Posts from September 2007

So today I met Marguerite van Geldermalsen. She's an unasuming and quiet woman, thin, with a wise and weathered face. I didn't recognize her at first because the photos in her book are about 20 years old. I had the privelage of sitting next to her at lunch before she gave us an informal talk about her book and the experiences that brought her to finally writing this memoir.

In a nutshell, it is the tale of how a young twenty-something woman from New Zealand found herslef married to a Bedouin. Are you shocked yet? You should be.

What made my meeting her even more extraordinary was the connection I was able to make with her. I don't think I can find the words to properly express the nature of my mind when I travel. But she knew...she knew exactly....and I understood her equally as well. Someone at my table asked her a question about one of her many adventures. Rather than some long winded reply she gave a little shrug of the shoulders and made a small noise as her eyebrows lifted in a smile. It was priceless.

an excerpt from her book:
" Taking the chance often was [infinetly more interesting]. It didn't even occur to me to nervous on this occassion. I suppose we were two and he was small but I don't think that even crossed my mind. We were looking for adventure and we were finding it."

If you're curious to learn more: www.marriedtoabedouin.com

Things that would make me super happy right now:

1. Two or three TV channels in English.

2. 9 consecutive hours of sleep.

3. A nice cold Dr. Pepper.

4. A piano.

5. An attractive (to me) man sitting on my sofa rubbing my knees as they drape across his lap.

6. That same man then massaging my scalp.

7. Getting my teeth cleaned.

8. Being acknowledged.

9. Plants in my apartment.

10. Holding my nephews.

11. A hug from a friend.

I've been sick for 2 days now. Nothing momentuous, just a standard cold. Well, I think I actually had a mild fever yesterday too. Anyway, it's nothing to really keep me out of work. So I drag my ass out of bed this morning, get dressed, put everything I need in my bag for the day, pack up my computer, get in the car (I usually walk over but I thought I had a massage today so I was going to leave right from my office). As I pull up I realize the parking lot is quite empty. It's 10am so it should be overflowing. Hmmmm. Right, THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S SATURDAY YOU FOOL!!!!

Yah, I thought it was Sunday already. Maybe I was excited to be off duty. Maybe the fever burned a few more brain cells than I could spare. Anyway, back home now, on the sofa, curled up in a blanket. I'll still do some work since I'm awake right now. The sofa's not a bad place to do light work.

On a completely different note, I just want to tell you all how much I really love the Blue October album Foiled. I like that the songs are so different from each other. The lyrics express these great emotions and I just REALLY get them. I like that feeling.

Last weekend I was invited to lunch by a Qatari colleague of mine. She and her family offered us a traditional lunch, which is served family style on the floor. It was such a great experience to go into their home and share this with them.


Here we are preparing to dig in!




The food was delicious. That orange looking thing in the right corner is actually the burned rice from the bottom of the pot. Apparently it is rude to not serve every bit of what was prepared in the kitchen.




Dessert was a type of cheesecake served with Qatari coffee. It looks like tea, tasted like bland green tea, but having the two together balanced each other well.




After that we were served actual tea. You can get fancy sugar cubes here. Different colours or even some with other flavors mixed in, like mint or cinnammon.




Once we finished with the meal they brought in an "aoud". It's a special type of incense. It is used to cleanse you after the meal. It smells nice but burned my eyeballs.




After we are cleansed, it's time for perfume! Yah. It's something you can't miss when you're walking around an Arab country, they looooove their perfume.

• I had a dream I slapped someone in the face in the middle of a party. I didn't realize just how satisfying this drama move could be.

• Enjoy the photos. I really wish you could be here to experience them live.

driving around town


on the corniche, view of downtown


electricity street (in the old part of town) name so because it was the first street to get electricity in doha


sunset on campus...i really must head out for more desert sunsets


i told you about the gondola rides at villagio mall


carey look what i found at the grocery!


dinner at a lebanese joint in the old souq


down by the old souq

• I'm getting a massage tomorrow.

• I can't wait for above mentioned massage.

• I can't wait because I'm in tremendous pain, as a result of my worn out mattress.

• I inquired and they are going to buy me a new mattress :)

• I'm watching Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run)

• It makes me miss my fun coloured hair badly.

• All this talk of hair lately makes me miss Lilho.

• I'm going to buy plants at the plant souq this weekend.

• I'm going to buy paint and supplies to start painting my apartment as well.

• I think I'm going to paint the following quote on one of my walls: "Highly developed spirits often encounter resistance from mediocre minds" - Albert Einstein.

• I think Theecarey will understand what I mean with that quote.

I live with my hair. It clings to my scalp with relentless force. I twirl my fingers through it every single day, I tie it up off my hot neck every single day, I SEE it every single day. However, it still managed to surprise me when I saw my profile. My hair is getting long! Remember when you first met me?




2 years and about 25 haircuts later.....

I took this morning's quiet street time as an opportunity to practice driving. Friday is the Muslim holy day so everyone is at mosque. It's usually when you see all the expats buying groceries so as to avoid the mobs. I'm proud to say I only got a 'little' lost for a 'little' while. I should probably give myself more credit that than sounds like. I mean it is difficult to navigate streets (with no names) that don't exactly match the maps available to you.

My journey included locating my aunt and uncle's villa (successfully) and then making my way to the Villagio Mall to get some groceries. One day I'll take pics inside the mall but it's hard with so many people around. The ceiling is painted to look like a soft blue sky dotted with clouds. They also have a pool river that you can take gondola rides in, which is weird but fun.



One of the many crazy roundabout signs



This road makes me think it's some kind of alien landing strip.



Lexington Co-op goes international :)



Date trees are everywhere! They stick to your shoes too.



The 'Doha Nights' series continues...

Maintenance came and scrubbed down my AC units and replaced the filters. A-men! It was yucky and smelled like moth balls. Every time I walked in my door I felt like I was entering some little old lady's house. I put air fresheners everywhere but they were no match for the stink. While I was talking to the team leader, he informed me part of the reason some of them start to smell bad is because AC units are connected to the toilet lines. Mmmmmm. :)

Supposedly there are points during the year when you can turn off the AC and breathe fresh air. I'm excited about that! I go through so much lotion here. Care package ideas people: send Body Shop Body Butter!!!

I'm still waiting for the official go ahead with my mailing address but I will share it just as soon as it's confirmed. I'm in need of fan mail. There's nothing more comforting than getting snail mail, especially when you're eight million miles away from everything you know. Even if it shows up a year later, right @ajay? Ha-ha.

So, this afternoon I'll make a run to the store and buy some smellers to shove in my newly cleaned units. I do love the scent of spiced apples. It's all cozy and feels good on the olfactory senses.

I miss SPOT coffee. Starbucks is everywhere here, which is ok, but their caramel macchiato just doesn't taste the same. Care package ideas people: send SPOT coffee beans!

I miss you all. I hope to arrange a party for the next time I'm in Buffalo. That might not be until April 08....but it's never too soon to plan the greatest spectacle on earth! Ciao.

So I came across this poem (suicide note). I thought it was fascinating. I was trying to find an entry I wrote last year where I talked about my depression and the battle for my soul because it practically parallels this poem. I guess that's why this struck such a cord with me when I read it. What's more, this was written by an Egyptian man about 4,000 years ago! They found it (written on papyrus) during an archeological dig. Isn't that amazing? How much life, as we know it, has changed in 4,000 years - yet the human condition maintains. In the end, we still need that affection, that contact from our own kind, which enables us to be at peace with ourselves. I'm not lonely but I certainly feel alone right now.

Lo my name reeks
Lo, more than carrion smell
On summer days of burning sky...

Lo, my name reeks
Lo, more than that of a sturdy child
Who is said to belong to one
Who rejects him...

To whom shall I speak today?
Brothers are mean
One goes to strangers for affection...

To whom shall I speak today?
I am burdened with grief
For lack of an intimate...

Death is before me today
Like a sick man's recovery
Like going outdoors after confinement...

Death is before me today
Like a man's longing to see his home
When he has spent many years in captivity