Monday, November 27, 2006
Tuesday November 28th - 3 Days to go 
At 8am already now there are numerous journalists in the work room- a clear sign the games are approching and that many journalists are now in town and getting ready.
I went 'home' last night and straight to bed after a shower. I needed that and feel great today.
On the Corniche this morning, I see Assil who joins me for the last couple of kilometers. I see him very often but he joins me about once a week now as often he is going the other way. "Ask me about my visa" he says as soon as he joins me. I laugh and say: "Hey Assil, what's happened with your visa?". And he laughs and tells me that he'd been told everything would be finalised by Sunday (the beginning of the week here) and of course when he went they said to come back in two days, which is today. So, next time I see you you'll have it. "Yes" he says "or I'll have another story to tell." He tells me he insulted the officer without knowing. "In Syria, when we say Assam (or Hassam) we mean Have pity on me so I said Assam to the officer. But in Qatar, when you do something wrong like eat pig, it's Assam and means you will go to hell." So Assil didn't understand when the officer quickly became upset and was just told by someone else the local meaning.
Nevertheless, he hopes the visa will be resolved soon.
More later today perhaps.
At 8am already now there are numerous journalists in the work room- a clear sign the games are approching and that many journalists are now in town and getting ready.
I went 'home' last night and straight to bed after a shower. I needed that and feel great today.
On the Corniche this morning, I see Assil who joins me for the last couple of kilometers. I see him very often but he joins me about once a week now as often he is going the other way. "Ask me about my visa" he says as soon as he joins me. I laugh and say: "Hey Assil, what's happened with your visa?". And he laughs and tells me that he'd been told everything would be finalised by Sunday (the beginning of the week here) and of course when he went they said to come back in two days, which is today. So, next time I see you you'll have it. "Yes" he says "or I'll have another story to tell." He tells me he insulted the officer without knowing. "In Syria, when we say Assam (or Hassam) we mean Have pity on me so I said Assam to the officer. But in Qatar, when you do something wrong like eat pig, it's Assam and means you will go to hell." So Assil didn't understand when the officer quickly became upset and was just told by someone else the local meaning.
Nevertheless, he hopes the visa will be resolved soon.
More later today perhaps.
# posted by AdeC @ 9:17 PM 
