Rugby Club

So... I realized today that I've never really mentioned the rugby club much. Maybe that's because it's such a part of my daily life. I'm not sure, but I figured it needs mentioning.

When I moved here, I was excited to see if I could make rowing work here in the Gulf. I had talked to some people at Vespoli over the summer, made contacts with a rowing club in Dubai, and figured things would just fall into place here. Not so. I spent about 3 or 4 months trying to find some way to be able to row here, and at some point last semester I just gave up. Part of giving that up was finding a home at the rugby club. For anybody who knows me well, you'll know that rowing and belonging to some sort of crew team or club was and still is a major part of my identity. It's something I found in college, and it's something I'll never give up as long as I live. Unfortunately, the sport just doesn't exist in this country. Supposedly Qatar has a team that trains with the Aspire Academy, supposedly there's a Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation, and supposedly they had rowing here in the Asian Games 2006, but I'll be damned if I can ever get in touch with either of them. I can't even find a decent erg machine here in the rec center on campus much less find a boat and row on it in the gulf.

All of this drove me to find something else to fill my time. Fortunately, I live right next to the rugby club. Literally, I share a wall with the field and I can watch games from my front porch. Fortunately, they have a women's team which practices on Monday and Wednesday nights, as well as a touch rugby league that plays on Sunday nights. The atmosphere of the club is not only competitive in the playing, but it's also incredibly social off the field. There's a bar/restaurant which is the cheapest in town (and the only one not in a hotel), and there are frequently club gatherings on the weekends with dj's or to watch a game on the big screen they setup outside. The people are great, especially the team. I'd never played rugby before in my life but neither have most of the players on the team and it's very open to new teammates and especially ones who want to learn. I started going at the beginning of September and have become a regular at practices and on the weekends.

Some might criticize me for associating with a somewhat raucous crowd. Some might criticize me for only attempting to hang out with expats. Some might criticize me for getting hurt playing the sport and still going back (see previous post in November for the story). However... the rugby club hasn't just been something to fill my time. It's provided me with a social group outside of my work. It's provided me an opportunity to get connected with a lot of people in Doha. It's provided me a chance to find some really great friends. It's provided me an outlet for my athletic and competitive tendencies (not to mention giving me a reason to stay fit). It's been an incredible part of my time here so far that I can't imagine what I would do with myself without the rugby club.

If any of you ever read this blog, I owe a big thanks especially to my teammates. All of you are awesome.