Pearls in the Nile

Hum, need to get better about posting these experiences while I’m actually IN country…

The initial visit into Doha was an incredible experience, an amazingly fast paced and fully packed set of days. There were at least as many meetings as during the Reconnaissance we did back in November last year, and each meeting generating new ideas, challenges, referrals, friends, and everything else imaginable.

The research is going well, lots of questions and thinking points coming up for “how shall the organization be positioned in country and what factors affect that consideration” all the way to “which shwarma shop is going to be The Dive to come to and make our home?” Many tough decisions ahead, I’m glad I’ve got a top notch Team to share them with :-)

Some of the highlights from the visit include: scheduling transportation for an entire day of meetings a day in advance via a national driver service, playing soccer (for probably the first real time in over a year) with a group of expats (Egyptians) outdoors (on a concrete court) on the first day of Eid (on one of the 7 days out of the year that it rains), visiting the Cultural Village on the Corniche and seeing the various music performances (two cultural shows, one wedding)… Ummm, better stop there, will post more as the memories re-surface.

Since then, returned to Cairo for the meeting with the ENTIRE Expansion Team (e.g. the people going into both countries plus the group of people supporting them); was a blast and gave us the chance to see each other all again (has definitely been a while in some instances). Team Days for Qatar are coming up, going to be a blast!

Anyway, that’s it for me for now, will try to increase the frequency of these postings by a bit, keep your fingers crossed for me :-)

Ringing in the New Year

Well, its finally come, 2 0 0 6 . . . And it is shaping up to be one heck of a year already. . .

"I feel like I'm walking on air, sometimes the ground goes quickly under my feet and I don't even notice, and other times it seems to take for ever for something to happen."

I've been saying the same thing for the past month or two and every time I do,
people just turn and look at me funny and ask me if I'm on something. I often smile back and reply, "well, I am on Expansion."

Finally finished moving my stuff out of one room in my flat and putting it all into some other corners so that I'll be able to grab it when I'm back in Cairo next (this "being a pack-rat" business is good and all for keeping momento's, but it can be a really hazard for those who travel need to take their stuff with them...

Well, its nearly time for me to be getting up (need to make sure I stay up though) few hours more till I can rest on the plane.

I do have to day one last thing: While we are coming off of a holiday period, my Team has been incredible, hands down. Each of them is in a tough spot and they are all still putting in the time to pick up something and to run with it. You guys are awesome, that's all I can say, thank you.

This will be the last posting from Cairo (at least for a while), next step DOHA!

Testing to get on nomadlife.org

Here we go, hope this works!

(kids and their new fangled gadgets these days! ;) )

Trail Blazing

So, its time again to start up a new chapter in life.

Just days away from many incredible events, so now's the time for a blog to share it all with you.

Here's to the Journey!

Love, Peace & Vollgas,
-Chris