Once upon a time there was a happy little family that had recently moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio. Even more recently, as in this past April, that same happy little family had moved out of a tiny apartment and into a fabulous three story house on a beautiful tree-lined street just around the corner from a top-notch elementary school and a block away from our beloved preschool. We signed a two year lease, put down carpet in the basement, and began unpacking our boxes, breathing a round of happy sighs.
And then, out of the blue, the husband got contacted about a job in Qatar. Hilarious, we thought. What the heck, we thought. This will never amount to anything, we thought. What could one interview hurt, we thought. And so, at 6am on Memorial Day, the husband had a brief phone interview that he thought went pretty badly. And we moved on with our comfortable lives.
Only apparently the interview didn't got badly at all. We were called and offered the chance to come to Qatar for the first week in July (getting in just before Ramadan!) for a round of formal interviews. And we've never been to the Middle East, and someone was going to pay our way there, business class no less, so we made some fast arrangements (thank goodness for fabulous Aunties who can fly over on short notice to watch the boys) and got ready to go.
And our trip was memorable, to say the least. Business class on Qatar Airways is like flying in a ritzy hotel in the sky. They gave us pajamas, "amenity" packs filled with everything we could need in-flight, virgin cocktails and amazing food, our own private seats-turned-beds, and noise-canceling headphones. This was traveling in style, believe me, even if it did feel a little like a big slumber party once we were all changed into our PJs!
And the five star treatment didn't stop with the plane. Once we landed, someone else handled all our paperwork, whisked us through customs and immigration, went to pick up our luggage from baggage claim for us, and called our own private driver who was waiting to take us to our hotel. And by "hotel" I mean a three bedroom apartment in a luxury apartment building where room service was on the house. 3 full and 2 half baths all to ourselves? Our first time away from the kids together? Amazing views of the aquamarine Persian Gulf? Two balconies on the 18th floor? Love it!
And then, out of the blue, the husband got contacted about a job in Qatar. Hilarious, we thought. What the heck, we thought. This will never amount to anything, we thought. What could one interview hurt, we thought. And so, at 6am on Memorial Day, the husband had a brief phone interview that he thought went pretty badly. And we moved on with our comfortable lives.
Only apparently the interview didn't got badly at all. We were called and offered the chance to come to Qatar for the first week in July (getting in just before Ramadan!) for a round of formal interviews. And we've never been to the Middle East, and someone was going to pay our way there, business class no less, so we made some fast arrangements (thank goodness for fabulous Aunties who can fly over on short notice to watch the boys) and got ready to go.
And our trip was memorable, to say the least. Business class on Qatar Airways is like flying in a ritzy hotel in the sky. They gave us pajamas, "amenity" packs filled with everything we could need in-flight, virgin cocktails and amazing food, our own private seats-turned-beds, and noise-canceling headphones. This was traveling in style, believe me, even if it did feel a little like a big slumber party once we were all changed into our PJs!
And the five star treatment didn't stop with the plane. Once we landed, someone else handled all our paperwork, whisked us through customs and immigration, went to pick up our luggage from baggage claim for us, and called our own private driver who was waiting to take us to our hotel. And by "hotel" I mean a three bedroom apartment in a luxury apartment building where room service was on the house. 3 full and 2 half baths all to ourselves? Our first time away from the kids together? Amazing views of the aquamarine Persian Gulf? Two balconies on the 18th floor? Love it!
