I gave up the sweet shower. The other day I had the opportunity to move to a new apartment on the 17th floor of a high rise complex overlooking the Gulf--I took the offer. Size wise, it is a little smaller but I get to wake up to the view on the left. My favorite thing to do now is to sit out on my balcony at night watching the planes take-off and land from Doha International. I'll still be visiting the old complex often because several young staff members live there including my friend Caryl, a Community Advisor at CMU-Q. We've been discovering Doha together for the past few days. One of the highlights was grocery shopping at the local Carrefore (a.k.a, Super Wal-Mart). The currency in Qatar is the Riyal and occasionally the price of something will include a fraction of a riyal. For example, a liter of milk might cost 4.5 riyals. Since .5 riyal is only worth about 15 cents most stores would rather not deal with the coins required to provide change. I guess paper bills are easier to handle. Anyways, Caryl and I discovered at the grocery store that instead of giving coins as change most stores give you gum or candy. So, when we paid for milk the cashier handed us our .5 riyal in change, not as a coin but a small pack of grape bubble gum.

The major development this week was re-learning to drive. The Qataris are crazy drivers. They make Dallas drivers look like an elderly woman driving her Buick on a Sunday afternoon. Extremely aggressive and seeming out-of-control drivers in combination with hundreds of three lane roundabouts makes for a good time. Several CMU staff members hire drivers rather than drive in these circumstances. I decided the only way to learn was to get out there and give’r a try. My rental car is a Chevy Optra, which is not available in the States. I will drive it until next month when my car arrives in Doha from the States.

I visited Doha Fellowship (a non-denominational Christian church) on Friday. Since Friday is holy day for Muslims, Christians go to church on Friday as well. Did I mention that our work week goes Sunday through Thursday? Church was surprisingly similar--it was contemporary worship music and a fairly typical message from the pastor. The main difference was the overwhelming diversity of people in the congregation. The church building is an unmarked (i.e., no signage or crosses) villa in the suburbs of Doha. You have to know someone who attends to find the place. On an average Friday, about 350 people attend. Overall, it was an emotional experience for me watching these diverse people from all over the world worshiping the same God.

On another religious note, it is interesting and inspiring to see how dedicated Muslims are to their faith. When the call to prayer rings out across the city five times a day they offer prayers to Allah. Keep in mind that one of these prayer times is at dawn (between 4 & 5am). That’s dedication.

I woke up from a jet lag nap yesterday confused as can be, wondering, “Where am I?” It certainly wasn't my apartment in Ohio. Had I stayed at a friend’s house? Was I home in Texas? Nope, I was in the Middle East. What a strange thought.

As you have probably guessed, I made it to Qatar safely. Thanks for your prayers and concerns as I traveled. The plane route was significantly altered due to the war. Typically the flight plan from Europe to Qatar goes as the crow flies over Israel and Lebanon. Not the case this time. We traveled further north through Turkey and then headed due south through Iran. It was especially interesting flying over the Persian Gulf at dusk. Hundreds of oil flames burn over the ocean platforms. I kept imagining how many gallons of oil those pumps produce and how much I've been paying for gas. I'm excited about paying 79 cents a gallon. Although, I won't be driving for a week or so. Legally, I can drive whenever I want, but Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) recommends holding off until I have a better understanding of the driving culture. The Qataris are fairly aggressive. Okay, a lot aggressive.

Upon arrive at the airport two CMU folks were waiting to welcome me. My "Q-Crew Buddy," Dan, helped pack up my luggage and drove me to my new apartment. All my luggage was searched because the Qatari government has strict regulations on what can enter their country. That means no alcohol or bacon. Mmmm…bacon. As you can see, it seems as though they couldn’t get my duffle bag closed, so they used the ole’ “use as much tape as possible” method. Dan will help me out for the first few weeks as I adapt to the new culture. We have been eating, shopping, and hanging out over the past few days. We determined that our pairing is a perfect match because we have several things in common. Dan is adventurous, technologically inclined, and good-looking. :-) We went with a group of folks to the theater last night and watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Due to the strict government regulations I mentioned earlier the kissing scene was cut. I’ve been here for three days and already had significant interactions with a Korean, two Spaniards, an Iraqi, and several Americans, not to mention all the merchants and helpers from all over the world.

My apartment is pretty sweet. If you are looking to visit, space shouldn't be an issue. The HR folks had already come over and made my beds, purchased the essentials, and stocked my fridge. Even a nice little American treat in the freezer--Baskin Robin's ice cream. Take a look at the rain style shower with seven additional showerheads for a full body experience. I think this is my favorite part about the whole place. The first night, I managed to stay in the shower for almost an hour. My phone and Internet are up and running in my apartment, so communication lines are open. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I have a US phone number that is FREE for you to call, so no excuses. Pick up the phone and call, now. 972-782-2745. Well, consider the time difference first. My friend Ken was confused about the time difference and woke me up at 3am last night. For those of you in the Central Time Zone, Qatar is 8 hours ahead. EST, 7 hrs.

Okay, I have lots more to say but I should save some for future posts. I'm hoping to post at least one new blog entry a week, so feel free to check back regularly. Love you all.