What I Am Thankful For

This was my first thanksgiving away from home and I did not like it. Obviously, Thanksgiving is not a holiday here and thus I had to work. And it was one of the longest days of work I have experienced here (8:00 a.m. to almost 1:00 a.m.) due to lots going on. We did do a Thanksgiving lunch thingy, but it was very work-oriented (rushed, formal...) and so I believe it lost its authenticity. But I did do some killer cooking for it! I made a divine apple cobbler from scratch (it looked like poo and probably came out as poo, but was so yummy) and worked with a colleague to prepare the turkey, gravy, and stuffing. I always surprise myself with my cooking abilities. I tend to think I am a bad cook, but I am actually a pretty good cook...I just lack the will to cook frequently. But this post is about what I am thankful for. I am going to go back to my elementary school days and present to you a list. I do not believe we really think about this sort of stuff very often. Here are ten things I am thankful for (this is not a complete list, just the ten things that came to my mind first):

1. Vacation. I leave tonight for the U.K. for a week! I am so looking forward to this break! Thank goodness for good friends who I will be visiting, cold weather (I miss seasons!), and good alcohol. And a stronger dollar. And then in a couple weeks I am going to Mexico with my family! And thank goodness for frequent flyer programs. I am accumulating lots of miles for future travels!

2. Amazing family and friends. This is rather self explanatory, but frankly my relationships sustain me. They really do. The bonds I have with people are the most important things in the world to me. They rule my life - they give me so much joy, but also grief at times. In the end, I would be nothing without the people in my life who I care so much about and vice versa.

3. The cleaners. I have two of the most amazing cleaners working in the buildings that I supervise. These two ladies are pure balls of sunshine even though they work shitty jobs. I love them! They have this amazing aura of goodness. Anyway, I am thankful for them being in my life because they do brighten my day (and I frequently need that) when they stop by to say hello (they rarely clean because I do not make a mess). However, a couple days ago I found this on my desk from them (they have so little, but give so much):



















4. My health. Also, rather self explanatory. I feel very blessed to be in the condition I am in. And I am also thankful for having health insurance. Health care is surprisingly decent here, but certain services are not readily available to me because I am a single female. It sort of feels like my rights have been taken away from me. AND THAT PISSES ME OFF. So not only am I thankful for my health, but I am also thankful for the freedoms I have in the United States.

5. Thrift stores. I have quite the extensive wardrobe as well as some great furnishings and such thanks to all the good crap I have bought at thrift stores. Just gotta clean them up and they are good to go! Good for the wallet (no matter how much money I make, I will always be thrifty) and good for the planet (recycling).

6. M.I.A. An amazing. When I need to be fierce, I channel my inner M.I.A. I want to be M.I.A. when I grow up.7. Sunrises and sunsets. I totally love them. They are always unique and new and signify to me an opportunity to reflect and renew. I think this little quote by an unknown author says a lot...or at least it does to me: When the sun rises, it rises for everyone. Take care of our planet! We only got one!

8. Working in student affairs. I love working with students! It is such gratifying work to know that the role I play, a rather small one at that, does have an impact in their journey or story. It is the best feeling in the world to see students hold their heads a little higher (in other words, genuinely believe in themselves more) from the work you do with them and watch them develop into amazing people. Of course, there are difficult students who I want to shake, but I usually find a way to get through to them. Furthermore, I am especially thankful for the girls here who I have become very close with. Words cannot describe how remarkable they are. I feel so lucky to have them in my life. They are the only reason why I am still here.

9. S'mores. I heart s'mores. Especially ones made while camping. A great little treasure of happiness. Other foods I am thankful for: chicken strips, PB (creamy) and J (raspberry) sandwiches, fajitas (no mushrooms), grape soda, pad see ew, pierogies, riesling wine, beer (preferably NOT cheap shit...except Hi Life), cheeseburgers and strawberry milkshakes from Dick's Drive In, sangria, and basically anything made by my momma.

10. The internet. I have no idea how I would do just about anything without the internet. It is so intertwined in my life.

Honorable mention: binder clips because they are useful for so many things!

This was kind of fun!

My trip to Sealine

I went with some Carnegie Mellon University folks to Sealine on Friday. Sealine is a locale near the Saudi border where people go to the beach and dune. Mostly dune as I learned. I was hoping I would be able to get some sun on this excursion, but NOOOOOO because the place was packed with guys (my guess is 95%) and thus I did not want to be gawked at. But it was like being on another planet! I have never seen such a thing! You could feel the testosterone for miles! SUVs and ATVs all over the damn place! And basically no rules! It was Mad Max meets Burning Man meets Dune... I was all down with observing the madness, but then two of the CMUers decided to join the crazies and rented ATVs. And of course I ended up on the ATV with the guy who never in his life drove one and should never drive one again (guys think since they are dudes they automatically got the ATV skills, but they are sorely mistaken). I have been on ATVs several times before and know how they are supposed to go. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life the way he drove around with all the other ATVs and SUVs buzzing about. Plus, I would ask him to slow down or take me back and he would not listen. This kid is on my shit list. And it did not help that my helmet was way too big no matter what I did to keep it tight and subsequently I had to hold it down with one hand to stop it from blocking my vision or flying completely off. I also worried that if I was to fall off due to the douchebag's reckless ways or get into an accident, we were miles from any medical facilities, facilities that are not very good in the first place. I was so thankful to make it back to our starting point in one piece. I definitely let out one of the biggest sighs of my life. Anyway, here is my day at Sealine (but these pictures do not do it justice):

What it looks like as you approach Sealine - MILES of camps (I guess their version of cabins on a lake or a beach) and LOTS of ATVs.

NO way was I going to get a peaceful day at the beach! Lots of people, particularly dudes, and asses on ATVs and SUVs who got a kick annoying people, particularly me (put throwing grapes at them helped a little), who were trying to enjoy the beach.

And this is what happens! A Life Flight helicopter is summoned! I have no idea what happened, but serious injuries and even deaths are not that uncommon.

The dunes at sunset. Kind of pretty...

And no they do not stop the madness at night! It only seems to amplify!

And this is what pays my salary...

Watch The Doha Debates on BBC World this weekend! I am in the audience!

On Monday night I went to the Doha Debates. The Doha Debates are a forum for free speech in Qatar and are broadcast on BBC World throughout the year. This month's motion was: This House believes that Gulf Arabs value profit over people. A topic of immense importance to me (more below in paragraph two). There are two panelists who argue for the motion and two that argue against with Tim Sebastian, some BBC dude, moderating and then people from the audience get to ask the panelists questions. And these panelist people are important peeps! One of the guys who argued for the motion was on Saddam Hussein's legal team...and Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu, and Shimon Peres have all participated in past events. As a result, getting tickets to the Doha Debates is obviously difficult! A lot of people want to go, but there is only room for I would guess a hundred people or so. But I now have an in! Ha! Anyway, they turn the QF Headquarters into a TV studio with all kinds of fancy cameras and lights and people wearing headsets and, of course, security. It only dawned on me when I was seated that I probably should have put on some makeup since the debate was going to be taped for broadcast around the world. Damn it! So look for a blonde girl with glasses and a green scarf on BBC World over the weekend. And then at the end of the evening the audience votes for or against the motion using these remote control thingys that kind of reminded me of the things the audience on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire use when asked by the contestant for help. The audience overwhelming voted for the motion - 75% to 25%. I voted for the motion and here is why:

I have been meaning to write about workers here for a long time. I get so frustrated concerning the treatment of the workers here. They are treated often like they are not even human beings. My dad worries I might get in trouble for talking about the rights of workers (or really, the lack of) here, but I do not care anymore. If I get in trouble for talking about the workers, fine. I would rather do what I believe is morally right then keep my mouth shut concerning something that is so morally wrong, especially considering I work in education. I believe I would be doing the students I work with a massive disservice if I did not challenge them regarding such issues. Anyway, I go running almost nightly around 9:00 p.m. Education City is an extremely safe place, thanks to loads of security, and thus running in the dark here is safer than running in the day almost anywhere in the United States. But around 9:30 p.m. or so you see large groups of workers segregated by gender all in their matching navy and sea blue uniforms waiting for their buses back to their camps. It is a real powerful sight that I cannot get used to. These people, such beautiful people who avoid making eye contact out of fear of getting in trouble, from mostly Asian countries are building this country. They, at least the EC workers, work on average 16 hours of grueling labor a day six days a week (and on the one day they get off, Friday, they are often banned from many stores around the area). Without them, everything would stop. Yet they are invisible. I try every now and then to bring up the workers with my colleagues, but they always want to give Qatar a pass since they say the United States was built on the backs of people of color. True, but that does not make it right. There is a better way! I cannot really change policy on my own, but I can at least treat the workers with respect and dignity and do what I can to lessen their huge load (but a colleague told me once I was taking work away from the workers when I dumped my own damn trash and got my own water...WTF?!), especially the amazing women who work in the buildings I am responsible for. But more than being simply nice to them, I want to know about them - I wonder what their lives are really like? Where are they from? Do they have families? What are their dreams? Do they have joy in their daily lives? I hope so! I really hope they find joy amongest each other since they spend day in and day out together. Ugh. I am now drained. Keep loving, keep fighting!

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. - Elie Wiesel

My s**t

I had a hard time thinking up a title for this post and so I decided I would go with what first came to mind regardless if it is rather inappropriate. Here are some photos of my...well...shit. This is not my usual kind of post, but my parents have been asking me to post photos for months now.

This is the first thing one sees, or at least I see (because very few people have ever been to my apartment), when I come home. My phone station, as I call it, and my exercise ball (there is also some resistance bands and jump rope down there too). I have three phones, four when I am on call - I have my cell phone, my local phone that I never use yet get random Arabic speakers calling at least once a day and thus I just completely avoid, and my Vonage phone. Side note: CALL OR WRITE ME!!! I am getting kind of upset regarding the number of relationships with people that seem to have come to an end now that I live here. It is during times like this when I personally need people the most. I am getting tired of calling and leaving messages or being told there is not much time to talk or writing and getting no response. There are a number of people who I thought valued the relationships we had who have basically ceased contact with me. Many sent me short notes earlier this year saying they are super busy, but I believe that is a bullshit excuse. When someone says they are busy over and over again or never responds, I then just view them as assholes and give up. We are all busy. It is about putting in an effort to stay in touch with the people who care about you and vice versa. It is a matter of priorities. Is a few minutes really that much time to ask? It is frankly hurtful. Coming here is such a once in a lifetime opportunity, but I worry a lot that I lost relationships because of it. This place is very isolating and the lack of people back home staying in contact only makes it worse. I am definitely willing to make the effort, I just need folks on the other end doing the same. But on a positive there have been a few people who have done a really good job of staying in touch and you have absolutely no idea how much that means to me. I am ever grateful for it. Again, please stay in touch!

The dining table that I mostly use for my computers and subsequently where I spend most of my time when I am not sleeping or at work. The computer on the right is my personal computer, the one on the left is my work computer. The little quilt on the wall was made by my mommy and I LOVE it (hint, hint, Mom, make me more por favor!). And the cabinet thingy does not have much in it (right now just a ceramic shoe from the Netherlands with all kinds of different foreign coins, a couple decorative eggs, and a pot with shells from a local beach). My goal is to fill it with little pots and such from my future travels around the Old World.

My living area. I totally love the colonial meets modern look (note my sarcasm). And I did give in and purchased two plants - Stacy and Stew. I do not spend much time in this area aside from watching a DVD every now and then. Send me more DVDs! Wow, this post is turning into basically a plea for attention...And off my living area is the empty patio that collects an insane amount of dust and dirt. I have to sweep it every week or so. But I do have grand plans for this rather pathetic little space: a hammock. I am thinking I am going to buy myself a Mayan one when I am on vacay with my family in Mexico over the holidays.

The kitchen. Nothing special about this space. Nearly all of the kitchen stuff (and basically everything else in the apartment) belongs to QF. But I do try to cook. I do not believe I am a bad cook, I just do not like to do it very often. But I do like to hand wash dishes, especially to music, and thus the dishwasher has seen no action. And the briefcase thingy on top of the frig is not a bomb, the cutlery came in. Also, if you send me cards and postcards, I will post them on the wall next to the frig with the rest of my collection. :) My grocery bags. They use an insane amount of plastic sacks in the grocery stores and thus I am just doing my part to limit their abuse. I particularly like how my bags say, 'FOR A GREENER AMERICA.' Oh well...
I have my own washer and dryer! It is a beautiful, beautiful thing to have such a luxury! And Gogl is a pretty decent laundry detergent (took me 20 minutes to pick it out a couple months ago because all the detergents were in Arabic or French). And the fabric softener was purchased on my trip to San Diego. There is only one place that sells it here and they charge $10 for a pack of 40!
My bathroom. Again, nothing special except for my beloved tropics shower curtain. It was the lone thing I ever bought for myself (I did buy my mom some silverware from Williams-Sonoma) working at Pottery Barn Kids in college (it was the only job I flat out quit...I only lasted about two months). The bathroom also has a bidet (on the other side of the toilet), but it just collects dust.

My bedroom. A pretty boring space that sees a lot of sleeping. My bed is quite big (I tend to lay across it a lot) and comfy, I totally dig the vanity, and the massive closet rocks!

My wheels. Probably one of the poopiest rides in Doha (most folks drive new rides (see Lambo post) around here), but it is safe and reliable and barely cost me anything! It even has a tape player!

I figured I would throw in a picture of my office while I was at it. You cannot see it, but there is also a cabinet in this space for books and such, a whiteboard that I write down lots of random things, two chairs, and some plants. Students particularly like my little airplane collection in front of my computer (you cannot see them, but they are there).

So that is my shit. The end.

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championship

Last night I was lucky enough to go to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championship. For less than $5. I saw three matches. I have never been to a fancy schmancy tennis tournament. I had a lot of fun, but you definitely need good company because it can get kind of boring at times. But you gotta talk quietly...or you get people shhhing you. The first match was Vera Zvonareva (#8 female in the world) versus Jelena Jankovic (#1 female in the world). Jankovic, who is a bit dramatic, lost. Ha! The next match was supposed to be Serena Williams (Go USA! She is #3) versus Elena Dementieva (#5), but Williams had to pull out due to an injury. She did come out to the court to say a few words to the crowd. She has massive arms (they are probably bigger than my legs)...and a HUGE ass (it was hard to miss)! So Dementieva played Nadia Petrova (an alternate, but #11 female in the world). Dementieva (what a cool last name, it rolls of the tongue so nicely) won. Last up for the night was Svetlana Kuznetsova (#6) versus Ana Ivanovic (#4), but Ivanovic had to pull out because she got sick. So Kuznetsova played Agnieszka Radwanska (another alternate, but still #10). Radwanska won. My favorite match was probably the last because Radwanska is so young. And she is from Poland and not Russia like the others (except for the diva Jankovic who is from Serbia). Damn the Russians!!! Here are some photos:

Zvonavera (in white top and blue skirt) versus Jankovic (in black tank dress).

Russians celebrating Zvonavera's victory.

Serena Williams. Again, massive butt. I only notice because I am a little jealous...

Good ol' American hot dog!

Dementieva (in red) versus Petrova (wearing white top).

A lost kitty ran on the court during Dementieva's interview. Poor little scared kitty!

The important 'dudes in thobes' seats.

The angry Russian dude (in the Hawaiian shirt) who would yell in between points.

The security dudes...in thobes. Like they could do a whole lot in such mobile attire!

Radwanska.

Kuznetsova (BTW she is quite harsh looking...).

The conclusion of Radwanska versus Kuznetsova.

The Qatar flag and moon over the stadium.

No explanation needed.