Winter in Doha

Winter has arrived in Doha – it rained the other day; complete with thunder and lightening! It was lovely to see and hear; nice to have a change from the never-ending sunshine (yeah, cry me a river). Because Doha has no drainage, the result is streets that were still submerged 24 hours after the rain stopped.

The street in front of my apartment building after the rain

One of my co-workers was driving back to the University after a visit to a local high school and saw the aftermath of a street actually collapsing under the deluge of water; she said a truck just flipped over and slid into the desert! Of course, the drivers here don’t make any adjustments to their driving habits when it rains (much like the first snowstorms in Canada)! It is cooler here now, but still not so cold that you need a coat, although some Canadians wear sweaters and pashminas. I've seen locals in hoodies with the hoods up and heavy jackets. It is really funny to see heavy sweaters, toques, coats and boots in the stores. I mean, really . . . I understand it will get colder in January and have been warned to buy a heater now before they sell out – so I picked one up a couple of days ago. I hope I don’t need it, but at least I’m prepared.

Work is becoming so much fun. I’m getting acquainted with the students – actually even remembering their names! It is a busy time and it is making things at work much more enjoyable. Our staff Holiday party was Sunday night at the Intercontinental Hotel. The food was amazing! There was so much seafood including a beautiful paella and everything from sushi to turkey, steak, chicken, tons of salads, vegetables and fruit; and of course, amazing desserts! Children and families of staff were invited so there were lot of kids (including my new friends from the desert, Janna, Julie and Abdalla, among others) and some parents of staff members too! It is so cool that the extended family is so important in this culture. All staff received a lovely gift – a leather wallet with the UofC coat of arms embossed on it and some chocolates. There was singing, Santa and draws for prizes. It was a great evening.

Only a few more sleeps until I’m off to Sri Lanka and I’m so excited. It will be my first time flying out of here. I had to get an exit visa (yes, we are held captive here – can’t leave the country without permission); the process is very slick - I had it an hour after I submitted my on-line application.

The other day someone asked me what I miss about Canada which led me to think about the things I like and dislike about Doha; so I made a list:

Things I miss about Canada/home

• Family and friends
• Water pressure (my shower is more of a dribble)
• Greenery (but I guess there’s not much of that at this time of year in Calgary)
• Walking in my neighborhood
• My house and yard
• Good bookstores/public library
• Bacon!!!
• Water aerobics class
• Comfortable furniture
• Drinking tap water
• Rules of the road

Things I like about Doha:

• The weather (but I haven’t been here when it’s been ridiculously hot yet)
• Opportunity to travel – Doha is a great jumping-off spot for so many destinations
• New friends
• My work
• Being surprised everyday by some craziness here – learning about a new culture
• Cheap mani/pedi’s
• The challenge to think differently about so many things
• Great inexpensive food
• Not having to put on heavy coats and boots
• Funny exchanges with people as a result of language (e.g., a Qatari was telling a staff member who had just had a haircut and was wearing a new outfit that she looked good. She said “You look nice; too much sex!” What she meant was that she looked sexy!)
• Slower pace of life – although it does take some getting used to; no one is in a hurry to get anywhere or to get things done.
• Smaller city – although the traffic is crazy here, it doesn’t take long to get anywhere and it’s almost impossible to get lost – who knew navigation by landmarks was so easy?

I'm sure the list will change over time, and it'll be interesting to see what things are added to them.

I've been approved to attend a professional conference in Chicago in March. Since my mother's 90th birthday is in February, she is going to come to Chicago when I am there to celebrate this milestone birthday with the whole family. One sister lives in Chicago, one sister lives in the Detroit area; they and their kids are all in the mid west; Ian, Ayn and their families will fly down to join the party. It will also give Ian, Ayn and myself the opportunity to visit with my sisters-in-law who also live in the Chicago area. I'm looking forward to this reunion with family, but also excited about the opportunity to attend this major conference for student services professionals. It will be the first time I've attended a conference of this magnitude.

This weekend Qatar will be celebrating their National Day (December 18th). There are a ton of celebratory activities going on all over the city. You see cars festooned with Qatari flags - like the Flames flags that you see on people's cars during hockey playoffs. This morning I was reading on my balcony when I heard a thunderous noise. Looking up I saw three Qatari Air Force jets scream by tailing the maroon and white colours of the flag. There were about more groups that flew over - I think it was all rehearsal for the big day on Friday. Janna and Abdallah came to the office the other day dressed in their national dress for the celebrations at their school:

Janna and Abdallah Gilal in Qatari national dress

I am having a hard time believing Christmas is about a week away - I've done nothing to decorate my apartment or do anything special for the season; and I have to honestly say I'm not missing it.

However, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and all good things in 2010!