Travel, Wheels, and Eminem Turns 40

A lot has happened since my last post. The biggest item is that I finally have my driving license! As I have mentioned before, not having a car in Doha was quite the challenge. In a city without any major public transportation, a car is essential. My supervisor Melissa and I rode to work everyday together and she was a HUGE help in my transition. And although it was good fun playing the role of dependent child, I have a new found independence with my own transportation. I am the proud renter of a Ford Focus that is helping to give me more time to go car shopping. When I first arrived in Doha I was convinced I would buy a used car or a certified pre-owned car from the dealership. The used car market here is incredibly difficult to navigate. There are several online posting boards for cars but the process of meeting with people, getting the car examined at a shop, etc is quite challenging. Last week a friend and I attempted to get a car examined at an auto shop and spend 90 minutes looking for the shop only to eventually give up without getting the car inspected. Another aspect is that car lives here are shorter. People drive their cars hard. And many times if someone has an SUV it has also been out in the desert. So buying a used car is a huge risk. That all being said, I am looking at purchasing a Nissan XTerra or a Renault Duster. What is a Renault Duster? It is basically the poor man's XTerra. It literally costs half the price of the XTerra and still comes with a full warranty. At this point I am leaning towards the XTerra, but will finalize everything at the bank tomorrow.

Another big update are travel plans. I finally have my multiple exit visa and now it is time to book some trips! I will be heading to Sri Lanka next week for the Eid holiday. There are two Eid holidays in the Muslim religion. One to celebrate the end of Ramadan and one to celebrate Hajj. Our holiday next week is to celebrate Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. My friend Ahmed and I will be flying to Sri Lanka on Saturday and staying for the full week. We have created a PACKED itinerary that will have us visiting an Elephant Orphanage, seeing Buddhist temples, hiking, taking a safari, and relaxing at some remote beaches. All things that we lack here in Doha! Another trip on the books is a trip to Dubai for Christmas with none other than Brennan Biddle. We will fly out Christmas day and stay only for one night but we figured it was a good way to celebrate.

Random Doha story for the week. Doha has a limited selection of radio stations but one that has really caught my attention is 97.5. It is considered to be Doha's most popular station, think Z100 from NY. In the past week alone I have had the privilege of listening to "California Dreamin" by the Mamas & the Papas, "Don't Worry Be Happy", and Frank Sinatra (as I was driving through a mall parking garage). The station never ceases to amaze me and provides endless moments of, "Where am I?" reflection. As many of you may or may not know, Eminem turned 40 this week. Yes, 40! To celebrtate this monumental global event, 97.5 played ten consecutive Eminem songs. Fortunately, I sat in traffic for all ten of these songs consecutively. Not only have I not hear Eminem since high school, I was shocked to hear his songs in a country where censorship is high. Even the edited versions of his songs are pretty vulgar.

This weekend I visited my first Doha night club, Crystal. As I have mentioned, all of the bars and nightclubs in Doha are at the hotels. Crystal happens to be at the W. For each of the nightclubs in Doha you need to purchase a membership. The membership allows you access to the club but you still have to pay cover charges. Membership costs about $50 and is good for one year. You still have to pay a $25 cover each time you go to said club even though you are a member. Needless to say, nights out can be quite expensive. But for special occasions it is great to have access to places like Crystal. When you enter the night club you are greeted by strobe lights, lasers, and the pulse of house music bass. Another moment where you are separated from reality here in Doha.

Other random notes:

• Went to a Canadian Thanksgiving
• Got my Liquor License to be able to purchase alcohol
• Attend a Halloween Party at the US Embassy

I think that will just about cover it for now. Stay tuned for more car information.

Wanted to wish Casey and Jared a HUGE congratulations on their wedding. Wish I could be there to celebrate with you but I am sure you will do just fine without me!

Talk to you all soon.

Oktoberfest in the Land of Forbidden Drink

How's that for a catchy title? Another big week here in Doha that has included accessing my freedom, travel planning, a proper Oktoberfest experience, exploring a man made island, and reflections on what it means to be American in an international context.

In the never ending transition that is getting settled in Doha, I finally received my multiple exit permit this week. This will allow me to travel freely from the country and has prompted me to start looking for travel adventures. We have a week long holiday coming up at the end of October for Eid. Since there are SO many places in the region that I want to travel to, it is hard to choose. I am looking at Jordan, Lebanon, and the UAE for starters but will hopefully have more concrete plans by next week. Next up in the transition is the driver's license and car, which will be taken care of this week, Inshallah (translation: God Willing).

This past weekend was a pretty packed with social events. The Inter Continental Hotel hosted an authentic Oktoberfest experience which I attended both on Wednesday and Friday. The event was complete with a HUGE tent, long communal tables, massive beer glasses, a band flown in from Germany, beer from Munich, and all you can eat of the finest German cuisine. The irony of having an event like this is a country where alcohol is not part of the culture was not lost on me. During the event I was flooded back with memories of the Notsoberfest events that were held back at JMU, particularly when the band did a LIVE version of the Chicken Dance. Overall the event was a blast and I was glad I went both nights. In between Oktoberfesting I was able to meet some new friends at a house party and explored a new part of Doha known as the Pearl.











The Pearl is a massive man made island that is just outside of downtown Doha. It is made up of 62 towers that have apartments, high end shops, restaurants, and beaches. I went to one of the local beaches with some friends which had an great view of the Doha skyline. Being in the Pearl truly felt like being in another world. It was amazing to think that it was built from nothing and this aerial view I found still makes it hard to comprehend.

To finish up the weekend I was invited to have dinner at a colleague from Cornell's home. She invited a group of us over for an "international night" in which each person would cook a specific food that reflected their culture. In the room there was representation from Egypt, Lebanon, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, and the US. Most of the people at the dinner were new to Doha as well and it was interesting to hear their stories. The biggest take away of the night came from the "game" we played at the end. We basically did a version of charades as two teams competed as one team member acted out a film...all American films. I was particularly struck by this based on the incredible diversity of backgrounds in the room. I could not name for you a single Egytian film, nor Lebanese, not even Italian. And there we were, speaking in English guessing American films. It was another humbling experience and I felt incredibly privileged in that space to have my culture be understood by so many others. I could also not help but feel guilty for the way in which the U.S. does not adopt or portray other international cultures as part of its own culture. Although being American has made my transition here in Doha easier, as many others are very aware of my culture and language, it has also made it challenging for me to feel comfortable with my own lack of knowledge of so many of the cultures I am encountering here.

On a lighter note, I have been starting to find some really solid pick up basketball games. The Achilles has been holding up as well and I am hoping to join a league or two in the upcoming weeks.

As always thanks to everyone who continues to check in. Missed my parents' final family weekend with my brother as well as Virgin FreeFest this past weekend. Look forward to hearing from everyone this week. Talk soon.