Well, it's been six weeks - time to say something about life in Doha again? But it's far too late to be organized, so here are some bullet points:
- We're one week away and counting. This is terrifying. Evidently, I have to actually give birth to this baby.
- People have asked about healthcare. The hospital where I'll be giving birth, Al-Ahli (please enjoy especially the disproportionate focus on the café and also the boat), does allow one other person to be in the room, so Rosko is joining the festivities. I'm not sure, but I think there's a part of him that was secretly hoping I might give birth at Hamad, the large public hospital, where men aren't allowed in the room. Not that I blame him; I don't want to be there, either.
- Anyway, the care is excellent, if the wait is a bit long. (I wrote a good portion of my last dissertation chapter there.) I've had umpteen ultrasounds, a CTG every week, and hey, free coffee while you wait. My doctor is Iranian; I like her quite a bit, though I don't know that she'll actually deliver the baby.
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Tower of Babel, also known as Fanar, where Rosko takes his Arabic course. This is taken from Souq Waqif. |
- Georgetown. Here are a few pics, but someday maybe I'll use this fancypants smartphone and actually take some pictures. Anyway, it's been just so good to be back. The only downside so far has been that when I go to work, I'm fairly sure I spent more time chatting with colleagues than working. On the other hand, five of six dissertation chapters are turned in, and I have seven months of Ridgecrest to make up for in bonding with other humans.
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Toby. A Georgetown friend was pet-sitting him for a few weeks and had a couple of us over to pet the dog, swim in the pool and eat bacon like 'mericans. Guess which part of it all was my favorite?
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- On that note, last Wednesday, the ladies threw me a wonderful, wonderful surprise baby shower. It was less of a baby shower and more of an excuse for women to get together after work and eat Turkish takeout and drink wine. Perfect. Rosko was in on it and somehow managed to prevent the ten or so things that could have gone wrong from getting in the way. (I almost stayed at work late, I was supposed to have a job interview that night that arose last-minute, etc. etc.) We now have a crib! And things in it! This crib, which I love because it's so manageable - I can actually reach in and get the baby, and I also feel like she won't be lost in it. (I'm pretty sure Rosko, who was in on the selection process, chose it for totally different reasons, those having to do with solid wood versus laminate, which is Not. Permitted. In the Taliaferro household.) Anyway, it was just so nice of them. So somehow, even with moving to Ridgecrest and Doha, I've managed to have two surprise baby showers (thank you, Rachie!!), and no diaper games. Life is great.
- Weather. Ha. We're now down to 102 degree highs, which sounds not that bad (goodness, what has happened to me?), except that it's also 75% humidity. But it's not 118 and 75% humidity, so believe it or not, it feels substantially nicer.
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The Persian restaurant. Or really, a cross between Persia and Vegas. But the food was phenomenal. |
- Doha living. We've managed to get out to the Souq Waqif, a Persian restaurant in Souq Waqif, and last night we went with Rosko's friend from Arabic class to a hole-in-the-wall seafood place - some of the best I've had, anywhere - and then out to the Corniche/bay, where we had this view from a café, eating date ice cream. Sounds blissful, which it was, except that please remember that humidity actually goes up at night. I think I was panting.
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Alleyway in Souq Waqif |
I'm sure there's much more I'm not answering here, but for the most part, it's normal life here. Also not at all normal - the servants, everywhere, for instance, or the fact that you need a driver who doesn't speak English or read maps in order to get anywhere - but it's not exotic. I think. In other words, we're not in Tilouguite anymore, Toto. Given the circumstances, that's just fine with me.