Saturday, November 11, 2006
Sunday 12 November.
Lovely run on the Corniche this morning. I've seen some people many times there now and they are quick to smile and say hello to me. Others are still distant or staring at me a bit bewildered. A lovely woman with a black abayah but colored scarf around her head (means she is probably Indian or pakistani or or or but not qatari) has been one of the nicest person to greet me. "Good Morning to you" she replied to me quickly the first time I greeted her days ago. Yesterday as I past her, walking in the same direction I was running I said: "Good Morning" as I past her and she once again said: "Good Morning to you" and she giggled as if she thought I was funny to greet her like this. She greets me and smiles at me as if we are old friends now. Others too, men sometimes dressed in traditional Arabic gear and walking in a royal way have had to drop their distant air and smile or reply. Others ignore me of course but many who are walking or dressed less formally have been quick to reply and smile. It doesn't matter that we don't all speak the same language, the smile is universal and it links people in a way which is quite amazing.
As I'm running back a man is about to start running and asks if he can run with me. He is from Tunisia (Tunis I believe) and is an Anesthetist (Anestiologist not sure of the exact spelling or wording). He has been here two years from 2001 to 2003 and now has been here two years as well. I ask him if he likes it here and he says he doesn't. He finds it hard. He has studied in Paris so we switch to talk in French. I am pretty conscious that people along the corniche are looking at us. They have seen me running alone and they are staring at me now as I run next to this man whose name I didn't catch. He wants to stop and walk back so we can talk more but I tell him I'm continuing back to my accommodation and have little time. So I wave to him and tell him I'll see him again another morning.
Security sweep tomorrow so we get the morning off until 1pm. Better enjoy it as there won't be much of that anymore from this moment on.
Some of my collegues are aching to be finished in leave the country. Some have decided to stay and accept some local jobs. I'm still intrigued and enjoying my experience. The hours and the work, that is in my blood. I could do it anywhere. So I intend to get as much out of my experience as I can.
Scratch the surface and below lies a world which is at times so foreign we fail to understand it. But, if we stay open and endeavor to explore other ways of thinking, the rewards are more satisfying than anything else I can imagine.
Lovely run on the Corniche this morning. I've seen some people many times there now and they are quick to smile and say hello to me. Others are still distant or staring at me a bit bewildered. A lovely woman with a black abayah but colored scarf around her head (means she is probably Indian or pakistani or or or but not qatari) has been one of the nicest person to greet me. "Good Morning to you" she replied to me quickly the first time I greeted her days ago. Yesterday as I past her, walking in the same direction I was running I said: "Good Morning" as I past her and she once again said: "Good Morning to you" and she giggled as if she thought I was funny to greet her like this. She greets me and smiles at me as if we are old friends now. Others too, men sometimes dressed in traditional Arabic gear and walking in a royal way have had to drop their distant air and smile or reply. Others ignore me of course but many who are walking or dressed less formally have been quick to reply and smile. It doesn't matter that we don't all speak the same language, the smile is universal and it links people in a way which is quite amazing.
As I'm running back a man is about to start running and asks if he can run with me. He is from Tunisia (Tunis I believe) and is an Anesthetist (Anestiologist not sure of the exact spelling or wording). He has been here two years from 2001 to 2003 and now has been here two years as well. I ask him if he likes it here and he says he doesn't. He finds it hard. He has studied in Paris so we switch to talk in French. I am pretty conscious that people along the corniche are looking at us. They have seen me running alone and they are staring at me now as I run next to this man whose name I didn't catch. He wants to stop and walk back so we can talk more but I tell him I'm continuing back to my accommodation and have little time. So I wave to him and tell him I'll see him again another morning.
Security sweep tomorrow so we get the morning off until 1pm. Better enjoy it as there won't be much of that anymore from this moment on.
Some of my collegues are aching to be finished in leave the country. Some have decided to stay and accept some local jobs. I'm still intrigued and enjoying my experience. The hours and the work, that is in my blood. I could do it anywhere. So I intend to get as much out of my experience as I can.
Scratch the surface and below lies a world which is at times so foreign we fail to understand it. But, if we stay open and endeavor to explore other ways of thinking, the rewards are more satisfying than anything else I can imagine.
# posted by AdeC @ 9:57 PM 
