A busy week

Hi everyone:

We have just finished another work week. Linds is out with the girls, I am home with the kids, and all is week. We are settling into a nice routine. We finally got the proceeds from the sale of our house, cleared our debt, invested the rest and on top of that, got paid today. Feels good.

I am starting to forge relationships with my students. In fact, I was trying to get somewhere done in my room today and he three different groups of students come through the door. Good kids, all from different places!

I held my first basketball practice tonight after school. A few of the boy smoke and drink. I ran them through a pretty brutal CrossFit workout. They just about wanted to die.

The weather is cooling off very fast. In fact, the pool,temp has dropped significantly over the past two weeks. Today the high was 38c and it felt cool. Wierd.

I talked to the security guards today. They are from India and Sri Lanka. I asked them what they do for fun on their days off. They said that they don't get much time off.  After some prodding, the one fella said that he has been here for 5years and he has never been to the beach. Guess where I will be taking him soon...

Ed

Our legacy?

5 AM start. Friday morning. Grab the snorkel gear and head for Al Rayan and a local spot for snorkelling that my Kiwi neighbour frequents for spear fishing. On the way north the fog became so thick that we could hardly see 10 feet in front of us. The trucks are required to stop when the fog rolls in. We passed about 100 trucks occupying the two right lanes. Once at Al rayan, we cut across the desert for a bit and got to the beach. There was a group there already. The troubling thing about this beach was the amount of garbage scattered about!  Tires, plastic bottles, bags, newspaper, and all sorts of trash all over the place. It is a cultural thing. The fishermen, despite their immediate connection to the environment, have no respect for the place that provides them with enjoyment and food. In fact, Aislyn, and I watched a fisherman dump plastic bottles, newspaper and other trash out of the back of his SUV, smile at us, wave good by and then drive away. There is a general lack of respect that is frightening to me. On the up side, the snorkelling was great. There was an abundance of fish of all different species, sizes and colours. We had a great time!  On the way back we stopped at the fish market.  We ended up getting at 5KG Red Snapper. A beautiful fish with plenty of meat.  All in all, a great day but sort of disheartening at the same time. I just have to shake my head and think, what is our legacy?

I have no words......

So, I know that I I haven't wrote a post in a long time because I have been so swamped with work.  But I feel the need to share this with all of you.  We live in a compound wig about 18 units, almost all of which have Philipino nannies.  The majority of people living here are British, Canadian or South African but we have a few Arabic families.  We have a live out nanny that works 5 days a week and we pay her 3000 Qatari riyals (split with another family) which is approximately 800 US dollars.  This is an extremely good wage for her and we treat her well.  This morning I was talking with a fee of the live in nannies in our compound and the one, Marietta, told me her story.  She works 7 days a week, morning to night, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and taking care of the kids.  She is tired all the time because she never has a day off.  She told me that she has two sons in the Philipines that she sends money home to, which is what all nannies do here.  They leave their kids at home to come here to work.  Then she told me that she gets 900 Qatari riyals a month.  That is 250 US dollars.  $8 per day, $0.67 per hour.  I just about died.  How could this be?  That is slavery.  She asked me "ma'am, you help me? You help me find another job?".  My heart sank.  I am absolutely disgusted that people would think that this is ok.  That it is ok to pay someone 0.67 per hour.  Hen another nanny came by and said she gets paid the same but is leaving in November because she can't do it anymore.  But the problem is, the employers here hold the passports of their nannies so they can't run away and in order for the nanny to leave, they need a letter of release.  One problem....an employer that pays $250 per month is not one hat would let the nanny go.  So they end up running and being illegal here, unable too go home.  This nanny also told me that she has not been paid for 5 months...her employer is holding her money and she said when she leaves, they said she won't get all of the money she is owed.  What?? With my mouth wide open in shock, I offered to drive her to the Philipino embassy to fight her employer.  This is just so wrong and I need to do something.  I feel sick to my stomach that people are being abused like this I our compound.  It is common practice with the Qatari families but I didn't think all Arabic families were like that.  Any ideas on how I can help these ladies, let me know.

Bathroom encounter

So, we just got back from a staff function. I am in the washroom at the gas bar 1 km from our place. A cab just dropped us off. My neighour, Mr. Mark and I are in the men's room and I see this little fella about half, no maybe a third my size all sweaty by the sink. He is washing his face and has a lunch bag with him. I ask him where he is from. Nepal. I tell, him that I have never been there and would like to go some day. You know, Mt. Everest, I heard that it is a sight to see. We talk for a bit, and mid-conversation two local fellas walk in. They see us talking to him and hear our genuine interest in what he has to say. The fella from Nepal leaves and one of the locals says, "Where are you from".  I proudly reply, "I am Canadian" and "I am a teacher". I clench my fist and offer props. You know, smash your knuckles together and make an explosion. Why not?

Long story short, a Canadian, a Brit, a Nepalese, and two Qatari, in a bathroom in Qatar. Where else but here.

We are not lesser than one another, but equals.  Something for you to think about.

Getting ready.

Sorry about the delay. We have been kind of busy with our school start up. New city, new school, new staff, new house, new everything!  Since the last blog we have become a little more comfortable with life here. It hasn't changed the fact that we still need to watch the crazy drivers around here.  They are so impatient, talking on their cell phones and speeding. They are just nuts. 

There has been an awful,lot of training at school. Too much in fact. Since our school is only five years old and there is no formalized curriculum, we are part of a re-invention process. They are trying new software and new approaches to doing things. With a constant staff turnover, it is easy to see what stability does to a school and has made us so appreciative of the school system that we have in Ontario.

The teaching staff at our school is from all over the planet and we are all working well together. Just this past weekend, Linds and I and several members of the new staff went to the Ritz Carlton for an incredible brunch. I was over by the seafood section and flipped over lid...lobster tails!!!!  Yes. We ate for three hours.  A much need Ed break. 

The other day we went to The Villagio Mall. An Venice themed mall equipped with boats, just like in Venice. Pretty nice place to go for a walk away from the oppressive  heat right now 

Ed

Cheap gas!

Filled up our rental today...$9.00.   40L of gas for 900 pennies. Seriously!  It only took six days to rent our car, a Renault Koleos, mid-sized SUV. We are now learning how to navigate to nightmarish traffic around Doha. I was coming home from a staff soccer game today and got caught between two speed bumps at a T-intersection. I just sat there and was surrounded by a bunch of people who clearly didn't learn how to drive.  

We went to the mall to get groceries tonight and had dinner at Tim Horton's!!!  We ran into a few Canadians seeking a taste of home. We ended up getting lost while trying to get back to the highway. We managed to find our way back. 

We are very tired from all of the long days of training, waking up at 5:15, being parents and wondering when we are going to be able to start getting our classes ready for school...which by the way starts on Sept 10 now. The governing body called the SEC (Supreme Education Council) decided to extend the summer break?  That's a first for us and we are not complaining. 

Take care!

PS. Happy Birthday Santone!