interesting facts about Qatar I didn't know

1. The work week is Sunday to Thursday, they go to "church" on Friday AM
2. Friday is family day at the shopping malls, they do not let single Arab men into the mall then
3. You never see Arab men and women holding hands, usually the women walk behind the men
4. You cannot make a left turn, at all intersections there are traffic circles or U turns are allowed, so you go past where you want to go, turn around and make a right turn
5. There are wild camels in the desert, you have to watch for them crossing the road, like we do deer in Ohio
6. 90% of Qatari live in the capital city of Doha
7. Highest income per person in the world
8. Not unusual to see several old small shops next to a Porsche or Lexus dealer
9. Gas is fixed at $1 per liter (think this is close to $2 per gallon)
10. There are people from 35 different countries working at the plan I am at, mostly from Ghana, Africa and the Philippines.

Hello from Qatar!!

Hello everyone!

Thought I take a few minutes and update everyone on the last 3 weeks. For those who had not heard i have taken a consulting job in Qatar. It is in the Middle East, next to Saudi Arabia, but away from all of the fighting. The whole country is the size of Connecticut, so it very small. It is, though the wealthiest country in the world. So what buildings, malls and stores there are , are pretty new in Doha at least.

It is hot here everyday, just like you think it would be in the desert. Most days over 110, and very dry and windy. Drink lots of water each day to stay hydrated. I am working for Celerant Consulting at a place in Mesaieed, Qatar called Qatalum (short for Qatar Aluminum). On the weekends they let us come to the capital city of Doha. (might check google earth for a closer look)

Food is great, lots of variety, except no pork because it is a Muslim country. Trying new food everyday, must with names I cannot pronounce. Think I have gained weight, which was not in the plan.

Qatar is not as strict as Saudi Arabia. Most Qatari mix easily with people from other countries. Some women are fully veiled while others dress in normal clothes to us. It is very interesting to watch all the cultures interact with each other.

I talk to Angela everyday through Skype an on-line video chat that is free. She told me yesterday she found out she has stage 1 cancer, but Doctor said they caught it early. She sees a surgeon next week. So keep us all in your prayers a little more than before

I will home on June 10 for a week, then back still the end of July. Hope to see everyone then. More stories and stuff later. If you have a question, reply back and i will try to answer.

Love to all, I miss everyone, ttyl