Driving in Doha

This morning I got my car and actually went driving around the city. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I mean, there were almost zero cars on the road, but still, for my first time learning roundabouts, there were enough cars to keep me on my toes but still accident-free. I went out to where I'm working, down to the corniche to take pictures of the Doha skyline, and just all around really. I need to go out again tomorrow, because I really think the only way to get over my nerves about it is just to do it over and over. The one thing I did do today was run a red light. The yellow lights here are really short, and they give out tickets like crazy for going through reds. Except that they just take pictures and issue the ticket, which outrageously expensive, like QR3000, and then they don't tell you. So you might go to leave the country, and they won't let you get on the plane unless you pay your fine. Isn't that odd?

Anyway, after driving I tried to reward myself with Dunkin' Donuts, but of course the one by my compound was closed. I should have known, almost everything is closed on Friday morning. But I really wanted that donut. By the way, there are more Dunkin' Donuts here than in Pittsburgh. This city really is wonderful.

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Side-note for those of you who have been so kind as to offer care packages. You can send them to the CMU campus in Pittsburgh and they'll send them to me. You can't send anything with pork product, religious items, alcohol, tobacco, or porn. (I can't imagine why you would be sending those things anyway, but some of you are kinda strange so I thought I'd put it out there. Although I would appreciate alcohol, alas it is not allowed.) CMU will look in the packages and take anything out that can't be imported to Qatar. I can only get five lbs. of shipment per week, and anything over that cuts into my shipment for the next four weeks. I don't know what any of you would be sending that weighs more than 20 lbs., but that's the max. Anyway, here is the address, thank you in advance!
Caryl Tuma
c/o Qatar Office SMC 1070
5032 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Orientation to CMU-Q

So I'm writing this entry right now on my very own CMU-issued laptop, which works perfectly in my apartment since it was already equipped with wireless when I got here. Very exciting. Next thing on the agenda is to get my digital camera set up on this computer so I can finally post some pics of my place.

On Tuesday I had my Orientation with the Human Resources people, housing and car guys, the business manager, all of those important people. I learned about getting my permanent residency permit, all of the staff procedures. It turns out that one of the women in HR is the mother of one of the students that was visiting Pittsburgh, so she's taking extra good care of me :-) Oh, and if I thought everyone in Doha was nice, everyone at CMU-Qatar is a saint. They treat the new employees so well. We also have another orientation with all of the new employees that will discuss culture shock.

I also got to meet my boss on Tuesday. He is going to be the new director of student activities, who is so nice (and get this, he has a blog named "Dave in Doha!") We got dinner last night and looked at a new apartment for him that is right along the water. We also went to campus today and then to the mall. I am really excited about working with him because he is very genuine about working with the students and really seems to know what he is doing. I think we're going to be able to do really good work. Also, I met Gloria today, the Dean of Student Affairs. Finally, I got to meet the woman who hired me! She seemed very excited to have us there, so they've been making us feel very welcome.

Funny things: so the qatari riyal is divided into dirhams, but anything less that one riyal isn't really worth anything, so none of the stores really keep dirhams. Instead of getting change at the grocery store, they give you candy or gum with your purchase! Also, there is this store here that is like a really big pottery barn, and there is a cafe in it that is supposed to be one of the really good date spots in Doha. So at some point I have to go on a date at the home store :-)

Tomorrow I get my rental car and brave the driving for the first time. Luckily on Friday morning everyone is at mosque, so traffic is really light, and on Saturdays many people go to visit extended family, so it will be a good chance to practice (fingers crossed!)

More to come soon, its after midnight here so I'm going to sleep!

Finally in Doha!!

I am finally in Qatar, after what seems like forever getting here. This is my fourth day (its taken me awhile to find the computer). I've been out in the city every day and I still have no idea where anything is. The car goes by everything too fast for me to really notice what it was, and normally I would walk around my neighborhood to get my bearings, but its almost too hot to walk to the clubhouse of my apartment complex, let alone around the neighborhood. To recreate the heat in Doha, take your car outside on a sunny day this time of year. Put it in the sun around 10am and return to it about 3pm. Get inside. That is what the outdoors of the whole country feels like. Forntunately, they air condition every building, almost to the point that its too cold indoors!

Also, the entire city of Doha is under construction. The roads, office buildings downtown, housing complexes, everything. They are also redoing a lot of the roads, so what was a road yesterday may be a construction area today, and they are going really fast because they have to be ready for the Asian Games in December, so it could be a road again tomorrow. This does not make it easier to find my way around, but it is really interesting to literally see a capital city being built. I now know the two main roundabouts by my compound, one of which is a road that goes all the way downtown, and the other of which has a dunkin' donuts! Other than that, I know bits and pieces of places but its gonna take me awhile.

The apartment that CMU gave me is gorgeous, and it came fully furnished and even stocked with food! Its in a very nice complex, with a clubhouse that has a pool, gym, billiards room, tennis courts, lounge area, computer room, and outdoor grill. I hope more CMU people move in, though, since I don't know very many people at this point.

The people here are very nice. Everyone is so helpful because new ex-pats move in all the time, and they are trying to represent their country well. The shop owners will let you taste anything before you buy it, and sometimes they'll let you taste stuff even if you tell them you aren't going to buy anything.

Tomorrow I am going in for my Orientation at CMU-Q, and then I will actually start work on August 1. I am still so jet lagged, I'm resisting the urge just to sleep from now until then!

I miss you all, email me!