Anne's blog travel 06-07

Wedneday, December 20th 2006

Well, this is my last post from Doha. I leave today at 3:10pm for Dubai where I'll be for three nights and until late on the 23rd. I'll then fly back to Doha for three hours at the airport before I head to Singapore for 7 hours and then off to Koh Samui where I can settle my things down for about two weeks.
I went for a run along the Corniche this morning, going past the Emiri Diwan for the last time (the Palace) and running along the bay. As I run back and glance once more at the skyline of cranes which has become my home over the last weeks. Time has flown indeed.

I call Sohaila and Salwa yesterday. Bukra (tomorrow) I go to Dubai, I tell them. I'm just calling to say Maa Salaama (goodbye) and Shukran (thank you). We can't have too much of a conversation but we understand each other enough to say this and they both thank me for calling. I'll try to reach the others today before I leave.

I met Mo (Mohammed) yesterday (Saad's brother) at Starbucks in the City Centre shopping mall. Two englishmen, Andy (who has lived here 6 years) and another guy (I forget his name) on their lunch break join us for coffee before they head back to work. Mo is 30, dressed in jeans and t-shirt, handsome. We talk and walk around this huge centre and then sit down for lunch and he pays for everything. He talks candidly about life here. He was born in Kuwait where his family comes from before they moved here. Saad is born here in Qatar. He feels like the black sheep in the family, only wearing the thobe when he absolutely has to. Most of his friends are westerners. He tells me his family wants him to marry his cousin. "If they don't change their mind, I will have to do it" he says. "Hopefully she will change her mind". He tells me her cousin was quite pretty when he last saw her when they were kids but he obviously has no feelings for her.

On our walk around the centre I see Khalid (from Qpost) with his wife and stop to say hello. Khalid has once stopped me outside the MMC to say hello. But I feel there is an awkwardness there. Mo has continued to wait for me ahead. Khalid introduces his wife and I tell her we worked at the same venue. "I hear you are going to France" I tell her. To which Khalid quickly replies: "No, I'm going to France with my friends. My wife is staying home." Really? "Tell him he's a bad husband" I tell Khalid's wife and then with a smile I wish him a good trip. I catch up with Mo and he tells me that whenever he sees friends with their wives, he looks down and ignores them. This is how it's done here. "Really?". And of course I've totally put my foot in it when I assumed he was taking his wife away with him.

"I hate all this" Mo says. "Most men when they travel aren't interested at all about other cultures. They just travel for a few reasons. To get away from their wives and usually to have fun with their friends and other women."

Mo is surprisingly honest and disarmingly candid about life here. He tells me about his brothers and how they are. "When they call I know they want me to do something for them." So I joke and pretend I'm Saad: "Mo, please can you hang out with Anne for a bit and show her around." He smiles.

"Actually, I kept looking out for you. Saad described you and whenever I was having coffee here, I'd wonder if that woman or another was you. One night even at the Rydges, I approched a woman who had hair the same color as yours and asked her if she was Anne. She told me to Fuck off".

Andy comes back to pick him up at about 3pm and Mo tells me to call him later if I want to go out. He's also told me to send him my resume and he could easily find me a job here.

But last night Lorraine and I catch a cab to Jewarah's place for the celebration. We find ourselves in the company of only women but it's interesting to see them without the Abayah. I hardly recognise Maryam and Ala is so beautiful without that black thing on her head. Jewarah and her sister are just gorgeous. We sit in this living room with couches all around the walls and sip tea before we gather around a table full of beautiful food. Babaganoush, Tabouleh, humus, rice, chicken, and other food I don't know the name of. About three of four different deserts are also served. Kisane is there and also is Gerry and both Lorraine and I return to town with Kisane fairly early as it's just about impossible to call a cab out there. It's been nearly impossible to find in the first place.

I must hurry now and go and change money, pack my bags and call my volunteers. I'll update from Dubai.

Bye for now