Because When You're Done, You Want Some More, or Day 26 in Doha

While today didn't have any extreme, wild and crazy adventures, it was one of those days that just left me with a glow at the end of it. It reminds me how much the simple things around EC and Doha are going to stick with me.

I got a call from a friend inviting me to lunch and grocery shopping (which was exactly what I needed to do!) So Shakir, Arlie, and I headed out for some Indian cuisine, which included these baked chip-things he called "poppers." I was snacking on those the whole time, while eating some Indian dish that he recommended. I won't say it's the best I've had (I like the dishes based around the bread naan instead of those based on rice), but it cleared my sinuses and my hunger.

Lulu's Hypermart, where we went shopping, is appropriately named. Parking was crazy, like it always is anywhere in Doha, and the shopping carts have casters on every wheel, so turning is an art and an adventure. The entrance also has a crowded money exchange dealer, a jewelry store with only gold, and a "Bag Drop" if you want to continue to shop without your cart full of stuff.

I don't think I've talked about grocery shopping much here before, but it is cheaper than the US, but much harder. I can't recognize brands; when English is thrown in in small print on a package, I have to examine everything twice as much. And trying to buy local (and thus cheaper) creates interesting results. I was trying to find vanilla extract, but ended up with a bottle of some sort of vanilla flavouring. For $.30, why not try it out?

And, as most the times I hang out with Shakir, we ended up at bandar. Had a bit of "carrack" (the tea that I'm always talking about), then headed back to EC.

As we are cruising through the gates, Shakir asks about a little cricket detour, since Texas A&M and Cornell were playing each other. Since he had painstakingly explained the complex rules to me during the first week we met, I was ready to see a game in action.

And I think I might have understood part of the conversation he had. There was talk of a "score" and a "winner"... but really, there was something about the "number of balls left" (which I kinda understood) and something about the "wickets" (which I'm not sure I understood at all). Then, they started jabbering in some other language, so I got lost after that.

I tripped going up the stairs to my apartment, so had to make an egg sandwich from the broken egg. Then I got alerted of free food for a recruiting event, so I got some delicious Baskin-Robbins while reconnecting with some inter-uni friends. After that was a quick stop to say hello at the Campus Life evening event, where I had to explain what a s'more is. I also "played" in a pick-up basketball game. Which meant I left to ice my jammed finger and finish grading some homeworks. The cycle never ends, but I love it so much. Social, busy days like these make me happy to be buzzing with life.