There are, of course, other reasons why I find living in Doha frustrating. I think there needs to be a debate about whether citizens who are well-provided for but don't live under democratic rule can be truly happy.

Reason number 1 why I don't like living in Doha is because it's not a pedestrian/non-car owner friendly place. I know it's poor form to complain about a city I've only recently moved to, but tough.

It all started yesterday when I found out that my academic hero, my sensei, Peter Singer, is in town this weekend for a conference. I made up my mind that I'm going to meet him.

I've been here one month today. I'm not going to lie: it hasn't been easy. On occasion I get terribly lonely, I miss my friends and family, and I wish there was more to do here.

My next door neighbor, a nice fellow named Guy, organized a barbeque on our rooftop patio Thursday night. All of us who live in the building - me, Guy, Tom, Julian, Hannah, and Casey brought drinks and food and we set up everything around the pool, stopping briefly to gaze out over the city at the Eid fireworks and marvel at how lucky we were to be there.

It was one of those parties where everything seemed to be just right.

I spent my first three working days settling in, doing things like renting a car, buying some supplies for my apartment, and getting started on the residency process.

After I picked out my apartment, I went to one of the large shopping centers here to get some things for it. I had thought that my apartment came with kitchen supplies such as pots and pans, sheets, pillows, and so on, but it didn't, so I had to purchase a few things.

I got to Doha really early in the morning on January 3rd, around 1 in the morning. A suited, smiling woman was waiting for me as I stepped off the plane into tepid air, holding a sign that said 'Virji Anar' atop three other names.

I finally got my confirmation number for my ticket Thursday evening so scrambled to get to the ticket office off of Oxford Street on Friday, the 23rd.

Now the 23rd is not Christmas Eve.

This year I'm actually not as grouchy about Christmas as I usually am. I have no idea why that is, but it's not such a bad feeling. I've bought a few people Christmas presents, I gave my friend who was lamenting the difficulties of decorating a tree an ornament, and I've been enjoying mince pies.

I'm really exhuasted. I'm not necessarily tired, but I'm ready for a good day in which I'm not running around trying to meet someone, buy some random item, or pick up my ticket/passport photos/etc.

Oof. Am drunk. Had three Staropramens with my good friend Hannes and am already at the point where I’m starting sentences and forgetting what I had started them with.

Last night my friend Natalie asked me about a man I like, someone I’m in a very nebulous relationship with, one that seems to be petering out slowly as I approach my moving date.