The Story of Aussie Rules in Qatar
The end of the school year marked the end of a teaching era in Doha for many families. That included our friends Robyn and Izzy, an Aussie couple that could put you in sleeper hold faster than you could mutter, “Let’s put another shrimp on the barbie!”
This story of started when both families moved to Qatar in 2019. Qatar Foundation, the school that brought us to the Middle East, placed all Western families in the Al Jeriyan compounds. One of the first days, this gangly man came to our front door with his wife and two very young daughters to introduce himself. They had just moved from Belgium and at the time I asked myself, “Why in the heck did they leave Belgium and the land of fantastic beer?”
During the last four years, our families camped, played, skied in Georgia, and in general spent a lot of time together. And as a last hurrah before our new teaching assignments in Egypt, and the Growett’s in Vietnam, starting in August, we had time to travel. The destination was one week on the kid friendly beach of Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka.
Surfing to Relaxation
The weeks leading to Sri Lanka were chock-a-block full of packing, moving, and completing everything needed to move to another country. Once June 23 arrived, that would be history.
Rupa’s Guesthouse was only 50 meters from Arugam Bay beach. Over the week, we’d rent a surfboard and pull it out to Baby Point where one of the Dads (Tinker bell – Izzy, Johnny Butt Cheeks – me), would push a kid or kids into the crest of a crashing wave. All week, the kids easily got up on the boards.
A Storm Rolling In
Leopard Skin
There was one day when my family did not spend it surfing, drinking Lion Lager, or snacking on rottis under the humid, green canopy of trees. We ventured out of the muggy confines of Arugam Bay for an animal safari in Kumana National Park.
The majority of the animals, except for peacocks and water buffalo, avoided us and the steamy afternoon weather. Finally, near the end of the safari and at the end of a lake, a rock formation protruded at the edges. Near the base, a leopard slept in the shade of the rocks. Not far away, a mother leopard slept in the shaded cave. Their naps were monitored by passengers in six 4X4 vehicles with each one focused on these massive felines except for one German guy leisurely reading “Karl Kanf”.
