Moving On and Moving Forward

The beauty of being an expat is we get to meet a lot of people of different background. The challenging part of being an expat is we get to see a lot of people move on and move forward and we get to check our current status and question ourselves whether we are being left behind.

End of June will mark our 5th year in Doha. Me and Cihangir arrived almost the same time in Doha for the 15th Doha Asian Games known to be "The Games of our Lives. " While we celebrate our half decade residence in Doha, leaving the country seems to be the norm with some of our friends and colleagues. Sometime ago, my brother Raymond left Doha for good to Philippines. It was a bittersweet farewell as we saw him off. But things just don't work out for him here and hence, the decision to leave for good.

A few of my friends are planning an immigration to Canada, others are just so lucky to get a fabulous job offers back to their own homes. Whatever reasons, people are moving on and exploring options a lot better than to be in a country where spring season could get as high as 50-deg-C.

So the big question is what makes the Turknoys stay in Doha? Well, the answer is straightforward really. We are still moving on and moving forward as a family . We get to improve ourselves as a individuals as well as improve our careers while putting our family first above all the workloads. We feel so blessed to be in this country.

At the end of each stressful workdays, we get to go home to our smiling Turknoys and get to spend lots of family time indoors with recycled air conditioning air.


Life in Doha is simply awesome! 

Well, more awesome now that our head of the family is recognized for his hard and honest work.
Congratulations to the Turk! Hope you loved the cake. ;)

YAHOO!

Live. Love. Celebrate!

Qatar Environment Protection - Beyond Earth Hour

It may be coincidence or planned, but Qatar is living up to this year's Earth Hour theme, Beyond Earth Hour. This weekend, there are several campaigns on Qatar Environment Protection.

One of them is the Qtel E-waste Recycling Day  on 2nd April as detailed in the news article.

Also, the Environment Fair 2011 is scheduled for this weekend as well, from 1st April to 3rd April at Doha Exhibition Center.

Environment Fair 2011 schedule is detailed below:

Friday, April 1^st   1:00pm – 7:00pm

Saturday, April 2^nd 10:00am – 7:00pm                                                         

Sunday, April 3^rd  10:00am – 7:00pm

                                                     

If you are in Doha, please participate in these activities. Be environment-friendly!

Keep exploring!

Sibling Bonding - Turknoy Style: Swimming at Intercontinental

These two Turknoys would do anything to get in the pool and stay out of there! Now that summer days are almost here, we will definitely frequent the beach, pools and playground at the Intercontinental Hotel-Doha!

let's go to explore, i'll drive mommy!

let's go, got the toys!

ahhh relaxing view = turknoys busy + beach

an on with the pool!

happiness!

and then play!

Normally, the kids would be so dead tired that they fall asleep in the car! A wonderful relaxing evening! ;)

Keep exploring!

Set Sail for Qatar Marine Festival 2011

Am I excited or not? It will be on 16-26 March 2011 at Cultural Village (Katara) Sea Front - Eastside. It's the Qatar Marine Festival 2011.

A newspaper ad about the event:

Be part of a unique celebration with dazzling events and offbeat activities showcasing Qatar's vibrant culture. 


Come and enjoy more than 30 events, workshops and contests at the largest family festival of the year. 

Ride the tide of fun, learn about Qatar's history, discover thrilling facts about the deep blue and join us in building a future inspired by the greatness of the past. 


Anchors Away! 

I just love the idea of continuing the past for a progressive future - hence, my shameless plug about the event. Good events here in Doha seems not to have good publicity.

Last year, we were lucky enough to live close by one of the venues of the Qatar Marine Festival and was able to enjoy some activities. But without seeing the tents on our way, we would have never known about this event. So please, please, mark you calendars and enjoy a fun-filled activities during the festival.

Exhibit 2010

showcasing science and technology- here we are inside one of those inflatable big castles.. Turknoys still babies!

i remember, there were lots of science stuff during early days of festival - must really plan

Here's to hoping that the weather will still be conducive for outdoors activities.

Keep exploring!

Non Frequent Flyer!

What a way to start my work week. This morning, I received the news that I've been downgraded for two years in row!  As much as it sucks, I loved how they have broken the news to me – it’s too gentle, diplomatic and encouraging. Don’t you think so?

Dear Miss Calvelo,

Change of Membership Status,

As a valued Privilege Club member, we are writing to advise you of a change in your membership status. As you have not accumulated sufficient Qpoints over the last year, unfortunately, we will not be able to renew your Silver membership.

However, we are pleased to renew your membership at our Burgundy level.

As Burgundy member, you can still enjoy exclusive Privilege Club benefirs:

·         Extra baggage allowance – 10 kgs

·         Last minute rewards for a nominal fee

·         Family programme  - family members earn 50% of the Qmiles

·         Claim an award seat for anyone – friends, colleagues or family members

We hope you continue to enjoy the many rewards of Privilege Club, In order to re-qualify for Silver membership you wil l need to earn 150Qpoints during the current calendar year.

Thank you for continuing to fly with Qatar Airways and we look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

Yours sincerely,

Manager Loyalty

Qatar Airways,

In First Class, baby!

In Business Class!

In a very polite manner they managed to rub it in my face that (A) I was a complete loser for not travelling to accumulate the required Qpoints or (B) I am a disloyal stupid customer for not realizing the benefits of an exclusive Privilege Club and not using their airways for my travel requirements.

I am (A) by the way.  For the past two years, my travel is limited to going back and forth Philippines and very recently, to and fro the second home, Turkey. How I miss the years when I get to fly frequently in the year and flying first class at that. I refuse to believe that my travelling days are over!

I believe that with my family, we are yet to see a lot of amazing places in the world. Since we got back from Turkey, my mind has been preoccupied with lots of new places to visit.

So here’s sending to the universe my heart’s desire to travel this year and the succeeding years. I hope my subconscious work double time. 

Doha Explorers Book Club

Barney definitely said it best and we completely agree and buy in to this song. 

Books are fun! Books are great!

Let's sit down with a book today.

Books are fun! Books are great!

Is it book time yet? Oh, I just can't wait

To read a book.

Do you know why I love to read a book?

Why I get so happy every time I take a look?

'Cause books can take me anywhere that I want to go.

Books help my imagination grow.

Books are fun! Books are great!

Let's sit down with a book today.

Books are fun! Books are great!

Is it book time yet? Oh, I just can't wait

To read a book.

Books are fun to read. I love the pictures too.

I love to snuggle up and read with somebody like you.

All my favorite stories and many more to learn.

Good things come with every page I turn.

Later part of last year, our Doha community started a reading book session under the trees. I was already on the look out for some book friends for Kylie as I noticed that she was getting too bored reading to me and the rest of the family members.  I got the idea from one of forums of our Doha Mums community of reading under the trees and gave it a personal touch and invited close friends within the Pinoy community. I then realized that it was quite a start of childhood friendship based on the love for books among the kids involved. 

Since the winter season was starting that time and here in the Gulf, winters are just fabulous weather to be outside, reading books is just a brilliant way to enjoy the outdoors with friends.

To date, we have completed five sessions and the eagerness of the kids are simply heart warming. Just today during our first session for the year after the long holiday break, despite being showered by water sprinklers in the park (no thanks to the part guards for not warning us!), we still managed to read at least a book to justify the session. We, however, managed to have a good breakfast though.


A typical explorer book club session last two hours. Being Pinoys, of course, we have to eat first among other things. And then each of the children show off their reading to all. It is a personalized reading sessions, otherwise the kids reading books will not be given the attention. I believe that the sense of pride they feel gives more motivation to read books after the sessions. After all the kids read they share of books, then its my turn to read books to them usually combined with activities such as song, dance, body movements, puzzles and other things I could find during my cramming hours before the sessions. We can also dress up for the book club depending on the holidays.  Last Halloween, kids wore their costumes during our story time under the trees.

After the sessions, we get to swap books as homework for the kids to read for the next session. It is also a way for us to read variety of books without actually buying more books.


I love the idea that there are proactive mom friends around me who can fix schedule with me and motivate the children to find time to read amidst their routine in school.

Living in Doha while raising lifetime readers can't get as simple as this.


Some photos taken during story time taken by the most proactive Dad in the book club. ;) (Thanks Allan!)

Dining Out in Doha: Authentic Ottoman Food

TGIF! It's turning out to be a dining out Friday blog but my original intention is to force myself together with my family to try something new every Friday instead of bumming around at home. Friday is off for almost everyone here in Doha. It's like Sunday in the other part of the world.

Hoops, but I think this could count as a non-dining First Time for our dearest Kerim: 30-second-monkey-bar! I suppose this qualifies him as a toddler at 17th month. We went to burn some calories at the park before pigging out.

he stayed hanging like this for 30 seconds or so..

Kylie joined him! Oh so cute

I'll think of a more creative first-time things to do in Doha on a Friday in the next entries. This Friday, similar to last (SUSHI) , is focused on food and dining out.  Off we went to Katara, Doha's Cultural Village to try out the one and only (according to my husband) authentic Turkish restaurant - based from Ottoman dishes.

one of the prominent restaurant in the Cultural Village

The ambiance feels like Ottoman empire-y! Long Live Sultan!

A little bit of everything - mezze, pide, kofta, pie, liver, YUMM

I find the restaurant posh, value for money is high and service superb! It really did taste like Turkish dishes. I enjoyed exposing Ayish and Raynard to the new tastes and the idea of not eating rice, they still find it unacceptable but it was worth the try. Of course, Kylie and Kerim devoured the meal like any other.

Tita Ayish and Kylie

My main dish

Dessert - yummmmm

Cihangir is on second shift at work and second to normal, he's not with us. (I should stop noting this in blogs as it is pretty obvious but we'll try our best to work out our first time Friday event with him.)


Have you done (eat, drink, tried) something for the first time lately?

Dining Out in Doha: Sushi

First of all, to those who became fans of our newly created Facebook page, thank you very much! We'll be updating the fan page quite frequently and hopefully be giving some freebies in the future. (so if it's not too much to ask - invite your friends as well!)

KISS KISS TO ALL! ;)

We have come to almost end of the first month of the new year and the Turknoys are almost settled back in Doha. Being an expat family has definitely its pros and cons - but we are inclined to enjoy more the pros and don't mind the cons.

Since we got back from Istanbul, this is the second time we ate out. We enjoyed scrumptious brunch buffet  at a Japanese restaurant, Sushiminto.Talk about getting fat-ter for Mommy! Well, the kids enjoyed the variety of foods they have tried in the restaurant  and definitely enjoyed the sushi and sashimi - Kylie and Tito Raynard's first attempt to eat sushi with wasabi. I want to say they loved it - but I have to agree with their reactions that the new taste takes a lot of getting used to.

YUUUMMM!!!

Kylie's reaction after the sushi and wasabi - priceless!

A much more priceless photo (although, I can't rotate properly) - Tito Raynard's reaction after a Maki!

Kerim also took his shot at using chopsticks. Not bad for a first time user. He was really concentrating too hard to get the food into his mouth using the chopsticks. Good job, Kerim!

Kerim and his chopsticks

Mommy setting an example. They have to love sushi!

I have always love Japanese food the moment I tasted them. I suffered both during my pregnancies as I can't eat anything raw, which includes sushi (duh!) I had to settle for tempura which had to do.

Loving Sushi - Picture taken 2005

On the way to the restaurant, Kylie was excited to have another adventure and was rambling that we should go to Japan for our next adventure. Well, Cihangir would love that - he has special connection to Japan anyways (trivia alert:His  ex-girlfriend is Japanese)

The restaurant was crowded. We were even asked if we were reservation - luckily, there was an available table. The food is good, the ambiance is good but it doesn't feel Japanese resto at all. We get to know that all the chefs are Filipinos as well as most of the staff. Explains the Pinoy leche flan and fruit salad.

Value for money is so-so though. We spent around 120USD. Uugghh. Will we try it again - maybe not. Bento box  will give more value to our money. But who knows, probably when I get am about to get pregnant again so I am all set not to have sushi for a year or so.

Family Picture before Daddy goes to work! ;) 

Doha Weekend Mornings!

One fine Friday Morning walking in the Corniche with the kids

It's Thursday -  I LOVE LOVE THURSDAYS! Official start of the weekend tonight.

Even though I detest, hate, loathe, despise (are there stronger words to denote  hatred?) chores, I am looking forward to being with kids  100% of the time during weekend.

I cherish weekends and the thought of not being forced to report to work during these days makes me love my job – a lot! I guess, complaining is not really my forte. I always tend to look at things positively at all times. Why waste energy complaining when we can exert our that effort in enhancing other aspects of our lives. Come to think of it – If I complain about my job, it’s me who to  blame, toinks- it’s MY job. If I complain about my company, it’s like I am complaining about myself since I am part of the it. Just a weekend thought to consider.

 

THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL MORNINGS! WAKING UP WITH MY FAMILY AND BEING ABLE TO BUM AROUND THE HOUSE OR DECIDE TO TAKE A MORNING WALK IN A VERY LOVELY WEATHER  IS TRULY LIFE’S AWESOME MOMENT!

HAPPY WEEKEND, DOHA!  

THE YEAR THAT WAS

The year 2010 is a “settling” year for us. It was indeed a fabulous year that 20 days of year 2011 have passed already and I can’t move on.

To be nostalgic about it, on top of my head are the big milestones of  2010.

During the 1^st quarter,  I was officially appointed as “head” of something  at work other than being “head” of the Calvelo family. It didn’t matter much as I am still going be to doing the same tasks at work but being able to give your business cards to colleagues with that designation gives me that smirk in my usually subdued face.

Last days of 2^nd quarter  was the  amazing “second” honeymoon in Palawan, Philippines. Although we promised that we are going to set aside 4-5 days of romantic get-away annually, this is one for the books to beat. Do I dare give you juicy details – I suppose not! Oooh Palawan!

the Big Lagoon El Nido, Palawan

taken at the clubhouse greenwoods

Third quarter is the challenging, arduous , demanding, grueling, strenuous and very tiring (you get the point!) yet rewarding days of no grandmother to take care of the kids while we were at work. UUGGHH! It was a circus of finding nannies and nurseries. The BIG plus is that we were living in Qatar wherein there ‘s shortened work hours during Ramadan, hence we were able to spend  lots of quality time with kids, albeit scorching temperature of 50-55 deg Celsius. Lessons from Summer of 2010 will always be remembered fondly.

the best promotion ever - nanny to the kids ;)

And of course, still fresh from our minds, the  holidays of December for the 4^th quarter. We were able to present the kids to Cihangir’s side of the family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins and friends. The Turknoys are a big hit in Turkey (duh?!)

first exclusive family adventure in Pamukkale, Denizli Turkey

For 2010, we have thrown our very first parties for the kids. Kylie's 4th Birthday at Chilli's and Kerim's 1st Birthday at a Chinese Restaurant - Wok of Fame, both in Doha! We celebrated the children's milestones with our family here. Expat  living couldn't get better than that. 

Kylie's 4th Birthday - her first birthday spent with us in Doha together as family.

Kerim's First Birthday with our Doha Family

All in all – a real awesome year indeed. A tough one to beat that the first quarter of year 2011 will be going to be restless months. 

All energized and hyped of the new year we are NOT. Let’s see - maybe for the Chinese New Year.

TURKNOYS ARE BACK IN DOHA!

After 23 days of exploring our second (or third) home, a very beautiful country, Turkey, our family is back in Doha, Qatar to go back to work and school. As they say it, back to our real world. A beautiful vacation is over. Time to face realities.

Tito Raynard ( more known as Boy) and Tito Raymond (more known as Dada) are in Doha welcoming us with open arms. They missed us since they celebrated their birthdays without us for the first time in Doha.

Of course, we had a belated celebration of their birthdays in our favorite restaurant, Chillis. Most of our birthday celebrations are done in Chillis. We love the food and the play area upstairs.


I suppose it made us all feel back to normal, after all, Doha has been home for some for quite some time and God-willing, it will stay that way for a while.

It may be a little late, but it is still new year, here's us wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Happy New Year All!