No man is a failure who has friends.

Hi all I hope you are doing well! September was a stressful month for me. Not completely surprising since it is the beginning of the school year. I managed to survive the first week of school. I was completely and utterly exhausted. I adore my teacup humans, but they are exhausting. I have also gotten to know some of the new teachers. I refer to them as the newbies because I am still working on learning their names. I did my best to reach out to them and make them feel welcome. I remember how absolutely overwhelmed I felt when I first stepped outside tan city.

This was so me. I remember having the jitters last year and tossing and turning. My brain loves to play the "fun" what if game. If there was an award for worrying I would get the gold every time! 

This was also me. But I was also restless and trying to complete the never ending to do lists going on in my head.

During the Eid break I wanted to do dune bashing/desert camping. My roommate hasn't experienced it yet and it was one of my favorite activities we did last year. It was starting off as a small group but then the idea popped into my head to ask the newbies if they wanted to join. Then together we joined forces and formed Dumbledore's Army! It was a blast. One of my coworkers even made a video of the whole adventure with her Go Pro. Thanks Ashleigh for the awesome video it captures dune bashing/desert camping perfectly!

My Canadian squad minus one AKA my awesome roomie. She was busy taking in the view. Love you ladies. 

I am so grateful to have these wonderful ladies in my life. They keep me sane. And yes those are kid sunglasses on my head. I realized I did not have any sunglasses so I made a trip to the Lulu Department Store... they only had kid's ones. So I got some cool green ones that have the alien from Toy Story on them and they fit my kid sized head! 

During the dune bashing there's different stops where you can step out and take in the view. That tan in the distance is Saudi Arabia. Thanks Mairtin for playing paparazzi!

The weather for it was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, just right! 

Our SUV got a flat. So we had to come together as a team and push it out. Push em out shove em out way out!  

Watching the sunrise from the Persian Gulf. Thanks for the awesome shot Samran! I ended up staying awake all night. I was too happy to sleep. It was just a perfect night. I had been looking forward to this night all week. It was one of the many things that pushed me through the tough work week. 

I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago. It did not go exactly as I planned. I have the "lovely" habit of putting everyone before myself and forgetting to take care of me. The best birthday present I got was my mom surprising me and flying all the way out from NJ to see me. I was feeling really stressed out and having her here just seemed unreal to me and was just what I needed. I took some time to show her around Doha and show off my new home. Part of me was overwhelmed with the task because there is just so much to do. And so many people I wanted her to meet. In my mind I was like "Oh we need to do this brunch, go to this mall, go to the souq, visit my school..." and the list continued on. I had to stop myself and prioritize what I wanted her to see because her time was limited. I wanted to make sure she got the Doha experience. Because it really is a whole new world over here.

Safari Mall is definitely unique. Very different from Villaggio! This is where many of the workers shop. Their work bus will drop them off here. 

Checking out Safari Mall. 

Safari Mall can be a bit... intense. But it does have its uses. It has a currency exchange, places for men to get their hair cut, passport photos, and also this optics/eye care place. Al Jamal Optics is helpful if you are planning to get your license out here and you wear glasses. If you live in Barwa Commercial Avenue (BCA) you can walk there if you are feeling daring! I did it a few times last year. I recommend some good walking shoes if you are up for the challenge.

I took my mom to the Villaggio mall because it is one of my favorites. What's not to love with a mall that has stores from home, all the label and fancy schmancy brands like Cartier, Dolche and Gabbana, etc. Oh and did I mention that there's a gondala ride? And a hockey rink? And an amusement park for kids to go to complete with a mini roller coaster and other rides? Because it has all that and more. It is nice to see restaurants from home like TGI Fridays, PF Changs, McDonald's, KFC, and others that I know that I am missing. We opted out of the gondala ride since my mom is not a fan of boats or anything on water. It's still on my bucket list of things to do in Doha!

The Villaggio mall! It is my favorite mall since it is close to Barwa City. Behind that sign is the hockey rink. 

My mom loves Crocs. She could be their spokesperson! 

We also did a Hop on Hop off Bus Tour. This was a great way to get a preview of the different places of Doha. My mom was definitely overwhelmed and unsure of how to get around. It brought flashbacks from when I first did it in August 2015 back when I was a newbie. I remember it was much hotter because we did the tour in August when it was at least 40 degrees Celsius AKA 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you hit triple digits out here, it's just boiling hot. It is not a dry heat which most people believe. Since Qatar is a small peninsula off of Saudi Arabia, I think the sea breeze makes it humid. Really humid. Like you just stepped into a sauna. Or joined a bikram yoga class. Actually one of the ladies I met on the tour teaches yoga and she told me when she offers classes. Word of mouth is the best way to communicate and connect with other expats in Doha. I also got to meet a fellow Hufflepuff. She was so kind and chatted with my mom and I and I learned some more info about Doha. Always ask questions! Like wise Dumbledore says, "Help will always be given to those who ask for it." If you don't ask for help or don't reach out, then the answer will always be no.

The Doha bus tour! The best time to do one is at night. It gets too hot during the day. We made it halfway through our day tour. But hey it was free so no complaints here!

Some important numbers and prices. I definitely recommend the bus tour. It gives you an overview of all the hot spots in Doha. 

This is the lady I met on the bus tour who teaches yoga. Her name is Connie and she offers yoga classes in Doha. Check out her Facebook page if you wish! 

It was great to finally meet Susan! Hufflepuffs unite! We are both members of a Facebook group called HRC or Hogwarts Running Club. If you like Harry Potter and are looking for a positive outlet and supportive people then I highly recommend joining. It encourages people to work on their fitness and share a love for Harry Potter. Which if anyone knows me, I definitely love HP. It's nice to have an escape from reality every now and then! 

 We visited Souq Waqif and my mom loved it. It really does feel like you have jumped into the middle of Aladdin. It reminds me of the farmer's markets from back home in the States, but with a Middle Eastern twist. She got a necklace with her name in Arabic. She also got other souvenirs for my sisters and aunts back home in the US. I was bursting with questions and loved learning where the shop workers were from. Everyone has a story to tell and I was eager to find out where they were from. Many of the workers are from countries such as Nepal, Syria, or Bangladesh. And it just hurts my heart knowing that their wages are so low, lower than what I make. Doha can be a tough place to live and like anywhere, there are some things that can be frustrating. But I have learned that you have to have a growth mindset and always focus on the positives. You may be going through a tough time, but chances are someone is going through an even more terrible situation than you. You never know what battles a person is facing. This is why I always choose to be kind. You always have a choice in how you treat someone. You can be rude, mean, and hurt someone's feelings. Or you can choose to be kind. That kind gesture may be the one thing that brightens a person's day. Make them feel noticed and appreciated. Actions speak louder than words, friends. Always remember that.

The swirly whirly mosque! Actually it's called Fanar, the Qatar Islamic Cultural Center. According to Google. 

I forget where this guy was from but his job from what I guessed is to push around trash in the wheelbarrow or to carry people's things around for them. This was just me being an obnoxious goofball and striking a pose. 

We stopped and had some food at The Village! It brought back memories to when I ate there last year with a big group of the GEMS teachers. Apparently they have a business lunch for only 59 QAR Sunday-Thursday from 11:30 AM to 5 PM. Definitely a bargain! Their food is great. 

They also have animals at the souq. The sad part about this is that they are kept in cages and rarely get time out. There are also bunnies, cats and dogs. The crazy cat lady in me wanted to free them all from their cages and let them free! 

The cats knew immediately that we were crazy cat ladies and came over to us right away. 

We got Arabic necklaces from this shop in the Gold Souq. I highly recommend it because the prices are fair and the necklaces are good quality! Shop number 83 is the way to go. 

Since we were in the Middle East I had to give my mom the experience of riding a camel. This was on the Sealine Beach Resort. We did not get a chance to go to Fuwairit Beach. Fuwairit is a private beach where you can see turtles and where they lay their eggs. It had been closed due to littering and driving, which was scaring the turtles away. It is also on my list of places to visit along with watching camel races! They are a popular event in Qatar in the winter time.

Strike a pose! 

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name... 

I don't have my license and am scared to drive the crazy wild roads of Doha so we relied mostly on Uber and Karwa. Both of them you have to be careful. Sometimes the drivers will try to scam you or say that their meters aren't working. One thing I try to keep in mind is that a lot of these drivers are in a worse living situation than me and most likely need the money more than I do. But at the same time it doesn't mean it is ok for them to try to overcharge me! 

Life has been kind of rocky for me lately. I am working on getting things back on track and am so grateful for having such a caring and understanding boss. And also grateful for everyone in my Doha family that has been so supportive. I am taking some time to focus on my needs. One thing I am working on reminding myself is that my needs are just as important as everyone else's. You should not be putting yourself last. In fact you should always be number one! Be your own cheerleader. Because you are awesome.



I am going to get on my soapbox for a minute here, but since it is my blog, I can say or do what I want. I want to talk about a word called gaslighting. This is something that I feel everyone should be more aware of. Gaslighting is used by manipulative people who twist your words around and take no responsibility for their words or actions. It makes the victim AKA you question your sanity and memory of events. Phrases such as "you're too sensitive" or "get over it" or "you take everything so personally" are some examples. The best example of gaslighting I can use with current events is Donald Trump. He does not take responsibility for anything and is a master of double talk. He contradicts himself constantly and no one has a clue what exactly he stands for. When I am traveling on trips and I tell people that I am from the US they always ask me what I am going to do if Trump wins the presidency. First it started off as a joke, but now it is a serious issue. He has made it this far, election day is only a month away. I know that I do not want a hot headed, quick tempered bully anywhere near the White House. He is selfish, greedy, and does not have the country's best interest at heart. All he cares about is himself. This is not the type of person who should be president. I would rather have a president who is calm, cool, and collected and will think before they act or speak. It is 2016 folks, the US is ready for a woman to take charge.

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am completely obsession with Hamilton. I kind of feel like this year's election is like the election of 1800. Aaron Burr vs. Thomas Jefferson. Donald Trump is like Aaron Burr 2.0. No one really knows what he stands for and all he does is talk in circles. People are iffy about Hillary because of mistakes she has made in the past. Let's be honest. People are extra hard on her because she is a woman. Donald Trump may not be the worst choice but between him and Hillary, I think we all know she is the better choice.  

And to end this on a positive note, I want to give a big shout out to all the teachers out there. The beginning of the year is a difficult time no matter how many years you have been teaching. Just remember that you are awesome and doing the best you can! I took my mom on a tour of my GEMS school and loved showing her my room and also taking some time to look at other teacher's bulletin boards. As silly as it sounds bulletin boards stress me out. I will spend hours looking at bulletin board ideas on Pinterest. It was nice to have some spare time to see what other teachers in my school had. Teachers are kleptos- we are always taking ideas from each other!

The staircase up to my room! I love that they have math facts on each step. Sometimes I nearly trip going up them because I get distracted staring at the multiplication facts. 

The library AKA my happy place. Even though I brought books from home I would still check out library books each week. Teachers are allowed to check out up to 30 books.

My roommate's door! I love how it looks. I think one of the keys to a successful classroom is to make the kids feel welcome and that they belong. 

Grade 3 bulletin board! My roomie also did this one. Who doesn't love minions? 

This is my friend Felicia's door! She did an aquarium theme and I love it. Something about the fish theme makes me feel so calm when I go to her room to talk to her or stop by to say hi.