Here We Are

Fanar- Qatar Islamic Cultural Center Here are a few more photos from recent weeks. These were taken at the Souq Wakif, which translates literally to " the standing market."  Inside the Souq Wakif This is one of the main attractions in downtown Doha. It is a great place to buy souvenirs, eat tasty food, and wander around in the evenings. I was immediately struck by the stark contrast of the setting, compared to markets in Turkey, which are constantly bustling, crowded, noisy, and dirty. No one hear said anything to us, which just seemed unusual after the constant heckle you'll find in Istanbul. It is very clean here, and while people are out, it felt quite empty comparatively . Maybe it will be different the next time I go back, but it left me missing Turkey and the intense culture that hits you in the face upon arrival.  Snapping selfies   I know there is a lot more to see there so I am looking forward to going back! We ate dinner at a delicious ...

View from the bus//Ride to work When enough time passes and you fall a bit behind, it seems too overwhelming to recap and go over it all. Today I am finally getting around to writing and I think I will just tell it how it is from where I am sitting right now. Most people that I have talked to from home want to know what it's like , the dress, the culture, school, etc. I think sharing the view from where I sit will answer some of those questions. Drinks at a fancy hotel For starters, we live in a hotel. This Wednesday marks 1 month in Doha! Hard to believe, but tis true. The night we arrived we were told that we would be staying in a hotel until mid-October. Since then, we have heard numerous ideas about when we will actually move into our new place. We shall see. But this is where we live for now.  Our hotel home is nice. Certainly bigger and nicer  than anywhere else we have lived. It is hard to complain when someone comes and empties your trash each day, and c...

I had so many things to share after the first day, that I was certain I would blog immediately. Here I am, on the eve of our first solid week in Doha, and I am forcing myself to jot some things down, mostly for my own memory. I am going to blame the jet lag for the lack of posting previously. I saw plenty of post-worthy things, but have been in a groggy fog since arriving. We left the states on a Tuesday morning, and arrived here on a Wednesday evening, without ever really having slept. I suppose that is why they request that the new teachers arrive August 15th, not August 27th. We started our first full week of orientation on Sunday, the 31st. However, the morning after we arrived we had an 8:30am date at our school, and haven't really stopped since. During the weekend (which is Friday and Saturday here) the school had organized events and trips for us to attend. I am glad we did because that got us out and about seeing things and meeting the other new teachers. However, we certa...

I am currently at my gate, two hours early, ready to board a flight to Miami. After that I will fly across the states to L.A. before boarding my final flight to Seattle. I woke up at 2:45am so I am well rested for this long day ;) Nearly upon arrival in Costa Rica, or at least in the first day or so, I realized how extremely different two of the countries are that we will be living in this year. Let me explain: When you hear Costa Rica you think (or at least I did): Green Volcanos Beaches Nature Creatures Colorful Loud, friendly, family-oriented culture Tropical Now think about Qatar and what comes to mind: Desert Brown Oil Conservative Shiny buildings Not much to do Very reserved people Rich Now that we are 1 week out from our departure to Doha, I wanted to be sure to write these thoughts and stereotypes down so I could look back on them after living in both places. In my mind, the countries couldn't be more different. After living with a Costa Rican ...

I'll be in the air this time next week. Crazy! Time flies...but at the same time I am ready. I am ready to settle down a bit, have our place, make our own food, start our jobs, meet the other teachers, and begin the whole culture shock process over again. However, I am indeed, quite sad to be leaving all the girls we just recently became friends with. There are three new girls living in our house, one from Jake's school, and a couple others that we've been lucky enough to travel with. Relationships are definitely what make travel so worth it- essential really. The bonds you form away from home seem to happen much faster than those at home. I am holding out that I'll see many of these faces again, somewhere in the world!  Some highlights of late: Headstands at Jaco Beach Fried Plantains- EVERY time. Can't stop/Won't stop. Iced coffee- anywhere and everywhere Watching a surf competition here Hostel hammocks Meeting this ladies. Jum...

Superman Zip Lining over the Monteverde Cloud Forest Jake's "redemption" bungee jump To view his original bungee jump click  here.

Last weekend we threw together a trip with mostly people we did not know. It turned out to be absolutely wonderful! There were 6 of us in total, all from the states. 2 from Ohio, 1 from New York, 1 from North Dakota, and Jake & I.    4 Hour drive up the mountains to Monteverde We went to Monteverde, which National Geographic calls, "the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves." Newsweek declared the Monteverde the world's #14 place to remember before it disappears." In the Monteverde Cloud Forest Suspension Bridge in the park The cloud forest has a pretty interesting background story. Quakers from the states moved to the area in 1951 to avoid the draft for the Korean War. In 1948, Costa Rica had abolished their military, so the Americans were drawn to it. They moved their to farm but quickly realized how unique the ecosystems were in this cloud forest. They teemed up with the Costa Rican government to guarantee its conservation. ...