News from the Desert

The Grade 12's leaving means that the school year is drawing to a close. Only 9 more weeks after tomorrow. Funnily enough the Royal sponsor of our establishment, Sheikha Moza, has decreed that all staff and students must be in school by 6am tomorrow to be bussed over to the ceremonial court for a mass Education City photo at 7am. The light is apparently perfect at that time. After a similar photo opportunity at the school not so long ago everyone is wondering whether HH will get here on time to actually be in the photo!! Tomorrow is only a rehearsal, the real deal goes down on Sunday am. Not too many Grade 12's will be here as they finish officially (there has been the odd rare sighting of them over the past 2 wks) tomorrow. All the teachers are wondering what sort of a turnout student wise there will be.

The shooting at Virginia Tech has caused some concern for us teachers here at QA. We would be an easy terrorist target as the school is owned by Royal Family here who are very much in bed with the Americans. The biggest US military base in the Gulf is located just outside Doha. The school has no emergency plan in the event of an attack and the word from the top is that teachers are not allowed to have their mobile phones switched on in class, which is ignored by most I believe. The security guards at the gate are not armed or trained and so would be no match for any terrorist with an AK47.

This Qiwi has been very much enjoying watching the World Cup Cricket on his DSTV satellite TV. The Black Caps are thru to the semi finals and so are only 2 wins away from the title. They have to get past Sri Lanka and Australia to do it though. The Super 14 is coming to a conclusion and once again the Crusaders are handily placed. The Blues have also been doing well but have 3 hard games away from home to finish. The Hurricanes and Chiefs are finishing strongly so NZ should be well represented in the last 4.

With only 9 weeks to go, thoughts of this Qiwi are turning towards NZ. We will be winging our way home, although at this stage QatarQiwi Mum (QQM) and QatarQiwi daughter (QQd) may be leaving a week early as QatarQiwi Mum is hoping to attend a music course in Melbourne on the 16th and 17th June. She will stay with Aunty Cathy, who turns 50 on the 30th. QatarQiwiDad (QQD) will have to do the shutting up shop for the summer b4 joining them on the 23rd June. Then the QQ family are heading to the Sunshine Coast for a week to see QQD's mother and sister. Returning a week later to Melbourne the QQ family are no sooner back in town than they are off to the MCG to watch the Bledisloe Cup match between the AB's and Wallabies, best seats in the house, thanks Ashley!

The QQ family touches down on NZ shores for a rest on July 3rd and will try to visit a few friends and family in the process. Hopefully there will be a trip to the South Island to see Mike and Nicki Pinfold and their 2 boys, Ben and William in Dunedin. Moving deeper south we hope to catch up with Aunty Janine and Uncle Guido at Hedgehope near Invercargill.

Once home in Waihi we will be catching up with what has been happening with our house sitters, Aunty Shelley, Aidan and Eithne. They have been keeping the home fires burning and if it's as cold as last winter, the fire had definitely better be burning!!

Across the gorge in Turua QQM will have to check out how her niece, Shavaughan, is getting on with her pony Misty. QQD is hoping to borrow Uncle Patrick's MotoGuzzi for a blast up the Coromandel, weather permitting.

That's about all for now, more on the blog soon.