Mighty Healthy

Experiences with the universal health care system have been hot and cold. Last year, the wife had a virus that went undiagnosed for a dangerously long time, to the point that she felt like she couldn't find out what was wrong if she remained here. Further aggravating her situation were the cultural barriers, me not being able to accompany her to certain parts of the hospital, or her having long wait times because, apparently, she wasn't a V.I.P. But at least there is the option of going to another state-run hospital for free or nearly free service before deciding to take an expensive flight home to have a very expensive uninsured doctors visit. One just has to anticipate semi-crowded facilities (depending on day/time of day) and appointments that may be far in the future. Though the hospitals are calm and clean, and there seems to be an initiative to improve customer service (Hamad, the central hospital, now has people in "Can I help you?" shirts floating around), one may still seek service at a private hospital to either have a more familiar experience (i.e. husbands allowed in all facilities) or to be seen sooner. However, we've had long wait times and crowded facilities at private hospitals and easy, comfortable experiences at public hospitals, so by no means is any of this a general guide to health services in Doha. These are just some of our experiences. 

Your health is one of the hardest things to trust someone else to take care of, but it's an area that, even though we should be more intuitive about, the average person seems to know very little of. So you can imagine how nerve-wracking it can be to seek care in an Arab country when you're from New York. In my opinion, the health care system is quite good here. We've had a baby and survived a major health scare, and although the system isn't without it's glaring flaws, I can't see how the average person who has to put up with the (to put it nicely) convoluted system back home, wouldn't prefer it. 

Still, the difficulties can turn your day, and smile, upside down pretty quickly. Sometimes it's neither your fault, nor the system's. When my wife was going through her health scare, eventually she received a diagnosis, but it was after so long, and seemed so unhelpful, that it was hard to trust. It took so long because they were eliminating all possibilities since it was hard to figure out. This isn't a typical experience for us, and it was just pretty scary. The doctors were doing their jobs, but language barriers and rude customer service made it all harder to deal with. The good thing was having the option to try another place. The Cuban Hospital is 45 minutes across the desert, but that wasn't far to go to have a completely different experience. Being from New York, the Latin influence of the hospital was very welcoming. But the diagnosis was the same. It's just that the comfort level made a difference concerning how much trust we put into each set of professionals.

That's not the whole hospital, trust me.

Then there are the times when we are caught up in a system that is still in the process of updating and modernizing. Since the building of capable facilities can't keep up with population growth, which is the fastest on the planet, clinics are backing up in the city, and residents are being sent to be treated on the outskirts. After recently discovering what our assigned clinic is, we went there to get shots for the baby. But we were told that appointments were full and we'd have to take Sage to a hospital in a municipality we weren't familiar with, a good ways from home. This is the map and instructions we were given:

I wish I was making this up.

Right, they're gonna have to do better than this. They might as well have given us this map:

"Keep going past Africa, stop before you get to Iran. Can't miss it."

This is a city that is still being mapped, and GPS can't get you to a lot of places. Getting lost is the best way to find your way around. It's a very small city and all roads lead back to the city centre so there's never much need to worry. Even still, I'd much rather go to a hospital across town than one across the desert. But beggars can't be choosers and the sick must often be highly accommodating. All in all, as long as the apple a day we get for being teachers offsets the germs we're exposed to by...being teachers, we shouldn't have to become too cozy with any of the medical facilities. ¡Salud! 

Do(g)ha

As I approached the house I tutor at today, I heard the barking of what sounded like a large dog, which is unusual because dogs are rarely kept as pets in Muslim households for cultural reasons. My hope was that the dog was actually in the yard next door because the house I tutor at is pretty lawless and not the place you'd want to see a large dog with free reign. 

Also, no house is a place I'd like to see a large dog with free reign. 

To my dismay, and fear, more fear than dismay, the dog belonged to them, and I was rerouted from my normal path as I walked through the entrance gate, but not rerouted enough to feel safe. 

My student told me that the dog was returned to them after being stolen, possibly sold back to them by the person who stole it. Yea I know that sounds pretty weird but that was my best guess through the language barrier, which is more problematic at certain times than others. He also told me that the dog hadn't eaten since being taken, which is hard to believe because the dog was gone for well over a month, possibly multiple months, but not THAT hard to believe as I watched the dog ravenously chew on a piece of meat I hoped it would continue to focus on as I slid past it. 

Because of the alleged time that elapsed since the dog's last meal, I was told during our session that I had to avoid it because if not, it would probably jump on my back and kill me by attacking my neck. 

That's not something I'd want to happen. 

I'd want that to not happen to me.

And because I'd want that to not happen to me, I tutored with one eye and ear towards the door, just in case the dog made it inside the room and I had to make a split-second decision that involved one of us being fed to the dog, and me escaping as that happened. Thankfully, no one was eaten, polygons were studied, and the dog wasn't outside when I exited an hour later. Because you KNOW that was the final obstacle that ran through my head as the session wound down. Hopefully, the dog isn't stolen again, but if so, I hope the thief feeds it this time.

Flashin'...Lights

So they have something here never I've seen before. It's a traffic light that pretty much means "everybody can go." As in, from all directions, all at the same damn time. It's a flashing yellow, something I wasn't familiar with before moving to Doha. There's green, which of course means go, red, which should mean stop and this flashing yellow thing which apparently means "you crazy kids get in there and mix it the fuck up." This light only exists at the roundabouts, which is better than the intersections, I guess. You can just imagine the free-for-all induced by this.  With an impatient "me-first" culture, more cars on the road then necessary, and the horrendous driving that is so common here, the flashing yellow, which was probably meant to be a courteous agreement between drivers when the country was a bit more quaint, now seems like an experiment in "let's confuse, anger and injure the ex-pat." The best strategy when approaching the flashing yellow? Fearlessness. Don't hesitate or overthink, just do as the Rom.., er, I mean the Qataris do, and eat that light the hell up. If you come out of the roundabout with you and your car intact, you've done a good job. Go have a sheesha and relax your nerves.

"Let It Rock" - How And When I Get Zen On That @ss

So, let me please share this with you. How my experience as a black male here is intertwined with aspects of my health journey. Health, right, is not just food, exercise, doctor visits, skin care, etc. It's also the relationships, time management, spiritual practices and such.

So, I notice that I never know how I'm going to be treated when it comes to customer service in the increasingly elitist Arab country I live in. I often see the person providing it (more often than not a Filipino, but sometimes African, south/southeast Asian or Arab) fall over themselves in submission to the white or Arab before me, then treat me with anything from curt indifference to terse politeness. Reasons can be many but this isn't about that. As a health practitioner, I look to stay in balance in all aspects of my life, so aside from eating and working out, I have to apply varying degrees of effort in dealing with social interactions. Unfortunately, as a black man, I have to expend much greater energy, than say, a white mom, when it comes to my everyday interactions. I may have to ask for service when they don't. I may have to hold back my anger or frustration and do something else with it so it doesn't become self-harming where a white man wouldn't have to ever worry about that. I may have to do more convincing and proving when explaining why I'm a good fit to tutor a kid, even in comparison to a way less experienced young white girl straight out of college. I may have to check on my maintenance request multiple times because building staff doesn't see my requests as pressing as they see the request that came from the Arab family.


Hopefully, like anything else in life, the energy I have to constantly devote to these things makes me stronger. This morning I made some requests that were answered, but not with the same attention to detail as the person before me (or the average person in my fancy schmancy building) received. Sometimes I think the staff wonders how I'm able to live here, particularly because I don't work during the day. I want to say "Hey, I live here, so obviously I'm living here under valid and legal circumstances. I'm not squatting."

I'm from New York, I'm used to customer device being a roll of the dice. It's different here though. The city runs on it, and many jobs depend on it because there is a seemingly inexhaustible supply of service workers who have the opportunity to make more money here, willing to step into another's position, even with the horrors that the jobs can entail. Is it right? Of course not. That's the society. The society is also rigidly stratified and I float somewhere on the outside. On any given day, my place depends on whether I'm perceived as American or African, professional or blue collar, young and single or a family man, can I be put into a neat stereotype or am I something unexpected.

So when I'm rushed along while being serviced, or given an attitude or not afforded the same level of service as one of the other groups I mentioned, I have to choose my reaction carefully. The angry and negative reactions I've chosen over time just build up negative energy within me. Instead, I have to go to a better place, spiritually. It's a work in progress. Trying to understand why a receptionist or store clerk thinks they can treat me like I'm at the bottom of the totem pole doesn't work all the time. I'm not always ok with having to "go in" or prove through my speech, credentials or extended interaction that I'm someone to be respected either. It's also not always enough to remember that "The black man is god, we are all powerful, they hate us because they love us, I have knowledge of self so nothing can phase me, yada yada."

Sometimes I want to lash out. But I don't. You can't let things in the world make you who you're not, force you to do something that isn't a good look for you. I'm a nice guy, I just am. I'm direct, clear and assertive, but I'm nice. Sometimes I'm a bit vengeful, admittedly. I don't want to intimidate and scare people into treating me correctly, even though doing so would be easy. That doesn't feel good. You can't let the world make you into a crappier version of yourself. If you're a good dude and the girls around you seem to want "bad boys," let it rock, it'll even out for you. But becoming a bad boy will be a bad look for your soul. If you're a reserved person, and it seems like the loud, obnoxious people are getting what they want, let them rock. You don't like those people, don't become one. Your way can work too.


When I'm faced with uneven treatment here, sometimes I just have to learn to let it rock. That's my zen statement. Letting it rock is not easily defined. It's not simply letting it go, overlooking it, or understanding what it is. It's more like "being like the water." Water is all-powerful and all-submissive at the same time. Water doesn't fight against, but it's also constantly imposing it's will and serving it's purpose in the most natural way it can. You may be able to manipulate and take advantage of it, but it reigns (rains) over you from the inside out. It's in control of itself, therefore in control of all around it. Those descriptions of water is what letting it rock feels like. It's not an easy thing, but it's a part of my health practice that is simultaneously unique to certain situations and applicable to any.

The 6'3", fit, blond white guy in the suit who checks all the "respectability" boxes doesn't have to ever be concerned with learning to let it rock within the same circumstances that I do. But he'll have his instances as well. It's just that, I have to devote myself to this spiritual practice in a different manner than most. No one said balancing a healthy body, mind and soul would be easy. If they did, they lie!

WWE In Doha!

Y'alk know I'm a huge WWE fan so I had to get tix. WWE was great. Some things:

Antonio Cesaro is bigger and more muscular in person and has some fresh foreign (French?) hip-hop theme music I never noticed. R-Truth is entertaining with his dancing and crowd-pleasing. He's also really entertaining in the ring. These guys are big. I was high up but the place has no bad or far seats (although my phone couldn't take good pics bc of lighting). Punk may be a "small" wrestler but he isn't a small guy (6'1" 220ish), has a great look and a lotta physical presence. Big E isn't tall but is ridiculously built. Henry is enormous and I couldn't believe he was a legit 6'4" bc he was eye to eye with Zack Ryder who is quite tall. Henry is huge but Tensai is GIGANTIC in every way, Ryback is abnormal and Kane looks like a cartoon, truly freakish. John Cena keeps an impeccable physique even with all of the traveling. My hat goes off to these guys. It's such a punishing job, they have to love it and he dedicated.

Can't BELIEVE there was a McGillicudy-Riley match. Never seen a lack of reaction like Hennig got (didn't get). They ain't kno if he was heel or face. Riley's new look is cool.

Many wrestled in t-shirts. Maybe bc it was cold, or to hawk the merch.

Biggest surprise was John Laurinitus! He ordered dance-off bet. Otunga and Tensai. Tensai was very entertaining.

Otunga danced like Carlton from "Fresh Prince," to Tom Jones. Doubt that many got the joke.

I realize I'm a huge Mark Henry fan. I marked out biggest for him and amused the girls next to me, singin' "Somebody gonna get they ass kicked/ somebody gonna get they wig split!"

Ryback was CRAZY over, as was Kane and Bryan. Kane says NOTHING and he's mad over. DB is great at crowd interaction.

Saw The Shield wrestle for the first time, live or on TV. Very impressed. Reigns isn't bad in the ring and I think he breaks out first. But Ambrose is the guy. As soon as he gets in one feud he might take over the place. He's magnetic.

Dolph and Kofi was blah. Big E. provides NOTHING live and there was no AJ (boo).

Left during Main Event to beat traffic, but CM Punk was SO FRIGGIN good on the mic, dissing Qatar, ripping posters and being superior. Mega-heat. Of course they adore Cena.

Place was full of kids and adults but only a little more than half full. No food served inside and toilets were incredibly far away, outside of stadium. The steps to the seats were awkward and dangerous. They had more checkpoints than anyplace I've ever seen, no exaggeration. We sat behind these kids who were really loud and obnoxious. Most of them were western and they were with a white guy. She turned around to look at them twice. Then I turned around and gave them that look. They thought they were cute, banging chairs. Everyone would look at them but not with the disdain we had, and Arabs and Indians and Africans and such who were there were too reserved to say something, so I knew I'd have to. These kids were being like the most obnoxious wrestling fans, if you've ever been to a live event. Like drunk frat boys. One sounded autistic, yelling out "John Cena" repeatedly before any superstars came out. I wanted to turn around and say "Try to pace yourselves, kid." She stopped me from speaking to their chaperone and causing a scene. After I gave them one death look, he told them to save some for the match. Once, he told them to calm down because a lady was right under them and one little white kid says "So." You know what I would've done. Not hit him in public. But calmly whisper something in his ear that would've made his night a lot colder. Btw, NEVER ever joke about a spoiled white kid again, because spoiled Qatari kids make them look like angels. You ain't seem nothing until you've seen a Qatari kid demand a snack in a supermarket, get rejected, knock down a row of boxes while throwing it in the cart anyway, then say to his nanny "Now pick it up!" Anyway, thankfully, those kids left for a good portion of the middle matches, and came back much quieter and sicker. One was vomiting. Guess they blew their loads to early.

Our section actually was majority adults. Didn't see any of my students because they weren't in the cheap seats, haha. Plus, some went yesterday.

It was COOLLLDDD. I know you don't wanna hear 71 degrees was cold, but I had on a hoodie and a cap and was mad cold. Dry desert air man.

It wasn't crowded to do anything at any point, which makes a place that is just emerging as far as bringing entertainment (Chris Tucker's coming in 3 weeks) a great place to see a generally hassle-free show, but the crowd, maybe because of a cultural thing, was so subdued and dead. That gets corny.

I'm sure Cena spoke at the end. Didn't have the patience or desire for that. I would've probably sounded like the autistic kid, yelling "TURN HEEL!" over and over again.

Still can't believe they gave us a Hennig-Riley match, haha. Entertaining just for how boring it was and how much the crowd didn't care, I don't care how good Hennig is in the ring. I do hope he succeeds though, even though he can't use his pop's gimmick at all and his look is bad. Maybe Rock's word will help him. He should feud with Dolph over copying dad's gimmick. Ha, yeah right. Riley will make it; great look (slightly changed), good entertainment style of wrestling, has a bit of story already. Should be a heel though (says every smark). Team him with Cesaro in an anti-slob-American faction and you have regurgitated gold.

Mark Henry was super boring in the ring. I realize he carries a great storyline through TV tapings, but isn't so good for ring work. Six man tag with Shield was the best match. No divas.

Overall, great experience and I'd love to do it again.