Adventures of the Pink Pumps: June 2010

Friday, June 25, 2010

Countdown to Qatar

Thanks to everyone who will be following and supporting me on my BIG adventure to Qatar. The fact that I have this blog is proof that when your mom says "you can do anything you put your mind to", she really means it. In less than 2 weeks (JULY 8TH!!!!!!!!!!!), I will board the plane to Qatar. I am ubber excited to have the opportunity to work and live outside the US. However, before I go, my friends (thanks Goeff and Mariah) and my wonderful husband threw me an Arabian nights going away party full of great friends and yummy food...

Iam looking forward to the adventures that await me. The first will be trying to pack to live in 110 degree heat with Houston humidity. The second adventure will be the plane ride over on Qatar Airways, a 5 star airline. I hope it is like Sex and the City II with sleeper cabins. So excited....Countdown to Qatar

Mom & Dad-Thank you both for supporting me

People I have met...

My goal is to meet as many people as possible from as many countries as possible. Here is the tally so far:

Maldivian-Several of the wait staff were Maldivian while visiting the Maldives. What a beautiful place to grow-up in!

Nepal-Really nice, always smiling, "Tea boy" (I hate that name) at work.

Kuwait-Gentleman on the plane who stood in back with me chatting for about an hour.

Iraq-Fellow HRAM who works in Dubai on behalf of our business in Iraq. Sat with her during lunch and learned a lot about the country and how she hopes to return one day.

Norway-Co-worker

Sudan-Woman who gave us Henna at the Sohoor Dinner at the W Hotel Doha

Scottland-Gentleman who sat next to me on the plane ride home to surprise Tim. He works for TransOcean and was going to Houston for training. HMMM.....

Australian by way of Scottland-Scottish gentleman who is a fellow "gym junkie" with me. If you could gamble in Doha, it would be a low risk bet that either he, I, or we are both in the gym at the Pearl. He is orginally from Scottland, but currently lives in Australia (when he is not in Qatar) and visits South Africa 4 x this year. What a life!

New Zealand-One of my clients is from New Zealand. Recently learned that New Zealand and Australia are not "friends". Not sure they are "frienemies", but they do not like to mistaken for eachother.

Australia-I have another client who is Australian. A new gas field was just discovered there. Thinking Shell Australia for a possible next assignment :)

Egypt-Client again. Really interesting to hear what his perspective again on the differneces between the his home country and here.

Nigeria-Policy manager and futre 5k runner...Femi you can do it!

Great Britain-Graham, my next door neighbor in apartment in #209

Malaysia-Met several people from Malaysia who have been in Qatar for 15+ years.

Lebanon-Gentleman in my RLC Safety Induction course.

Oman-Shell driver who picked-up at the airport, Mohammad.

South Africa-Sat next to him on bus home from RLC on day 2

Germany-Fellow HR team member

China-Clients

Holland-Being in a Dutch comany, this did not take long :)

Canada-Fellow HR team member

India-Fellow HR team member. Acutally there are more Indians than Qataris here.

Qatar-Fellow HR team member

Argentina-Fellow HR team member

United States-My new friend and her husband who I have been "pen pal" for the last several months and helped me to see Qatar through her eyes before I even got here. I now have met 3 Americans here.