Oh my gosh... how do I even begin to explain that was the amazingness of today?
I guess I can try to begin by sharing the rest of the week and leading up to today's amazing adventure...
This week I have been participating in professional staff training with the rest of the Housing and Residence Life crew. It's been such a great experience and I've learned so much. I've even had the opportunity to be a leader: I co-led the team builder at this morning's training, which was really fun. I love doing team builders, reminds me of Fish Camp! Work has definitely picked up as we're getting busy getting ready for the start of a new school year, which means moving students into halls and orientation coming up in late August. I am keeping quite busy with planning the training for the Orientation Peer Advisors (orientation leaders). I am beyond excited to be working in new student orientation again and have such a renewed energy with it. I really get to bring new ideas to the table and get to make a lot of decisions, which is exciting because that means I get to leave a piece of me behind in Qatar that will hopefully have a positive impact on Education City/ the Qatar Foundation/ Hamad bin Khalifa University.
Pro staff training has been at the Qatar Foundation City Club House this week, which as been really nice. They have conference rooms, but also have a restaurant and a great pool in the middle. During training people are swimming in the pool and I always want to go out and hop in- so tempting! Next week we'll be doing training back on campus. I've been eating lots of Arabic food- or at least what I'd consider Arabic food. Lots of grilled meats, rices, lamb, seafood, hummus, breads, fatoosh (salad), etc. It's all pretty good, and my parents would be proud to know that I've tried a lot and haven't eaten at a single fast food place since I've been here (unless you count the shawarma place that I ate at the first night I got in).
On Wednesday night, Basit and I went to smoke shisha a local place. It was something on my to-do list here in Doha. It was really fun, we got grape-mint and lemon-mint flavored shisha. It was humorous to me that there were men in thobes chilling smoking shisha, just not something I was prepared for. I had an amazing time and was glad that I got to experience it with one of my coworkers. I definitely didn't want to be that awkward person smoking shisha alone at Souq Waqif- but I would have if that was the last resort!
At the end of training today, Katie asked me if I had any plans for the evening (all of my coworkers have been really great at keeping me entertained and not sitting in my apartment alone- I am incredibly grateful for this!). Since I didn't have plans for the evening the group started brainstorming fun ideas for the last night before Ramadan begins. Someone mentioned something about going dune bashing as a group sometime before I left and Mohammed generously offered to take us out then, so fifteen minutes later we left from the Club House and headed to the dunes! We headed out there in Mohammed's truck and Katie's small SUV (two cars that could make it through some sand).
The drive out to the dunes was about 30 minutes. When we first arrived there was a group of camels nearby that I hopped out and took pictures with. I didn't have time to ride one then, but trust me, the time is coming... soon!!
Before we all headed out to the dunes, Mohammed checked out the scene to make sure it was safe since the tops of the dunes move from the wind. Afterward, he circled back around and we all piled in the back of his truck and took off! I was really thankful to have my first sand duning experience with a local who knew what he was doing- I wasn't worried for my safety at all & I knew it was going to be a great time!
We drove around the dunes for about 45 minutes to an hour... can't really remember because I was having so much fun. Mohammed stopped every once in a while at the top of the dunes so we could enjoy the view and take photos. The desert is beautiful and we were there for sunset, which was indescribable! It was truly an amazing experience. I am so thankful that Mohammed generously offered to take us out.
I guess I can try to begin by sharing the rest of the week and leading up to today's amazing adventure...
This week I have been participating in professional staff training with the rest of the Housing and Residence Life crew. It's been such a great experience and I've learned so much. I've even had the opportunity to be a leader: I co-led the team builder at this morning's training, which was really fun. I love doing team builders, reminds me of Fish Camp! Work has definitely picked up as we're getting busy getting ready for the start of a new school year, which means moving students into halls and orientation coming up in late August. I am keeping quite busy with planning the training for the Orientation Peer Advisors (orientation leaders). I am beyond excited to be working in new student orientation again and have such a renewed energy with it. I really get to bring new ideas to the table and get to make a lot of decisions, which is exciting because that means I get to leave a piece of me behind in Qatar that will hopefully have a positive impact on Education City/ the Qatar Foundation/ Hamad bin Khalifa University.
Pro staff training has been at the Qatar Foundation City Club House this week, which as been really nice. They have conference rooms, but also have a restaurant and a great pool in the middle. During training people are swimming in the pool and I always want to go out and hop in- so tempting! Next week we'll be doing training back on campus. I've been eating lots of Arabic food- or at least what I'd consider Arabic food. Lots of grilled meats, rices, lamb, seafood, hummus, breads, fatoosh (salad), etc. It's all pretty good, and my parents would be proud to know that I've tried a lot and haven't eaten at a single fast food place since I've been here (unless you count the shawarma place that I ate at the first night I got in).
On Wednesday night, Basit and I went to smoke shisha a local place. It was something on my to-do list here in Doha. It was really fun, we got grape-mint and lemon-mint flavored shisha. It was humorous to me that there were men in thobes chilling smoking shisha, just not something I was prepared for. I had an amazing time and was glad that I got to experience it with one of my coworkers. I definitely didn't want to be that awkward person smoking shisha alone at Souq Waqif- but I would have if that was the last resort!
At the end of training today, Katie asked me if I had any plans for the evening (all of my coworkers have been really great at keeping me entertained and not sitting in my apartment alone- I am incredibly grateful for this!). Since I didn't have plans for the evening the group started brainstorming fun ideas for the last night before Ramadan begins. Someone mentioned something about going dune bashing as a group sometime before I left and Mohammed generously offered to take us out then, so fifteen minutes later we left from the Club House and headed to the dunes! We headed out there in Mohammed's truck and Katie's small SUV (two cars that could make it through some sand).
The drive out to the dunes was about 30 minutes. When we first arrived there was a group of camels nearby that I hopped out and took pictures with. I didn't have time to ride one then, but trust me, the time is coming... soon!!
Before we all headed out to the dunes, Mohammed checked out the scene to make sure it was safe since the tops of the dunes move from the wind. Afterward, he circled back around and we all piled in the back of his truck and took off! I was really thankful to have my first sand duning experience with a local who knew what he was doing- I wasn't worried for my safety at all & I knew it was going to be a great time!
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| Makes me miss all the trucks in Texas (and also reminds me of my daddy's truck)! |
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| Beautiful sunset in the desert. The sand was amazingly soft and a great exfoliator! |
Mohammed drove us down to the water that is right next to the dunes. The water was incredibly blue. Makes me excited for when I get to go swimming in the gulf- one of my to-do list items before I leave. I can add it to my "places I've swam" along with the Mediterranean Sea.
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| Katie and I out by the water. It wasn't as dark as this picture is, my flash was just acting up. |
Before we headed out from the dunes, Mohammed helped a couple who's vehicle got stuck in the sand. He was really great, and instead of just driving the car out of the sand for him, he stopped and took a few minutes to explain to the guy how to drive in the sand and how to get out when he was stuck- a true educator in action!
After leaving the dunes we went to a nearby mosque since it was sundown and Ramadan started tonight. It was a really great experience. It's the first time that I've been in a mosque (that I can remember). This group is really giving me a lot of "first" experiences! In Islam, before praying you must cleanse yourself, which means washing different parts of your body. So we tracked down a bathroom in the mosque and washed. You wash everything three times: hands up to wrists, up to the elbows, face, neck, feet and up to the knees- we were all wearing pants though so it made the "up to the knees" part hard. After that- Arooj, Katie, and I went up into the female prayer room and I prayed (my own prayer). Speaking of religion... it's been so great these past few weeks that I've been here because in addition to learning a lot about Qatari culture, I've also learned a lot about Islam and it is incredibly similar to Christianity, more similar than different really. Same god, same Jesus (just not as God's son), same basis on the old testament... it has really been fascinating to learn more. During lunches we have intellectual conversations that have really been great and refreshing.
After stopping at the mosque, we all headed to dinner on the way back to Education City. We got sandwiches at a nearby restaurant and it was delicious! I'm loving the spicy food they have here, it reminds me of Texas somewhat. :)
All in all, such an amazing day and definitely the most exciting thing that I've done in Qatar so far! My coworkers are amazing and very generous for including my in these great adventures. I am already sad thinking about leaving this amazing place and these amazing people.
Since Ramadan began tonight, that means the next 30 days are also going to be a great experience. During the day (sunrise-sunset) I will not be able to eat, drink, or chew gum in public. Since I am not a Muslim I am allowed to eat/drink but it would be really inappropriate/rude to do it in front of the Muslims who are fasting. I think I've already decided that I'm going to fast for a few days throughout Ramadan to get the full experience. Another awesome part of being here is learning what it's like to be in a country that the dominant religion isn't Christian. It really makes you rethink what it's like for non-Christians in the United States and all of the Christian privilege that we have, whether noticed or not.
Well, until next time...
Feel free to leave me comments if you'd like! :)
stop having fun without me!!!!
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