HELPLESS????

Do I look it? Let me explain: Qatar imports workers to run the place - lots of workers (Qataris are a minority in their own country, and seem to like it that way!). Result is, as people of means in this country, we are not expected to do much for ourselves. At McDonalds or other fast food places, you don't clean up after yourself (we tried and had 2 people rush over and tell us, Oh No Mum and Sir, and practically grab the trays out of our hands.) Last week I went to a local shop to buy the kids' PE outfits. I went to the American School section and a clerk immediately came over to help. There were only a few shirts hanging on the rack - I immediately thought Oh No - I came too late and they are out! Not the case. The clerk asked me how old my kids were and suggested sizes. I then tried to take the shirts from the rack but he said, Oh No Mum, and grabbed the correct sizes wrapped in cellophane off a shelf (the hanging shirts are just for show). Went through the same procedure with the shorts, then he took everything up to the register for me (like I can't carry 4 shirts and 4 pairs of shorts!). This morning I had potted flowers sitting in front of the house. A man, wearing a uniform I recognized from a local garden shop, rang my doorbell and asked me (I think - his English wasn't good) if I wanted him to plant the flowers. I said No thank you, I would do it. He then went into my back yard and asked (again, I am guessing here) if he could bring some plants for me that afternoon. (There were bags of dirt sitting there, and Andy had started mixing them with the sand). I told him No, we would plant ourselves and he left. Later, while I was watering the flowers I just planted, he came back and did the classic "Tsk, Tsk" at me. He motioned that he should water the plants - getting a bit exasperated I said No thank you. Bottom line - I really am not helpless, and hope I don't get that way. If you see me sitting on my butt when I come back next summer PLEASE tell me that this is America - do it yourself!

Ramadan has started - will have to elaborate on that in the next post.

Take care,
CB