Qatar: Where God stays...
I’ve been living in Qatar for a month now. And it seems I’m going to be here for longer than I thought.I stay in Doha. Most people would sort of be scared to come here. Why? Well, ask them. I have absolutely no clue why.Either they’ve heard crap about this place, or they’ve just somehow formed an opinion, without any logical reason, that they’d be executed if they stare at a woman here, or if they’re caught sipping alcohol.Believe me, before I was coming here, at least five people - some of who are very close to me – told me to "be careful, and not get castrated!"
Here is a beautiful piece by a man called Doc Farmer. When I read this, I felt he had read my heart and written it. I doubt if I could have explained it better than him.
Doc Farmer's article begins here ---
I've lived in the Middle East now for a bit more than five years. I'm not a Muslim, and I'm not a Semite or Nilotic or ''Palestinian'' (if there IS such a ''race''). I'm an American. More accurately, I'm a fat, bald, ugly, middle-aged white guy.
In America, I'd barely get a second glance. Here, people stare. Not unlike when you drive by a really bad car wreck slowly--you just can't believe it's THAT bad...
Okay, I'm kidding. A bit. But after living in Saudi Arabia for four and a half years, and here in Qatar for nine months, I think I can speak with some qualifications about my life as a member of an ethnic minority group.
It ain't that bad.
I don't speak Arabic. Well, I do, but the only words I know with fluency are shuk'ran (thank you), af'wan (welcome), min fad'lik (please) and shawarma (pita bread sandwich, similar to a Greek gyros or a British donner kebab, but with stale Freedom Fries inside). So at the very least I can be polite and well fed. Hence the ''fat'' part of my description above.
And yet, I can be understood. Taxi drivers get me to where I need to go. Eventually. And taxi rates are cheap, so if I get overcharged a bit, it's barely more than pocket change. The grocery stores and shops are in English. And the numerals, though Indian (you'd think they'd be Arabic, but go figure) were easy to decipher on my first trip from the airport to the hotel in Riyadh. Luckily for me, the airport is WAY out of town.
So communications are okay. But what about the attitude of theman/woman/child on the street to a 'Damn Yankee'' like me?
Actually, quite positive. Children look at me with curiosity because of my bald head and bearded face. You can hear the gears grinding in their little heads, wondering: ''Why is that ugly man's head on upside-down?'' They're shy or bold as children will be, depending on their age and personality. But they're just kids. They play, they ride their bikes, and they like to splash in puddles. They drag their folks to McDonalds or Pizza Hut or KFC (or Taco Bell for the VERY brave). And in over five years in the region, not one time have I ever seen a child sporting a Kalashnikov. Which is odd, because if you watch the news from the States, you hardly ever see a kid without one!
The men treat me with respect, as I treat them with respect. Those who speak enough English engage me in conversation. And we have some good'uns. I've learned much about Middle Eastern culture, the religion of Islam and their customs and beliefs, their history, their politics. Still haven't learned the language, though. And when I regale them with my attempts at pidgin Arabic, there is much laughter and slapping of backs.
I'm not treated different, and I'm not treated special. Well, they do talk more slowly so I'll understand. And believe me, I appreciate it. They're speaking slowly in Arabic, but it's the thought that counts.
I don't understand anything about their women. But I don't understand Western women either, so that tells me there's a universality about their gender which is totally incomprehensible to all males. Oddly enough, that gives me a level of comfort. One example: men go to the shop, go right to what they want to buy, take it to the counter, pay the money, take the item, and go home. Women, well, I'm surprised that they don't have hotels at the mallsso that the ladies can take a nap for a few hours between browses. Entrepreneurs take note!
Religion is the next subject, but it's perhaps the most important one. Religion is closely intertwined with politics and culture and driving habits and business, clothing, footwear, etc. Islam, despite the clamor of the ultra-hawks, is NOT a religion of violence. Well, not any more than Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Druidism, etc. ANY religion can be misused, and perverted for other purposes. The vast majority of Muslims are just like you and me. They work, they play, they pray, they hope, they laugh, they cry, they dream, they get upset, and they yell when they stub their toe. They just pray more often (five times a day instead of once a week (excluding final exams, of course), they have certain rituals and ablutions they must perform before prayer, they abstain from certain foods, they fast at certain times. But they're monotheistic, as are Jews. They view Christianity as polytheistic due to the dogma of the triune God, but they still revere Jesus (Issa, in their language) as a great prophet.
When I've discussed comparative religion with Muslims, as I have many times, I've never been lynched or shot or yelled at. I've asked questions, and I've received answers. They've asked questions, and they've received answers. I've never dissed their beliefs, and they've never dissed mine. I've never changed their minds. They've never changed mine. But they have made me look at things in a different way. And with any luck, I've done the same for them.
Which, to me, is a good thing.
Saudi Arabia is probably more ''religious'' in an official manner. That probably has to do with the fact that the holy cities of Mak'kah and Medina are IN Saudi Arabia, so they try to ''set an example.'' The Mutawa, or Religious Police (think of them as Jesuits with REALLY bad beard hygiene), patrol the shops and streets to ensure the shops close at the various prayer times, and that women cover their heads in accordance with their laws and customs. Which is fine. It is, after all, THEIR country. When they come to the U.S., we ask them to adopt/adapt our cultural practices. Is it so much for them to ask us to conform to theirs? The way I was taught, that's called common courtesy.
I never had a single problem with the Mutawa in all my years in Riyadh. They were courteous to me, and I offered them courtesy in return. I've heard the horror stories too, but they seem few and far between.
Which brings me to my last point in this missive. Terrorism.
Islam frowns on terrorism. I'm talking the kind of frown that tells you a rather warm room has been reserved for you in Hell. And yet, terrorists use the Noble Qur'an to justify their violence. This really honks the Muslims off--BIG time. When 9/11 happened, the folks in Riyadh were terribly upset. They couldn't believe their eyes. Then they found out who did it. They felt two emotions then--desolation and anger. Desolation at the deaths caused in the name of their religion, and anger that their beliefs were hijacked along with the aircraft. They're still ticked off. Oh, yeah, you'll find a few who say that ''America Deserved It,'' and they say it quietly because they know that 99.9% of their neighbours will slap them into the middle of next week.
They want the terrorism to end. They want their religion back from the murderers who have sullied it and, by inference, them. They want to keep their cultural identity. They want to protect their kids from the bad stuff in life. They want to have a good job, live a good life, and generally make the future a little bit better for their kids and grandkids.
Y'know, maybe I'm not in such a ''minority'' after all.... ends....
Qatar, Saudi, and every other part of this place is beautiful… as beautiful or different as any other country or any other place.
Like in an interview recently with Dr. Ahmed Makki, a plastic surgeon, who has proved there has been a drastic rise in women here getting cosmetic surgery done, I asked him, "They’re always behind a burka, so why do they need it?"
And the doctor replied with a smile, "Underneath the burka is a woman, who, if takes the covering off, will put America to shame in fashion and make up."
Believe me, the doctor’s dead right.
This place, my friends, is very much part of this world. It’s not isolated.
And I know I am still very much part of this world. I feel a lot more alive here than I was in India.
I have stopped heading for bars or a wine shop soon after work. I have started washing my own underwears, my socks, I have learnt how to cook dal, I know how to put tarka, I have learnt it is important to sleep at the right time, eat at the right time. I have learnt it is good to put oil on the head no matter how much you hate the smell. I learning to live with people from all walks of life, from all countries, from 'different religions'. I am learning to smile at them no matter if they're taxi drivers, construction workers, or business executives. I am learning how important it is to save money. I am learning to enjoy without being high.
I have learnt to walk in the scorching heat with a smile. I have learnt to ask the cab driver to switch the AC off for a bit if I have sat in from direct heat, else I'd probably catch fever.
I am learning how to be a man. A man who cares.
That too from a place, people fear entering... because it's a Muslim country.
Here is a beautiful piece by a man called Doc Farmer. When I read this, I felt he had read my heart and written it. I doubt if I could have explained it better than him.
Doc Farmer's article begins here ---
I've lived in the Middle East now for a bit more than five years. I'm not a Muslim, and I'm not a Semite or Nilotic or ''Palestinian'' (if there IS such a ''race''). I'm an American. More accurately, I'm a fat, bald, ugly, middle-aged white guy.
In America, I'd barely get a second glance. Here, people stare. Not unlike when you drive by a really bad car wreck slowly--you just can't believe it's THAT bad...
Okay, I'm kidding. A bit. But after living in Saudi Arabia for four and a half years, and here in Qatar for nine months, I think I can speak with some qualifications about my life as a member of an ethnic minority group.
It ain't that bad.
I don't speak Arabic. Well, I do, but the only words I know with fluency are shuk'ran (thank you), af'wan (welcome), min fad'lik (please) and shawarma (pita bread sandwich, similar to a Greek gyros or a British donner kebab, but with stale Freedom Fries inside). So at the very least I can be polite and well fed. Hence the ''fat'' part of my description above.
And yet, I can be understood. Taxi drivers get me to where I need to go. Eventually. And taxi rates are cheap, so if I get overcharged a bit, it's barely more than pocket change. The grocery stores and shops are in English. And the numerals, though Indian (you'd think they'd be Arabic, but go figure) were easy to decipher on my first trip from the airport to the hotel in Riyadh. Luckily for me, the airport is WAY out of town.
So communications are okay. But what about the attitude of theman/woman/child on the street to a 'Damn Yankee'' like me?
Actually, quite positive. Children look at me with curiosity because of my bald head and bearded face. You can hear the gears grinding in their little heads, wondering: ''Why is that ugly man's head on upside-down?'' They're shy or bold as children will be, depending on their age and personality. But they're just kids. They play, they ride their bikes, and they like to splash in puddles. They drag their folks to McDonalds or Pizza Hut or KFC (or Taco Bell for the VERY brave). And in over five years in the region, not one time have I ever seen a child sporting a Kalashnikov. Which is odd, because if you watch the news from the States, you hardly ever see a kid without one!
The men treat me with respect, as I treat them with respect. Those who speak enough English engage me in conversation. And we have some good'uns. I've learned much about Middle Eastern culture, the religion of Islam and their customs and beliefs, their history, their politics. Still haven't learned the language, though. And when I regale them with my attempts at pidgin Arabic, there is much laughter and slapping of backs.
I'm not treated different, and I'm not treated special. Well, they do talk more slowly so I'll understand. And believe me, I appreciate it. They're speaking slowly in Arabic, but it's the thought that counts.
I don't understand anything about their women. But I don't understand Western women either, so that tells me there's a universality about their gender which is totally incomprehensible to all males. Oddly enough, that gives me a level of comfort. One example: men go to the shop, go right to what they want to buy, take it to the counter, pay the money, take the item, and go home. Women, well, I'm surprised that they don't have hotels at the mallsso that the ladies can take a nap for a few hours between browses. Entrepreneurs take note!
Religion is the next subject, but it's perhaps the most important one. Religion is closely intertwined with politics and culture and driving habits and business, clothing, footwear, etc. Islam, despite the clamor of the ultra-hawks, is NOT a religion of violence. Well, not any more than Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Druidism, etc. ANY religion can be misused, and perverted for other purposes. The vast majority of Muslims are just like you and me. They work, they play, they pray, they hope, they laugh, they cry, they dream, they get upset, and they yell when they stub their toe. They just pray more often (five times a day instead of once a week (excluding final exams, of course), they have certain rituals and ablutions they must perform before prayer, they abstain from certain foods, they fast at certain times. But they're monotheistic, as are Jews. They view Christianity as polytheistic due to the dogma of the triune God, but they still revere Jesus (Issa, in their language) as a great prophet.
When I've discussed comparative religion with Muslims, as I have many times, I've never been lynched or shot or yelled at. I've asked questions, and I've received answers. They've asked questions, and they've received answers. I've never dissed their beliefs, and they've never dissed mine. I've never changed their minds. They've never changed mine. But they have made me look at things in a different way. And with any luck, I've done the same for them.
Which, to me, is a good thing.
Saudi Arabia is probably more ''religious'' in an official manner. That probably has to do with the fact that the holy cities of Mak'kah and Medina are IN Saudi Arabia, so they try to ''set an example.'' The Mutawa, or Religious Police (think of them as Jesuits with REALLY bad beard hygiene), patrol the shops and streets to ensure the shops close at the various prayer times, and that women cover their heads in accordance with their laws and customs. Which is fine. It is, after all, THEIR country. When they come to the U.S., we ask them to adopt/adapt our cultural practices. Is it so much for them to ask us to conform to theirs? The way I was taught, that's called common courtesy.
I never had a single problem with the Mutawa in all my years in Riyadh. They were courteous to me, and I offered them courtesy in return. I've heard the horror stories too, but they seem few and far between.
Which brings me to my last point in this missive. Terrorism.
Islam frowns on terrorism. I'm talking the kind of frown that tells you a rather warm room has been reserved for you in Hell. And yet, terrorists use the Noble Qur'an to justify their violence. This really honks the Muslims off--BIG time. When 9/11 happened, the folks in Riyadh were terribly upset. They couldn't believe their eyes. Then they found out who did it. They felt two emotions then--desolation and anger. Desolation at the deaths caused in the name of their religion, and anger that their beliefs were hijacked along with the aircraft. They're still ticked off. Oh, yeah, you'll find a few who say that ''America Deserved It,'' and they say it quietly because they know that 99.9% of their neighbours will slap them into the middle of next week.
They want the terrorism to end. They want their religion back from the murderers who have sullied it and, by inference, them. They want to keep their cultural identity. They want to protect their kids from the bad stuff in life. They want to have a good job, live a good life, and generally make the future a little bit better for their kids and grandkids.
Y'know, maybe I'm not in such a ''minority'' after all.... ends....
Qatar, Saudi, and every other part of this place is beautiful… as beautiful or different as any other country or any other place.
Like in an interview recently with Dr. Ahmed Makki, a plastic surgeon, who has proved there has been a drastic rise in women here getting cosmetic surgery done, I asked him, "They’re always behind a burka, so why do they need it?"
And the doctor replied with a smile, "Underneath the burka is a woman, who, if takes the covering off, will put America to shame in fashion and make up."
Believe me, the doctor’s dead right.
This place, my friends, is very much part of this world. It’s not isolated.
And I know I am still very much part of this world. I feel a lot more alive here than I was in India.
I have stopped heading for bars or a wine shop soon after work. I have started washing my own underwears, my socks, I have learnt how to cook dal, I know how to put tarka, I have learnt it is important to sleep at the right time, eat at the right time. I have learnt it is good to put oil on the head no matter how much you hate the smell. I learning to live with people from all walks of life, from all countries, from 'different religions'. I am learning to smile at them no matter if they're taxi drivers, construction workers, or business executives. I am learning how important it is to save money. I am learning to enjoy without being high.
I have learnt to walk in the scorching heat with a smile. I have learnt to ask the cab driver to switch the AC off for a bit if I have sat in from direct heat, else I'd probably catch fever.
I am learning how to be a man. A man who cares.
That too from a place, people fear entering... because it's a Muslim country.
posted by Once the Conman at 9:15 PM
9 Comments:
Got an interesting account there from doctor - very very interesting :)
ps: u actually learnt how to make dal and make tarka too?!!
Well yes i have learnt how to make daal... but why is that so surprising? Do you by any chance know me, or the fact that I had never entered a kitchen before I came here?
What?
No I dont know you or the fact that you never entered kitchen before, just surprised because I havent been able to manage that feat just yet!
Trust me it's not very tough. All you need to do is eat out so often that you absolutely get sick of it. That's when you'll really be taking recipes for daal chaawal. It might turn out really bad the first time, u might also probably end up eating burnt black daal, which was supposed to be yellow when u started off... but then, the second time will be better, and the third, you'll almsot be a specialist daal maker.
hmm..dude u are tempting me now .. I need to look for an Indian Store here. Again. Phew.. lets see if I manage a recipie from somewhere..
Here's the recipe my friend...
daal
Ingredients:
arhar ki daal (you might find them there as Yellow Lentils- oblong in shape they are flat on one side)- 1 cup
1/2 tsp turmeric powder - (haldi )
salt to taste (am guessing two tabel spoons is enuff for u)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp amchoor powder(optional u may find it as Dry mango Powder)
1 tsp cumin seeds( Jeera)
1/8 tsp asafoetida ( Heeng - Optional)
1 tbsp clarified butter (same as amul butter just as to u know)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(dhaniya) for garnishing
steps
a) measure one cup( ek katori) yellow daal and put it in a small bowl.
b)run water thru it. wash it properly, take care that u dont drain the daal away along, wash it properly about 2-3 times.
c) then take a pressure cooker.
d) put the washed daal in it along with 2 cups of water (same cup u used for measuring the daal)
e) add turmeric and salt
f) close the lid properly and and put on simmer and cook for 8 minutes - there will b 2 whsitles from the cooker.
g) open the lid and add chilly powder.
h) in a seperate pan heat the butter and add jeera and heeng(optional) to it. when the seeds start to splutter, add the mixture to the daal.
i) bring the daal to a boil.
k)ready to serve.
l) garnish with dhaniya leaves
REady to eat.
Chawal
One Cup of white plain rice.
a) measure one cup of plain rice (same cup u used before)
b) soak it in water.
c) after 5 minutes drain the water and wash the rice 2-3 times.
d) take a deep pan.
f) pour 3 cups of water in the pan.
g) put the washed rice in it.
i) let it cook.
j) once the water dries off and u see the rice boiled take the pan off the gas.
ready to eat.
All that you say you've started doing now...washing, cooking, sleeping at the right time, not drinking...is a very normal lifestyle...that is what life is all about....have you never done all that earlier??? Were you living even before you began to lead a normal life?
No, I was not living. I was getting through each day somehow, and the irony of the part is that I thought that's what living is.
No, I was not living. My life just began. Before this, it was a horror.
Congrats on beginning a new life...hope you go on with the same...
All the best!
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