According to the official website of Qatar National Day, "Every December 18th, we celebrate our National Day in commemoration of the historic day in 1878 when Shaikh Jasim, the founder of the State of Qatar, succeeded his father, Shaikh Muhammad Bin Thani, as the ruler and led the country toward unity." Since we don't have school on that day, we celebrated it a few days early, on the 13th (yesterday). The students put on a dramatic production depicting (as far as I could tell -- it was entirely in Arabic) some important historical events, some cultural performances, and some military might in the form of 6-year-olds marching around on stage dressed in combat fatigues. Then we all went outside to the football pitch and stood around for the rest of the day (about 5 hours) while the little kids rode ponies from Al Shaqab, a lady did henna decorations on women's hands and arms, a traditional music group sang, and the students performed traditional sword dances with flat-edged swords. Oh, and there was lunch, too.
We were vaguely encouraged to wear typical Qatari male daywear, which for the men meant a thobe and a gutra. I wasn't sure I wanted to drop several hundred QR on a nice one quite yet, but when I mentioned that to one of my coworkers, she decided I should just borrow one from our male PE teacher. The only problem with that idea is that he's about six inches shorter than I am, and about eight inches smaller than me around the shoulders. Needless to say, it didn't fit when I tried it on. But the female PE teacher, when she heard this, said she'd have her maid send her son's extra outfit for me, and it fit fine... mostly. It was still about four inches too short. But no matter! I wore it for the rest of the day and enjoyed the chance to wear it. I could have passed for Lebanese, maybe. At least six different people stopped me to adjust my headwear, though, each insisting that their way of doing it was the right way--despite my having had it arranged by a Qatari in the first place.
I also enjoyed holding several falcons, which students brought with them. Just because. No, they didn't ask permission, but then no one does for anything here, so... FALCONS!
We were vaguely encouraged to wear typical Qatari male daywear, which for the men meant a thobe and a gutra. I wasn't sure I wanted to drop several hundred QR on a nice one quite yet, but when I mentioned that to one of my coworkers, she decided I should just borrow one from our male PE teacher. The only problem with that idea is that he's about six inches shorter than I am, and about eight inches smaller than me around the shoulders. Needless to say, it didn't fit when I tried it on. But the female PE teacher, when she heard this, said she'd have her maid send her son's extra outfit for me, and it fit fine... mostly. It was still about four inches too short. But no matter! I wore it for the rest of the day and enjoyed the chance to wear it. I could have passed for Lebanese, maybe. At least six different people stopped me to adjust my headwear, though, each insisting that their way of doing it was the right way--despite my having had it arranged by a Qatari in the first place.
I also enjoyed holding several falcons, which students brought with them. Just because. No, they didn't ask permission, but then no one does for anything here, so... FALCONS!
2 comments:
From an outsider's perspective I would way you fit right in!
Oh, and I am more than a tad bit jealous of the falcons. Is it common for families to have them?
You definitely need one of those outfits. . . and can pass, too.
We had a falcon flying around the church gym last week at my cousin's son's eagle court of honor: that required special permits.
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