Reflections at 6 Months
525600 minutes divided by two
Kara and I have now lived in the Middle East for 6 months. I am almost half way through my original contract (I started on August 1) and have given notice that I will sign for the next year. It’s hard to imagine being here at 6 months because I remember counting the days during my first week like it was a jail sentence. I’ve lived here for 5 days, only 360 more to go. Of course at that point buying a cell / mobile was the most pressing thing I had to figure out. Buying a car, going to hospitals, setting up a bank account and figuring out how to drive through Saudi Arabia were still things I had yet to consider.
I have learned a lot about living in Qatar that will probably serve of no use anywhere else except as a good story. I have also learned some skills that I hope will be useful when Kara and I travel and our day to day lives wherever else we land.
I really haven’t had any life altering revelations but here are a few things that I have learned:
Life goes on. Not that I expected it not to but you realize that your good friends still have lives to lead. You miss each other and catch up when you can but the reality is they are not living in the Middle East right now you are.
Setup your house quick. It took me almost 5 months to set things up in terms of budgeting, where my papers go, what bank to use and all that. My problem is unless I have all the information in front of me I usually don’t do anything. Lesson learned was to make due because it’s not a good idea to store insurance papers in a big box of old photos.
Get involved but not too much. Kara and I have gotten involved with our local church and really enjoy it. We also went from having every night of the week together to only one or two. I think we have found a balance.
Money isn’t everything and time isn’t always best spent earning it. Kara went from working full time at a job she hated to part time at a job she loves. With less of a total income both of us are happier.
Life here is a revolving door of people. Just as life goes on back home the people you meet here have their own lives and needs. Kara and I had our Bible study over for a game night this week. We met a number of people just off the plane so to speak. They still have that dazed look in their eyes and were asking all the same questions we were asking 6 months ago. I guess it’s just the cycle that is over here. Nobody is an expert but we just relay the information we heard before to the new people.
Eid Al Adhav
On a non-philosophical note Happy Eid Al Adha. If you do not know what Eid Al Adha you probably do not live in the Middle East because it is big over here. Big like Elvis big. The whole Hajj to Mecca and 1 prayer equals 100,000 there story. Below is the most concise definition of this holiday that I have found:
Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It concludes the Pilgrimmage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibraham's (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son. Muslims believe the son to be Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Ishmael is considered the forefather of the Arabs. According to the Koran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead.
The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor.
Source: http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/eid-al-adha.html
For the most part the practical celebration of this holiday is not that different from any other holiday in Qatar or the US for that matter. It sounds like a pretty serious thing when you read the definition but the only celebrations I have seen are days off and sales at the mall. It’s just like home.
And for a laugh
My friend Eric has started blogging again and for all of you who are making new years resolutions I thought you would like to read one of his latest postings.
http://ericag02.blogspot.com/2005/01/spinning-fun-childhood-memory.html
Kara and I have now lived in the Middle East for 6 months. I am almost half way through my original contract (I started on August 1) and have given notice that I will sign for the next year. It’s hard to imagine being here at 6 months because I remember counting the days during my first week like it was a jail sentence. I’ve lived here for 5 days, only 360 more to go. Of course at that point buying a cell / mobile was the most pressing thing I had to figure out. Buying a car, going to hospitals, setting up a bank account and figuring out how to drive through Saudi Arabia were still things I had yet to consider.
I have learned a lot about living in Qatar that will probably serve of no use anywhere else except as a good story. I have also learned some skills that I hope will be useful when Kara and I travel and our day to day lives wherever else we land.
I really haven’t had any life altering revelations but here are a few things that I have learned:
Life goes on. Not that I expected it not to but you realize that your good friends still have lives to lead. You miss each other and catch up when you can but the reality is they are not living in the Middle East right now you are.
Setup your house quick. It took me almost 5 months to set things up in terms of budgeting, where my papers go, what bank to use and all that. My problem is unless I have all the information in front of me I usually don’t do anything. Lesson learned was to make due because it’s not a good idea to store insurance papers in a big box of old photos.
Get involved but not too much. Kara and I have gotten involved with our local church and really enjoy it. We also went from having every night of the week together to only one or two. I think we have found a balance.
Money isn’t everything and time isn’t always best spent earning it. Kara went from working full time at a job she hated to part time at a job she loves. With less of a total income both of us are happier.
Life here is a revolving door of people. Just as life goes on back home the people you meet here have their own lives and needs. Kara and I had our Bible study over for a game night this week. We met a number of people just off the plane so to speak. They still have that dazed look in their eyes and were asking all the same questions we were asking 6 months ago. I guess it’s just the cycle that is over here. Nobody is an expert but we just relay the information we heard before to the new people.
Eid Al Adhav
On a non-philosophical note Happy Eid Al Adha. If you do not know what Eid Al Adha you probably do not live in the Middle East because it is big over here. Big like Elvis big. The whole Hajj to Mecca and 1 prayer equals 100,000 there story. Below is the most concise definition of this holiday that I have found:
Eid al-Adha or Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. It concludes the Pilgrimmage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibraham's (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son. Muslims believe the son to be Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Ishmael is considered the forefather of the Arabs. According to the Koran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead.
The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor.
Source: http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/eid-al-adha.html
For the most part the practical celebration of this holiday is not that different from any other holiday in Qatar or the US for that matter. It sounds like a pretty serious thing when you read the definition but the only celebrations I have seen are days off and sales at the mall. It’s just like home.
And for a laugh
My friend Eric has started blogging again and for all of you who are making new years resolutions I thought you would like to read one of his latest postings.
http://ericag02.blogspot.com/2005/01/spinning-fun-childhood-memory.html
posted by Russell at
1:45 PM
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