Doha Diaries 4: Arrived!

Tuesday July 19, 2007

So i made it!! i'm sitting at a net cafe, about a five minute walk from my flat....in DOHA, QATAR!!

I cannot explain the pain of leaving my family. the tears at the airport. the line-up before heading into security, snaking our way through the roped line. Looking back at my fiancé's face, not knowing when I'd see it again ... but knowing for sure it wouldn't be for a while. The pain of seeing my mother's face traced with tears. not knowing the pain a mother feels in these situations, but knowing it's enough to add a few wrinkles on her face.

Justifying leaving in that situation is not possible. So all I could pray for is that something good may come out of the move and so far so great. The travelling was easy thanks to a dear friend who hooked me up with an upgrade. The arrival was so-so, The apartment was as well. It took a day or two and everything is in order now. The apartment is fantastic, the weather bearable (mad dashes from a/c in car to a/c in office). The only detail is adjusting to various body odors ... consquences of various cultural hygiene habits.

The office and colleagues are a bonus. It may be too soon to tell, but everyone is brilliant and I feel more than equipped to do my job.

Just a quick thank you for the supportive voices out there. I SO appreciate the time you take to reply to these notes. I write them hoping they'll resonate with someone and know that the fears/joys i face may have been felt by others.

More to come, with greater details about what it's like in a gulfie/quasi-wahabi country, where 34C and humidity is considered "GREAT WEATHER!!".