 |
 |
 |
Diary Entries Cancer Walk Ramadan Trip To Turkey A Surprise Gift Iftar Garangeo Fuwairit Beach Umseya Halloween |
| Cancer Walk | |
|
|
On October 9th we participated in the first Qatar National Cancer Society Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness. There were 14 representing Carnegie Mellon. We had a good time getting to know one another better as we walked along the Corniche. |
| Return to top | |
|
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar (each month begins
with the sighting of the new moon). Because the lunar calendar
is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere,
Islamic holidays "move" each year. This year Ramadan
began on Oct. 15th.
For Muslims around the world Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. During the fasting of Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink during daylight hours. The usual practice is a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and at the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal (iftar). We have been invited to an iftar at Carnegie Mellon on October 26th. We will enjoy eating the big meal. Some countries have small iftars but Qatar is known for doing the meal up big! |
How does this affect us?
|
| Return to top | |
|
Trip to Turkey (sort of) |
|
|
|
Latife, one of the teaching assistants here, invited us (and the usual crowd) over for dinner on the 22nd. She is from Turkey so she cooked us an authentic Turkish meal. She had some dietary constraints to work with (no meat, no sugar and no milk) so what she put together was fabulous. We had a great time playing UNO after we feasted. |
| Return to top | |
| The Abaya (women's
covering, a graduation robe of sorts) is something that comes in all
shapes and sizes and decorations. You can get them decorated with
leather, sequins, beads, or embroidery on the sleeves and hem.
Some of them are quite beautiful. It is nice to see the women
can have some individuality.
I was surprised with a gift of an Abaya this week. Amal, our very talented Hospitality lady gave me this gift. She has been sitting with me at the reception desk for the month of Ramadan. Usually Amal is up running around getting us something to warm us up or wake us up. She comes around to each of our offices twice a day and asks if we would like a beverage (water, juice, pop or soda, tea or coffee). She's beginning to know how each one of us like our coffee or tea (we take our tea with milk and sugar or sugar substitute like we did in Africa). Amal is very eager to learn so we are taking advantage of this month. Amal is learning to type. Thanks to my high school business teacher I knew where to start (asdfjkl;). I've been bringing our laptop into work everyday and eventually we borrowed a CD-Rom from a co-worker and she's been typing away. Her speed and accuracy are improving. Amal and I have had a great time this month getting to spend so much time together. She's been trying to teach me Arabic but unlike Amal I'm not making any improvement. Although, I do know how to say "I don't speak Arabic" now.
|
|
| Return to top | |
| While we are not participating in the fasting we have been kept busy with Ramadan activities. We've had several Iftars this week. Iftar is the time of the evening when the fast is broken. One will start off with water and dates, then pray and then feast (I guess I can't say "pig out" but that is essentially what happens). | |
| Return to top | |
| The 14th
day of Ramadan is when the Injeel (New Testament Gospels) was revealed
to the "Prophet" Muhammed. Not exactly sure why but on
this day it is customary for the children to dress up (in traditional
dress) and go trick or
treating (without the tricking of course).
The children will chant Garangaou songs with a lot of prayers for well being of the residents of the house, who, in return, present the kids with nuts. Each of our bags to the right are filled with assorted nuts and candy.
|
|
| Return to top | |
|
|
We called our friends Justin and Marjorie and jumped in the car and drove to a beach. This one was 1 hour North of Doha. We spent time walking along the sand looking at shells and swimming in the gulf. Yes, we were swimming in October! Click on the head shot of David to start a video. |
| Return to top | |
|
The Qatar Foundation invited all of the schools in
Education City to come and share an evening learning about the
traditions of Ramadan.
They had booths set up along the back wall with women cooking traditional foods and making crafts. Throughout the evening they had a theatrical production about Ramadan, a meal and fireworks. The fireworks were an absolute highlight, probably the best we've ever seen. |
|
| Return to top | |
|
'Halloween at The Carlson's Apartment |
|
|
|
|
| Return to top | |
