Happy Eid

Ramadan is over! Now it's Eid. Eid Al-Fitr. Translated it means the Festival of Breaking the Fast. Now, keep in mind that there have been feasts every night during Ramadan. You fast all day, then feast when the sun goes down. Now, now that Ramadan is over, you get to feast again.

And what's interesting about Eid is that you have to wait on the moon sightings to know when it starts. So we found out late last night that Eid had started and there would be no school today. It's like that. No one knows until it starts. Not a firm date on the calendar.

And it reminds me of Christmas, because all the stores close for Eid. The shopping during the days leading up to Eid - just like Christmas. Lines of cars at the malls, at night, no less. Traffic jams around the souqs and malls.

So, my husband is off work until next Sunday. My kids are home from school until next Monday. We should have been travelling, but because of delays in getting residence permit, we weren't able to find any hotels with available space. And we looked: Lebanon, Cyprus, Oman, Istanbul. Everyone travels during Eid, everyone, that is, except us. But we have some neighbors here and other new expats who didn't get RP in time, either. So it's party time in Doha!

Oh, and last, but certainly not least, Starbucks is open again. And I can take my water to the pool. And I can go out to lunch. All things for which I have been patiently waiting.

EID MUBARAK!
Kathryn knows how to write this in Arabic - cool, huh?

Shopping in Doha

My neighbor, Jacqui, has taken me under her wing and shown me some very cool places to shop. My favorites so far have been the Indian furniture stores. It's like puttering around the old antique shops in Warrenton and Canton. The Indian places are not antiques, but they have the most fascinating pieces of furniture. Odd and beautiful at the same time.

Anyway, you know how you have to make that first purchase? To get going? I did today. A lovely box to put by my bedside. I've always loved boxes, since I was little, and this one just said "buy me!" So I bought it and have it now upstairs. It's a big box, too, perfect for filling up with treasures.

I also put a piece on hold, for my anonymous husband to "okay" before I bring it home. Honestly, it won't be long before I'm buying without asking first. There is no stopping me, now.

No more Houston worrying

NOW everyone I know has power. What a long, long process. Thank God for cell phones, especially the cool red ones that worked throughout the storm.

Now if anyone knows how to set up wireless in Doha - I'd be much obliged. If anyone knows how to fix my Skype headphones, I'd be further obliged. If anyone wants to pay for Tim Raebig to fly to Doha, I'd owe you the world.

No word on sea shipment. Just waiting and waiting. My husband, who has forbidden me to use his name or the company he works for on this blog, will not appreciate my increased shopping as we wait and wait for all of our goodies. I need more plates, forks, sheets, towels - you name it, I need it. I do dishes and laundry ALL THE TIME.

Not everyone does have power

So, until then, no Celebration music. I'm commiserating from afar, again.

Finally, Power to the People

It finally happened. Everyone I know in Houston has their power back. It's been a long time coming. Congratulations to Caroline and her new baby Lillie and my other friend Jamie and her new baby, Brody.

Did you all know Ramadan ends soon? September 30th, I believe. There's a liquor permit in our future. We've run out of wine and are low on gin (all bought by others, for us) and are having to mooch off of neighbors. Thank goodness they like to share.

Our sea shipment may be coming soon - it's been 8 weeks here without all of our stuff. And, more importantly, when Ramadan ends, Starbucks at the mall will be open again. Now, if I could just get Sonic to open up in Doha, I'll have almost everything I need.

Ike still haunting me, 1000 miles away

I've been amazed at how much this hurricane has affected me from so far away. It reinforces the fact that we no longer call Spring, Texas home. All this week, as I have met with other expats, all of whom have some connection to Houston, we have talked about Ike and its powerful aftermath. It is a constant topic of discussion at gatherings.

How I wish for all the mess to be cleaned up. How I wish for normalcy in Houston. And I'm not even there. But it affects people I know and that affects me. I look online every day for status reports of school reopenings and power timelines. It's all I can do - there's no other way for me to feel helpful. So I pray and spend countless hours online looking for progress. I try to touch base by cell phone, landline or email and make sure all is well. It's hard, I know, for those of you living without power. But it's coming, one of these days. It has to.

Hugs to Houston

A big hug to all our friends and family in Houston, living through the mess of Hurricane Ike. Please know that I have watched from afar, prayed for you and cried for you. I have been sick about not being there to help, but am so thankful everyone is safe. I can't wait for each of you to have your power back, phones back, and email back! I miss all of you.

Back to School for the Boys

Today, Sunday, September 7, my boys got to start school. You would think I'd be jumping for joy, but when your baby goes off to big Kindergarten, well, tears are bound to be shed. Kindergarten! Full-day Kindergarten. I could hardly contain myself when we left.

Scott has had the good fortune to be assigned a class with all 3 of his friends he's made here already. So he was ready for school. "I don't usually like to go to school, Mom, but I'm ready to go to school." Excellent!

John has the nicest teacher. Here are John's pictures:

Oops - battery ran out in camera. My only pictures are on my (cheap) phone. Don't know how to email them to myself. Typical 3rd child scenario - no pictures.

Everyone had a good day. Small problem with the afternoon bus, in that, well - it wasn't there after school. No problem. Get on another bus. Let that bus take the kids to the right bus at some random roundabout. I have been completely against my 10 year-old getting a cell phone, but now I am thinking it may be a very good idea.

As for me, I spent the day getting my permanent driver's license. Oh - so many people in a not very big room. Fun times, but check one more "to do" item off the list.

Iftar Dinner

Iftar is the breaking of the daily fast during Ramadan. Large dinners and feasts shared with family and friends. So in Doha, each of the hotels hosts an Iftar dinner during Ramadan and we were invited to go with our Finnish neighbors and their 3 children.

This is Scott and Alecks, who just found out this week, they will be in the same class. Yea! (Don't mind Alecks' hair - he was having fun before we left.)

Kaylie getting her hand painted with henna, a Middle Eastern tradition. When it dries and flakes off, the dye from the henna remains for a while.

Alright - when in Rome, do as the Romans do. That's the rule - so I had to try the shisha, a very common sight in Doha. It's like a water pipe. This one was VERY mild with a strawberry smoke flavor. My neighbors ordered this, by the way, but I'm game for anything.

Dinner didn't start until 8:30 - way late for my kids. Poor John ended up falling asleep in his chair, but of course the Benadryl he had to take for an itchy mouth didn't help. We are really trying to stay on top of his peanut/chickpea allergy here.

Falconry is a big sport in the Middle East. The kids loved seeing this falcon (or hawk? What's the difference - someone google that for me, please) at the dinner.

Good food, new friends, new experiences. This is why we moved. Ramadan Kareem!

It's Official!

We are legal residents of Qatar now. We have arrived. This is evidenced by the receipt of our Residency Permits, which you have to have to do almost anything in Qatar. Now we can buy alchohol (well, apply for liquor permit so we can buy it ourselves), have a cell phone contract, apply for a permanent driver's license, register cars. And the process of getting this RP (as we expats call it) was not fun (chest xrays, blood typing, HIV tests, all done with the rest of humanity moving to Qatar.) So it's done! This is a cause for celebration! Pass me the gin.