I'm beginning to appreciate our good fortune in landing in this compound.
There are two compounds here where CMU places most of its families: Barzan 2 (our compound) and the Qatar Foundation, which is a little bit closer to Education City, where RTM works. We have friends in QF and one neighbor here who is relocating over there, but I'm really happy with where we are - it's a good fit.
The compound is on the small side so it's not crowded and there's not much traffic. At the same time it's big enough and filled mostly with families, so there's almost always kids at the pool in the afternoon. We have a nice pool, a tennis court and a gym, all effectively in our back yard, which I am finding is great for a compound this size. Although the compound itself is very Western, the surrounding area is distinctly Arab. We have a small business strip just around the corner, and when it cools off we'll be able to walk to a children's park with grass, trees, and a playground (sorry, Dad, it's for women and children only). We have met lots and lots of neighbors and they're great people.
The QF houses are definitely nicer, with hardwood floors upstairs, beautiful eat-in kitchens, and Western-style (read bigger) appliances. Their water cisterns are inside, too, so they don't have the problem with steaming water out of the cold tap... But the pool and gym aren't open yet, and when they open they'll be shared between two big compounds. It has the feel more of a neighborhood in suburban America. In a year or two it will be a great place, but right now I'm really liking where we are.
I guess the "grass is greener" complex just doesn't make much sense to me. Most of the time I'd rather figure out how to be happy where I am than knock myself out finding the perfect situation. And as it turns out, both in Pittsburgh and Doha, we've got it pretty darn good.
PS - I'm feeling really upbeat - could you tell? This week A started preschool and she likes it, we got our mail, and I got the DVD player fixed so we can actually watch the Netflix movies on a big screen. Three aggravations, resolved... And the temperature is slowly coming down - it was downright pleasant early this morning. Up for next week, I'll try gardening, get a haircut, and go for a run outside.
