DQ special: The Sand Blizzard

Okay now no one in Vernon is allowed to complain about the heat...YOU DON'T KNOW HEAT! Not that I'M complaining of course. It's quite the interesting experience to walk outside and feel like you just stepped into a Sauna. Fortunately it's not quite that hot ALL year round so I should be able to survive for the next two months or so. In fact, in the winter time it goes down into the 20s C which is fine by me. Once the temperature cools the list of outdoor activities explodes! You can do anything from scuba diving to sand dune surfing. I am a total nature junkie so once the thermometer hits 30, believe you me, I am going to take FULL advantage of it. But until then I will try to be content with waiting out the summer like a Canadian winter blizzard, with one exception, when i run like mad from one building to the other i will be wearing a thick layer of sunscreen rather than an arctic, fur coat.

Step #2: Grow a pear

Some nearly tearful goodbyes ended my experience of living in Vernon, B.C., Canada and for the next three weeks I would be homeless. We're fortunate we have the balls to test run this sort of thing and have such a hospitable family otherwise we could be good candidates for a soup kitchen. But, seriously, I don't know what we would have done without the food and love of my grandparent's, aunts and uncles as they made our transition from one end of the globe to the other quite flawless. We're now relaxing in the ninety degree farenheit humidity of Washington D.C. as we await our flight to Doha. Frequent e-mails and facebook messages to friends make it not quite so lonely. Every night we test run a different restaurant for dinner and one evening we went to a small (fifty year old) Bar/restaurant that served NINE HUNDRED different kinds of bear!!!! This, then explained the utter carelessness when it came to the food. Even so, this did not dampen our enthousiasm. By the time we got to Qatar a home cooked meal was the best gift we could receive. I guess the other staff already in Doha understood that because it's now our fifth day here and we haven't had to cook for ourselves once!....um wow

Step #1: Aspire!

(Two years ago) Dad: "Hey! So what do you guys think of maybe living in a different country? Would you be at all interested in that?"................
My brother: ...Pause..."Ya I guess"....
Me: "Um is that even a question?? HELL YA!!!!!"
And that was the first step towards the beginning of our journey. I must admit that up until my dad actually got the job offer he was the one doing all the work trying to make this thing fly. And thank god he took the initiative! During those two years he got quite a few nibbles but didn't catch anything huge until he took a trip down to Boston for a job fair...And the school in Doha offers him a kick ass offer, hires him and then supplies my mother with a job as well!?wtf?! But ya that's how this kinda fell together. I remember when my dad told me that we were moving to Qatar...My eyes got REALLY big as I stared at him in open mouthed incredulity, jumped up and down while flapping my hands really fast and screaming, and then sitting down and dreaming about the Earth Quest course that I was about to begin the next semester...After that I never got super excited or 'teary eyed' about the whole thing because I was so absorbed In Quest. That was until, of course, Quest ended and it came time to say goodbye to all my friends, pack up and leave..a somewhat intimidating task. Incredibly freeing though I must say! I pretty much got rid of everything I owned accept for some clothes, shoes and sentimental items, but unfortunately my friend's couldn't all fit in my suitcase so I spent my last days in Vernon hanging out with them until the wee hours of the morning! To be honest, I feel like I am about to pass out from the lack of sleep, but It was completely worth it!
(Shout out to my Vernonite friends) I love you all to bits and I can't wait to see you next summer!!! Stay strong and stay true!!! xoxoxo

p.s. listen to the song "Stay you" by 'Wood'. Think of it as my last 'tribute' to you!