I have to say that I'm still pretty amazed that I spent the two years in Doha, Qatar. There were positive and negative moments and just a lot of moments in general (admittedly mostly dull). It was a sobering, educational, and different experience, if I had to put it in a nutshell. I have been affected by it for better or worse, and it could very well influence my future choices of where I would like to live and work. Like any other place, there were advantages and disadvantages to living there and the balance varied from person to person and their own individual circumstances. On the positive side, Doha allowed me to officially have my own place, buy and sell my first car, save my first bit of serious money (I'm sure I mentioned somewhere that prior to coming here, I had none). So there were a lot of "firsts" in that respect. There was also a lot of soul searching and bearing down and getting through it too. This was the part that I found draining after awhile and ultimately what led to my decision to leave.
I'm back in Toronto now where we take the grass, trees, and fresh air for granted. Alcohol and pork are abundant and I can eat or drink it without being self-conscious (I'm not going nuts, but it's still nice). I also note that when you're in this part of the world, you tend to live in a bubble and get absorbed into our little lives. There is very little discussion of world issues, politics and the like because most people are more concerned about kids, mortgages and paying the bills. That's life here, I know. And I'm trying to decide if I should enter this rat race once and for all. That's what I'll spend this time off doing, hopefully.
Below is a picture I took of the C.N. Tower from downtown Toronto. It's not the best vantage point with that parking garage on the left, but it's the Toronto I know. I am home.
