We are approaching the one month mark and we are learning a few things... slowly. In fact we are taking this slowly approach to everything and it is helping us not be frustrated by the little things. Maybe it's just that we don't know any better but the process so far is quite smooth. Examples: Driving. We are not ready to jump into prime Doha traffic just yet- but it sure would be nice to have a set of wheels. The issue is somewhere in the past a Qatari must have had an issue with a ticket of some sort in America and was not given a "get out of jail free" card. This means that now if you are american in Qatar you cannot use your driver's license. A New Zealand friend said "we drive on the other side of the road and they gave a license to us no questions." So we wait- at some point the director of our school will meet with the director of the local DMV and...slowly... we will have our licenses- an interesting process and if you get upset and yell and bluster you just make it take longer.
Another thing that I will never get used to with driving is the kids. UNBUCKLED ALL THE TIME!!! We have such incredible car seats, boosters, baby on board signs, etc- to make sure our little bambinos are safe. Here safety is left to Allah. Kids are never buckled, they are standing in the backseat, standing in the front seat, standing on the driver! Our neighbor has seen a driver holding a baby while texting- and everyone is texting- there is no voicemail so you have to leave a text- add these little distractions to the F1 speeds on the road and you feel like you are in a video game- so maybe it's good I don't have my license yet.
So buckle up everyone and think of us over here as we (soon) drive like crazy- it's like the vail roundabouts- on crack! We love and miss you.
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| Due to the aggressive driving in Qatar our children now have to wear helmets anytime they leave the house |
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| The Qatar Stars league begins on 9/16 this is the jersey of our local squad Gharrafa. We will be cheering on the cheetahs this year. |
Wow, does the crazy driving on the street carry over to the grocery market as well? I see what appears to be the kids wearing their helmets in the checkout lane. :-P
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