pictures of my drive to work and back

		Jeff goes to work! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Starting Phase 2 of Jeff’s Middle East Adventure

 

Well I am back in Qatar to complete my contract with Celerant Consulting. Qatar is just like I left it, when I got off the plane at 7 PM it was 102 degrees and windy. My apartment was covered in dust on the inside since the doors and windows do not seal very well. Spent about the 1st hour just cleaning up before unpacking.

Have a little bit of cough and sneezing, think it is mostly from the dust in the air. But generally feeling fine. Got over the jet lag in about 3 days. I was supposed to come back last Friday, but flight was canceled in DC, before I left, so got to spend another day at home. The bad part was that I arrived Saturday in Qatar and had to work Sunday (remember their workweek is Sunday through Thursday).

Miss Angela and home, but Skype really helps, would not know how to survive without it. Skyped with Brandon and Julie, Tyler and Rachel on Father’s Day, Corey chose the Twitter route to be different. It was good to talk to them. Somehow the Father’s Day presents didn’t arrive in Qatar but sure they will be waiting when I get home. LOL

That’s all for now, keep Angela in your prayers for her upcoming surgery. Also pray for my Uncle Henry’s family who passed away while I was home. Give the family the strength to get through it and draw closer to God as result.

Heading back to Qatar

Sitting in Washington Dulles Airport waiting to head back to Qatar for Round 2 of my trip. Got the blessing of another day at home when my flight last night was canceled after i sat in the Columbus airport for 4 hours. The plane was supposed to leave DC arrive in Columbus, then take us back to DC. Weather was so bad in DC, plane never left the first time.

It was great being home with Angela again. I wanted to see two other (besides her) things when I got home; rain and green grass and trees; I got both!

I also enjoyed seeing family and friends, with the only bad news being my uncle Henry passed away yesterday. Spent time with my mom, she is progressing very slowly, if at all, so keep her in your prayers.

That's all for now, 13 hours to Qatar on the plane. Then back to the desert! Here are few more pictures of Qatar

Top 10 things I missed while gone to Qatar

10) Oprah leaving (Didn't really care, but needed number 10)

9) Meredith Vieira leaving Today show (watched her everday!)

8) Missing the end of Survivor and Amazing Race

7) Missing Olivia and Maura's Graduation

6) Missing Memorial Day weekend family party

5) The death of my old high school football coach (Paul "Hoss" Starr)

4) Missing seeing Brandon and Julie when they were home for Jenna's wedding

3) Rain

2) The color green (in the desert it is all brown)

1) Angela!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

winding down phase 1

This is my last week in Qatar for Phase 1 of this project. I arrive back in Columbus this Friday PM, get to stay home for a week, and then back for Phase 2. That schedule depends on what Angela finds out at the Surgeon on Wednesday.

The TV over here is kind of interesting. In the apartment I get 5 English speaking channels, Fox News is my favorite, usually Bill O'Reilly is on before I go to work, so I watch him while eating breakfast.

Other channels have a variety of shows, not really tied to a network, but seems like a combination of CBS (CSI:NY, for example) and NBC (The Office). One show I have watched but do no get is "Gossip Girls", seems like a soap opera so it is hard to follow, starting in middle. Everything here is edited so cannot really tell what type of show it is.

Will not miss the 0330 AM wake up pray time everyday from the nearby mosque. Imagine in the USA what would happen if 5 times during the day TV shows are interrupted for a prayer time. Actually it would be a good idea if all christians prayed 5 times a day, wonder how that would change ourselves, workplaces, and our country.

Brought a personal DVD player with me. I am watching Season one of "24", almost done but his poor daughter just got kidnapped for the 3rd time during this season! Jack was captured by the evil Victor Drason, but somehow I think Jack will survive. Hope so, I also brought along Season 2.

Got to drive tonight for the 1st time in Qatar! No problems, but long story. No problems with any of the roundabout intersections. The car was almost empty of fuel, so we filled it up for $1 per gallon!!!! Wish I could bring a tanker truck home for everyone.

Cannot wait to see you next week! Keep me in your prayers for safe travel and Angela as she goes to Dr. later this week.

Pressing On!!!

HHH

Hazey

Hot

Humid

That describes the weather this past week on Qatar It is about 90 when we go to work at 0700 AM each day. By noon it is over 110. The last couple of days the humidity is starting to get worse. The locals say that is the only difference between now and summer, it does not get any hotter, but the humidity gets worse! UGH!

Talking to one of the plant guys about the weather. He said last year in the plant it hit 150 one day!! It was so hot the workers work 15 min and take a break for 45 min. It was so hot that a part of the electronics of the overhead crane in the plant actually melted! Now that is hot.

Been keeping in touch with Queen Angela using Skype. Skype is amazing! Free video calls to Angela everyday, the boys about once per week. It is easy so if you have friends and family out of town, i would suggest you download it on your computer. Not the same as being together, but is the next best thing, if I could only use it to hold her!

Missed seeing the family on Memorial Day, but video chatted with some of them on Skype, made it a little easier to ge gone, but still missed all of them.

Coming home next Friday!!! Can't wait to see home again. The time is going fast, the work is very interesting, the food has been great, and the people are also interesting, but nothing I want to put in writing LOL!

Every weekend, we get to leave our 1 bedroom apartment in Masseied and stay in the 5 star W Hotel in the capital city of Doha. Met up with some other Celerant guys last weekend, went to a Moroccan place and ate Camel, it was in a stew tasted like beef, but actually a little better.

Went shopping at the "souk" an outdoor market, that is very interesting. You see all types of people from all over the world and things to buy and see (sorry Tammy no table clothes yet) . Lots of birds and animals that people are selling. Many types of perfume shops (the men here wear a lot more than the women.). Look for pictures later.

Just relaxing today, got a great nights sleep in a soft hotel bed going out to walk the Mall this afternoon when it opens.

Love to all! Keep Angela in your prayers, she goes to the surgeon next week and will know more then.