Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

How to Wash Your Hands in Qatar

I had just moments in the Ladie’s room in Qatar, just moments to whip out the camera and photograph this incredibly bureaucratic approach to hygiene and cleanliness.

How many steps to wash your hands??? And who (besides me) is really going to read these instructions in such detail? I am lucky to remember to wash my hands long enough to sing “Happy Birthday to You” two times using hot water and soap!

00SignInLadiesBathroom

LLOOLLL, 12 illustrated steps!

00Handwashing

August 25, 2009 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Doha, ExPat Life, Health Issues, Humor, Hygiene, Living Conditions, Qatar | 6 Comments

Civil Defiance

When I took the photo of this, I thought it was a lot funnier than it is. When I took the photo, I thought it said “Civil Defiance” and thought it was a great entry for the Fail Blog. Once I uploaded the photo and saw that it was just a mis-spelling, it was much less interesting.

00CivilDefiance

August 15, 2009 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Doha, ExPat Life, Humor, Technical Issue | 4 Comments

Mixed Message: Doha Dressing

With all the advisories going out, to both men and women but seemingly especially pointed at women, telling us to cover up, and be respectful of local culture and traditions, and especially not to dress disturbingly during Ramadan, I had to smile today in the mall (no not The Mall, another mall) when I saw these darling dresses in the window. OK, so we buy the dresses – who could resist? WHERE can we wear these dresses?

00MallDressing

(They really are adorable dresses, and the Ramadan sales are already cranking up, Wooo HOOOO!)

August 8, 2009 Posted by | Beauty, Civility, Community, Cross Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Humor, Living Conditions, Qatar, Ramadan, Random Musings, Social Issues | 7 Comments

China Trusts Prostitutes More than Chinese Politicians

LLLOOOLLLL, thank you, BBC News for livening up the deadly August news scene:

China ‘trusts prostitutes more’

China’s prostitutes are better-trusted than its politicians and scientists, according to an online survey published by Insight China magazine.

The survey found that 7.9% of respondents considered sex workers to be trustworthy, placing them third behind farmers and religious workers.

“A list like this is at the same time surprising and embarrassing,” said an editorial in the state-run China Daily.

Politicians were far down the list, closer to scientists and teachers.

Insight China polled 3,376 Chinese citizens in June and July this year.

“The sex workers’ unexpected prominence on this list of honour… is indeed unusual,” said the China Daily editorial.

“At least [the scientists and officials] have not slid into the least credible category which consists of real estate developers, secretaries, agents, entertainers and directors,” the editorial said.
Soldiers came in fourth place.

I can’t help but wonder how the same survey would result in other countries?

August 5, 2009 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Community, Cultural, Entertainment, Humor, Law and Order, Leadership, Living Conditions, Relationships, Social Issues, Statistics, Values, Women's Issues | | 5 Comments

43 Things Actually Said in Job Interviews

What I love about articles like this is that you can’t make these things up – people are funnier than anything you could make up. I was interviewing a guy once who had prison tattoos all over him. He had been sent to prison for 15 years and ended up serving nearly 20 years because he had “anger-management problems.” At the end of the interview, I said “Mr. X, I’m not going to waste your time. We have a lot of rules, and you have told me you don’t like rules and structure. You wouldn’t be happy here.” He laughed, and thanked me and said “I didn’t want to work her when you told me about the pet policy.” (You couldn’t bring your pet to work.)

My boss was sitting in the next room, and I was really glad. I was kind of afraid this guy might get angry when I turned him away, and I was glad to have some back up available, but I didn’t need it. After the guy left, my boss was laughing and said “I’ve NEVER heard anyone thank us before for not accepting him!”

These are from the AOL job section and if you really want to laugh your head off, you can read the entire article by clicking on the blue type.

43 Things Actually Said in Job Interviews
Posted Jul 17th 2009 2:30PM
by Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

“I’m not wanted in this state.”

“How many young women work here?”

“I didn’t steal it; I just borrowed it.”

“You touch somebody and they call it sexual harassment!”

“I’ve never heard such a stupid question.”

Believe it or not, the above statements weren’t overhead in bars or random conversations — they were said in job interviews.

Maybe you were nervous, you thought the employer would appreciate your honesty, or maybe you just have no boundaries. Whatever the reason, you can be certain that you shouldn’t tell an interviewer that it’s probably best if they don’t do a background check on you. (And yes, the hiring manager remembered you said that.)

We asked hiring managers to share the craziest things they’ve heard from applicants in an interview. Some are laugh-out-loud hysterical, others are jaw dropping — the majority are both. To be sure, they will relieve anyone who has ever said something unfortunate at a job interview — and simply amuse the rest of you.

Hiring managers shared these 43 memorable interview responses:
Why did you leave your last job?
1. “I have a problem with authority.” – Carrie Rocha, COO of HousingLink

Tell us about a problem you had with a co-worker and how you resolved it
2. “The resolution was we were both fired.”- Jason Shindler, CEO, Curvine Web Solutions

Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE

July 2, 2009 Posted by | Bureaucracy, Character, Communication, Community, Humor, Work Related Issues | 2 Comments

Kitty and the Camera

These are from youTube and ICanHas Cheezburgers . . . it’s not the cats that are so funny, but the noises of the people holding the cameras!

June 25, 2009 Posted by | Humor, Pets | Leave a comment

Signs of the Times in Doha, Qatar

There are a whole series of these signs, carefully placed at eye-level at most stoplights. Here are two; it takes me a while to get in the right position at the right time and to have my camera ready, but I am learning to always have my camera ready:

00TakeCareNoSpeed

00TakeCareSeatbelt

May God richly bless my husband for his patience; I am always calling out “Can you pull over so I can get a picture of that sign?” In Arabic, this one says “Bunshury al Rodoa”

00TyrePunctuary

I speak some Arabic, not a lot, like I can’t discuss politics with you, or anything complex, but I know shapes and colors and directions, and it all comes in handy. I took this sign because my favorite color is purple, and it is a very hard name to remember, when you are looking for something specific that is purple. 🙂

00Banafsaj
And see if you can guess why this is my very favorite photo of all 😉

00DohaDhow

June 20, 2009 Posted by | Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Bureaucracy, Communication, Community, Cultural, Doha, ExPat Life, Humor, Language, Law and Order, Living Conditions, Qatar, Safety, Travel | 8 Comments

Intlxpatr wins Mother of the Year Award

I didn’t even know until several of my friends told me about my special award. See it here:

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=CF6mny1eZti78l3F5ecdbzE0MDQwNjYw&referred_by=16646245-EsdzBnx&p=moveon

(I don’t seem to be able to get it to work as a hyper-link, so if you want to see my special award, you will need to copy and paste.)

May 11, 2009 Posted by | Family Issues, Humor, Women's Issues | 5 Comments

A Child’s Prayer . . .

 

Little Child’s Prayer 

 

O Lord.. .. in this year please send clothes…

 

for all those poor ladies in dad’s computer…

 

 I have a good friend who sends me the most amazing material. This one just cracked me up . .. 

May 5, 2009 Posted by | Family Issues, Humor, Mating Behavior | 2 Comments

Timeless and Practical Advice

Oh! Today I needed a good laugh, and thanks to my good buddy, I had several. Here’s what she sent me that got me laughing:

TIMELESS AND PRACTICAL ADVICE !

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

3. Its always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.

4. Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.

5. Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8.. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.

9. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably a wise investment.

12. If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.

13. Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like ‘The Force.’ It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving.

20. Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

May 4, 2009 Posted by | Friends & Friendship, Humor | 5 Comments

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