It has been over a week and thus I have a few things to blog about.

I am going to my first baby shower today. And it is for triplets. Three boys. The shower is for my co-workers. However, shopping for their gift was quite entertaining. When you shop here in a lot of shops, the store attendants follow you. They are not so much following you to make sure you do not shoplift, but they are basically overly eager to help you. They do not really talk to you, but stand right next to you or walk right behind you smiling just in case you have a question or something. It is kind of nutty and it makes me feel rather uncomfortable (I do not know about you, but I am not one who likes to be watched or followed). I am not much of a shopper in the first place and thus it only adds to my shopping anxiety. So I have developed a strategy and my strategy to get around this in the future is to A) not shop if I can avoid it or B) know exactly what I am looking for and go directly up to one of these smilely people and tell them what I want and be in and out in minutes (kind of like my mobile purchase yesterday...it took me less than 3 minutes to get one). So I bought all jungle-themed clothes and nursery items (they are going for a jungle theme). Too cute! Makes me want one...NOT. I mean at least not for a few years. I gotta get this travel bug out of me and buy me my own little place first. And get a husband or at least long term boyfriend. That is kind of key. MOVING ON...

I apologize for not posting sooner. I have been really busy with work training the new CDAs and prepping for the new academic year. However, training has wrapped up and the students are starting to arrive on campus. The energy is great and I feel so fortunate to be here. Students are from all over the world, but primarily from countries around the region. And what amazes me is how much they are like their American counterparts - they are loud, they like to laugh a lot, they stop paying attention if they get bored or distracted, but they are inherently good and have so much potential (or at least I think students, or even people, are) and I love being around them and watching them become great individuals. And there are countless times throughout the day where I question if I have even left the United States at all (and then I am reminded by the signs in Arabic or the super serious security guards or hearing the call to prayer in the distance (quite beautiful BTW)). There are also a fair number of American students, particularly students from Texas A & M and the U.S. Naval Academy, studying here. You can tell on their faces that they feel a little out of place, but I think it is so good for them to be here. Anyway, on Thursday night there was a big cooking competition for the new students. The students were split into a number of groups and sent off to kitchens in the residence halls where they were to cook a predetermined meal in a certain amount of time and their meals were going to be judged by chefs for presentation and taste. Very Top Chef. The team that I supervised (my responsibility was to make sure no one hurt themselves and that they did not burn the place down and luckily not give cooking advice) was tasked with making a teriyaki steak thingy and a fancy salad (my lack of cooking expertise is showing through my cooking terminology). All was good until I smelled smoke. I went to see what it was and realized they were using the broiler pan on the stovetop (the oven was not working...of course). I took an overmitt, turned off the stovetop, grabbed the pan, raced it to the patio, and told the students to grab rags and start fanning the kitchen. I guarantee you we were within 10 seconds of the fire alarm going off, but disaster was averted. :) They proceeded to finish cooking the meal using cookingware actually made for the stovetop...or zapping it in the microwave. They finished preparing their meal with about 5 minutes to spare and it surprisingly looked appetizing! And we freaking won! The judges liked our meal, or I should say, their meal the best! I was shocked! So we get to have dinner at the Four Seasons! Go Team 3! And here are some pictures from the event!

Taste at your own risk...

CDAs Setareh, Sinan, Abdullah and Sarah!

Mohammed, a fellow RHD, working on his computer in the corner

OK. That is all for now. Oh. Check this out: Sheikh sends car to U.K. Some Qatari sheikh sent his Lambo via Qatar Airways to the U.K. to get its oil changed!!! Yep. Not sustainable at all. However, I have to say at least he does maintenance work on his ride because people here tend to not do maintenance work on their cars because they know they will just get a new one in a year.