Merry Christmas and Eid Mubarak

We are starting to get the Christmas feel here. I have put up the Christmas tree in the apartment and Adam and Amber helped me put up the tree in the passage way outside our flats. It looks cool. I also found a Christmas shop in Qatar. It is at a shop called “The One”, and its cool. The supermarkets and other places have decorations and most shops in the malls have some sort of Christmas display. I can’t believe this is the third Christmas we have spent in Doha. The first was when we came the first time in 2005 and we are nearly at two since we returned in Feb 2007.

At the moment we are having a week off for our second Eid break. We have two Eid’s and this one is called Eid Al Adha and it is the Eid of sacrifice. It is also the official Eid for doing Hajj which is the journey to Mecca that each Muslim should do once in their lifetime. Our Head translator Osama had gone to take part. I am looking forward to him telling me about it when he returns. Around three million people take part at this time each year.

Last Friday we had thunder, lightning and rain. The rain was heavy and there was some hail it was amazing. It has stopped now and the air feels very clear and crisp. The flooding around the streets was almost instance they don’t do drainage in this place very well! The temperature is dropping and lots of people like it while am I feeling a bit cold. It is down to 15 at nights and only gets to about 25 at max during the day. It feels like winter and while these temps may sound warm to you remember that this is winter and the sun is further away and there can be a chilly breeze. It is not like 24 or 25 at home.

However today, Wednesday, was lovely. As I walked on the Corniche the sun shone and it was a clear sky after our rain and 25 degrees . I couldn’t help but think how lucky we are to be here and experience all this. I had a lovely trip on the harbour on a dhow with a friend and then coffee in the souqs watching many nationalities enjoying the holiday.

It is certainly a week to count our blessings and one touched with sadness. One of my very special friends has a sister who is fighting cancer and we think of her daily and then we heard of another friend in New Zealand who had an accident in a bike race in Christchurch and sadly passed away from his injuries. Our thoughts go to his family even we are so far away we still care deeply.

So Eid Mubarak (happy Eid) and Merry Christmas to everyone at home and make the most of everyday and be especially kind to all your special friends and family.

The Wedding

So having had a ladies night the wedding was set down for the following Thursday. Zouheir spent the best part of each day for a fortnight in the courts getting all the documents they required. This was interspersed by trips to the British and Lebanese embassy and to the official translators. It was decided, seeing that Amy’s dad was coming up and he only had a short time here, that it would be better to go on Wednesday and then if anything went wrong we could go back Thursday.

On Wednesday night just after evening prayer we went to the courts in Doha. It was somewhat different to a marriage ceremony that kiwis are used to but none the less special and interesting. Amy, Zouheir, Amy’s dad, Zouheir’s brother and Steve and I arrived at the courts on time. This was a feat in itself as I had to follow Zouheir’s friend who was driving at speed through Doha peak traffic to a place I didn’t know! I kept up though - any film car chase person would have been proud of me or I have been driving in Qatar too long and it all seemed a bit normal!

On arrival Amy and I were quickly told to go into the ladies waiting room. This room, about the size of a very small bedroom has white walls adorned with graffiti (which was in Arabic so we couldn’t read it) was our base for the next half hour. This was slightly longer than normal as Amy’s dad had forgotten to bring his passport and had to go back to TV apartments to get it. There was a little panic when the word “bukra”, which means tomorrow, was heard but we weren’t going anywhere and Steve was left to ensure that the judge couldn’t escape before the wedding papers were signed.

Amy’s friend’s, Anna and Angela arrived. They brought Amy some beautiful flowers as a surprise and the four of us got to amuse ourselves in the ladies room. Amy was allowed out to discuss the papers with the court registrar. The woman must agree on the conditions of the wedding and this had been worked out before the ceremony. The registrar however makes sure the woman is represented fairly and has agreed with everything that has been written down.

Then it was back to the room while the men went to the judge to sign the official documents. We were then told we could come out and they were married. Many hugs and kisses were exchanged as we left the building. The exchange of rings took place outside the court room in the carpark and then the small but happy wedding party went to Layali Restaurant to celebrate. Amy has not stopped smiling yet.

The next night a more kiwi type celebration was held at the Irish Bar of the Sheraton hotel and many of our staff got to come and toast the happy couple.

Girls night out

Well it’s been an exciting week or so as one of our staff members has decided to get married to a very lovely Lebanese chap she meet here in Doha. Amy brought Zouheir around to see Steve and I soon after the Eid break and we got to check him and he passed inspection.

So we ladies decided a “hens night” was called for. Souq Waqif, also known by us a s the old–new souq because it is new but built in the old style, was buzzing on a Thursday night and we certainly turned some heads. We dined at an amazing Iranian restaurant and had a fabulous night with great food, wonderful fruit juices (yes fruit juices - you should try lemon and mint) and some challenges for Amy.

She handled them all well and there was much interest in the group of woman aged from 26 to 60+ wandering about with one of the younger ones wearing a veil. Certainly it was two cultures coming together and everyone was interested and joined in the fun. The young ones went on to a night club us older ones decided it was time to head for home with a smile still in our faces.

Destination Doha

Well of course the Eid holiday is a memory and work here is very full on. I have asked for help especially with the two new schools starting in November. That will mean 13 and the last two with totally new people to Qatar.

It is slowly cooling down which makes it very pleasant with temperatures from 25 to 30ish. We went out to Zekrit peninsula and then Dukkan a nice sandy beach a couple of Fridays ago. We took about 6 cars and had a swim and picnic. The first swim we had was on the Zekrit peninsula and we shared the water with flying fish! It feels decidedly funny to be smacked in the back and rump by landing fish! I was hit by about three as they landed. It hurt a bit but must have been worse for them landing on me! It was a huge school, I don’t know what was chasing them and don’t really want to either. It was quite amazing especially with people in the water and fish out. Later we saw a flock of flamingoes so it was a nice day.

On Thursday night we went to the tennis. We watched Jelena Jankovic, the world number 1 win her match and then Serena play Venus Williams. Venus won. This year they charged for the tennis and it cost us $8 each – don’t know how we could afford it !

I have made a commitment to try and keep Friday work free. This weekend Angela Ryan from NZ is here so went on a road trip up north and then to the old – new souqs and gold souqs on Saturday. It was very pleasant. The photos are ofAngela checking out the ruined village inthe north of Qatar and making friends with a desert camel.

Magic of the Maldives

Well I better just complete my Maldives writing before it becomes just a distant memory that is overwhelmed by work back it Doha. Steve has written some excellent newsletters and filled in the trip details. We did do some activities other than relaxing on the beach or lagoon.

I decided that I would like to do the resorts “Very Special Snorkeling Trip”. Steve said he would come on the boat but not snorkel. Well that was the scariest thing I have done. After a 40 minute boat ride out to a deep sided reef around a sand island we had to jump off the boat into the deep sea. That was my first, I managed that. There were about 12 of us, I was the oldest and two boat men. The deep reef was beautiful but the drop off disappeared into the depths of the ocean and the real down side was strong current which we were swimming against. Even with flippers it was hard to make headway. It was exhausting. No Myra they didn’t have me on a string but I needed to be. One of the boat men helped me to the island in the end and after a brief rest it was back into the current to get to the boat. It took all the enjoyment out of it I was too busy concentrating on swimming and keeping up to enjoy the underwater scene. I was a little pleased to have the two young Swiss girls tell me that they found it exhausting too. They were half my age, fit and much better swimmers. I wouldn’t do it again; I am cured of doing scary thing challenges! Nice shallow snorkeling around the house lagoon reef for me was the answer.

Other neat things that happened though were dolphins around our wharf and flying fish alongside our boat on one of our fishing trips. We did three fishing trips and I caught fish on the two of them. On the last trip I got five fish not very big ones but it was fun. We also saw some beautiful sunsets and sun rises on the fishing boat.

We went into Male one afternoon and did some tourist shopping. I needed a new sarong you can’t get them in Doha. I found some pretty ones as well as a few other little mementos. Male however is best avoided for any length of time it is just an overcrowded city.

Maldives however is a magic place and the island was so relaxing. I have one of Steve’s underwater photos as my desktop picture on my laptop so that I can remember and relax on stressful work days.

Makunudu Island -Maldives

The airport is one long island on its own and we were meet by the Island reps and taken by boat to Makunudu, a 45 minute speedboat ride. We watched little and big atolls go passed. One had the bungalows out in the water. When we arrived at Makunudu we were met by the local hotel concierge and a timid German called Josephine who had the job of looking after guests for a week. I had asked for one of the first four bungalows as, on the web, Steve had read that they had the best beaches and snorkeling and we got number five to that was cool.

It’s a nice room with a sort of outside bathroom and a comfy bed and little seating area. Best of all you walk out to you own little beach area with loungers, deck chair, shade or sun, sparkling white sand and clear blue sea. I could feel the tension leaving me. As you will guess I pulled my lounger into the shade and watched the water before having my first swim and trial snorkel on the waves.

First photo looking into our room. It also had a cool bathroom that was sort of open at the top.

This second photo is from the door (if you have your back to the view in the first photo, looking out towards the beach. You can see the bush, which included coconut trees, and you can see my lounger and deck chair nestled into shady area. It was then just a short stroll to the sea which as well as being crystal clear was a lovely temperature. Just bliss.

Leaving Doha for our Eid holiday

Well we got to the airport in plenty of time as it was the Eid holiday I thought it might be busier, luckily it had settled down from the hectic place on Thursday 25 when loads of people left the country for the 10 day holiday. It was just as well we got there early as the hassles began!

I had booked on-line some months ago, I think in April or May and paid by credit card. All that was good I had checked on-line during the week and the booking was there still. I had downloaded the confirmation and was feeling confident when we arrived. The seating was a bit stuffed up and Steve and I were sitting in separate seats for the 4 ½ hour flight. I wasn’t that happy but they won’t/couldn’t change it. Then came the crunch,”Have you got the credit card you booked this with?” I was asked, well not I hadn’t. I had seen it on my credit card bill and knew it had gone through and I had paid off the credit card. As bad luck would have it I had taken a different credit card with and left the one I needed at home. I hadn’t taken two cards as hey we were going to be on an island for a week.

Well they weren’t going to let us fly as I couldn’t tell them my other card number. So I had to go and see the main airline desk and leave Steve at check in. As you can imagine I was not very happy. The upshot was I had to pay for the tickets again with another card so we could leave!!!!! Yes it defies logic but there you have it..

Airlines have you by the short and curlies so no amount of this is “madness or other airlines don’t do this” worked. They reckon that they only do this in Doha, as there is a lot of credit card fraud. I had to reply with, “So what you are saying is that I might have fraudulently use my on credit card, in my own name, to pay for a flight I am travelling on, in my own name with my own passport and Qatar ID card which I have with me?” This was meet with blank stares. I paid again.

So things could only get better and they did. After a fairly average flight on which we were offered the choice of “chicken or mutt-ton”, on inquiring what “mutt-ton was” my Italian travelling companions were told it is like beef, Steve’s fellow passenger was told it was like a little goat that had grown into a big one (I had chicken) we arrived in the beautiful Maldives.

PS When I got back I hot footed down to the airline with the original card they did refund the extra payment

Iftar at the Ritz Carlton

Thought it was time for an update. Work has been SO busy that looking at a computer again at the end of a long day has not been a happy prospect. However we have done some fun things. We had a staff do last Thursday. At the end of the days fasting in Ramadan there is a feast called Iftar. About 40 of us booked to go to the Ritz Carlton Iftar which starts at 8.30pm. This is the major meal after a smaller snack when the sun goes down about 6pm. We went to this last
year as well and it is great. The huge ballroom area is done out like a tent but
with chandeliers and all manner of beautiful decorations. There is entertainment
and all sorts of food at a never ending buffet

There was a band and singers, all Arabic music and the same whirling dervish as last year. He has a colourful costume and looks like one of those whirling tops we had as kids when he spins around. If you go to Turkey and see the Whirling Dervishes they all wear white but this chaps costume is spectacular in its colour. The first photo is a "still" dervish so you get an idea of his costume and the second is the "whirling" model!

I had a henna design on my hand and many of the team held a falcon for the first time. The photo is of our consultants, Hazel, her feathered friend and the chap that has the falcon for us to play with! We also had shiesha pipes which are fun to smoke but you don't need a photo of me doing that! However the tobacco was grape flavoured and very pleasant. Oh and I did share it with my friend Gaye.

It was a very, very nice night that went on until about midnight when we dragged our weary and very full bodies home.

We are now heading towards our Eid holiday break and the Emir has extended it until 6 October for which I am very grateful. So 25 September - 6 October is a hoilday which we all deserve.

Visiting the hairdressers

Well this week I got my hair cut, not such a biggie in NZ but it is here. It takes a while to find someone you trust and then train them to cut your hair and do it the way you want. I have been going to Marie-Claire a French lady at her salon Coiffure Francois for a while now. She is OK not as good as my lovely Susan at Upper Kutt in NZ. We have a lot of ooh la la's while she is doing things and the styles are different too. She tends to cut with weird scissors and a razor thing that seems to scrap the hair rather than cut it. I had a perm on the top part of my hair as I do in NZ. Here they attach a machine to one of the curling rods, put on a cap and then stick you under a dryer! Feeling rather like a turkey being cooked , you are processed until the buzzer goes off and then evidently you are cooked enough to have the rest of the process done! Can't say I like it, I think it is hard on the hair but that's the way it is done here. The results are usually OK but still not as good as NZ. At the moment it is so hot here that there is very little cold water through the taps, as the water tanks are on the roof in the sun. The hairdresser uses bottled water to rinse your hair ;-) One nice thing about having your hair done is that you can have a pedicure and / or manicure at the same time - most enjoyable.
The photo was taken in my office space at work but that's about to change as we are having two separate office spaces made so its a bit more private. As Jean and other office staff who have worked with me know I will have trouble staying in a separate office I like company!!

A typical weekend

Well what did all you guys get up to over the weekend? Here is a fairly typical weekend for me at the moment. This Friday morning - Steve brings my breakfast in to me (yes he is sweet!) and then I get up to go to the airport to meet the new person who arrives on EK 841 from Dubai. Remember that Friday is the first day of our weekend, the working week starts Sunday. I stand by the wooden railing by the arrivals gate looking for the kiwi who resembles their passport photo. I am quite good at spotting kiwi teachers! They all look exhausted as they have just survived a flight with stopovers that takes over 24 hours.

Luckily the plane is on time and the luggage is there. I bundled them out of the airport and they experience THE HEAT! It is a balmy 47 ish a the moment and we also have humidity. This comes as quite a shock after they have left the NZ winter. I always drive them along the Corniche so that the see the green part of Qatar and the water because they will soon come to realise the rest of it is brown and flat ( with sand hills one end). However the building old and new are amazing and the place has real character not all glass and steel big city stuff.

We arrive at their apartment, get them settled, hook up the computer, explain the cell phone, give them a starter pack of information and give them some time to refresh before we take them out. We have also put some food etc in the apartments so that they can have cuppas and not worry about shopping straight away.

I have a break for an hour with a friend. I fill up with some water as we can't drink in public. Next it's back to Wesal apartments (that I can't help but call Weasel) and picked up Hazel and two other ladies that started during the week to take for an orientation drive. There are two purposes in this the first is so they can see a bit of Doha and the second is to keep them awake. If they sleep too early the jet lag sets in and it takes longer to get back into a routine.

I drive out to the golf club, walk them around the Dip Club and get a membership form if they think they would like to join. This weekend I went up to Al Khor so they could see the wharf, dhows and sea front their. No camels around though:-(
This photos shows the fishing dhows lined up at Al Khor wharf.

Back to the city, across to Villagio and Khalifa Stadium and then home. Next usually a bit of grocery shopping. Unfortunately it is Ramadan so we can't get a coffee. Then I dropped them back at their apartments. It was home for me to have a Nana nap!

Saturday I race around doing the things I need to do, get some groceries for me. I came home to do a bit of work and another friend, who is a consultant, rang and asked me to take her to the hospital as she wasn't feeling well. While going to the hospital sounds serious it is where the doctors hang out so that's where we go. An hour and a half later we are back, tea is cooking (thanks Steve for getting it started - yes he is sweet) and my friend Gaye is coming around for tea.

Now where did that weekend go because gosh it is work tomorrow!!

Ramadan in Qatar

Well its the 1st of September and Ramadan has begun in Doha. So today all Muslims fast for dawn until dusk. This is a very long time especially in these summer months. The first call to pray is just before 4am so the first meal of the day must be eaten before then. They do not eat or drink again until after the fast is broken at evening prayer which is about 6pm. No one is allowed to eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan and all food outlets are shut until the evening. It a way it is like the country becomes nocturnal.



My friend Osama wrote this for our team and it helps give us a good understanding of this special time.

"The month of Ramadan - Ramadan Al-Mubarak (The Blessed) is the ninth month of the Hijri year. It is singled out for acts of worship and fasting because the first verse of the Qur’an was revealed to Mohammed (Peace be upon him), The Prophet, in the month of Ramadan, during a period of meditation and solitude in a cave near Mecca. The Muslim year is comprised of 12 lunar months and the calendar begins with the year 622 AD, when Mohammed (Peace be upon him) and his followers left Mecca and went to live in Medina. This event is called the Hijra (migration). As there are only 354 days in 12 lunar months, the Muslim year begins 11 days earlier every year comparing to the solar calendar.

For Muslims, Ramadan means four weeks of total abstinence from food, drink, smoking and continence in all other aspects from dawn until sunset. It also calls for more prayers and meditation. Only the sick, the infirm, nursing mothers, pregnant women and travelers are exempt, but they are expected to make up the lost days at some other time during the year before the following Ramadan arrives. Muslims, who for one reason or another, do not fast, tend to show self-restraint and modify their habits in private as well as public.

Ramadan is also a month of charity and compassion. Alms are given to the poor. Relatives and friends are gathered till the early hours of the morning. Special food and sweetmeats are prepared for breaking the fast each evening throughout the month. Ramadan as a spiritual exercise in endurance and self-discipline imposes considerable strain on those who fast, especially in the hotter weather. It is therefore important for those who are not required to fast to understand the significance of this religious occasion and appreciate the social and religious implications associated with it. It is important that the Ramadan values and practices be understood by all non-Muslims in the community.

During Ramadan one should take particular care with modest dress. Also, store hours will be altered, usually opening later in the morning and with evening hours extended until quite late. Driving can get a little erratic, particularly just before the breaking of the fast. There is a distinct drop in morning traffic, but the late afternoon and night time traffic becomes unmanageable at times. Restaurants will not sell liquor during this time and most are closed during the daylight hours, except in some of the hotels."



So we are also trying our best to support our Muslim colleagues and we don't eat or drink in our work places. The school day is shortened to 8am to 1pm and nearly shops including the malls are closed until 8pm. You can do grocery shopping but you can't eat or go to a cafe during the day.

This photo is of one of my favourite mosques it is out by the Diplomatic Club and a lovely building.

Later in Ramadan we will all go out for a Iftar meal. This is the meal at night that breaks the fast. It is a like a big party and starts at 8pm and can go on to 1am but that is the subject of another blog.

Newbies in Qatar

At the moment we are meeting new staff as they arrive in Doha. Teachers start in schools next week so our teams have a full week of PD to run and students start the next week. We have 11 new schools to support and this is there first year of operation as Independent Schools. We work on the theory no choas on day one!

As new staff arrive we meet them at the airport and take them to their apartments. After time to shower and refresh we take them out for a drive

to look around and try to get their bearings. This also keeps them awake after the long flight from NZ. We always go along the Corniche (1st picture) as this shows them the green part of Qatar! I remember our friend Mike Baines saying when he visited that the country is so brown and so flat and he's right.

Then we go up north to the Doha Golf Club ( more green, second photo.) Next we cirlcle back past the Diplomatic Club and show them that. Most of us a members there . A stop for lunch somewhere follows and some grocery shopping is usually enough for the first day.

So as you can see Steve and I have variety in our work its not just education consultancy and administration it is also tourism, HR, mum and dad, driver etc etc.

Back In Qatar

Hi my web-footed New Zealand friends. I am having my first go at doing a blog - I might never be able to find it again but hey its all new learning.

So while you guys have been having cold, rain, floods and land slides we have been having heat! The temperature reads 36 C, humidity 63% feels like 48, and it does! The dust storms that we had during June and some of July have finished and the days are hot and some very humid. You know how humid when you get out of the car and you glasses fog up. when driving at night you get condensation on the outside of the car window!

It is amazing that we have ( with a six month gap in the last part of 2006) completed two years in Qatar. The place feels like home when you get off the plane and see all the familiar sights.