Daddy Daughter Talk

This morning I wanted to have a heart to heart talk with Abbey. Dianna and I have been very concerned about how difficult it is here for Abbey to play with her friends. Unlike home, she can't just run out the door and go over to a friend's house. Anytime she wants to play with a friend we have to call parents and make arrangements then take what can be as long as a half hour trip through Doha traffic. It is important for little girls to have best friends.

Using my best caring-parent-voice I asked Abbey to come sit on the chair facing me so we could talk. I assumed that by inviting her this way she would know that I wanted to have a special and meaningful talk. She hopped up on the chair and said, "Yeah, bro?" This really set the tone for our little talk. I poured my heart out telling her how concerned I was about the friend situation. I told her how important I thought it was for little girls to have a best friend. I explained that if she was having difficulty with this that would be reason enough for us not return to Doha next year. I was very sincere and caring and half expected a very emotional response from her - maybe even some tears. She looked at me and said, "I want to come back next year."

Abbey's social development was one of the top considerations in our decision to come here. We felt very good about her ability to make friends and be socially well-adjusted. That has proven to be very true. She has made a lot of friends at school. She has a lot of fun playing with them there.

I'll try not to worry about her so much any more. It is a blessing to have children to worry about.

Jordan

We just spent an amazing seven days in Jordan. We saw some spectacular sites, ate some local cuisine, and experienced the culture first hand.

We were greeted at the airport in Amman by Ahmad (right) and Abed. Ahmed is the brother of one of my co-workers. He was a very gracious host. He speaks pretty good English, but we did have some difficult moments trying to communicate. Abed was our driver. He speaks only a few words in English. At one point Ahmed turned to us to translate what Abed had just said. He started speaking in Russian. After a few phrases you could see in his face the realization he was not speaking to us in English. That was a funny moment. This picture was taken overlooking the valley just outside of Jerash.

We spent the second morning in the Roman ruins of Jerash. I have to say that as an architect it was a thrilling experience. Honestly I was close to tears. In school we studied the masterful proportions of the Greeks and Romans. But to be in the actual spaces was spectacular.

Here we are standing at Hadrian's Arch (shown above). This is the gateway to the city.

It was a perfect day to be there. The temperature was perfect and the sun and the clouds were making a play of light across the city. Here Dianna and Abbey are standing at the entry of the Oval Plaza.

We listened to a Crazy Jordanian Scottish Pipe Band in the South Theatre. The acoustics were amazing.

Abbey standing in front of one of the largest columns gives some perspective of the size. Abbey had a lot of fun here.

This picture was taken in the outer perimeter of the North Theatre.

This is the same spot looking into the Theatre. The acoustics are incredible. Dianna sat near the entry here and Abbey stood on the stage near where the man in the picture is. She could hear us whisper from there.

For two of the six nights we stayed at the Movenpic Hotel and Resort at the Dead Sea. That is the most luxurious place we have ever stayed. This is one of the 4 pools at the resort. The gardens were very refreshing as well.

From our hotel balcony you could look across the Dead Sea and see Jerusalem on the top of the mountain on the other side. That was stunning.

Here we are at the River Jordan near the spot where they believe Jesus was baptized. Across the river is the Israeli visitors' center. They have an armed guard on the Jordanian side and the Israeli border patrol comes to the other side every few hours.

Our next stop was the lost city of Petra. You may recognize this from the Indiana Jones movie. We rode camels around the opening in front of the most famous building in Petra. That was definitely a highlight.

Even though the Bedouins don't live inside Petra anymore there was enough activity to sense a little bit of what it must have been like not too long ago.

This is a picture out of our hotel window in Amman. I thought of Amman as a rolling sea of white buildings. There are very few modern buildings. This kind of landscape goes on for miles and miles.

Even though there were some very unpleasant moments on our trip we had a fantastic time. We are so glad we were able to go.

I.M. Pei

For some time I have been looking forward to the opening of the Museum of Islamic Art here in Doha. I was excited for many reasons. The greatest of which is a chance to see a building designed by the world renowned architect I.M. Pei. The VCU Qatar Interior Design department faculty and students were invited to a panel discussion in honor of Mr. Pei. We went this morning, knowing Mr. Pei would not be at this event. He was at the big grand opening last night. At the beginning of the panel discussion we were informed that he might join us later in the discussion. About 10 minutes into the discussion the speaker said, "I have been informed Mr. Pei has joined us." The audience immediately started clapping. I looked to my right (I was sitting at the end of the row) and there he stood, right next to me. In my mind I thought, "the world famous architect, I.M. Pei is standing right next to me, I should take a picture." I pulled out my camera and only had time to take a shot "from the hip"and shoot the picture without looking through the view finder.

So I now have a lovey picture of Mr. Pei's jacket lapel and buttons as proof that I was next to him.

I was able to take a picture of him at the luncheon afterwards. (The lunch menu itself was worth going for.) I probably could have had my picture taken with him but so many other people were doing it so I didn't want to bother him.

Girl Scout

Yesterday Abbey was inducted into the Girl Scouts of America. There was a flag ceremony, including the pledge of allegiance, a skit, then the actual induction. This photo shows Abbey with one of her leaders, Cydney Woolley, as Abbey sees her reflection in the water. Abbey is a Brownie Scout. She did a great job and has a lot of fun.

This is Abbey with the girls in her unit and other units in Doha. (I don't know what you call a group of girl scouts.)

Abbey taking part in a skit. Where would the world be without girl scout and boy scout activities? Where else do you really get to act your age and get rewarded for it?

Another Field Trip

This time I joined a fellow professor on a field trip to a couple of restaurants in the old souque. A former student of his agreed to take the students to a couple or restaurants she designed. They also happen to be her husband's restaurants. She was very nice and took a lot of time with the students. Both restaurants are near completion and will open in two weeks. They were very intrigued to hear how an interior designer works in the real world.

This is a photo of the students with our host in the middle and another adjunct professor behind her. Our host is also expecting a child. Here in Doha most of the work is done on site because the art of reading architectural drawings has not been too well developed. The past few months have been difficult for her to spend so much time on site.

Even though the restaurants are not opened they are fully staffed. We were treated to what I think was Moroccan tea. I didn't drink any of course but I was fascinated by the service.

A shot of the tables outside the restaurant.

One more. I'm getting kind of artsy with the camera angles.

Here is a shot of the restoration going on at the old souque. I believe the timber pieces are original.

Wedding

I just wanted to share some images from Ben and Mary's wedding and our trip home.

The happy couple.

Dianna at the wedding dinner.

Abbey before the wedding dinner.

Our heroes, Ed and Ann, Parent's of the bride. Thanks again for everything. We are looking forward to Sunday dinner next summer.

The rock solid family, Jared, Kristy and Thomas. Thanks for being there.

Including Kimball.

This is what happens when Grandpa is allowed to babysit.

It was so good to see everyone else also: Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma Giggey, Grandpa and Grandma Drawe, Marcell, Brook and Rod, Jake (thanks for coming all the way from Chicago) Jan (Abbey was surprised to learn that you are not our blood sister), Mark and Amy, Our dearest friends the Reilleys, Blake (the wedding video rocked) Aunt Kathy, all of the Smith family, our friends from the Bountiful Shadows ward, Joel and Jenny and their children, Esther and so many others. (I don't think I used any full names, I want to be internet safe) We love and miss you all.

Finally I wanted to share one last experience. While waiting in the Amsterdam airport for our flight home we met Lance Corporal Huff of the US Marines. He was on his way home for a two week leave. He is stationed in Iraq. He was making a bitter sweet trip. He was going home for his father's funeral and while there he would see his newborn daughter for the first time. We are so grateful for our troops and we pray for them. He gave me an insignia from his uniform with his rank and name on it and asked us to pray for the troops.

We love our friends and family. Thanks to all of you who wanted to be there and couldn't. We miss you too.

Friends

We have met so many wonderful people that we love so much since we have been here in Doha. This is a family we met through church. Flauber, Julianna and Vivian. Dianna has written about them in her blog. They were over for dinner on Friday and we learned all about them, their culture and their homeland of Brazil. They were very kind to spend so much time with us and let us share a little about ourselves as well. Vivian speaks very little English but you can tell by the smile on her face that she gets along just fine. We are learning a very little bit of Portuguese from her.

Field Trip

Today I took 5 of my students on a field trip to a mid-rise office and residential tower under construction. Out of respect to thier costumes or religion I asked for permision to take their picture. Three of them said no but suggested I take this image that does not show their faces. I think this is a very telling image of our experience here in Doha. My students want very much to be a part of the amazing development and progress that this world has to offer while respecting their own heritage and family traditions. It is not often you would see women in Abayas and hard hats on the construction site.

This is an image from the same tower looking east across Doha into the Arabian Gulf.






... and west with the desert and Saudi Arabia beyond.

Doha, Day 58

Because of the very kind and persistent persuasion of my wife, children, siblings, and friends I have decided to become an active blogger. I am grateful that there are so many who care about me and my family and want to stay in touch.

It is our 58th day in Doha, Qatar (not that we are counting) and we are starting to feel like life will return to some kind of normalcy. It has been an amazing experience. The jet lag, time change, and culture shock really took a toll on us the first week but we soon were able to recover. The glazed look on our faces disappeared and we were filled with curiosity.

This is a picture taken out of our upstairs window. The haze is sand. The tower is called Aspire. It was built for the Asian games along with the sports complex surrounding it.

Abbey looking across the bay to city center

Souq Waqif or the old souq. It is a restored traditional market or souq.


The blending of the traditional architecture with the new is a bit too literal for me. I do find it very interesting though.


Some observations:

The heat and humidity are incredible. Although it is unlike anything I have experienced it is not as bad as I thought. I was worried that if I were in this kind of heat for more then a few minutes I would literally melt. Surprisingly I am coping very well. Thank heaven for air conditioners. The highs now are a cool 105 degrees Fahrenheit with the overnight lows in the eighties.

The culture is fascinating. At first all Arabs in the traditional Arab garb looked scary to me. I am very much a product of western media and entertainment. Even though Arabs are typically not very socially inclusive they are compassionate and kind when dealing with them one on one. They do drive like maniacs however.

The landscape is barren. I was almost depressed when I fist drove through Doha. Their is dust on everything. All but the newest buildings look old because of the dust, lack of landscaping and architectural style. There seem to be two types of architecture in Doha. The newer, western style and the old, traditional style that feels like stepping into a third world country. I went to the hardware store where I stepped inside the door and had to remain there while the clerk rummaged through the isles to find what I needed. There was only enough room for him to squeeze sideways in the aisles. It was like a cross between a third world shop and a store in a Harry Potter movie. On the bright side their is no end to the new construction sites. Construction sites operate around the clock. Because of the wealth that is here there are some very interesting buildings in the city center where all the tall buildings are.

The Americans and other western expatriates in Doha are great. As are the expatriates from all around the world. Only about 20% of the population here is Qatari. There rest are here working in one way or another, to serve the Qataris. It is absolutely unbelievable how much oil money there is in this country. Dianna has talked about our neighbors Jesse and Felicity in here blog. They have been wonderful.

My job is fantastic. This semester I teach two classes and next semester I will teach 3. Two of the three I teach next semester are different sections of the same course. In one class I have 12 students and in the other I have 4. The class with 12 students is overloaded. Generally the class size limit is 10. I think I can handle 12. I have begun my research in environmental psychology as it relates to the built environment. This is similar to my master's thesis. My research involves applying the known science of environmental psychology across the cultural boundaries that exist in this country. We are hoping that my research will include trips to Petra, Jordan (the historic desert city carved out of the cliffs in the Indiana Jones movie), Istanbul, Turkey and Greece. We are excited.

We have spent a lot of time together as a family. When I am not teaching I work at home preparing for classes and doing my research. It is great.

We miss the beauty and conveniences of home. Even though this is one of the wealthiest per capita nations in the world shopping is not easy here. The old Bedouin culture is still very apparent in the way the city is organized and the way people do things. The one great thing is that even though the things the Qataris own are very expensive they don't own a lot of different kinds of things. What that means is there are not a lot of things to buy here. It is a unique brand of commercialism that forces us to do without all the toys and gadgets. This has been an adjustment but it is very good for us. As long as we would live here Abbey would never have a lot of toys because there just aren't that many. It has been good for her to appreciate the ones she has and to figure out better ways to entertain herself.

Well, I'm signing out from Doha. I will post again soon.

A Beginning . . .

This is my first blog post ever. I feel so techno savy now. Just wanted to say hi to the world. This is me and my family at the Reilley Christmas Party.