so i made it!! i'm sitting at a net cafe, about a five minute walk from my flat....in DOHA, QATAR!!
i cannot explain the pain of leaving my family. the tears at the airport. the line-up before heading into security, snaking our way through the roped line. looking back at my fiance's face. not knowing when i'd see it again...but knowing for sure it wouldn't be for a while. the pain of seeing my mother's face traced with tears. not knowing the pain a mother feels in these situations, but knowing it's enough to add a few wrinkles on her face.
justifying leaving in that situation is not possible. so all i could pray for is that something good may come out of the move, and so far so great. the travelling was easy thanks to a dear friend who hooked me up with an upgrade. the arrival was so-so, the appartment was as well. it took a day or two and everything is in order now. the appartment is fantastic, the weather bearable (mad dashes from a/c in car to a/c in office). the only detail is adjusting to various body odors...consquences of various personal hygiene habits.
the office and colleagues are a bonus. it may be too soon to tell, but everyone is brilliant and i feel more than equipped to do my job.
just a quick thank you for the supportive voices out there. i SO appreciate the time you take to reply to these notes. i write them hoping they'll resonate with someone and know that the fears/joys i face may have been felt by others.
more to come, with greater details about what it's like in a gulfie/quasi-wahabi country. where 34C and humidity is considered "GREAT WEATHER!!".
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4 comments:
Yay! You're fist message in Doha! Glad to hear that things are going smootly so far. I got you're enveloppe, thanks! :) I can't believe you made up that "I didn't have time to mail it" story! :P
Love Deb
Hi Paris...I just read your entry and I feel like crying at my desk...when u were writing about saying by to yr family, you really captivated the feeling... my mom has exactly the same look on her face each time I leave and it is HORRIBLEEEEEE. But two years later I don't regret my decision of moving to Rome and pursuing my dream (despite how scary it was).....my only regret is not having started a blog like u.........best of luck...daniela yr "insurance journal" friend forever xoxox come visit.
Hello again… anonymous here. Happy to see that you are finally in Doha safe and sound. I apologize if I came across unsupportive on my previous post; I was trying to give you an objective opinion and did not intend to hurt or insult anyone. What you need to understand, is that my sister too had someone that she loved and cared for very much back home and was going to marry this guy. Unfortunately she got lonely and found a very friendly “friend” where she worked (Middle Eastern guys for some reason are very friendly and charming; but they all have the same agenda). One thing lead to another and next thing you know after a nice friendly diner at the Il Rustico, Rydges Hotel and a few too many drinks, they got a room. The rest is history. Her boyfriend on the other hand, stayed behind, faithfully waiting her return, just to get a call after countless attempts of him trying to reach her for several days, saying that she could no longer pursue a long distance relationship, the guy is still in therapy today… All I’m saying is that being apart, especially in a Middle Eastern foreign country like Qatar, where Western woman are perceived as sexual objects, is not a good thing when you are in a relationship. You should have just broken it off with him, let him live his life and the same would go for you…Not that you have to, but maybe you will prove me wrong, and the story will be rewritten… I will be waiting for your next blogg/post. As they say in your part of the world today… Ma'assalama
daniela! thank you for sharing!! the offer to come visit goes both ways. i am happy you are pursuing your dreams and loving it.
"anonymous" thank you for clarifying. i'm sorry your sister had to go through what she went through. i'm sure it was a confusing time for her. i guess everyone has their story.
i've lived in the middle east before and knew how it was going to be. i wouldn't have committed myself to man i didn't believe i could go through all of life's obstacles with. it's not about proving you wrong at all. :)best.
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