Shopping in Doha

Going to the store used to involve making sure I had my wallet, my driver's license, and my debit card. Now I deal in cash. But the cash here looks nothing like the greenbacks of home. The bills, or Riyals as they are called, are all various sizes and colors. There is a camel and some gazzelles on the QR5 and birds on the QR1. There is also a sparkly line of silver going through the bills on one side. And then there is the exchange rate. Even when I have QR1500 in my wallet I only have about $410. When I look in my purse for cash, I feel loaded and ready for action, but then the cashier at the grocery store asks for QR732 for the cart full of food I just bought, and there is a significant deflation in my wallet size and my spending frenzy. When I tip the petrol attendant QR3 for pumping my gas in the hot sun, it is only about 82 cents. Unfortunately, to those hard working men that is a good tip, because tipping is unusual here.

Another bit of info about the banks here: We just bought a Nissan Xterra, and instead of just setting up a direct payment plan from our account, the bank printed up post dated checks to give to the Nissan dealership. I guess that is their version of an automatic payment plan. Each check is worth six months of payments, and we get the checks back after they go through. Weird, huh! Well, I guess it will take some time for my mind to refigure the budget in riyals, so actually Brett is working hard on that right now. I will only be the assistant to the master budgeter of this family because my math skills have never been as strong as my word skills. Brett might get tired of exchanging riyals to dollars as he sits at the computer, but that is the time I can remind him of all those times I exchange his grunts and puzzled expressions for actual language and communication so I, as well as others, can understand him. I think we are a good team.

Kid Questions

I love kid questions. Last week I subbed at Abbey's school for three days in a third grade classroom. It was good to get an insider's look at the people who run the school and how they do it. It was also a good reminder about why I got a secondary teaching certificate instead of an elementary one. They asked me where I was from, what my favorite color is, and what my favorite food is - all the important stuff.

So as I was introducing myself to these third graders I began asking them where they moved from. There were kids from Syria, Peru, Mexico, New Zealand, Jordan, and the U.S. There was a kid there from Minnesota, but he wasn't sure if that was in the United States or not. On the second day, as I was walking around helping students with their math, one little girl from the Phillipines asked if she could touch my hair. I asked her why she wanted to do that. She told me that she had never touched hair that color. So I knelt down and she touched my bleached split ends. I asked her what she thought. She quietly said, "It's dry." I just had to agree. I didn't want to explain how my favorite expensive shampoo was wasted when it spilled all over our duffel bag during our trip to Doha - ruining my Relief Society manual, Brett's dress shoes, and my hair's chances for thick, conditioned richness until we go home in October for Ben's wedding.

Another Year Down

Yesterday was my birthday.

Highlights: I got peaches and cream for breakfast made from the rare find of Lybian peaches at the grocery store the day before, the card I received from Abbey inviting me to a beach party whenever I wanted to go, a new pink cell phone from Brett, visits with the Robinsons and Ben and Mary through skype, Thomas saying, "Happy Birthday Grandma!", four mint lemonades delivered to my door from our thoughtful neighbor Felicity, spring rolls for lunch, and seeing Abbey and Brett drag themselves to Fuddruckers for "American" hamburgers even though they both were coming down with stomach/cold stuff.

Lowlights: looking in the mirror and realizing that this is what 45 looks like on me (certainly not Oprah Show worthy by any means), not being able to go out to lunch with my best friend Lori, and putting a candle in a cupcake I made for Kristy's birthday (yes, even though she's in Colorado and we are here, I try and always make her something for her birthday. We just got to enjoy them for her. By the way, Happy 25th sweet Kristy!) and making a wish after Abbey and Brett went to bed sick.

The best part was having a difficult time thinking of a good wish, because I have such a full, wonderful life. I made bread for the first time here, and it turned out pretty good - funny photo comparison above with me and the Iraqi waiter. And as you can see from the picture above, I'm just like Snow White, because birds hang out at our villa - no I just wanted to prove that there are birds here, and this one visited us through the window.

Last week Jesse and Felicity took us to the Old Souqs or Souq Waqif (It is called Souq Waqif because when the Bedouin brought in camel meat, milk and dates to trade, the merchants were forced to waqif (stand up) near the small boats in the water.) as some call it. We ate appetizers at an Iraqi restaurant and explored the old world through the shops there. We ate hot bread, baba ghannouj, hummus, and other things I can't remember the name of. The tastes were smooth and earthy, except for the mint lemonade Felicity recommended. Ohhhhhhh that was refreshingly tamed tanginess. I don't know any other way to describe that, but it was my favorite.

It feels and smells like stepping back in time to walk the cobbled streets and see men sitting at outdoor tables smoking from shishas (elaborately tall metal smoking pipes that have fruit flavored tobacco). It looked like something from an old Lawrence of Arabia movie I once saw. There were spice souqs, falcon souqs with live falcons wearing their hoods, jewelry souqs, and much more. Brett bought Abbey a little camel trinket, so now Abbey has declared that she now collects camels. I just hope she doesn't ride one home someday!

Those Were The Days

Because I was pretty shy and socially awkward in high school, I didn't show up in many of the candid photos or the club photos in my yearbook. Well, that has all changed. I just found out about a fun website where you can transplant yourself to a past through photo magic. I just thought you might enjoy a look into my imaginary past. I transplanted a few family members as well. If you want to waste some time too you can do it at http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ Have a good laugh, but I want you to share what you create so I can have a good laugh too. Thanks for the idea Amy!

A Saturday Photo Shoot in Doha

Yesterday we finally had a little time to explore the city of Doha, and we took our camera with us. Abbey said she had no fun by the time we got home, but I think you can see in these photos that she had a few smiles. Doha has a lot to enjoy - even the world's largest Dairy Queen! Who knew? We started out exploring down by the Corniche, which is kind of like a boardwalk/park that borders the Persian Gulf and is right downtown. The turquoise water is beautiful against the white sand, but when we stepped in, expecting a refreshing Utah wading experience, it felt more like sticking our feet into someone's bath water. Along the water there is a lot of trash, but we found a crab enjoying someone's castoff chicken bone. Abbey said, "Gross!" The fishing and pearl dhows give the view a very old world feel, but then the skyline is bursting with opulent modernism by the handfuls. Quite a contrast!

The Doha Palace is also down by the Corniche - that is the one with Qatar's flag flying at the top. You will also notice the amazing skyline and construction. Someone told me that 70% of the world's cranes are in Dubai right now. Well, Doha has its fair share as well. The architecture is pretty interesting, and Brett has a lot to say about that, but I will let him use his own blog to trash talk the lack of elegance in the structures going up. The photo with the arch is one example of the MANY roundabouts, and we call it Rainbow Roundabout. It is close to the villa where we attend our church meetings. I have included a poor photo of the church villa, but it is the only one we could get. Being close to so many embassies, we didn't want to take our lives into our hands by stopping for that shot. Keep in mind these photos were taken on a quiet Saturday afternoon while most people were home sleeping through their fast for Ramadan - not much traffic.

My favorite building is the one with the huge ball coming down into the middle. The wavy buildings are quite controversial, and everyone in Doha has their own opinion about them and give them clever nicknames like "The Dancing Ladies." Compared to a particular building in Dubai that has rotating floors that move independent of each other according to how the wind blows, this is pretty tame. I have also included some shots of various villas. This is how people live here, unless you are a worker in a blue jumpsuit who gets to ride the hot bus. I'm not sure where they live, but I have heard mention that Qatar is on the Human Rights Watchdog List. Maybe after we have lived here awhile I will be able to tell you more about all these sites, but for now, just enjoy this unusual glimpse into the Middle East.

Here are more images of our life in Doha. Last Thursday we attended a Ramadan celebration at Education City. The party was in an air conditioned tent with rugs on the floor and fancy winged back chairs to sit in. There were booths from a variety of countries. Our favorite was Armenia, because they had the most "nibbles" as Felicity, our British neighbor, calls them. There were also dancers and self-defense performances. The celebration was late for us, so we missed out on some of the entertainment, but what we saw was amazing.

We went to the party with our next door neighbors Felicity and Jesse, and Felicity is the one who decided to get some free henna painting. Abbey opted for the free face painting. Jesse is from the boring old states, but his wife Felicity is from Great Britain, near Dover. They have been married for four years and they are the parents of Riley, the cute dog pictured in an earlier post. They are really good for us, because they have been so generous and helpful, but mostly because they have gotten us out to experience Doha first-hand. They took us to Al Wakra beach one Saturday and then to eat the local shawarma sandwiches for dinner one night. Without them, our Thursday night probably would have been spent in front of the T.V.

The flower photo is an actual Doha flower growing outside our villa. This little beauty inspires me, because it blooms in this Qatar oven with very little water and severe conditions. Maybe when all is said and done, our little family will be an inspiring blossom in this desert Zion. Hey, that might be a great analogy to start my Relief Society lesson this Friday on Establishing the Cause of Zion.

Abbey's First Day of School

Abbey started second grade this last Sunday. She was excited and so were we. The day got off to an early start, but since the sun comes up at 5:30 A.M. here, it is a little easier to wake up at 6 A.M. Ms. Verhoye is Abbey's teacher and seems like a fun lady. She is a new transplant here from San Diego, so she is going through a lot of the same culture shock we are, so she is very understanding.

After I dropped Abbey off at school and Brett off at the university, I indulged myself in some window shopping. While I was reveling in my independence, my mobile phone rang, and it was Abbey's teacher. The first thing out of her mouth was, "Everything is okay, and Abbey is fine." That was reassuring, but still worrisome. She called to tell me that on the way to art class Abbey went one way and the other students went to art class. Abbey spent a few troubling minutes lost looking for an adult and going to the empty office (which had just moved a few days before because of renovations). Ms. Verhoye finally found Abs in the hallway and comforted her as she melted into tears. While looking for help, Abbey had been so brave, but the relief of seeing her teacher thawed out those emotions. She was soon feeling better and concentrating on what she had done right. By the time I picked her up she had a good story to tell.

My Best Anniversary Present

Brett and I gave each other small items for our anniversary this year. I gave him a back scrubber for the shower, some silly love song CDs that you could only find here in the Middle East, and a very rare anniversary card. He gave me an exercise mat (pilates on these tile floors are brutal), some heart chocolates, and a movie called Vantage Point. As you can see, I got the better end of the deal, as usual. The best present we both received came in an email from our son Ben.

Ben wrote and told us that he had just received his temple recommend and would be able to go do baptisms for the dead with Mary this week. This is another step toward his temple wedding with Mary in October. Sunshine filled my grin as I read his gratitude. His words were thankful and joyful, awash with humility and hard work. The roads that lead a person to the temple are varied. Ben's road was not the one I would have chosen for him, but looking back, I realize the perfection of Heavenly Father's gift of agency, and how Ben needed to travel the road meant for him. At one time, when I was despairing for Ben's testimony and his future, I went to the temple and plead with the Lord for the welfare of "MY Ben." I was quickly rebuked in my mind with the Lord reminding me that Ben was His child first and needed His inspired intervention instead of my harrassing hovering. That is when I again realized how individual the Lord's plan of happiness is and how He knows each of us so intimately that He alone can know what is best.

I'm so glad I heeded that reminder and let myself concentrate on loving my son instead of forcing him to be loved my way. The miracles in Ben's life include inspired bishops, ward leaders, good neighbors and friends, and mostly sweet Mary. Ben is a blessed young man with such remarkable talents, gifts, and abilities. Many of those gifts are spiritual. I know the Lord has been patient with him and with me, because there is a great work for Ben to do of which I could not get in the way.

Ramadan Kareem

For Muslims all over the world September is the holy month of Ramadan this year. I think "Kareem" means happy, because all over the newspapers there are ads saying, "Ramadan Kareem." Who knew the basketball player's name meant happy? Well, this month is a big deal for Muslims. The reason it is a holy month is because Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset each day (no food OR drink) and dedicate the month to more spiritual matters like becoming more forgiving. In the newspaper yesterday there was an article about how Muslims should have the attitude of forgiveness this month, and if someone offends them, they should say, "Everything is fine. I am fasting."

The businesses, especially the restaurants, all close during the day and then open at sunset. It makes it quite difficult to get needed supplies. As non-Muslims, we have been advised to stay home after sunset because the traffic is beyond ridiculous while people are going to and fro getting to the nearest restaurant or family home for a night of feasting. That is what is so ironic. It is a month of fasting, yet the food sales and restaurant businesses skyrocket during this time.

My faith also includes fasting, but the practice of fasting in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is more private and less extreme, because we fast for only 24 hours on one Sabbath day a month and then in addition as we feel the individual need to receive divine inspiration, strength, and help. Last month Brett and I fasted and petitioned the Lord on behalf of Abbey's school situation. We were told that there were no open spots at any private school in Doha, let alone an open spot at the American School of Doha. If Abbey didn't get into the school, I would be homeschooling her. I was fine with that, but Abbey would be very isolated and ready to hitch a ride back to Utah after just a week. So we felt strongly that the Lord would help us with a righteous desire and it was definitely worth fasting about for extra help, insight, and faith. We didn't ask for a magic spot to open up for Abbey at the school. We asked the Lord to help Abbey get into the right school or the right situation. For me, and for Brett, fasting is especially difficult because I am diabetic and he is hypoglycemic. So the act of fasting for us sacrifices a little more than a few meals. We also sacrifice our health somewhat. The day we fasted I received a call from the school asking if they could schedule Abbey for testing. That was a very good sign. Then the day after she was tested, the school called to let us know she had been accepted. We knew we had witnessed a miracle, and the miracle turned out the way we had hoped. That isn't always the case, but in this case, I guess the Lord agreed with what we thought was best.

So my experience with fasting is quite different from most of the people here in Qatar. Brett told me that the students at VCUQ have petitioned the faculty to go easy on them during this month and not require them to do big projects or assignments. It is quite a controversy because some professors, even some who are Muslim, believe that fasting should be a sacrifice, and outward conditions should not be changed for this reason. The classes are already shortened all month so students don't pass out from fasting.

I believe fasting is a great source for spiritual help and learning. Even when I am not petitioning the Lord for something speicific, fasting helps me sluff off the natural man for awhile and crawl out of the body that sometimes rules my life too much. So I guess I can see how Muslims would have the great desire to fast and do it with great dedication, but a month seems excessive. Even the laws here are excessive - it is illegal to eat or drink in public during daylight hours. I wonder what people in Utah would think if every first Sunday brought this kind of militant fasting observance. Rocky Anderson's head would explode with indignation! He really needs to visit Qatar during Ramadan.

Abigail and Qatar

I realized I haven't written much about how a seven year old adjusts to life in the Middle East. It hasn't been easy. In fact, Abbey has been at her limit many days, and I have been at a loss about how to ease her yearning for home. Amazingly though, the days she has been happy far outweigh the sad days for her. Yesterday, Brett and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary, and Abbey outdid herself. She painted us a beautiful painting at our neighbor Felicity's house the day before - a painting of a butterfly and a caterpillar. When Abbey gave us the painting she said that I am the butterfly and Brett is the caterpillar. I like that interpretation of her creation. Thanks, Felicity, for helping her with that!

Yesterday I woke up to Abbey tapping me on the arm saying, "Get up Mom, I have a surprise for you and Dad. Happy Anniversary!" She had one bowl of cereal, two spoons, milk, fancy goblets, and orange juice on a tray for us. When Brett asked her why there was only one bowl, she said, "So you can share and be romantic." While we fed each other Honey Nut Cheerios, we opened beautiful pictures Abbey had drawn for us in secret the night before - that is why she got in trouble for not being ready for bed on time, poor girl. By the way, I LOVE kid art. My kids have always been masterful at expressing the purest image with simple lines and colors. I think most kids are naturally artistic, but mine, well . . . . Abbey's drawings of clouds and birds and flowers filled me with gratitude. After that the three of us cuddled in bed, and I had one of those moments of pure joy when everything, and I mean everything, feels completely perfect. I knew it was going to be a good day.

Then last night Brett and I made a steak dinner together, and Abbey helped me light about 50 tealight candles in the dining room and living room to surprise Brett. When he came downstairs it looked like a fairyland, and Abbey's eyes were round and brimming with excitement. She said, "I think I am starting to like this anniversary." Because this month is Ramadan in the Muslim world (more about this in a later post), we thought it best to celebrate at home and not fight the starving people breaking their fasts in the traffic. It was one of the best anniversaries ever, especially because Abbey celebrated with us.

This post seems to be more about our anniversary than about how Abbey has been coping with living here, but it really illustrates her last few weeks. Her resiliency has astounded us. Her ability to always think of the "good side" even when she's sad has been a gift to our family, especially now. Today we finally got to go to her school orientation, and I could see the lights go on in her eyes as she met her teacher, met some of her classmates, and walked around the huge school (about 1000 students in all). Abbey loves people, and waiting so long in this foreign environment to get connected to school and friends has been hard, but I have seen such a strength in her that I've never had an opportunity to see before. Abbey will start second grade on Sunday, and I already find myself missing her dependence on me. Her new independent strength is what I want for her, but for me, those cuddling sessions could go on forever. You see, I have already watched two children get too busy, too grown-up, and too far away to snuggle with in bed. That darn Kristy and Ben! I guess Abbey will join them soon enough in their grown-up adventures, but for now our little Qatar kid still wants at least three goodnight kisses before she can fall asleep, and I'm so fine with that!