Life Long Learning and a get out of jail free card

Hello from Doha in Qatar!  Yes, I'm here in the city where they are making preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.  However, I'm not here for football, I'm here on business.  It's a short visit (just two days) so I'm already half way through and will be back on the 45 minutes plane journey to Dubai tomorrow evening.

It's my second visit, but like most of my business trips, I don't get to see the country that much, just the inside of a hotel room and the office and/or training room.    The flight over was pretty OK, with the exception of a screaming baby in front of me most of the way.  Bless him, the plane was so hot, no wonder he was crying.  However, I don't really do screaming babies, so I plugged in my headphones and listened to the lovely sound of 'Adele'.

When I arrived in Doha, there was no one from the hotel to pick me up (wasn't too impressed, as I had booked it 3 days beforehand).  Anyway, eventually I managed to get hold of a driver who was insisting I was someone called Steven.  I did try to explain that 'Steven' was almost likely to be a man, but the driver was having none of it.  Eventually, a very distinguished elderly looking man wearing a blue pin stripped suite and a panama hat walked into the arrivals hall.  At least 'Steven' had arrived. 

I almost had the same trouble this morning when the driver arrived late to pick me up and take me to the hotel where I was to train.  Anyway, he eventually turned up and I managed to get there on time (which as in a hotel actually on the airport).   Hmmm, can't understand why they booked me into a hotel 30 minutes away from the airport, to then take me back there the next day to deliver the training.

So, it's been a few months since I last trained for 8 hours (I'd forgotten how much my feet hurt lol).  But it was good to be in front of a class again.  I have a mix of nationalities in the group ranging from Filipino, French, Romanian, Syrian and Arabs.  Mostly their English comprehension is very good with the exception of two ladies who are a little rusty.  However, as I explained, their English is far better than my Arabic.  In all, a lovely group of people and successful training.

Talking about training, I am going back to school! (OMG, I must be MAD).  Yep, I've just enrolled in the Middlesex University in Dubai to do a Masters Degree in Education: Leadership, Management and Change.  The programme starts in September and lasts for 2 years. 

I have already attempted a Masters Degree through the Open University. However, after successfully completing year 1 (I now have a Post Graduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education),  I failed year 2 by 5 points.  Unfortunately I missed the resit deadline date and when I found out about it, I was already half way through the 3rd year of my studies.  Anyway, I felt very demotivated and decided to stop studying (silly me).  I must admit I found distance learning quite difficult as it is hard not having the support of a tutor or peers.  Therefore, I am hoping going back to class will help me and keep me motivated and this time I will not give up!

Hubby and I had a chat at the weekend, and we are not ready to leave the Middle East yet, but we also need to think about our future.  Hopefully having my Masters Degree will help me further in my career before I'm ready to retire and go back home to the UK and as I always say, 'You're never to old to learn' (bring it on!).

Finally, I'm doing OK with the calorie counting and counting my steps.  At the weekend, hubby and I decided to walk to a small shopping centre near our home.  OMG we must have been mad.  Needless to say we did not take Charlie, it was far too hot (about 42 degrees I think).  We walked an hour in total (there and back) and I can tell you it was hot!  But, it's all good exercise and I definitely reached the 10000 steps on my pedometer that day.

Well I'll sign off from Qatar for now and will probably be back at the weekend which is also the start of Ramadan.  With this in mind, I have just heard that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai has announced the release of 873 prisoners for the occasion of Ramadan.  This is to give them a chance to begin a new life and to east the suffering of their families.  Hmmm, nice!