I feel like the weeks are going by so quickly…I blame this on the change of week schedule. (I’m actually doing a project on this). Because Sundays are my “Mondays” back home, it the first day of the week. However, I’ve been so trained to hating Mondays, that I do not have anything against Sundays, even though it is the first day of the week in Doha. Tuesdays are the middle of the week, so already in my head, everything is sped up, because by Thursday its the weekend. The project I’m doing involves packaging the days of the week and I chose to focus how I am responding to my environment using mirrors. I am reflecting my environment by observing, taking part of, and learning about another culture, however it doesn’t erase everything I’ve learned about me week because it is so engrained in me. Just like mirrors do not change an object, just reflects. I’m excited to finish it because it is due next week.
I am working on a group project with all Qatari girls and we were talking today. I do not know if I mentioned this before but Qatari girls are not allowed to be in photos. Basically, if you are wearing an Abiya, you usually do not participate in being in a photo. And it’s this weird concept that all of them have Facebook, but no photos of themselves. It’s a whole different culture of Facebook and I was a little blown away by that fact. Photographs I’ve held so important to me and especially something like being in photographs just is so bizarre in a world that is surrounded with camera phones, instagram, etc that you would not be a part of it. The girl was using Snap Chat, and I asked why she preferred that over Facebook. She told me she felt more comfortable because the photo was not published on any social media. It also explains why there are such few photos of Qatari people on Google. It’s really hard to find what the people look like (especially women), they keep so private. I’ve taken photos of some girls, but I can’t do much with them. *Aisha was an exception in my first posts* I almost wish I could do a photo shoot with them because some girls look so fancy and just beautiful wearing them. Maybe if they feel comfortable enough I can, but it would have to be super informal and probably nothing staged or they would feel too awkward.
funny picture I forgot to post ^ 
on the floor in a desert like area, for an art project of course. 
blurred image of the desert area, right next to the high way (behind picture taker)
still on the floor, nice and sunny that day (highway to the right of the picture taker)
art project process, this one is quite dramatic (did not end up using the photo)
Also, my friends were talking about going to Oman after Japan, which I’m excited about. I heard wonderful things about that country. Japan will be cold and I brought only one pair of boots (not meant for hiking) and now I have one new pair of sneakers, and no jacket. Either way, I CAN’T WAIT FOR JAPAN! I leave end of February, everything paid for, I got my Qatari ID and passport back. Woo!
Now to plan to go to Dubai…