That's My Terrorist Pose, or Day 25 in Doha

Today was not very well planned. I was not busy, then for 4 hours straight had 4 different events that I could attend. And now, back to being a lazy night.

I love Thursdays, the only day that I really sleep in. I got up at noon, exercised, ate my camel leftovers, and started the craziness.

First up, the CMU Development Solutions Organization (or something that shortens to DSO) is doing a week-long campaign to raise money for Haiti. I went to the meeting for that, supposedly signed up to get signed up for shifts, then scurried off to...

CMU's Got Talent! The talent show that shows the exchange students (and everyone else in EC who heard there was free food) what people on this campus can do. My apartment-mate sang OneRepublic's "Apologize" with two other freshmen on back-up... and they were really fun to watch! Jessica did a song from "Ragtime" ('m ashamed to say it's one of the musicals I know almost nothing about) that was very powerful. My favourite part was when a group did an encore of a famous Pakistani song that I didn't know... yet almost the entire crowd was singing word for word with her. Now I want to find out what the song was! (Update: Mishab told me it was Aadat. Now you can go memorize it and fit in!)

After the dazzling talent show, I went to Qatari Day/Night, which was taking place just 100 meters from the show. They had taken the middle corridor, set out couches and tables, had "dress-up" clothes for people to try on, and had some great literature that I picked up.

For about half an hour, there was sword dancing... Men were wandering around in thobes with these sabres that they would wave around in time to a dance. I was sure someone was going to get stabbed, since no one was looking where they were going. So in light of all this, I, of course, grabbed a sword and jumped in. Never mind that there weren't any other girls doing it... it is clearly a cultural event where I wouldn't get tramped. As I was posing for this picture, the random guy that is in it came up and goes "This is my terrorist pose" while miming slicing my throat. I'm glad they can poke fun at the incorrect image we Americans have of them.

However, the acceptance there wasn't like my other plans for the evening, which fell through. Tonight was the African Cup semi-final between Algeria and Egypt. I want to go see how intense people get for football around here... being in Austria for the EuroCup a few years ago was really, really cool. However, they apparently get wild and dangerous. One of the places in the souq wasn't going to show the game because they were scared fights were going to break out.

So, in sum, sometimes I hate being a girl in any country where places are too dangerous for me. That happens in the US too, though, so I can't be too harsh. And don't worry, parents, friends, strangers that read this blog... I'm being careful!

Fancy-free, or Day 23 in Doha

I've just found an achievement for my "real" bucket list (you know, the one you have to complete before you die): to be a member of the Circumnavigator's Club.

Besides the ridiculous amount of coding that I had to do tonight (yes, I know I'm a computer science major, and it comes with the territory), I got the chance to stretch my inter-college connections and attend a formal dinner for Dr. Sam Mannan at Texas A&M. Though I didn't get a chance to talk with the guest of honour, my tablemates and I talked to Jim, a Exxon-Mobil employee who works on their "cave", a 3-D modelling space for process safety in their plants. He did mention environments that they can create, such as a roller coaster and outer space, that don't quite fall into that category but sounded fun. His open invitation might just be something I take him up on.

Speaking of free food, I also had lunch on the International Education division. The exchange students (that could show up) talked about our "first" impressions. The few that stuck out are the group love of shwarma, the attraction to the locals and their openness, and the mentality of always being served (thus never having to clean-up after oneself). The good news is the my passport is back in my possession, so I can travel!

So, on these days that my day doesn't have a great excitement in it, I turn a little more introspective (or at least tell you the things I'm thinking about). There is a group of exchange students that are planning a trip to Egypt during Spring Break. Since I sadly got rejected from the CMU-Q Singapore trip, I have a week to burn. However, the group is looking at spending up to $2000 on the trip.

Now, when it comes to travel, I am more willing to say yes to spending money; however, I spent five weeks in Europe for that amount. I am much more of the hostelling type, and I've heard good things about couch-surfing as well, though have never been brave enough to try.

Between this and my dearest love for $20 Rick Steves' books instead of expensive tour guides, I feel like this trip might not be for me.

On the other hand, Egypt is a very hard place to travel alone. I'm just leaning toward finding less tourist-y destinations while I'm close to this part of the world.

There is the fact that flights to Mumbai, India are less than $300 round-trip...

(No pictures of today, but I'll give you one of my recent favourites that had gotten cut previously. It is one of the many, many trees that is planted inside the CMU-Q building.)

Uni, or Day 15 in Doha

Today was probably my first real crunch day for school.

In America, we say "I'm at college"; in most other parts, I hear, "I'm at uni." Uni, as in university, but I often chuckle to myself as I think unitard, unicorn, uni-brow...

Since it was my first real crunch day, I think it was also the first day that I haven't taken any pictures around here.

I mean, I didn't just stay on campus and study (like I should have). I played Monday volleyball with some people (the tradition of CS volleyball lives on here, too, apparently); I went out for some sort of juice drink with avocado, mango, and coconut; I went running; I took a nap; I made my first exercises for the recitation section I am leading tomorrow.

And best of all, I got to have more social, cultural, and just heart-warming experiences with the other residents of Education City. Isn't that just warm and fuzzy?

Here's a retro-photo care of Arlie: from Day 4, when we found a majlis (seating area) around the souq to rest our feet.

I'd Like to Buy That, or Day 12 in Doha

The worst part of my day: the fact that TA training was smack dab in the middle of it.

The best part of my day: just about everything else.

As I was walking out from training, Tessa, Rishav, and Mishab were discussing plans for the evening. I heard "the Pearl" and perked up.

So plans were made: begin with a taste of delicious shwarma (my new favorite food, very similar to a gyro or a European kebab), then head over to the a man-made island oasis of riches and fashion. In addition to my fellow TAs, the VCU exchange students came with (but barely. We almost pulled away while Brent was running to get his card for his camera. And we had to pick up Daedri from a park by the Cornish, so finding her was a side adventure.)

But, somehow, some way, (with Brent's iPhone full of "embarrassing" music), we made across the water (via the land bridge) and found Mishab and Rishav, and the girls, and... the CMU architecture students?

Yup, turns out the smart (CMU) people think alike. After a day of adventuring, they ended up at the Pearl as well, which made the group at least 25 people. It was like every person in Doha that I knew magically appeared at the same spot! (Not true, I know waaaay more than 25 people.)

The advertising slogan on the posters was "I'd Like to Buy That." We were trying to think of the psychology behind it (possibly jealousy? "Hey, no, I wanted to buy that.") but then gave up and just started posing in front of the them.

As glitzy as the Pearl is, it is less than half constructed, and the row of stores is completely in accessible to students (Giorgio Armani across from Emporio Armani... we thought they were competing brothers, but, sadly, they are just Giorgio and more Giorgio. Maybe a healthy rivalry would have brought down the prices.

After losing then finding Brent and Zane, we trundled back to campus.

But wait, there's more! We agreed that it was a day for doing... so time for another item on the Bucket List: the sunrise at "bandar."

"Bandar" (and I'm probably not spelling that right), is this park outcropping by the Islamic Arts museum. On the jetty is a Moroccan tea shop (where a large is just about right if you are trying to stay up all night) which was just barely open when we got there at 3:30am or so to start our watch.

But, at the brisk hour of 0600, the glimmer of pinks fighting against the blue began their surge, and, with a salty sea breeze, some bird calls, and the hum of a city about to wake up, we were on our way back to campus to do what college students do best... sleep.

Thursdays that are like Fridays that are like Saturdays, or Day 11 in Doha

So, a few things about life here in Doha. Weekends are Fridays (since that is the Muslim day of prayer) and Saturdays. I have to get used to classes being on Mondays and Wednesdays, instead of Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am starting to just number the days of the week (like, first day of classes, second day of classes, first day of the weekend, etc.), but that doesn't translate well to others.

The point of this rant is that Thursdays (today), I don't have any classes. So in addition to my work week being screwed up, I don't even have five days of it. That just makes Thursday like a Friday around here, which is like a Saturday in the States. (I know, what an awful life I lead...)

So instead of classes, today was spent reading and e-mailing professors to get homework assignments.

And, a marathon shopping trip. I got a prescription for less than half the amount in the states (and was told I didn't even need a prescription for it). Whoever said that getting prescriptions overseas was cheaper was right. Easier, maybe not so much, but I'll be here long enough that now I know!

Also, when carrying 50 kilos of groceries (thanks, Daedri... as in, thanks for buying that much), taxis are much nice than buses.

The evening really started with Al Jazeera hosting a documentary called "Still Alive in Gaza." I was very impressed with it, because it didn't come across as "hate the Jews" propaganda; neither was it sympathetic to Israel (though that one should have been more obvious).

The screen was outdoors in the ceremonial court, and, though not packed, or even "well-attended", it was a fine crowd for the evening.

The most touching scene for me was the story of a 12-14 year old who watched her mother in the room across the hall get bombed. She was sitting on the couch with her father, showing him her drawings of different war scenes that affected her. The wise man comforted her, and gave her an idea of the importance of hope. "Without hope, there is no life."

Powerful stuff.

Besides the film just being a way to fill a few hours, it also provided some great cultural chatter. I felt informed and happy, since the discourse was (thankfully) not at all accusatory and very informative, on both sides I think. Being around Jews in Pittsburgh, Muslims here, and a Christian myself is a fascinating way to come at things.

This evening wasn't the seamlessly planned evening I had planned on, but when is it ever. I did get to spend some time with the vanishing architecture students (and listen jealously to their plans for tomorrow... "fort-hopping"), and drink some of that deliciously un-tea-like Moroccan tea. The hang-out spot is a popular one, the "bandar" (no idea if I am spelling that right). This out-cropping of rocks and parking lot is a hotbed of cars and people who are fishing, chatting, playing music, showing off cars, and, if you are two CMU students (*cough* Abby and Chris *cough*), posing for ridiculous pictures.

And, of course, a bit of sheesha thrown in, just to keep it cultural. Might I add that the brave Daedri and I tried the weirdest combination of dessert, entrees, and appetizer. Mishab correctly called it a "chicken donut." Egg and chicken inside, pastry and powdered sugar on the outside. Actually, fairly delicious.

My dream of seeing the sunrise over the sea was almost realized... but not quite yet. I will say that meeting a student from every college wasn't a challenge at all, when you know the "connectors" around here. But the bucket list is doing it's thing and giving me ideas, which is all it is supposed to do.

Feeling Domestic, or Day 6 in Doha

I went to the biggest mall in Qatar today. I haven't been able to find any proof of that fact, but it is said that this 5-story monstrosity tops all the others.

An ice skating rink, a Toyota dealership, and a Carrefour (a Wal-mart-like everything store), and I'd believe it.

So we called a taxi and I, for the first time, didn't feel like I was getting ripped off! Mostly because I made him turn on the meter. This confidence in how to do things is nice.

We got there, had lunch with the group of ten of us exchange students (who fit in two taxis...), then split up to do miscellaneous tasks of the shopping variety. Daedri and I have similar price cut-offs (and did I mention she's in doing a major in fashion design?), so shopping with her made it easy to pass the time.

Yeah, today hasn't been very adventureful. After the trip back from the mall (even easier, because we just had to hail a cab instead of calling for one), the exchange students were meeting at the cafeteria in LAS to do something for dinner.

Some people, actually most, weren't hungry, so the original plan of ordering out was ditched in favor of me making pasta for a group. I puttered in the kitchen with Daedri then served the piping hot pasta (macaroni and shells) on my best china (plastic storage containers) on gold serving platters (some plastic trays I found in one of my cabinets). It was delicious, and, according to the archies, by feeding Sam (who has been sick) and making him feel better I am also feeding his delightful condescending attitude.

Apparently, though, while I put the dishes back upstairs, Gabby and Sophie came out with cake (their addition to the smorgasbord). Disappointing, but it wasn't frosted, so I can forgive them.

We went on a quick Education City (EC) tour, and then ended up back in the CMU-Q Student Affairs lounge for an hour-long discussion about resident life, Campus Life (the Qatar Foundation's unifying effort for all the campuses), and cultural information. Some good information (such as how to take out the trash) and some repeated. But A for effort.

Good discoveries I made though: the Texas A&M kids have a travel stipend. Have I found follow adventurers?

Bad discoveries (or more like realizations): Classes start tomorrow.

Good realization: I get to make more friends!

Bad realization: Daedri has pictures of the mall, but I need to get them from her. Then, you too will be able to witness the glory of capitalism in the Middle East!

Narcoleptic Pigeon, or Day 4 in Doha

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It was a sunny (who would have guessed) 07:00 wake-up for a 07:30 bus to the Qatar Ministry of Health (or something along those lines) to get our visas all finished up so we can be temporary citizens.

But doesn't fate always smile on bureaucracy.

We arrived, and got off the bus. We gave our passports to Melissa earlier in the week, so we had copies that we were carrying around. All we saw were signs to the male and female entrances, so we split up.

At the entrance, a guard checked passports and visas. I didn't have a copy of mine; so he asked me for a phone number instead (phone number = visa? OK, Qatar...) Since I had gotten my phone (and so had all the others), we were let in. But once we were there, we attempted to wait in two different lines until Spencer called me:

Me: Hello?
Spencer: So the guy with our passports is here, and has your passports, too.
Me: What?
S: A Qatar Foundation guy gave us our passports back.
Me: OK, where is he?
S: We're over in the guy's side.
Me: Like, should we come over there?
S: I guess?
Me: Ok, we're heading outside now and going over there.
S: Wait, he just left.
Me: Left?
S: Yeah.
Me: So, should we still come over?
S: I don't know?
Me: Should we meet him outside?
S: He's cutting through the inside of the building with the other girls and the passports.
Me: Ok, so we are going back inside and waiting for him?
S: I guess?
Me: Ok, sounds better than nothing.

And we indeed were met by some guy in a thobe, who handed us all our passports, with some paperwork inside. Well, all but me.

My receipt had printed with Spencer's name on it, so I got led around to about three different waiting areas by this guy until it was sorted out. Then, somehow, I ended up in the company of Adam, Spencer, and some guys from Texas A&M. The guys from Texas had their pictures in the system swapped. Spencer had made friends with an admissions guy from CMU, and his picture didn't show up for the medical attendant who was going to take his chest x-ray (even though, according to him, he "had my shirt off and everything"), so his friend was trying to get that fixed. And Adam just drolly counted the times he was sent back and forth between two desks as his picture showed up in the system at the reception area, but not at the blood testing site. I figured out, about 15 minutes into this "adventure," that my picture was also not showing up (now that I had my receipt).

So, the five of us hung around waiting areas, rode some elevators in pursuit of our liaisons, and met another QF researcher, who was (thankfully) able to translate some of the chaos that was going around us in Arabic. Did I mention this was all happening in Arabic? (The researcher had joined our group when his picture was exchanged from some Egyptian females.)

We had arrived at the lovely hour of 08:00. We departed around 10:30, with the five of us (plus the researcher) having our problems unresolved. Did I mention that Arlie didn't even get an appointment today due to the computer problems as well, and so didn't come with us?

Speaking of Arlie, here's her blog. Might tell a bit of a different story. :)

So after the red tape of the morning, it was a relaxing pizza lunch and city tour with the other exchange students from the other campuses. Our lovely Moroccan tour guide, Jamal, showed us a few things from my bucket list, and a few things that would have been on there had I know about them, primarily:

• See trained falcons
• Tour an Olympic-level equestrian park
• Visit Sport City, and the Advance complex

Things that were already on my bucket list:

• Visit the Islamic Arts Museum
• Meet a student from every other school in Education City
  • VCU
  • Cornell
  • CMU-Q
  • Texas A&M
  • Georgetown
  • Northwestern
• See the souk

The, of course, memorable experience was seeing this pigeon-hen-bird, standing up, but with its head laying on the ground. The first time the group saw it, we were convinced it was dying, or maybe sleeping. When Jamal saw it, he goes, "It is drunk!" After he poked it, it staggered over to the water bowl on sea legs, then tried very hard to stay upright before... before... before its head got to heavy for it, and back down on the ground it went.

A meal in the LSA Building cafeteria (cheap and delicious... Sodexo in Qatar!), and it was back to the apartment for a productive evening. (Speaking of the apartment, if you want a tour, check out my brand-spanking-new Youtube channel. It's also got some Christmas and Istanbul stuff.)

Back to my productivity, I decided to try to watch some (or at least set up the) TV.

However, that played out similarly to this morning.

Obstacles:

• TV unplugged
• Satellite box unplugged
• TV cord too short to plug in
• Satellite box cord too short to plug in
• Outlets turned off
• Video and audio cables switched around
• Television menus were in Arabic (though that was actually the easiest one to fix. The first time, I went through two random menus and landed on English, very, very luckily.)
• Channels wouldn't display
• Pin number unknown
• Box model unknown
• Channel searching failed on low mode
• Channel searching failed on high mode

So then... I gave up. I moved all of the cables back, and began, again to use the satellite box cable for my computer charger (because apparently that's where it came from). So for the next tenant in the apartment, don't tell them I was the one that erased all of the channels off the TV. (It's not like they were working anyway...)

You Got an A Plus, or Day 3 in Doha

I Skyped with my parents this morning. That's enough to put anybody in a good mood. I was eating my morning cereal, and they were eating their after-dinner ice cream.

An uneventful morning otherwise. First day of orientation and they got a bus to take the 9 of us to get our blood type tests done (and it's true, it is much cheaper around here. 15 riyals = $4.10.) I, of course, aced that bad boy with an A Positive.

I've been cruising the internets, though, especially after I heard about QIA (Qatar International Adventures). I mean, I gotta start looking at how to achieve everything on that list!

Which, of course, means I've also found things to add to the list:

• Visiting the Al Zubarah fort
• Seeing an oryx (actually a native Qatar elk-deer-thing)

I've sent off a few e-mails to see what rates are (looking like about $60 for a day of bashing, seeing the inland sea, and a BBQ, which isn't too bad). Now, to find some fellow adventurers!

After my lunch of tuna sandwiches, we were kept on the go (mostly so the jetlagged people wouldn't sleep). We had a chat about different aspects of being here: the administrative differences, a few of the cultural differences, and, most of all, how to say (our study abroad coordinator) Melissa's last name.

A tour of the CMU "campus" (which is just one building), and we found enough people willing to drive the 9 of us to go to a mall for phones, dinner, and some grocery shopping.

I must say, jetlagged people are some of the most interesting zombies to stumble along. Since all of them were architecture students ("archies"), they all compared it to pulling an all-nighter. I didn't know before, but they are TAing "Architecture for Non-Majors", which is a class I really wanted to take. Stupid conflict with Networks, my one computer science that I need to take...

Speaking of computer science, the CMUB here reminds me a lot of the Gates Center. There are some of the same leather-y chairs with wing arms, the same half glass, half white board office doors, and, most of all, the same ridiculous amount of open space, creative space, and what-was-s/he-thinking space. But I will feel at home there, that's for sure.

At the mall, all of the other students got phones and numbers (that I'm sure they are now hard at work memorizing), so there was the Great Contact Exchange. Everything when swimmingly until Arlie left her cell on her tray at the food court, and subsequently threw it in the garbage. We had only gone about ten meters down the hall when she noticed she didn't have it, and a ringing trash can confirmed her suspicions. Thankfully, it was right near the top, cradled by the paper from the tray and a napkin.

We took a quick jaunt to Carrefour, where I continued stocking up on more things I forgot the first round, and headed back to campus.

Spencer, Shaza, and I were in a car with Sam, Sameera, and Mishab, so arrived back to the dorms at about 8:30. I was glad to hear that Spencer was interested in exploring, and Shaza was more than willing to be our guide.

We started in the Language Arts and Sciences (LAS) Building, which has the same pattern on all the exterior wall, all the interior walls, and even the pavement outside. (It was a little much for something that should have just been an accent.) The security guard was highly suspicious, making Spencer put away his camera and double-checking we were all Education City students. After pretty much ignoring him, we made our way around, then through the back to a playground (with swings!) that entertained us for quite a while.

Then it was off to see the exteriors of the VCU building, the rec center, the Qatar Academy, and possibly climb up some ladders on some light poles that weren't exactly screaming permissibility. We also got to see the stage that (wait for it) Barney, everyone's favorite dinosaur, is going to be on tomorrow afternoon! Wahoo!

A wade in the fountain outside, and we were all set to tuck in. It's an early day tomorrow, full of all sorts of medical tests and a city tour... and hopefully a movie to finish it off!