Liz Gilbert: “I've come to believe that there exists in the universe something I call "The Physics of The Quest" — a force of nature governed by laws as real as the laws of gravity or momentum. And the rule of Quest Physics maybe goes like this: "If you are brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting (which can be anything from your house to your bitter old resentments) and set out on a truth-seeking journey (either externally or internally), and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue, and if you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher, and if you are prepared – most of all – to face (and forgive) some very difficult realities about yourself... then truth will not be withheld from you." or so I've come to believe.”
~ Eat Pray Love
Truth = Peace.
I left my home for an adventure. I left predictability, friendship, and familiarity. I left behind the adorable 1200sq foot home with a front porch for cocktails and slow Sunday talk and moved 10,817km to an adorable ground floor apartment 1/10th of the size (68sq meters, tiny house), overlooking trash bins and crumbled walls, no patio, 18 inch kitchen space, and a nightly stray cat screaming performance, banging their paws on my bedroom windows.
Address: 001.
The first place that was truly mine.
I moved my entirety into 001 on this brave adventure, brave enough to take steps to find peace, face my reality, parts of myself I didn't love, grow into parts I do love, and explore the world. Not a huge Liz Gilbert fan, but I understand "Physics of the Quest" - I understand 001.
It's not all been pretty, especially in quarantine half-lockdown, teaching remotely, hardly seeing anyone except when I take the trash out once a week, but it's been brave fun.
Park Lane Drippy Ceiling
Park Lane Bedroom Hallway 2
Drippy Ceilings and Falling Plaster Pieces when the building expands in the heat
Two years adventuring. I've consumed knowledge, food, and thoughts. I prayed in churches around the world and lit candles for peace, love, and contentment. I fell in love with places, food, people, and myself.
That time The Company trusted me to help with the Winter Party. so I took down my Christmas Decorations and wore them with my dress.
Liz Gilbert is right - but so were my Grandmothers when they said this same sentence:
You grow when you eat, pray, and love.
I've grown to fill my curious little apartment. It is time to grow a bit more.
The company is shifting us. We had the opportunity to take a housing allowance and stay here or shift to our location of choice (approved by the company), but I am not yet ready to navigate landlords, leases, utility deposits, etc.
I'm shifting with company housing to "The Pearl" - my description:
"overly westernized and glamorous beach neighborhood with fancy shops, eateries, the marina, and water sporting access at your front door".
A complete 180 from Al Sadd, named after the flourishing natural plants here.
Al Sadd is the oldest surviving mixed-use district in Qatar. A working class neighborhood with hypermarkets and local stores, expats on the building steps each night having a chat. Think middle-class neighborhood and retail area.
Park Lane Kitchen 1
Park Lane Home
Park Lane Abaya
Park Lane Cats
Top Left: Tiny Kitchen, two burners, pickle jar for reference
Top Right: Living Room
Bottom Left: First Iftar, Abaya optional but recommended
Bottom Right: The Screaming Cat, yes, I went to feed them one night.
I'm going to miss this apartment, as I miss parts of my 'old life'. I thought to myself one evening in November 2017, I need something bigger than this for right now. It's time to need something a bit bigger for the next steps.
I returned to Qatar in August to start this school year, having had an emotional
farewell to my parents. It was much harder to return here than I anticipated. I miss them very much, and now with the global situation, I miss them even more.
This year's adventure experience felt different from the moment I stepped out of the car in Newark to come back. I felt like I was returning to a part of myself I lost, and yet I missed home so much, but here is home too.
With these feelings, I named 001 "the chrysalis".
Something inside me was defining the 5W's.
Apartment 001 Fun Facts:
My first visitor: The Army Captain (now Retired, living in California)
Craziest visitor: Watch Guy (still on speed dial, but stuck out-of-country in his own quarantine, with the borders closed here and where he is too)
Funniest visitor: The Boat Captain (we'll be near-neighbors by the marina!)
Most Random Experience Here: Pool Party and Game Night with Jags, Kim, and Mark (Jags scored us Wyndham Hotel Towels!)
Best Couch Cocktail Chats : Kevin and Jacquia
Best meals: Easter Ham, Herbed Focaccia, Cinnamon Rolls.
Craziest Kitchen Equipment I learned To Navigate: not stubbing my toe on the washing machine
Most Thoughtful Visitor: Aladdin
Best Neighbors: Those in 002 :D
Number of times I rearranged the furniture: 4 (once, and then 3 times since distance learning)
Most Curious Thing: Recording for a Virtual Choir
Park Lane Virtual Choir
Park Lane Clasroom 1
Park Lane Classroom Space
Recording for the Virtual Choir, Classroom Setup #1, Classroom Setup #2
Park Lane Living Room
Park Lane January 2019
Park Lane Couch
The Apartment : Right after a crazy thought about travel, January 2020,
New Years 2019 Takeaway and April 2020 Lazy on the Couch
Park Lane Tiny Kitchen 2
Park Lane Moon
Park Lane Coffee Table
Park Lane Easter Ham
Park Lane Oven Toaster Griller
Park Lane 19-20 New Year
Tiny Kitchen, Big Dreams
I see the Ramadan Moon and The Ramadan Moon sees me
The Coffee Table before Remote Teaching took over
Easter Ham and Random OTG dinners
New Years Eve 2019/New Years Day 2020
I could go on and on about 001, and as we say in the group chat: "this place". 002 their friendship and assistance with concerns, the dinner parties of all of us "Parkers", lazy movie days, sleepless nights, teaching guidance, and introduction to cuisines of the world - life happened in 001 or footsteps from the doorway. I protected this space, wanting no negative energy here, accepting things here that would help me grow. I will forever protect 001.
Teaching, cooking, living, quarantining here, the space really did become my chrysalis. I'm ready to emerge and start another portion of the journey. I'll protect that space too.
I am blessed in my new corporate place with AN AMAZING neighbor who has THE BIGGEST HEART, is kind, generous, smart, funny, and ready for serious adventure... a lot like me.
"...Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." ~ Rick, Casablanca
So, ready, set, adventure. Here's to growing. To natural sunlight windows, a restaurant-sized kitchen, open floor plan, and balcony. To current neighbors and new neighbors. I look forward to placing my roommates, "Caf, Ivy, and Al" (a coffee plant, an ivy, and an aloe plant) on the patio for yoga, book reading, and tea, all graced by the fresh ocean breeze and some really great friendships. Watching the sea, overlooking the beach. From above. I think Himself would approve. :D