Relationships

It is interesting how things can come together when you are not planning or expecting things. Like when you get a gift of comfort from an employee (and now friend) who is thankful for the work you do, a friendly hello from someone you see on a daily basis, an invite to share a beer with a colleague or time well spent with someone you care for. Things matter and people certainly do matter. I have spoken with students and countless others about the impact of the book “Three Cups of Tea” that I read well over a year ago now and the message was about the importance of relationships. And in thinking back to previous work or friendships you tend not to recall the work that you did but instead what sort of relationship you had that developed with an individual. Sometimes these relationships can be short-lived and necessary in the moment and other times they are long in the making and no matter what, your relationship remains intact and likely to become deeper and more valued as time goes on.

So what’s it like?

I have had various questions from folks about things I deal with while being here.  First I have been enjoying the sunshine immensely.  It is sunny most days and in fact we had a rainy patch of days in January when I got here and I was sad to see it.  However the sun prevails for the most part but it also means that dust settles on your car a lot too as there seems to often be a gentle breeze a lot of the time and sometimes it can be windy and since there is a lot of sand around—well you get the picture.

It is true that driving here can be somewhat intimidating. There are some very aggressive drivers who speed up behind you without a moments notice so being aware is key.  There are lots of traffic circles versus traffic lights every where.  As someone who likes to drive a car rather assertively I feel as I though I am handling it rather well.  However roads are not always marked well and I did have one day where I got confused due to a road block happening by the police.  I called my coworker frantically, but fortunately my own innate sense of direction (and a map) helped me out. 

I heard a statistic a few days ago that there are over 80 countries represented by people that work within the foundation where I work.  It is very interesting but can obviously also present some challenges at times with firstly all of the different languages being used.  Speaking slowly is important but also lots of good face-to-face communication.  I at times have gotten quite frustrated but feel like with people I see more often it is improving.

I have met a number of folks here and have had the opportunity to begin to get to know folks.  I recently went out to a club here in Doha, which was sort of hidden behind a hotel.  The one thing to note is that while bars and clubs may not be as prevalent as in a large city in the U.S. or U.K. they do exist—people are just subtle about it.  However once you get in side these places it is as if you were in a large city almost anywhere.

Being away can certainly be difficult.  For those that have spent an extended amount of time away from family you can certainly attest to this.  The important thing is that never feel as though you are bothering the person who lives away with an email, facebook message or the like.  People that are away LOVE to get them.  At least I do.  It sustains you really as you manage a life away that helps you feel like you are not several thousand miles away, but you are more like just around the corner.