One full week down!

So there have been some changes since I wrote that quick blurb about my weekend.  The most important is that it's looking like I actually probably won't move into the dorms here.  Apparently, since the Bush School doesn't have an official contract (working on that when I get back if I can!) with TAMUQ, grad students are provided housing at the discretion of faculty here. The Qatar Foundation, which houses the undergrads that come here, have contracts with the various universities that are here. If I wanted to live in their housing, I would have to shell out 11000QAR, which is the equivalent of a little more than $3000. I'm perfectly happy where I am and have plenty of things to do.  I am being taken care of more than I could have possibly hoped for with a room, a pool, a gym, friendly neighbors, great food...it would have only been a move out of convenience so I'd have more proximity to students. But, that's what a cell phone, car service, and emails are for. :)

Anywho, back to the weekend.  We started off at the Museum of Islamic Art, built by renowned Chinese artist I.M. Pei.  He designed the building so that it itself would be a piece of geometric art, changing with how the sun hit it during the day.  Right downtown along the Corniche, the MIA fits in with the super modern atmosphere of Doha, while ironically housing some of the most classic forms of art the Qataris have acquired.  The museum houses long, exquisite oriental rugs (which we pretended to take for a "magic carpet ride." Not so happy looks from the security guards...), ornate Turkish war masks and helmets, calligraphic Quranic script on everything from bowls to tombstones, and several precious gems.  We even saw one of the smallest Qur'ans I think exists!  Afterwards we headed out to a really nice Middle Eastern restaurant where the Navy boys and some of our guys enjoyed grape shisha.  I had never heard of people smoking shisha in the middle of a nice restaurant, but apparently that's pretty normal here!

Museum of Islamic Art

Yahala was definitely something....different.  Don't get me wrong, it was a blast; it was just nothing what I expected.  I'm not sure what I expected, actually. They told us it would be a welcoming party for all the students from across Education City, but I don't think any of us were prepared for the madness.  For one, the Aggies were not the most obnoxious, most rambunctious group.  That title belongs to Northwestern.  Holy moly those Wildcats could yell.  Before the main event they had a tiny raffle (3 prizes for about 600 people), and there were booths set up all over the student center.  We were given free gourmet cupcakes, free shirts, and free sodas.  I signed up to help Qatar Charity because for only $11 a month, you can help save an orphan! It's an awesome thing they do here, and there are several donation booths on each of the campuses.

Smallest. Qur'an. Ever.

The food has been consistently delicious here, but I'm going to have to go to Applebees or Chilis at some point because I'm not sure how much more Middle Eastern food my stomach can handle! It's not used to the richness of the hummus, the curry, the butter chicken, and the dolmas.  About the only thing my stomach has greatly welcomed has been the tabouleh!

Turkish soldier's helmet

I'll leave you with a few things I never actually expected to see or hear in Doha but shockingly have:

• Applebees, Chilis, TGI Fridays, Johnny Rockets, TCBY, and Baskin Robbins
• KFC and Taco Bell DELIVERY
• as many roundabouts as there are mosques
• Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Mercedes a dime a dozen