Our First Year in Review! by Clifton

The Year in Review…our first year to live overseas….

It’s hard to believe that we have lived overseas for a full year, but we have. So! Here are some of my perceptions and opinions from the last year. WARNING: I am feeling brutally honest right now, so if you are a wimp or offended by a cuss word or two, stop reading now!!! Really, don’t do it! Okay…you asked for it!

First, in case I may begin to sound toooo cynical let me start by saying that God has been really good to me, and I deserve it. That’s for all of you folks who say things like “I’m not worthy of all of the good things that God has given me,” and then you proceed to talk about how much you trust God…it just doesn’t make any sense. Whoops! I got off track already! Now, God has blessed me, with an incredible wife and two precious, amazing children and amazing opportunities! Also, with all of the problems that MANY folks are facing around the US and beyond, we realize that we are in a very good place financially and in many other ways. Plus, I volunteered for this gig…no one made me come here! I all filled with gratitude, but I am also in that “Clifton” mood!

It took Guts for Molly and I to do this! I didn’t know that we had it in us…a crazy redneck from the MS Delta and a central Dallas party girl…who knew that we could handle this shit, but we have and we love it! Okay! Enough crap….Where to Start?

I have never felt “unsafe” living here in the Middle East. I felt more unsafe a couple of times in Greenville , MS this past Christmas holiday…seriously! You simply have to realize that just because folks look different than you and have some different beliefs, that doesn’t mean that they want to hurt you! I watch out for my family, we always know where everyone is at all times and we don’t do dumb shit! I reckon that we could say one should do the same things in middle America, right?

I must clarify “unsafe”….I have felt pretty damn tense and pissed while driving at times in Doha. It’s just a trip! Some of these 40 year old locals in their land cruisers act like insane fourteen year olds. Sense they don’t drink alcohol for the most part, you can’t blame it on drukenness…also lots of locals have no idea of real work…so I just want to hang my head the window and scream, “Hey asshole, the Starbucks isn’t gonna close before you get your fat ass over there!” BUT! I haven’t done so yet! AND TRUCKS…you never seen so many trucks in your life! Crazy! The best description of driving in Doha came from my boss. You just get used to having about 1/3 as much personal vehicle space as you have in the US. Its true! If you aren’t within a couple of inches of being hit, then you haven’t REALLY haven’t had a “Close Call!” Also, when the traffic is actually flowing, I believe that roundabouts make much more sense than freaking redlights everywhere!

Our daily life here in Doha is not really much different at all than it was in Texas. Molly and I both work for the university, which we love. We come home, have family time, bath the kids, put them to bed, spend some time together, and I smoke cigars while Molly watches itunes or grades papers! Its just that simple! Now! WE do have a wonderful nanny, Josie. She loves our kids and they love her and we are very lucky to have her…she even irons and folds my t-shirts and underwear…freakin awesome! However, its expensive to have this…about $1000/month once we pay for her transportation and the extra help we give her. Its completely worth it, but it ain’t cheap!!

Other aspects of life and society take some getting used to. Such as living in a compound and having all of your close friends from the same work place. Look around your job and think about that! Its very different than anything that I have experienced, but it works once you get used to it! We are much closer to our neighbors than we EVER were in Texas. We had a killer shrimp boil and party across the street at the Franklins last week…it was awesome, and everyone there works at TAMUQ!

You have to get used to hearing the call to prayer….5 times a day, and if your villa (house) is next to the speaker, it can be loud, but you just get used to it! Jacob hears it sometimes and says, “its prayer time again….which is cute!”

Now, the entrance to our compound has become an off-roading, gravel pit adventure just to get to….and there is no telling how long it will last! So, everyday, you drive through the construction zone, but once again, Jacob loves all of the cranes, backhoes, trucks, etc. right outside! Also, there is a large labor camp right outside our entrance. So, you get to see fellas living in conditions that I would have labeled as horrid prior to moving here, but you quickly realize that they are making it work. It takes some getting used to, but really it reminds us how fortunate we are. Plus, think how bad it must be in their home country if thousands of men are clammering to come here for work!!! Many of them work like dogs for a couple of hundred bucks a month, if that! Nothing like seeing it in your face everyday!

Here’s another thing that takes some getting used to…blatant discrimination! For example we have this thing called “family day” at the malls on the weekends! Which really means, we don’t want any of you pitiful laborers in here today! If this happened in the US, the forces of Al Sharpton would march in the Emir’s house and scream! Here…you just realize that everyone knows the deal. I’m not sure if this way of life is any worse than the folks in the US who say they support everyone to your face, but their true feelings tell a different story behind closed doors! The class system is very evident here, even among the laberors… folks from certain country earn more money for the exact same job than others and there is not anything that anyone can do about it! Its just a fact. Of course, my touchy feely side wants to say that I don’t agree with this, but I certainly am participating in it. AND I will be honest and say that I am happy that hundreds of locals are not in the mall gaulking at Molly! That’s the truth! So, while some of these daily occurrences make me uneasy, at the end of the day, it is what it is!!

Another local phenom in the malls, stores and restaraunts is…80s music!! Its everywhere, and all of the workers sing…loud and proud! Its kinda cool though as it takes me back to dancing at Zoli’s drinkin and takin drugs! Everywhere you go, its Prince, the Go-Gos, Lionel Richie, Richard Marx, etc. Nothing like a group of Philapinos at Krispy Kreme jamming to, “Say You, Say Me!”

All of the locals are fascinated with our kids! The first few hundred times that someone at the grocery store rubbed Jacob on the head and said “hi bebe…” it was startling, but we have all gotten used to it! Even Jacob! He does prefer to wear his hat lots more these days,though!

AND yes! We are well paid for living over here, but we earn every penny! The cost of living and groceries are unreal!!! WE spend hundred of dollars every week for groceries, even if the gas IS cheap!

Here something that pisses me off! There are lots of folks that work at Texas A&M (in Texas) that think that we “have it made over here.” If you are one of these folks, then you don’t know what the hell you are talking about. I worked there in OGS for ten years and I know what your life is like. I can promise you that this is a great life, but at times it carries with it a level of personal and professional stress that I have never experienced! This is not an easy gig….at least not from my seat! We work hard! The expectations are high and every mistake is magnified…if for no other reason, we are still a small organization, so when you screw up, everyone knows!!! Also, for those of us in research administration, its all new. No one has else has ever developed a research contract with the local companies and a university! It’s is gratifying and sometimes insane all at the same time. Nothing like “debating” a contract issue with someone from Iraq’s former regime. Let’s just say that it gives a whole new meaning to “negotiations!” Also, we are oftentimes completely dependant on folks in Texas responding to e-mails and communications in a timely manner, which they often don’t do! So, it makes productivity even more difficult.

We have gotten to know some the locals and have learned a much about the differences WITHIN the Middle East. Let’s put it like this first, there are wonderful, caring and lovely folks, and there are jerks. Just like in the U.S. So, we definitely no longer clump people from the region into one group of “them.” For example, the Lebonese are much westernized and gregarious than others. True local Qataris are very conservative in the way dress and act. Many more of them really live their conservative beliefs. These differences in the way folks dress and act mean many different things. Seeing this first-hand has given me a stronger belief that there is no absolute right way to go about life as long as you respect others, and I have learned more about myself in the process.

Politics...of course everyone that knows me knows that I am a proud Democrat. So, yes, I'm happy to have Obama in the White House. I didn't vote for him just because he is black, but it is a definite plus to me becasue it demostrates that Americans actually CAN be openminded, which I must say that I have doubted for a long time! Its been interesting to be a proud American living here during the election process. Yes, we voted in every race via absentee ballot. I can this for sure...every person that I know from the region is grateful for the potential change and inprovement in the way the U.S relates to others. So, if you want me to apologize for being happy about the future, tough shit! I know that times are very tough, but I have faith in our combined ability and our leader. Afterall, if you want me to admit that my hero Bill Clinton lied, which I have, then you must admit that Bush is an idiot! You know that I couldn't resist...anyway, its our blog, and you were warned!

Okay! I am getting tired of typing and I need to light another stogie, so I’m about done! Other things that I could talk about are dune bashing, dust storms, weather, the industrial area, food, Etc. Oh yeah…here’s some eamples of life for ya…it took three months for my damn Tahoe to get fixed from a wreck that I had last fall, but I can get hand made shirts for less than 30 bucks! DOHA///we get it almost right! See ya’ll when we see ya!