One last visit

As we prepare to leave Doha this week we were blessed to have company for the weekend! We have not seen our friends the Rasmussens for six years! We knew them when we lived in Kenya and our kids were great friends. This week they are moving from Nairobi back to U.S.A so their newly graduated teens can attend University in the Fall.

This weekend was great timing for us because our shipment has gone, most of our packing is done, and we are just waiting for paperwork to be processed. It gave us a chance to visit some of our favourite places one last time and to introduce them to our life in Qatar.

We also took advantage of some of the special events happening during Ramadan. We watched the informal parade of cars driving on the Corniche just before the sunset call to prayer (and breaking of the fast). The boys counted 21 Porsche 911, 24 BMW, 5 Ferrari, 11 Bentley, 3 Maserati, 3 Aston Martin, 5 Lamborghini, 9 Rolls Royce (including one Phantom), 1 McLaren, 5 Lotus, and a plethora of Mercedes, Audi, Corvette, Viper, Nissan GTR and the Camaro Club. They calculated the total value of cars seen in 30 minutes of bystanding was over $20 million.

After the car parade, we ate at an Iftar buffet at one of the hotels. The following night, Max and Isaac were invited to an Iftar feast at one of Max's classmates' majlis. There were 14 young men there and Max had an opportunity to say goodbye to some of his friends.

Trophies!

On the weekend Max and Simon played their final basketball games for Qatar Foundation. They have had five phenomenal years of learning, growing, and developing their basketball skills. This is thanks to the dedication of three amazing coaches, Sandra, Eric, and Mauritio. Max and Simon were recognized as being founding members of the basketball program for QF. It started with just 4 players in 2012 and now has over 400 children and youth practicing every weekend.

And so we added these special trophies to the others...... And yes, we are moving them all to Vietnam!

Then (2012) and now (2016).

Good Morning Vietnam!

In January Tim accepted a position at Saigon South International School in Ho Chi Minh City. Moving to Vietnam didn't feel "real" until our recent trip there to visit the school, look at housing options, and meet the people we will live and work with.

We are happy to report that we loved being there! It seems like a great fit for our family and a very fun place to live! We walked more in five days than we have walked in five months in Doha. We look forward to living outdoors again, and we are all registered for a motorcycle course so that we can drive a scooter!
Tim will be the Assistant Principal for the High School and Simon is registered to attend SSIS for Grade 11. Lisa will stay at home for a couple of months to get everyone settled into new routines. And Max, of course, will be eleven time zones away in Canada at the University of Waterloo.

While the tropical climate of Vietnam is much more humid than the desert that we have lived in for the last five years, we really enjoyed the rain, the lush vegetation, the clean air, and the breezes in the evening.

We also were thrilled to have locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables! Vietnamese food is so organic-feeling and the spices are new to our palate.

Max's Graduation!

Last night we attended a beautiful graduation ceremony for Qatar Academy's Class of 2016! A hundred students walked across the stage to receive their High School Diploma for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

We are very proud of Max's achievements at QA-Doha. Through the encouragement of his teachers and the competition of his peers, Max has developed a good work ethic and a passion for learning. He is curious and hardworking. His efforts were rewarded with the presentation of the Mathematics medal for highest mark in High Level Math. He has great respect and affection for his Math teacher.

Max has spent five years at this school and we have seen him grow into an extraordinary young man. His classmates have been a blessing. This group of students is remarkable in their academic success, their community service, and their strong friendships with one another. As Max moves on to the University of Waterloo, we are certain that his efforts will lead to further success. 

Leavers' Dinner

As part of his graduation from Qatar Academy Doha, Max celebrated with his classmates at the "Leavers' Dinner" last Wednesday night. This is a school tradition for graduates from QA. It is a special evening of formal dress, beautiful decorations, great food, speeches, and reminiscing.

The theme this year was Lantern Iftar Feast. Max and a group of friends wore the traditional Qatari thobe and gutra for men. The head coverings can be worn in a variety of styles and colours.

Sports Awards

This week Max and Simon attended their year-end Sports Award ceremony. They both received MVPs and Coaches awards!

Max played on three Varsity teams this year: Swim Team, Basketball, and Track and Field. He won Most Valuable Player for swimming and was also the captain of the Boys Varsity Swim Squad. He also won Coach's Award for basketball, which is given to the player that brings energy, and commitment to the team. Max was also the Captain of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team and gave a Captain's speech at the ceremony.

Simon played on four teams this year: Junior Varsity Volleyball, and Track and Field; and Varsity Swim Team, and Basketball. He won Most Valuable Player for Volleyball and the Most Improved Player for Track and Field. (Pictured above with his friend Bader from the Volleyball team.)

Hedgehog Hunting

Last weekend we had a new adventure! We joined a couple of researchers from the Qatar University who are studying Ethiopian Hedgehogs in Qatar. Apparently these critters have been in Qatar for decades.

First we practiced holding baby hedgehogs that were just 52 days old. They are a bit prickly but sit quietly for several minutes.


Then we went to a farm maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture for growing palm trees. On this farm there are wild hedgehogs. Our task was to quietly wait in the dark for a hedgehog to move. When we spotted a running hedgehog we also ran after it and gently tapped it on the back. This causes the grown hedgehog to roll into a ball with its spikes out (protecting itself). We then picked up the hedgehog to allow the researchers to check its antennae and tracking system. Then we gently returned it to the ground where it unfurled and ran away again.

Tim and Max were successful at spotting and chasing down a hedgehog. When it is closed up a hedgehog's head and underbelly is completely invisible! It is like a prickly ball and does not move.

We also saw a couple of desert foxes, a wild peacock high up in a tree, large lizard holes, and many evening birds. It was a fun evening!