My first trip to the clinic...

So, I feel pretty crummy.  I've felt pretty crummy for several days now.  I'll spare you the awesome symptoms and let it suffice to say that it isn't pretty.  A decided today was enough and "put his food down.."  with my "waiting it out."  He decided we should made the short trek over to the Health Clinic.  I was not a happy camper about the whole thing, mainly because I just really dislike going to the doctor. 

Long story short... doctor says... intestinal parasite..  joy. 

If you want to read up on the little darlings...  feel free to check them out here.

I'm choosing to believe I have a protozoa... 

Hoping that 5 days of flagyl won't be too rough on my system and that I can start eating more than crackers and pretzels soon. 

I'll spare you any pictures on this one :0)

Fail... I'm sure it won't be the last time.

Our ipad has stopped charging...  The cord seems to get bent when it's plugged in and I think that's where the problem lies.  In any case, we needed a replacement cord as we use the ipad a lot.  We bought a GPS this past weekend (a good one, the same brand we had in the States) and I was confident that we could get there, shop, eat, play and get home.  The kids and I were excited to have an adventure together and we were pumped to get out during the day (we mainly stay in because of the heat)...

We got ready, I cooled the car, and we were off.  The GPS located the mall and the directions weren't too hard.  Driving here doesn't scare me after living in Morocco and driving there.  We got started and were having no problems; on the highway, off the highway, and then...  Pippie, the GPS quit..  Just black screen...  I was at a major roundabout and had NO idea where to go.  Luckily it was busy, so I called A thinking someone there could help me... no answer (they are in trainings).  I took a chance and turned right.  Somehow I managed to get onto another highway and took the first exit to the right again...  I have NO directional sense here yet and very little in the way of landmarks to go on.  I pulled off at a printing company and called A over and over until he answered. 

He was next to one of the principals who has been here for years.  I'd like to say he knew exactly where I was, but alas... no.  I decided to start driving again, to see if I could get on a main road or something the guy would recognize...  The kids were silent the entire time and I could tell they were nervous, but I couldn't stop what I was doing to reassure them...  I was being hyper vigilant for police because it's illegal to be on a cell phone (...really what other choice did I have???).  Finally, I found a street he recognized, which took me to a street that I recognized!  Landmarks!  YES!!  P actually saw one of the big landmarks and exclaimed, "MOM, LOOK I SEE THE TREE PLACE!!"  We all breathed a sigh of relief as we rounded the final roundabout, passed the fire station, and drove down our familiar street.

So, what do you do when you've just had a pretty intense time of stress?  We did what anyone would do... Stopped at our familiar Lulu's grocery and stocked up on yummies!  Came home and ate dessert first!  (That's honestly the first time I've ever let them do it, and they were pumped!)

When A gets home, we are going to figure out how to get to the mall, get the stuff we headed out for (ipad cord, printer, food processor, mixer...), and I'm driving...  All roads can lead you home, but I've gotta figure out how to make it there and back for my own peace of mind..

Relieved to be home and ready to eat their treats!

The princesses had to join us.

Mommy's peach treat.

Grocery getting...

Some of the groceries.

It's nice to have a few familiar brands.

See that?  Right there...  Blue bag..  COFFEE - NOT instant!

Some necessary baking items for muffins and pancakes. 

We have a store within walking distance (well... when it's this hot, nothing is really walking distance, but after dark it's not too terrible) called LuLu's.  It caters to the ex-pats that live in our compound and there are A LOT of American goods... a lot...  They are VERY pricey, but it's nice to have some familiar items, especially for the kids.  We've been doing our grocery shopping there since we arrived, but today, we went to Carrefour, which is much bigger and still has a great selection.  I decided to take a few pictures (that wasn't everything, just what fit in the picture), so you could see some of what we see.  The kids were so excited to see the Oreos (and I was so excited that they were on promotion).  I was also super happy to find syrup!  P and M don't eat eggs, toast, or the like, so without syrup, it's been cereal...  Which is fine normally, but here (their familiar brands) it costs like $7 a box!  I've dealt with it this week, but now that we have flour, sugar, and syrup...  breakfast will venture beyond cereal. 

It's also fun for A and I to have some familiar things that we remembered from our years in Morocco.  Dannette puddings, brown eggs (yes, I know they have them in the States too...), Ariel laundry soap (Tide was cheaper today though), and nutella (yes - we had this in the States, but I was introduced to it by my good friend S in Morocco)... 

Sites downtown...

We took a little trip downtown today to the City Center Mall.  It's 5 stories high with an ice rink on the bottom level.  We ate lunch (M ate BK, P had Pizza Hut, A and I ventured out a bit.  Mine was good Asian food, A had some not so great Middle Eastern BBQ..), bought a bike pump, and went grocery shopping at Carrefour (bought A's hair clippers and a new GPS).  I took a bunch of pictures on the way there and back and a few in the mall.  I'm not going to caption them all, because I have no idea what is in each one.  Some things I noticed while looking around; most buildings are a sand color (or metal..), there's construction everywhere (literally... a crane on the top of almost every building - how do they get them down??), and I'm glad we decided to live at EC vs downtown. 
It's nice, but not very kid friendly...

Loved this one because of the color!

Some really cool architecture.

It's nice to see green spaces, though I have NO idea how they keep it green. 

Those little tent looking things are covered parking.  You don't want your car baking in direct 115 degree sun.

I found two stores that sell TONS of cake decorating stuff!!  I was in cake heaven!!

I got a muffin and mini-muffin pan and the kids got to choose the papers (big stuff for them).

Um.. yes, I'll be back.

Ice rink at the bottom and the different levels.

Two cuties at the mall.

Doha.. under construction.

Taxis are blue..

The street to our compound.  That bridge is where we walk to go to the pool etc..

Just inside the compound, park straight ahead.

Things you can't replace..

While unpacking the rest of the boxes today, I was super excited to get into the box with these two pieces of pottery.  They were with me in Morocco (where I got them), Oregon, Texas, and Indiana.  I really really love these two pieces... a lot.  You can imagine how my heart sank when I pulled out the blue one...  The pottery is so thick and they were packed so well, but alas, it's broken into more pieces than I can fix.  Things are really not very important to me.  We just sold almost everything we owned, shipped and sent the rest across the world, and then replaced most of it at IKEA in two trips.  However, there are those things that become so important because they remind you of a place and time that is so meaningful.  Things that with just a glance can take you back to the very place you bought them, the smells you smelled, and the very vendor that sold them to you for, "a very good price..."  I'm thankful that it is the only thing that broke.  I'm thankful that the shipment made it.  I'm sad that this piece is off any future packing lists.. 

On our way back from the store today, one of my bottles of cleaner leaked all over the back of our SUV...  As A carried the bag inside, it brushed up against my (at the moment) favorite floor-length black dress...  It now has some awful reddish stains all over one side.  I can't replace it, but at least it wasn't the other piece of pottery.. 

A tiny visitor..

We walked back from an evening swim and this guy greeted us in our hallway.  He was pretty adorable, but I must admit, I was happy when A escorted him back outside... 







Here are some fun facts about this little guy and his fellow geckos:

• There are thought to be over 2,000 different species of gecko found around the world
• Geckos can range in size from just a few centimeters to more than 50 cm in length.
• The feet of the gecko are covered in tiny hairs that stick to surfaces like sucker pads.
• Geckos are carnivorous reptiles so the diet of the gecko is based on meat from other animals.
• Most species of geckos are nocturnal.  They have a lens in each iris that enlarges in darkness, making their eyes over 350 times more sensitive to light than ours.
• You will not find a gecko in possession of eyelids.  They have a transparent membrane instead.  To keep the membrane clean, geckos lick them often.
• If they are defending themselves, most gecko species can lose their tails.
• When a gecko sheds its tail, many will return later to see if it is still there. If it is then they will eat it. This is because the gecko uses part of its tail to store nutrients so that it can get through lean times when food is scarce.
• Unlike many species, the gecko thrives around humans. In warm regions of the world the arrival of gecko in to the home is greeted as a sign of good luck as they can help rid the house of unwelcome insects – they love a bit of mosquito for supper.
• Not sure if we considered it good luck, but the kids enjoyed checking it out!

On empty...

A and I both passed our theoretical test for driving today, so we thought we'd go this afternoon to get a rental car.  We've decided to rent (lease) until we figure out the system for buying a good used vehicle and what we'll be comfortable with.  We called the rental company and they indicated not having a driver to come pick us up, so we decided to wait until after the weekend (Friday and Saturday) and try again. 

I started dinner and A was working on something when we got another call that the driver was on his way and would be here in 15 minutes.. Change of plans.. We called L, another new teacher, to come sit with the kids.  Not knowing the process or how long it would take to find our way back, we thought it best to leave the kids here.  On the way to the rental company, A and I both watched intently at landmarks, roundabouts, and streets to navigate back home.  We also had a map pulled up on the ipad, but it wasn't the best map.

We got the paperwork finished fairly quickly and since the SUV we wanted wouldn't be ready until Saturday, we got a small white car until then.  We set off for home about 30 minutes before dark.  We realized fairly quickly that the gas was almost empty and the ipad battery was almost dead.. Bad combo when you're new in a foreign country.  The issue for us was finding a petrol (gas) station and being able to get to it from the street we were on. 

We were advised not to drive in the dark until we know our way around and to follow the brown signs toward Education City (where we live)...  We didn't do either... We will in the future...

The street we tried to find wasn't marked (shocker), so we went way too far.  The gas light came on and then we finally found a way to get onto an access road and saw a station we could get too!  The BEST thing...  gas is SO cheap it cost less than $9 to fill the tank!  Ok, back on the road...  Going in the other direction, the road was marked and after only a few more wrong turns, we made it back.  We're a pretty good team, but I'm not ready for a solo drive just yet..

Not too bad for a first try!  We're buying a GPS in the morning...  Hopefully that will help. 

I really wanted to photo journal this, but with a dead ipad... no pictures... 

How (not) to pack a carry on for young children.

Our travel time to Qatar seems long.. really long.  We have a short one hour flight to Chicago and then a 14-hour leg the rest of the way.  It's nice that we don't have many stops, but 14 hours is a long time for an adult to sit, let alone little ones.  I've been working on how to keep them busy during the flight for quite a while and have come up with a pretty good array of activities that will be both airplane friendly and fun.  One plus for us is that we fly through the night.  Assuming they sleep for several hours (which at their age is necessary), we should be in good shape.  I thought I'd share their bags in the hope that it will help someone else who is working on a "parent sanity bag."

P's clothing bag and familiar items.

P's new activities.

Above are P's activities.  She just turned 5.  Her familiar items include two picture books, (one of her best friend and one that her Grandma made for her), some familiar books, a picture of her best friend, a couple of small things of play doh, and her pencil case.  I also packed two outfits, PJs, and some socks in a large Ziploc.

I included a new Princess "workbook," stickers and paper, crayons, beads and pipe cleaners, two play packs (coloring sheets, stencils, stickers), gum, tic tacs, fruit snacks, a lacing sheep, and a frozen book and sticker book. 

Along with that, we have DVDs, the ipad, other snacks, and the in-flight entertainment system.  She also has a small bag of her favorite princess toys.

M's clothing and familiar items.

M's new activities.

Above are M's activities.  M is 3.5.  His familiar items are a few of his favorite books and his Spot It game.  He also has two outfits, PJs, and socks.

His new treasures include a new book about flying in an airplane, a new "workbook," lacing cow, activity packs, stickers and paper, crayons, beads and pipe cleaners, tic tacs, gum, fruit snacks, and play doh.

He also has his bag of cars that he loves dearly. 


My thoughts on creating these backpacks for the flight were:

Have familiar items that they enjoy.
Have activities that we can do together (game, coloring, bead lacing, workbooks) since we are sitting in twos (M with daddy and P with me).
New items are centered around their interests.
Everything is compact and fits in a backpack.
We can reuse a lot of it for busy bags.
It's inexpensive.  In fact some of the items were gifts given to them by friends.  I just stashed them away until now.
It isn't messy, loud, or annoying to people around us. 
They can do some of the activities on their own so we can get some rest.  (maybe)


***  Here are my thoughts on this post AFTER the flights.***

There were WAY too many things in their bags.  They didn't use most of it and couldn't carry the bags.  Qatar Airways is EXCELLENT and the in-flight entertainment is great.  They could watch movies or TV shows and were given a little busy bag as we taxied out.  We had a few snacks from the bags, did a few pages of the (sticker) workbooks, and colored.  The rest was just more weight for A and I to lug through the airports. 

Gum, extra clothing (in bags), and stickers were a YES... 

Doha Driving License - signs signs..

No parking/no waiting... No waiting/no stopping...  No overtaking...  No Lorries... 
300 m Countdown to a roundabout... One Way...  Double bend... 

One of the main goals for us this week was to secure our driving licenses.  We have international driving licenses, which are good for 6 months, however, for renting a car, they're only good for a couple of weeks.  In Qatar, the process of getting a license is a bit more involved than in the US.  The first step was a driving test.  It was your basic, cover one eye and read the letters/numbers then the other eye.  Easy, but with 25+ people all together, it just takes time.  After the eye test was registration; paperwork that we had to have stamped, show our US license, pay a fee.  Third, theoretical testing.  We were told this was the most difficult, so we prepared and studied a good deal, even the kids quizzed us over breakfast.  The testing was postponed a couple of times, but this morning at 6 am K went and passed, then A at 8am and passed!  Studying paid off.

Some tips for the driving test:

• If you are a man, don't go on women only day.  Men/women are separated in this society and if you show up on women's day, you won't test.
• Be polite and flexible.
• Study...  The signs and road markings are heavily tested.
• The test is 20 questions and you must get 18 or more to pass.
• If you fail... you're in good company.  Once you get the hang of the questions, you may fair much better.

My study tool.  Popsicle stick flash cards.

My favorite one!  Animal crossing - and it was on my test!

The next, and final) step for us is to do a driving test.  Again, A's school is handling this part, they have been beyond helpful.  Once we pass that portion, we will get an official license.  For now, we'll use our international permit to drive.  We're planning on getting a vehicle today/tomorrow, so we'll start getting practice on the road!  I keep telling myself that driving in Morocco was way more difficult/dangerous (far more people, larger city etc), but I'm still a bit nervous... 

The getting here and first few.

As I type my first update from Qatar, the dishwasher is running a load of new kid dishes from IKEA and the 5^th load of laundry is completing its final rinse… it’s like we live here.  Despite the chaos and boxes, sandy floors, and stacks of books, our new apartment is coming together. 

I don’t even know where to begin in writing an update on the past week.  It literally feels like much longer since we left the comfortable familiarity of “home” for our new desert home.  I know everyone is asking for pictures and details, but culturally I’m not certain if dragging the ipad out every time I want to take a picture is appropriate.  We’re in the market for a smaller digital camera, but it’s below things like towels and milk on the master list.

At the curb!  Ready for take off!

My Dad dropped us off at the airport with two suite cases, six tubs, two car seats, and eight carry ons on Thursday afternoon.  After a short hour-long flight to Chicago and a two-hour lay over, we were off to Doha on a 14-hour flight.  It seems insignificant in the span of a week/month/year, but I can assure you that 14 hours can seem like an eternity when you are strapped into airplane seats with young children...  Luckily, our flights went really well and Qatar Airways is all it is hyped up to be...  It was long.. really long, but everyone did well and we made it through.  At about hour ten, I glanced behind me at the lady sitting there with her two young children and she said, “this is torture…”  indeed.  We started chatting to pass a bit of time and realized that she was moving to Doha too and would be teaching at the same school as A!  Not only that, but we realized that she was living in the very next apartment.  (Another coincidence:  we share a name and she's from the same neighborhood we lived in in Portland, OR).

Checking out the planes.

Airport fun.

Doing activities.

In the airport.

The Normand adventurers.

PJs on, ready to fly.

QA gives the kids an activity backpack.

Trying to sleep.

Playing a game with a new friend.

Bout to land.

Watched that upper right hand corner for 14 hours!

After getting off of the airplane, we made our way to immigration, and headed for a security check when the kids decided that they had endured quite enough.  They took turns just dropping to the floor and crying.  It was impossible for me or A to pick them up and console them as we were in line carrying 4 carry-on bags each (since they were in no shape to help at all).  I just assured them that if they needed to cry, it was fine, but we had to keep moving.  We made it through quickly and headed to baggage claim where they stretched out on the floor and had a snack while we waited for our 8 bags and 2 car seats (which they have yet to ride in here..) to arrive. 

Relaxing in the baggage claim.

As we stepped out of the baggage claim, we quickly saw the administration from A's school waiting for us with plenty of helpers!  They rounded us up with our carts of luggage (allowing us to carry and console the kids again), loaded them on the bus, and then came back inside to retrieve us (so we didn't have to wait in the heat).  As we stepped out of the airport, the first wave of Qatar heat hit us square in the face.  Wow..  Very hot and VERY humid.  The heat I expected, the humidity I did not. 

As we rode the bus to the housing compound, I saw loads of construction sites, the beautiful skyline I'd seen only in pictures, the Corniche (beach road) and boats, and a blur of cars and lights.  We made it to the housing and got everything inside.  The kids ran from room to room exploring, while A and I sat in a daze.  The apartment is lovely...  Two bedrooms, living/dining area, kitchen, storage room, laundry room (with washer and dryer), two baths, and a large hallway.  It is simply furnished, leaving plenty of decorating for me (happy mommy).

I hadn't slept on the overnight flight much at all and was more exhausted than I realized.  As A was trying to get the Internet working a wave of emotion almost knocked me over...  My eyes were leaking like crazy and anxiety began to build and build.  I stuffed it down until we got the kids in beds, then like a flood, my emotions from the past days just rushed out.  I had no choice but to let them all out.  Then in a heap of exhausted emotion, we collapsed into a deep sleep. 
 

Getting out his cars!

Playing dress-up with mommy's jewelry.

He found a quarter in my jewelry box.

Of course sleep (when you just jumped a bunch of time zones) doesn't last long...  We were all up by 1 am and couldn't sleep again until around 4.  The first day was just a restful day to be here at the apartment, do a little unpacking, shower, and get a few groceries (the admin have been amazing at hopping over and offering rides places.  The second day (after being up again from midnight until 4 am), we were picked up (at 7:30) by bus and taken to the school where A will teach.  We went over some business items and then were  transferred to one of the huge malls to get phones and lunch.  We were successful in getting phones, found a cool toy shop (The kids loved it of course...  They have matchbox cars and princesses..), and ate lunch - Pb had pizza hut and M had McDonalds (oddly, two things I rarely go for in the States..). 

We spent the next couple of days here organizing and unpacking, while A was at school doing bank account stuff, HR stuff, and school stuff.  I threw in a trip to IKEA (wow... that was pricey) and the grocery in the afternoons when he got home.  We also were able to walk to the clubhouse for swimming (after dark when it gets into the 90s - sun goes down around 6/6:30) and to the park for play time.  Our sleep is getting regulated, although jet lag has kicked in.  A and I were able to get our eye tests, registration, and the theoretical portion of our driving test  completed and passed.  All we have to do now is the driving portion and then we will have official Qatari licenses.

Our shipment arrived! 

Putting together some storage shelves after my IKEA trip.

Tonight we are going to get a vehicle.  It will be nice to get some practice and figure out where we live again.  We'll buy an SUV (the safest and norm here) later, but for now renting is a good option.  More on that later.

The kids are adjusting like rock stars and we're so so thankful.  People have been awesome, we're getting used to (if that's possible) the heat and working around it by staying in during the heat of the day (9am-6pm) and enjoying the pool and park after dark. More on that later too.

There are so many more things on my mind, but this is getting long and I have plenty of time to blog some more later.  Shoot me all your questions (even the silly ones), I want to do a Q&A post soon.