Summer Days in Qatar

Estoy en Espana

2007-06-03T16:38:00.000+03:00

Hola!
So, Summer is not in Doha anymore.....
I have finished my 2 years in Doha, and I will soon start Medical School at the University of Washington. Some friends/family have requested an update on my summer travel plans, and this is the best I can do:

Until June 11th I will be in Spain
From June 11th until June 14th or 15th, I will be visiting Ithaca. I'm looking forward to exploring some of my old haunts (eating mintchip Purity IceCream and running in the plantations), visiting a professor or two, and hopefully seeing some of the students from Qatar doing summer research.
From June 15th until June 25th or so, I will be in Iowa.
Then Idaho, Montana, Las Vegas, California, and some places in between. I plan to see family and friends along the way and visit some national parks.
School starts August 10th.

Hopefully I'll see some of you along the way. I'll try and write a couple more Qatar posts, and then my already sporadic blog posting will cease.

Thanks for reading!

McDonalds - so good, even the cow looks happy.

2007-05-26T11:58:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone. This McDonalds advertisement made me laugh out loud in the theater when I saw it yesterday. It was my second time to see it as it plays just before the movie previews. I even considered going to the theater early to be sure to catch it, and I cheered a bit when it came on.

You can watch the commercial at the McDonald's Qatar Website
Scroll down on the page and select the first box under "Quality"

Other than the cow appearing to be happy, I find the commercial both amusing and disturbing for the way it advertises the freshest, highest quality meats (100%), dairy, and vegetables, just like you'd serve to your own family.

Enjoy! I'm off to get a Big Mac!

My night as a Qatari

2007-05-10T14:27:00.000+03:00

Last weekend WCMC-Q students, faculty and staff celebrated International night. The celebration consisted of attendees dressing up in either their own or someone else’s national dress. The purpose was to celebrate diversity, as the past 3 entering classes have students from over 25 countries!

My co-worker (Jenn) and I decided that after 2 years in Qatar, we would dress in abayahs (black robe) and sheilas or hijab (head scarves). This is the national dress for women of several Arab countries including Qatar but also of Saudi Arabia. Knowing that we couldn’t pull it off ourselves, we enlisted the help of the lovely Arwa, one of our students from Saudi.

When we arrived at Arwa's dormitory, she was running around like mad trying to get us all ready, but managed to take the time to serve us Arabic Coffee and dates.

We then watched her carefully iron our abayahs and hold them over the incense burner to make them smell pretty. Another student applied our thick eyeliner. Many women here, with only their faces or even just their eyes showing, wear heavy make-up, particularly around their eyes. After 15 minutes filled with giggling and being stabbed in the eye with an eyeliner brush, I looked like this:
Also completing the outfit, 3 inch strappy heals and a handbag. Both necessities, I am told.
Here is a photo of Rama (from Syria, wearing Moroccan national dress), Me, Arwa, and Jenn, ready for the night out:
The night was full of dancing, skits, and yummy food(lots of sushi!). However, the most interesting and worthwhile part of the evening for me was realizing how it feels to actually wear an abayah and hijab. Seeing the women walk around the streets and malls, gliding gracefully in their heals with yards of fabric flowing around their legs and ankles, I thought it would be easy.

HA!

I must have tripped 3-4 times in the first hour getting in and out of the car, sitting down to eat, and just walking around. Also, I could not, for the life of me, keep my headscarf on. Even with a pin! I had it arranged and rearranged at least 15 times by my experienced Muslim students. They kept laughing about how different I looked, and one student even remarked “you are so cute, I can tell it is your first time!” Everyone within earshot laughed at this as Muslim girls usually begin covering at the onset of puberty, and I suppose they spend a couple of weeks trying to figure out how to wear everything just right.

I wanted to be respectful of the dress, and I tried to be sure not to let my hair show. However, it became evident to me on several occasions throughout the evening that my diligence was not necessary as I am not Muslim and have made no commitments to dress accordingly (observe hijab).

For example, early on in the evening, Arwa told us we shouldn’t wear hijab because our hair “is so pretty.” Also, several of the girls who adjusted my hijab throughout the evening would push it off my forehead to show my bangs, or just drape it casually over the top of my head with half my hair showing, insisting I looked prettier that way.

Me, getting my headscarf fixed for the 10th time:
Some of the male TAs dressed as Qataris too, and they also had difficulties with their attire. Here is a photo of Jenn helping Jad, with me pointing and laughing (I'm so rude):

Next, a photo of Chris and me (I'm the one on the left). Chris is dressed as an American. In particular, an American living abroad who has only 5 changes of clothes and doesn't like to shave, iron, or do laundry.

Chris gave me a ride home, and before getting in the car I made sure to remove my headscarf. I didn't want to get in trouble as an unmarried Qatari female driving around with such a sketchy looking Western boy. ;-P Just kidding....

Photos of the first years:

Dancing:

Qatari girls, giving us a glimpse of part of a wedding ceremony:

Anticipatory Aggression (read: Doha Driving)

2007-04-10T09:00:00.000+03:00

One of my friends referred to driving in Doha as "anticipatory aggression"

I find I like this expression. At times frightening, at other times thrilling, Doha driving has improved my overall skills behind the wheel. Occasionally, I feel like I'm in a video game.
I have learned the following:

I can now change lanes without checking the blind spot with massive head motion as I am constantly checking all mirrors to look for oversized land cruisers or hummers approaching or bearing down on me at 145 km/hr (around 90 miles/hr) in all lanes.
While checking mirrors constantly, I also somehow manage to keep my eyes focused ahead for men dashing across the road in front of me, other vehicles swerving into my lane when the cars in theirs are moving too slow or crashing, and construction cones or potholes that appear suddenly and without warning.
Although now not afraid to use my horn to suggest others not side-swipe or bump me while merging or changing lanes in traffic circles, I have also developed the use of "alternative signals". When I want to merge, I toss my long blond hair, signal "stop" with my right or left hand depending on my target, and gently merge while smiling at the other driver. If needed, I'll roll down the window in order to toss the hair out and smile.
I am no longer afraid to drive up a shoulder or over a curb if needed in my tiny Mitsubishi lancer. Although this may seem rude or like I'm a careless rule-breaker, it really is the norm here, and I'm confident it has saved me hours of time stuck in traffic.
The use of flashing high beams (brights). Drivers flash brights either to A) let you know you are going too slow and to get the #$%# out of their way, B) to let you know that you may merge into their lane, or C) to warn you that there is no chance they will allow you to merge into their lane. Understandably confusing, the key is knowing which suggestion they are making. Believe it or not, it has slowly become second nature to me, and my interpretations are as follows:

A) is obvious - a car approaching from behind flashing brights wants you to move out of their lane, no matter if the lane next to you is blocked or you are approaching astop anyhow.
B) rarely happens, but is readable if the car is moving at a steady pace, stopped, or slowing down. Or, if you are female and the other driver is male, there is a good chance he'll let you in.
C) If the other driver flashes brights and then aggressively moves forward 3 inches or so, glares at you, or speeds up - don't try it!

If you don't believe that these skills I've acquired might be helpful to me here, please read this address from OSAC, the Overseas Security Advisory Council, which inspired this post:

"Driving in Qatar is likened to participating in an extreme sport; drivers often maneuver erratically and at high speed, demonstrate little road discipline or courtesy, fail to turn on their headlights during hours of darkness or inclement weather, and do not use seat belts - all resulting in a high vehicular accident rate (in excess of 70,000 annually). In fact, traffic fatalities are Qatar's leading cause of death (estimates are in excess of 130 annual foreigner deaths and in excess of 300 annual Qatari deaths)."

Some of the favorite "maneuvers" I have witnessed:

a land cruiser taking the roundabout at 150 km/hour on its two left wheels.
when caught in heavy traffic due to road work, cars cutting across three lanes of traffic, hopping the median, and then cutting off cars in the opposite-moving lanes to escape.
when left turn lanes are "too long", cars will go through the straight lane only to turn left, cutting off several others.
Drivers so impatient that they will move into the median or shoulder, pass two cars, and then merge back in. They will do this repeatedly, whether stopped in traffic or not.
When traffic slows or stops, many drivers will move into the side streets, traveling at two - two and a half times the speed they should in order to move up in the line of cars 100 meters or so.

I could really go on and on about this, and so I will stop now. I'm not sure which skills I will take home with me, but I hope not to terrify too many of you.
Doha Driving amuses us all endlessly, and I'm confident it will provide stories to tell for many years. The best part about the driving though....
although a generous police force exists, I've never heard of anyone being pulled over for traffic violations or given parking tickets. A camera may take a photo of your license plate if speeding, and a ticket will be mailed to you. That is all. Wild.

Chris Jones recently posted about parking in Doha, which is also entertaining.
http://prufrockstar.org

I'm a fool for foule!

2007-04-05T13:45:00.000+03:00

Oh Foule! How do I love thee? You are the food I crave most when away from Doha, the food I want every time I feel very hungry, and the food that tastes best when combined with oil, sweat, and grime.

I write it foule, but it is actually spelled "foul" and pronounced like "fool"

What is foul? Only the most delicious bean dish on the planet. It is actually fava beans, ground up with olive oil and tahini, and then sprinkled with a variety of spices.
The preparation varies depending on the country you are in or who makes it, but the best foul I've had in Doha is from a small restaurant along what we call "restaurant row". Our favorite dish is the foul mix, which is as described above, but also "mixed" with cheese, boiled egg, and diced tomatoes. MMMMMmmmm....
Also found near the foul restaurant are schwarma and felafel stands, a samosa hut, and delicious arabic mezza shops with mutabel, hummus, cheese bread, zatar bread, and so much more. I've been known to eat there (as have the other TAs) 3-4 times/week.

FYI, when going out to get foul, one says "I'm going to foul," or if feeling social, "want to go to foul?" The restaurant does have a name and even produced a menu with English translations recently, but seeing as how it has the best foul anyone I know here has ever tried, I will continue calling the small blue shop with only three tables, 12 men cooking, and a large floor area for sitting with crossed legs "FOUL"

Some photos to whet your appetites:

Inside the restaurant.

FOUL MIX!!!!

Summer and Maga, last year.
I like to share with Maga because she eats the least.

WCMCQ People in August, 2006. Although appearing unhappy, Chris Jones loves foul too. It just got a bit uncomfortably close in there. Plus, everyone took his foul, and he felt like a fool. :(

Regular Foul (no mix) and the yummy veggies.

This will be licked clean, really.

A new Al Jazeera

2007-03-25T12:40:00.000+03:00

Some WCMC-Q students, professors, and TAs recently visited Al Jazeera English Television Station. It opened in November of 2006, and it appears to be off to a good start. Across from the original Arabic language Al Jazeera in a guarded compound near what is known as "TV" roundabout (hmmmm...where does that name come from), stands the brand new, state-of-the-art studio for Al Jazeera English.

Greeted by a representative of HR, we proceeded on our tour. Our guide did her job - telling us of Al Jazeera's mission, explaining how it was different from Arabic Al Jazeera, and expressing pride and satisfaction with her employer. Some in our group were, how shall I put it????.... Obnoxious. I felt the guide did a good job fielding their unfair and biased questions, and I hope the few did not leave a negative impression of the rest of Cornell and WCMC-Q

Anyhow, it was overall a good experience. I feel that the mission of Al Jazeera English - to be an unbiased newsource for the Middle East and eventually the world, although not yet perfect, is noble. What I find especially refreshing is that their homepage has headlines focusing on important events from around the world in an effort to inform and educate rather than entice and entertain.
For example, I'll give some "breaking news" headlines from different websites this week.

Al Jazeera English:
"US imposes fresh sanctions on Iran."
"Japan Quake triggers small tsunami"
"Hong Kong Tsang wins elections"
CNN:
"Woman guilty of killing boyfriend with antifreeze"
"Alice Cooper Judges Jailhouse rock stars"
"Anna Nicole Smith Diaries go fetch $512,500"
FOX:
Nintento "Wii catches on at Retirement Homes"
"Murdered Co-ed's body burned"

I don't think I need to comment further.
A link to the website:
http://english.aljazeera.net/English
And to their statement of ethics:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4B3ABFB8-9082-4B05-B399-7BF68D4A39D6.htm

Some shots from around the station

The Newsroom

A Picture of Doha Skyline on the largest NewsScreen in the World!The set-up Chris Jones wants to have for his.......um....future work.

The TAs last year went to Al Jazeera Arabic because one of the TAs made it on the news while being interviewed about co-education in Doha. We all benefited from her fame.

I'm just not meant to publish a blog....

2007-03-15T10:37:00.000+03:00

It is hard for me to believe I haven't written anything for 3 months. I feel terrible. There actually hasn't been much to report from Doha. After returning from my trips to Egypt, the U.S., and the Bahamas in January, everyday life in Doha has been great, but unfortunately would not be very interesting for most of you.
The best news ever: I was just accepted to the University of Washington Medical School. Yipppppeeeee Skipppppeeeeee!!!!
The University of Colorado Medical School had accepted me long ago, but I applied to Seattle because of the crazy costs at Colorado. After a $1,000 and 65-hour roundtrip flight, my interview experience could not have gone better. I found out I was accepted only one week after the interview, and did a sort of sob/laugh/cry/body-shake kinda thing around my living room. Then, I may have done a celebration dance. Maybe. :)
Thanks to all my friends, family, and teachers for your support.
With a discount of $120,000 over 4 years (almost a house!), and it being one of the best medical schools in the nation, I will be moving to Seattle rather than Denver in July.
Actually, my first year is in Moscow, Idaho. It will be nice after all this time away to live in a place that feels so much like home.

So, that is all I have to offer for an update my dears.
Perhaps in the following weeks, I'll write something interesting or clever and post some photos.

Red Sea, Mt Sinai, and the mouse

2006-12-09T16:39:00.000+03:00

Before I start, I want to tell family and friends to check out prufrockstar.org
This is a blog by Chris, and he did such a good job I'm electing not to write about Morocco or Luxor. Yeah....

OK - I think 32 hours with only 2 hours of broken sleep is not enough. Maybe, just maybe. Yesterday in Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula was beautiful. I spent a couple of my awake hours 20 meters under the sea surface observing the coral and sea life. How better to end a day like that than a pre-dawn hike of Mt. Sinai?

You know, Mt. Sinai - burning bush, ten commandments, Moses and all that.

Anyhow, Chris and I attempted to sleep some time in the evening after a seafood feast by the water. Unfortunately our lovely room has a third guest that we were not expecting - a cute little brown mouse. Well, I thought he was cute at first. Now he is really annoying and likes to play in plastic when we should all be sleeping. Alas, there was no sleep to be had before the journey to Mt Sinai that began at 11PM. Upon returning from the mountain at 12 noon (that's right, 13 hours later), the mousie is still very active and annoying.
Chris and I tried to live in harmony with the mouse, but he is just too noisy. After a day of diving, a night without sleep, 12 hours spent hiking 2300 meters and sitting in the frigid wind on top of a mountain waiting for the very slow sun to rise, and a bus ride made terrifying by the falling-asleep driver, the mouse needs to DIE! Yeah, I don't like to kill little mousies.....but we told the management (still a very lovely and peaceful guest house), and they apparently like to kill little mousies. So, here I sit in an internet cafe, giving the poor mousie a couple of hours to take the bait (some poison sprinkled on a tomato - I should have told them he likes cookies....) and kick it. Life is tragic.

I think Chris and I are not really looking forward to the 8 hour bus ride that will take us to the busy and chaotic Cairo tomorrow. However, I'm excited to see the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum, which houses many of the treasures that were once in the tombs we saw in Luxor.

I promise to post photos soon, and a story about the trek up Mt. Sinai. It was long and cold, but still beautiful. I'm happy to have sacrificed the sleep which I'm sure I'll get plenty of when back in the states.

Egypt

2006-12-05T19:05:00.000+03:00

Hello all! I realized my last post was not only ages ago, but it was pretty depressing.

So, on my way back to Idaho for the winter holidays (we have 8 weeks off from work - woo-hoo), I stopped in Egypt.

A short flight from Doha (3 hours), it was while waiting for my luggage when I first thought, "hmm...I could turn around, change my tickets, and go straight home right now"

However, I'm toughing it out and putting up with all the hassle of Egypt to see the amazing things that can be seen here. The first experience with the tradition of baksheesh (tipping) was experience by my boyfriend and travel companion, Chris. After walking through the passport line, another customs official stopped Chris and demanded a "tip". For what, we are not sure, but he seemed to be stopping all male tourists to ask the same. Egh.
We were bombarded with baksheesh requests pretty much every ten minutes after that, and it has not ceased. I'm getting very good at my "mean" looks. I'm learning to suppress my smiles and "no thankyous" to just - "NO!"
The scowl accompanied by the NO seems to work the best. People expect baksheesh for everything from pointing out a direction (even when not requested to do so) to opening a door or smiling at you. Also, we are constantly asked to check out a shop, take a boat/taxi/carriage ride, and occasionally followed down the street for some time.
This is all very frustrating and neither Chris nor I like the feeling of being on-guard at all times to resist the scams. But, we've been told it is unavoidable and must be experienced to enjoy all that Egypt has to offer.

That being said, we enjoyed the visit to the Valley of the Kings, where the pharoahs built tombs to protect their bodies and treasures until their souls returned. Unfortunately many of the tombs were raided by thieves throughout the years. Thus, we are walking the paths of thieves, both new and old.....
We visited the tombs of Ramses the III, IV, and IX. Unfortunately, the tomb of King Tut was not much to offer as all its treasures are in the Museum in Cairo.
We are currently in Luxor, enjoying the Nile and the many temples and museums. Today, I found the mummification museum quite enjoyable. There's nothing like a mummified cat or crocodile 3000 years old to put things in perspective.

Tomorrow, we are off to Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula to SCUBA dive in some of the best areas in the world, as well as climb Mt. Sinai and hear the voice of God....

Miss you all....

I can't believe I'm still alive!

2006-10-13T22:51:00.000+03:00

So.....I was looking at my blog and realized I should post something. Unfortunately, the last few days have put me in a foul mood for blogging.

After being in Doha for over a year (well, only 8 months total if you count all my holidays), I finally caught an intestinal virus, parasite, amoeba or whatever it is.

Needless to say, the last few days have been difficult. There were moments when it was impossible to believe my world would ever return to what it once was.
Anyhow, no details are needed other than I am no longer having the violent and painful abdominal cramps that persisted for three days - only minor ones remain.
The sad news: I have lost my love for food.
The happy news: all of my jeans fit. Woo-hoo.

Due to the current inhabitant in my gut, I missed the Ramadan celebration put on by Qatar Foundation, or perhaps there would be a posting and photos of that. The celebration inolves Iftar (breaking of the fast), sword dancing, henna, and other good stuff. I also missed a trip to Dubai to watch the rugby team in action. So, no new rugby or Dubai photos. Bummer.
I did, however, get to sleep for 18 hours a day for three days. Another woo-hoo.

So family and friends, that is sadly all I have to offer you from Doha this week. I leave for Morocco on October 20th, and as travel always leaves me with lots to say, perhaps you will hear from me again soon.

I AM STILL ALIVE!!!

2006-08-30T22:43:00.000+03:00

To answer everyone's questions, "yes, I am still alive, and I made it back to Doha safely."

It just didn't feel right about posting on my blog from Idaho. I love Idaho, but then it would be Summer Days in Idaho. That is just not as exciting.

My summer went well. There was the week in China, and then the meet-up with my Aunt Carla, Scott, kid sister Sunny, Mom, and niece Orion. It was the first time I'd seen them all in 9 months. I stepped off my business class flight in the Seattle Airport, made it through customs and baggage claim only 15 minutes late, then looked around to find no familiar faces. Yup, that is right. After 9 months abroad they were late picking me up. Tsk tsk. The excuse: Orion had to go potty. Hmmmmm.
We spent the next few days exploring the Seattle Zoo and Aquarium, and Orion skillfully had 3 grown women wrapped around her adorable little finger.

A few days later, I was sad to leave my family. However, I was headed to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to meet up with Lily and Natalie. Those two crazy girls are busy studying 10,000 hours/week in medical school. Why did I want to take another year off? I.....just.....can't........remember..............

Anyhow, back in Idaho I visited old friends - Leslie in Post Falls, Jen and Zack and their new baby in Montana, and the rest of the family (Jake, Cassi, cute little Kaydence). Six weeks of reunions and a shoulder surgery, then I was on my way again.

I went to Palm Springs, CA to visit my Dad and Uncle Rocky/Uncle Jim. It was 120 degrees there - heat wave. Then I went to NYC to visit friends - again with the 110 degree heat wave. Those were my two trips before heading to Doha, where it is 110-115 degrees. WHAT IS GOING ON?????

Ok, so, I am back in Doha. Life is good. I am happy, healthy, and very safe. So, no worries family and friends. I love and miss you all.

More on Doha to come.....

Holy Wonder of the World Batman!

2006-05-18T06:51:00.000+03:00

So, I'm not in Qatar anymore. If you want to find out about all the good times I'm having in Qatar, you will have to wait until August.

Instead, I am in China! China has been wonderful. My friend Tiffany (college buddy) lives here and is trying to learn Chinese. I've had a very relaxing trip - seeing the sights from mid-morning to late afternoon, then a great dinner at Tiffany's favorites (Korean, Beijing Roast Duck, Hot Pot). I visited Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, The Temple of Heaven, and Lama Temple. They were all lovely, and I'll post photos soon.

On occassion, I visit sights around the world where the guide book pictures are as good or better than the actual place. Troy, for example, was one of those places. It was mostly just a pile of bricks where I could stand and say, "now I've been to Troy."

The Great Wall, however, is nothing like that slight disappointment. WOW.

I signed up with Beijing Downtown Backpackers for the trip. It cost around $10 US, which is pretty expensive for China. The plan was to leave Beijing around 6:30 AM, get dropped off at the section of the wall known as Jinshanling, then walk to Simatai. In four hours I travelled 10km and passed through 40 watch towers. Along that walk parts of the wall are crumbling down, and some of the towers have inclines of 70 degrees with no steps. It was at times a dangerous hike - the best kind. Luckily, I did not plummet to my death. Yeah!

It was very gratifying to look back in the distance at the wall snaking through the mountains and know that I had traversed what I was looking at. If you ever come to China, definitely hike along the Great Wall.

So, now I am off to Seattle before heading to Mexico. Will write more soon.....

Sand Duning!!!

2006-04-02T13:33:00.000+03:00

Although it was a while back when this happened, I wanted to post some pictures and share a little with you all.
For a small fee, a group of us signed up to have some Qatari gentleman drive us in their SUVs to the desert.

I was fortunate enough to ride in the back of the car on our trip. At one point, I forgot to buckle up and we hit a bump that sent me flying to the ceiling and then slamming back down on the seat. It hurt a bit, but was still a lot of fun. Just another example of how I am losing intelligence as I put off another year of medical school. No worries.

Somewhere out there is Saudi Arabia..........Across the Inland Sea..........

Our guides, and the lovely Qatar sun.

So, just another amazing weekend in Qatar.

Summer in Thailand

2006-03-20T06:19:00.000+03:00

Hello all....

I am not so good at this blog thing anymore. My apologies families and friends.

I am currently on holiday in Thailand, for the second time. I've been busy sitting on the beach and enjoying the sun, sand and water.

I'm only here for a week and then back to Qatar.

Check back soon for more from me.

Love ya!

Tour de Qatar

2006-02-04T15:13:00.000+03:00

Only one week back and already I've had the opportunity to meet and hang out with some of the professional cyclists here for the tour of Qatar. My office mate is a huge cycling fan, and so she did all she could to stalk the cyclists for one week. She bribed me to go along to be one of the groupies. I must say, those young men look mighty fine in their cycling shorts. I'm now a huge fan!
Only in Doha would I be able to stand on the finish line at an international cycling tour - an event that would be packed if it were in a country that was not so "young and new" (Thanks Conman).

So, just a few pictures to sum up my week.

Team CSC:

Team Car

Aaahhh, beautiful Doha

The luckiest girl on the planet.....

2006-01-15T15:12:00.000+03:00

So, you know those places where you see a picture and think, 'there is no way it can be that beautiful.' Well, I thought that when I saw postcards and guide book photos of the Andaman coast in Thailand. However, it is even more beautiful than the pictures.

First, Erin and I visited Ao Nang in Krabi province. We spent four days swimming, kayaking, and bumming on the beach. Our best day was when we kayaked for a couple hours to a small stretch of beach. We were surrounded on three sides by high limestone cliffs covered in vegetation that drop directly into the blue-green sea and white sand of the beach.

After a few restless hours, we decided to move on to Phi Phi Island, which was devastated during the Tsunami last year. Phi Phi Don is divided by a sandy isthmus where its main village, Ton Sai, is flanked by two bays with long sandy beaches. When the Tsunami hit, waves 4-6 meters hit from both sides. 70% of the buildings were destroyed and 20% of the population (including many tourists) died.

Upon arriving, much of the destruction caused by the tsunami was evident. But also evident was how absolutely beautiful it is here - the closest I've ever been to paradise.
Erin and I are hoping to get involved in Tsunami relief during our short time here.

A photo of Phi Phi Island, post Tsunami (C http://www.waveofdestruction.org/tsunami-photos/phiphiisland)

I'll keep everyone posted!

Chiang Mai what???

2006-01-08T15:01:00.000+03:00

So.... here I am in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Chiang Mai is not as "colorful" as Bangkok (meaning not as many transvestites, go-go bars and hookers). However, it is still quite beautiful (here I'm making reference to the mountains and temples).
My friend and I spent the first day walking around the temples and doing are best to meditate while hangin with Buddha images.

Yesterday we rented bicycles, hired a lift to the top of a local mountain (Doi Suthep) and rode our bikes down stopping at temples, waterfalls, and other good stuff.

I really think I could spend weeks here just enjoying the architecture, the people, the weather, and of course the FOOD! The food is amazing! Pad Thai and curry.....mmmmmmmmm. We are doing well on around $10 per day, and are contemplating dropping a little cash on a Thai Massage ($5 per hour). We'll see.....

Ok, just wanted to let everyone know I was alive and well.

Cheers! (or ChokDee in Thai)

Bali Baby!

2005-12-27T12:59:00.000+03:00

Greetings and Happy Holidays!
My first week on holiday went really well, and I am having a great time in Bali. I am here with my roommate's family - her dad lives in Jakarta, and from there it was just a short flight to the beautiful island of Bali.
The people are very friendly and say "allo allo" quite frequently. My first encounter with a group of small children left me mildly alarmed when they wanted to pet my skin and were a little aggressive in poking me. Other than that and the name "white ghosts" that they like to call us, we are getting on well. Mostly, the Balinese people are extremely grateful that we are visiting and helping the tourist industry. They frequently express frustration with the recent terrorist threats.
One restaraunt owner told us of how he opened his restaurant, a charming outdoor cafe in the town of Ubud (where we visited a Monkey temple and had them eat from our hands). He has had almost no business since opening only two days after the bombings in October. He is hoping, praying, and making offerings to his Gods that people will come again to Bali.
I hope so too. Bali is beautiful - A tropical paradise (as my roommate describes it)with palm trees, rice paddies, and white beaches with crystal-clear water. Erin and I like to rent mountain bikes and ride around to the local villages. On our bikes we stop often to chat with people, and we spend time asking them the best places to see in the area. This has taken us to a lovely and private white sand beach, and we have also been exposed to local crafts, traditions, and ceremonies.

I spent the Christmas Holiday diving in Tulamben, at the site of the U.S. Liberty Shipwreck. The site also gives a view of the largest mountain in Bali, which is around 3000 meters and actually is a volcano - it last erupted in the 1960s.
I was unable to windsurf or sail due to my dislocated shoulder in Rugby (long story, but a good one). So, I settled for seeing Nemo and all his little friends.
Now that I have learned how to dive and am finally comfortable breathing from a tank under water, I'm looking forward to diving in Thailand in a few weeks.

So, I am off to dinner for a little Balinese food. MMMmmm. Chicken curry.
I hope you all are having happy holidays wherever you are, or whatever your faith.

Thought I was under attack.....

2005-12-11T13:59:00.000+03:00

As my office mate Jenn says, they really shouldn't be allowed to have fireworks in the Middle East. This past week was the West Asian Games - I was able to see Kuwait, Iran, and Qatar compete in the 10M synchronized diving. Very thrilling stuff.

Anyhow, last night was the closing ceremony. I was sitting in my apartment when I heard a series of loud explosions and felt some small vibrations. My roommate Erin ran up to the roof to see what was going on, and then she explained to me that last year after a bombing they could see smoke in the sky.

We were both relieved to see fireworks above us rather than smoke and ash. Whew.

Occasionally, I forget I'm in the Middle East when something like that happens to remind me.

Other than that excitement, the West Asian Games passed here without too much trouble.

American Thanksgiving!!!!

2005-12-08T13:57:00.000+03:00

Wow - I'm really bad about posting on my blog. Sorry friends and family.......I am still ALIVE.

The Thanksgiving Holiday passed well here. I missed my family and friends from the states, but the great friends I've made here made me feel like I was at home anyhow.

For Thanksgiving the TAs from Cornell had a dinner and invited our friends. We had guests from the American Military, Australia, France, Argentina, Lebanon, Mexico, Scottland, England, Ireland, and maybe some more.
We made our guests wear Indian and Pilgrim hats, gave them all Indian (Native American, or if you prefer - indigenous peoples south of Canada and north of Mexico) or Pilgrim names, and told what we were thankful for.

MMMMM.....Pumpkin Pie!

This photo is of Kevin and me. Kevin's name was "good pilgrim #1" and I was ''Princess tackles a lot." Kevin is stationed in Iraq, and in a great twist of fate he was able to visit me in Doha for Thanksgiving.

Diane ("Princess smiles a lot"), Lu ("Little Naked Bear"), and Jon ("Chief skinny nerd") They are from Scottland, Australia, and England

This is a photo of me, JC, and Pete. They are both from Australia, and Pete's Indian name was "Chief sleeps with sheep." Ha ha

A Party Shot

After lots of food we had a dance Party in our living room - Celebrate Good Times

Tackle the weak, hurdle the dead

2005-11-23T15:26:00.000+03:00

Last weekend the Doha Ladies Rugby Team played in our first home tournament. We got third place, after the Dubai Hurricanes and the Dubai Exiles. We beat Kuwait, Abu Dabi, and Sharjah. Woo-hoo.

Playing 7s is pretty different from playing 15s, but I was still able to play Hooker. Fortunately, 7s is less violent than 15s so hopefully I won't have more broken bones.

Next week we are going to the Dubai 7s tournament. There will be 2000 players from 150 teams. I am so excited! We get to watch the best teams in the world while playing and embarrassing ourselves. I was selected to be team captain, which means I have to do a bunch of busy work and pretend to be a leader. Yes!

Adventures during Ramadan

2005-11-02T11:56:00.000+03:00

Qatar Foundation held a Ramadan celebration at the Al-Shaqab riding stables. These pictures are from the horse show during dinner. The horses were beautiful - some of them are pure Egyptian horses.

Al Jazeera Television Station:

The TAs from Cornell had the opportunity of touring Al Jazeera TV station, which was founded in Qatar in 1996. I was surprised and impressed by their design and technology, as well as their plans for an International network.
Although the station is controversial and criticized in the US and other Arab countries, they gave us a rather interesting pitch about freedom of speech being the goal of the station - not an outlet for terrorists.

Sunrise, Sunset

2005-10-13T12:51:00.000+03:00

Doha and the rest of the muslim world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan from October 4th until around the 2nd - 3rd of November (depending on the moon). Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and it is a time of fasting, celebration, and prayer. It is the month during which Muslims believe Allah revealed the first verses of the Qur'an. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and they avoid entertainment including music and television.

It is actually considered a state offense to consume food or beverage outside (while driving for example). I keep forgetting and drinking water while driving - then I look around and get nervous for a few minutes.
The best part about Ramadan of course is that at sunset, everyone feasts and celebrates. The shops and malls are open until midnight, and families have picnics by the water in the evening.
Some of the ta's were invited to an Iftar (breaking of the fast) tonight for one of the student's birthday. It is taking place at the Diplomatic Club, and I'm hoping I can find clothes nice enough to attend.

Last week, I went camping in the desert. Around 2AM, we went swimming in the ocean. We had to walk out 200 meters to get in water deep enough to our waists, and then we were able to see the phosphorescence. Speaking of which, during Biology Laboratory this week we are studying protists, and dinoflagellates are protists present in water that emit light when they are mechanically disturbed. Exciting!
Around 3 AM I collapsed in my $15 tent. I woke up at 5 AM hot, sweaty, and ready for a jog on the beach at sunrise. It was a beautiful weekend. I viewed the sunrise and sunset, and definitely didn't fast!

Every Day a Holiday

2005-10-02T09:10:00.000+03:00

It has been a while since my last post - I've been quite busy here in Doha. So, I'll just share some pictures.

This is a picture of one of the other TAs riding on the beach.

And here is a picture of me riding.... Not as exciting as above.

Last weekend, I went on a Dhow Trip. We boarded a boat around 10AM that took us around the Doha Bay. There was jet skiing, parasailing, and lots of floating in the ocean.

Me and Aussie Pete

Four-wheeling in the sand dunes with my new Qatari friend Abdulah

More to come later.....

Extracurricular Madness

2005-09-17T14:18:00.000+03:00

Well, I've only been here a little over a month and I'm feeling like I've done an adequate job of getting involved. Mondays I run with the Hash House Harriers, Tuesdays and Wednesdays I play rugby at the Doha Rugby Club, and Thursdays I have horse riding lessons. RUN???? you ask. Yes, a group of about 30 UK citizens and a couple of lonely Americans go running in the desert. Last week we angered a local when we spooked a herd of camels. I came jogging down a hill and had to pause to let the herd of camels go by. As I watched them running off into the sunset I found myself asking a question of 'where am I?'

This happened again when I was horseback riding. I'm taking lessons at some local stables, and hopefully I will learn how to jump and race. Aside from the lessons though, there is a wealthy Qatari gentleman who likes one of the other TAs. He lets her ride at his farm - or palace. These are some of the best quotes from him:

-"That is my aunt's house - she's the Emir's (King's) wife. Oh and my cousin is the Emir's second wife"
-"Ohh no that [three story mansion] is not going to be my house. That
is just a relaxing house. I will build my [probably incredibly large]
house over there."
-"This horse is yours, ride it whenever you like."
-"Do you have a husband? No, then are you, how do you say, single?"

This series of quotes has me convinced he is courting my friend, and it should be interesting to see what new developments come from this. Mom and Dad - do not worry - I have no intention of allowing a wealthy arab to give me a horse. You can breathe again.

Anyhow, somewhere in the midst of her stories of riding an Arabian horse through the desert with a wealthy Qatari man in a thobe (white robe with white head covering), I got the feeling that I am now living in an alternate universe. I wish I could describe it better to all of you, but that is the best I can do.

Other than wealthy Arabs and Camels, I'm also enjoying the rugby team here in Doha. This week I started working out with the team. I had no intention to play when I started, but if I get selected to the team I will travel to Oman, Kuwait, Abu Dabi and Dubai free of charge. That is tempting.
Also, the rugby pitch is the first place I have seen grass while in Qatar. It was wonderful.

Continuing on with my theme of extracurricular madness, I'm hoping to start SCUBA lessons, maybe on Sundays. My week is complete!

I am surprised and delighted with the wealth of opportunities I have experienced so far in Qatar. I'm looking forward to what will certainly come in the future, and pictures will follow this post soon enough.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are well!

Returning to normalcy

2005-09-08T11:21:00.000+03:00

After three weeks here in Doha, I am settling in well and feeling less like I'm on a great trip. I still feel like I'm on vacation, and I've been told that won't go away. Awesome.

Anyhow, classes are well underway. I taught three laboratory sections this week, and it was interesting to meet all of the students. They are motivated, competitive, and love to give right answers. The first thing I noticed from their questions is that they don't care as much about what they have to know but actually care about knowledge in general. I'm very impressed with them.

I've been busy with school and have not been out on the town to take more pictures. So, I'll just give a little shout out to my friends Theresa and Keith. He proposed, and she said yes. Congratulations!

A fabulous weekend!

2005-09-05T08:18:00.000+03:00

After two days of work at school, we had a three day weekend due to Qatar Independence Day. It's a tough job - really.
On Saturday the TAs all went walking on the Corniche, which is an 8km palm-lined trail along the beach. It was a little hot and humid, but still beautiful. After walking for a bit, we stepped into a floating restaurant/cafe to get some juice and coffee. Then, to our surprise, it started moving. The restaurant that looked like a boat was a boat! Can you believe it?
Anyhow, we thought we would be warned before they take off, but apparently not. For about 4 US dollars we got a lovely 60 minute tour of the Bay. It turned out to be a fun time.

A boat just off the Corniche in the Bay:

The restaurant which we couldn't believe was actually a working boat:

The TAs, some are looking a little sick.

Also this weekend, we had brunch at the Sheraton Hotel which was amazing. I've never eaten so much food. The Dean of Pre-Medical Education took the TAs out. We met his wife Margaret, and she told us about the amazing places they've lived and the trips they've taken. They lived in Kenya for 14 years, and both of them were serious climbers. They climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro twice. They also talked to us about their involvement in the negotiations that brought Cornell Med to Doha.
Here are some pictures of us at the Sheraton:

On Saturday night we celebrated Qatar Independence Day. Education City held a celebration with food, dancing, and crafts. It was fun to mingle with the students, professors, and their families.
Chai Chai and Oriel, the Chemistry and Psychology TAs, wore traditional dress and had their pictures taken. As hot as it was, I had no desire to put on additional clothing.

These are pictures of the Qatari men doing a traditional dance. I was told they dance and chant to communicate with Muhammad that they are ready to go to battle - but if there are any Qatari nationals reading this and I'm wrong, it wasn't my fault.

HENNA! A woman named Harishma painted our hands with Henna. You let the henna dry for about 1-2 hours, and then it stays for weeks. She was very good.

Well, that was my weekend. I hope you all are well, and to anyone affected by the crisis in new Orleans - my thoughts are with you.

Qatar Foundation

2005-09-01T09:23:00.000+03:00

Over the last few days of orientation, I've had the opportunity to learn more about the students and the movement that created the opportunity for them to study here.

"Qatar Foundation's mission is to prepare the people of Qatar and the region to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world, and to make Qatar a leader in innovative education and research.

To achieve that mission, Qatar Foundation supports a network of centers and partnerships with elite institutions, all committed to the principle that a nation¹s greatest natural resource is its people. Education City, Qatar Foundation's flagship project, is envisioned as a center of excellence in education and research that will help transform Qatar into a knowledge-based society." -Qatar Foundation

His Highness, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani:

Her Highness, Sheikha Mozah:
-Pictures courtesy Qatar Foundation

Her Highness Sheikha Mozah is the original founder of the Qatar foundation, and she stated:
"The sharing of knowledge, ideas and values is the noblest way to transcend barriers. In this sense, globalization is the architect, which constructs academic bridges across cultural and geographical landscapes."

As I sat the other night talking with students from Iraq, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, I was reminded of her statement. At first, one of the Iraqi students thought I was from Germany (probably the platinum blonde hair confusing them). When I told him I was from the US, he mentioned that it was exciting to be in a place where people whose cultures and countries are at war with each other can gather and unite for a central goal - to increase and share our knowledge.

I've only been here two weeks, but already I've come to admire and respect these students. Most of them are the best and brightest of their generation, and too many of them had to live and learn in countries at war.

Home SWEET Home

2005-08-30T11:56:00.000+03:00

I wanted to include a few photos to let everyone see what our "compound" looks like here in Doha. Some of these photos come courtesy of another TA named Natasha.

Living here makes every day feel like vacation. We have a 25meter cooled swimming pool, gymnasium, squash and tennis courts. Also, the apartment is very spacious and larger than my home back in the U.S. Before coming to Qatar, I had no idea of what life would be like here. The quality of life is much better than I thought it would be, and I think you can see that from these photos.

Our Villas - The blue Mitsubishi is mine. It is great that they give us cars, but the Lancer has less acceleration than a Moped.

The Living Room:

The Kitchen:

Our beautiful swimming pool:

Cornell Orientation

2005-08-30T11:37:00.000+03:00

If you've heard from me recently or read my emails, you know that life is good here in Doha. Last night Cornell took the students bowling and ice skating at the city center mall.

Here is a photo of my roommie Erin, Dr Smith (Biology), Hasan from Bahrain, and Dr Murphy (Chemistry), at the bowling alley. Let the good times roll!

And here are the TAs Ice Skating in the Desert. Crazy.....

The Orientation of the First Year Students is going well, and we have 59 students - 29 females and 30 males. They are from 28 countries. Below are pictures of the Cornell Campus.

Safely in Qatar

2005-08-18T00:53:00.000+03:00

Hello friends!

I've been in Qatar (if you don't know where that is, it is a country just off Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf) for 2 days so far, and it is wonderful. The weather is a bit hot (around 110 F), but nothing I can't take. Plus, in November it cools to around 90 and we can have some fun.

If you haven't spoken to me recently, I am here to be a teaching assistant in biology at Cornell Medical College in Qatar. The
students are from countries in the middle east and Asia (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, India). They are about 40-60% female depending on the class, and most are muslim.

I feel very safe here, and I am excited to be a part of a program dedicated to breaking down borders and making medical education available to anyone.

I'll keep you all posted!