver's license after a three month effort.

2012

After seven trips over land and sea I am an official expat spouse. No more airport lines; Qatar Airways' Silver Status travelers board at will. (Today, ahem, I am a Gold member.)

Learn about Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser's job site chicken coop in The Sheikha and the Chickens. Update: the chicken coop and garden, a nod to the Koranic garden, a green space that includes plants from the Koran - was unceremoniously removed in 2013.

Watch a video (with translation) of the Call to Prayer and see a giraffe giving birth. Sit with me as Qatari college students share a favorite gulf tradition with elementary school aged girls, and participate in the gymnastics event that is the Qatari greeting.

2013

washing windows at Zig Zag Towers

Discover How to Get a Speeding Ticket, live Five Moments in Doha and get to know Qatar's Money. Finally, Dear Expat, About Your Cleavage is an open letter to the sparsely dressed Doha expat.

2014

We hang with our awesome expat family in a finicky climate. I attend a Qatari Wedding and a Qatari Women's Association event with Kimber and Kitty, Bob's mom. Our beautiful son, Chris stops by.

And the adventure continues!

Why I'm Not Posting a Blog Today, Redux

I'm proud to say I've posted a blog every week for more than a year.  In the home stretch now before I return to Doha with a surprise in tote, I don't want to ruin this blogging streak over a little homegrown under-the-weather.  So - to tide you over and hold my place, here are some pictures of a recent holiday visit to Kansas City, Missouri, USA's wonderful Aquarium.

 

A marvelous, magical journey

 

 

With a little mermaid

 

 

Sitting pretty in her underwater bubble

 

 

Small fingers, gentle touches

 

 

 

Special moments

 

 

Time very soon to return to the desert!

 

 

Thanks for reading!

48 hours in Doha - pictures

Chicago to Doha, non-stop:  North America, Europe, Africa, Asia.  An ocean, a couple of seas, 13 hour journey, plus an 8 hour time difference.

 

It's my 7th trip across the world - and the good folks at Qatar Airways surprise me with a business class upgrade:  porcelain mugs, plates, bowls, tiny salt and pepper shakers, complementary full sized toothbrush.  Would you like wine, Ma'am?  Coffee?  Soda?  Nuts in a glass bowl?  Spacious seat, movie screen at the end of a pull out bed, cozy pajamas and a quilted blanket.

 

My knees are happy.  But inside my head:

 

this is what jet lag feels like

 

Off the plane and it's back to work:  training, meetings, case study notes.

 

And coffee, lots of coffee.

 

 

There is this:

 

Start to finish, one small load takes 6 hours

and this:

 

Dave Ramsey disciples hammering out the budget

 

What's the exchange rate again?

 

 

Finally, a long, long sleep:

 

 

And the world looks like this again:

 

quiet Friday morning boardwalk at The Pearl

 

shops closed for afternoon Siesta, 1-4pm, everyday

 

Palm trees in the city, loaded with dates

 

Time for dinner out:

 

we like the bottomless chips and salsa

 

A bookstore run:

 

more Office Max/Archivers than Barnes & Noble

 

commercial children's books, in Arabic

 

school supplies and books in English

Job site visit:

 

Big hole, filling up

 

Bob and Cindi, happy to be together again:

 

 

Late blog, few words. I will do better.  But first...

 

ahhhhhhh…

Why Do Qatari Men Touch Noses?

Watch this funny video from Iranian-American comedian Maz Jobrani for the answer:

 

  

I know, I know - I promised:  a blog every Friday, no matter what.  But today…I'm just too tired.  After a (busy, but fun) week of 9-hour and an 11-hour shifts with students at Weill Cornell Medical College.  A week of early mornings, hurried shopping, midnight laundry.

 

A week of language classes missed.

 

A week of sunshine lost.

 

I'm befuddled in English, confused in Arabic, mixed up in Khaleeji, Masri, FusHa.

 

There are the usual distractions muddling my horizon - half marathon training after a long setback.  Missing family, faraway car troubles, taxes due, FAFSAs to complete…five babies I haven't seen in way. too. long.

 

And new distractions like Bob's guys-go-golf trip to ABU DHABI this weekend (clicker to myself! Snacks and sweatpants in front of the tv!) and deciding if I should run tomorrow's inaugural "Doha Marathon" along the Corniche - just advertised in yesterday's paper.

 

If I were blogging today I might write about stuff in the news…for example how all women (teachers, administrators, support staff) were suddenly banned from working in Independent Boys' Schools (ie, Qatari public schools). "For fear that (young boys) may start imitating their behavior or mannerisms."  (Doha News Link)

 

Or about Sheikha Moza's nanny training school where "the goal of the academy (is to) protect children from other cultures that diffuse into the society through Asian nannies in particular." (Doha News Link)

Or maybe I'd tell you about red suburbans and motorcycles and drivers with guns who park in the middle of roundabouts, blocking/clogging roads, so whomever-high-up can get from here to there unimpeded.  And how it used to be interesting to watch the long line of black cars stream past and wonder, who-might-that-be?  But now when I see those speeding flashes of red…I whip the car around and consider how wide a circle I'll have to make to avoid the inevitable traffic backup. 
 

 

unrelated palm trees pic

 

Nope, I'm just not up to blogging today. Instead I'm gonna watch another funny video, drink some coffee and…wait for the sun.