A Different World
I've been here six days. It feels like I've been here forever and I miss NJ really bad, but I am in contact with England daily (through mum) and I know he's happy and doing fine.
It's been a weekend of fun. On Thursday night after dinner with colleagues and waving them off to the airport, I went to meet my friend. One of the guys from her work was having a party (there tends to be a lot of parties during Ramadan as there is no alcohol on sale in the hotel bars and restaurants). Her hubby was already there so we grabbed some wine and off we went. Mostly younger people, I knew a couple of them from other nights out. It was an OK party. I spent a couple of hours at the pool yesterday before getting ready to go to brunch. Friday brunches are famous in the Middle East. You usually pay a set amount for an all you can eat and drink few hours in one of the hotels. During Ramadan of course there's no booze allowed.
The director of the company with whom we are partnering (you require a 51% Qatar company shareholder as a foreign investor out here) had invited me round to her house. She's an extremely nice British lady so I accepted thinking it would be a good way to meet new people. I assumed it would all be business contacts and other clients, but when I got there, it was her and her husband's friends. Starting at three in their gorgeous villa with private pool, we kicked off with home made potent but oh-so-easy-to-drink cocktails. Later a delicious frozen daquiri appeared in front of me, courtesy of her daughter. Delicious food was served around five, absolutely beautifully prepared. Jane (the director) and I then shared a bottle of Cava, and several more after that. I met some great people, including a man from Selby, a woman from Leeds and another couple from Harrogate; it's such a small world. It was a really fun day with dancing, hat wearing and sillyness. I didn't get back to the hotel until 3am and I should have felt much worse than I did this morinng.
It was a beginners guide to the Expat life. I had a wonderful time but it's so far removed from my current life. Many of the people there went to private schools, some of them boarding schools. I was sat between two women talking about the joys of the Laboutin and Louis Vitton sales! They were all really friendly people and offered help and advice if needed. I swapped cards with a couple of people and have a potential play date for NJ with a lovely little nine year old who's dad was from Selby and his mum from Australia.
A chilled day at the pool with Gen has made it a pretty relaxing weekend.
I can't wait to bring NJ here.
It's been a weekend of fun. On Thursday night after dinner with colleagues and waving them off to the airport, I went to meet my friend. One of the guys from her work was having a party (there tends to be a lot of parties during Ramadan as there is no alcohol on sale in the hotel bars and restaurants). Her hubby was already there so we grabbed some wine and off we went. Mostly younger people, I knew a couple of them from other nights out. It was an OK party. I spent a couple of hours at the pool yesterday before getting ready to go to brunch. Friday brunches are famous in the Middle East. You usually pay a set amount for an all you can eat and drink few hours in one of the hotels. During Ramadan of course there's no booze allowed.
The director of the company with whom we are partnering (you require a 51% Qatar company shareholder as a foreign investor out here) had invited me round to her house. She's an extremely nice British lady so I accepted thinking it would be a good way to meet new people. I assumed it would all be business contacts and other clients, but when I got there, it was her and her husband's friends. Starting at three in their gorgeous villa with private pool, we kicked off with home made potent but oh-so-easy-to-drink cocktails. Later a delicious frozen daquiri appeared in front of me, courtesy of her daughter. Delicious food was served around five, absolutely beautifully prepared. Jane (the director) and I then shared a bottle of Cava, and several more after that. I met some great people, including a man from Selby, a woman from Leeds and another couple from Harrogate; it's such a small world. It was a really fun day with dancing, hat wearing and sillyness. I didn't get back to the hotel until 3am and I should have felt much worse than I did this morinng.
It was a beginners guide to the Expat life. I had a wonderful time but it's so far removed from my current life. Many of the people there went to private schools, some of them boarding schools. I was sat between two women talking about the joys of the Laboutin and Louis Vitton sales! They were all really friendly people and offered help and advice if needed. I swapped cards with a couple of people and have a potential play date for NJ with a lovely little nine year old who's dad was from Selby and his mum from Australia.
A chilled day at the pool with Gen has made it a pretty relaxing weekend.
I can't wait to bring NJ here.
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