It has been a fantastic 2011 for me both personally and professionally. While I have not written in my blog for over 6 months (Yikes!) I have spent plenty of time finding myself. It all began with my trip to Milan in April with 3 very good designer friends. The trip marked my first time overseas and was a phenomenal exploration of European design, history and Architecture. We attended the 50th anniversary of iSalone the Milan International Furniture Fair and Euroluce for 2 days. It was my first design show that I attended as press and somehow I managed to pull it off and learn a lot. Note to self: I will have to write a blog article one day on how to properly prepare for and attend a trade show.
1. The Leaning Tower of Pisa 2. Milan Fairgrounds for I Saloni 2011 3. Simon, Me (Laura Bielecki), Celeste & Courtney wine tasting in Tuscany
Just before my trip to Milan my boss at Kasian in Edmonton pulled me aside to ask if I would be interested in doing a 6 month work assignment designing in Doha. Without any hesitation or thought “yes” instantly rolled off my tongue. I think my reaction sums up why I get to do some of the most random and exciting things. After a long wait the day finally arrived for me to take off to Qatar… a country I knew nothing about. On June 9th I took off for the Bedouin village on the tiny peninsula in the gulf to meet my new temporary life. I worked on the shop drawing/contracting side for the gorgeous and monumental palace in Al Wajba (Home of the Emir of Qatar) as well as a few Villas. It was a phenomenal opportunity to open my mind to the inside world of Qatari culture and lifestyle. Lets not get confused, this was no vacation or picnic on the beach. When I was not at work or exhausted at my Beverly Hills Villa (no joke that was my compounds name) from the excruciating 50 degree heat I explored. I spent my spare time trying to explore the food, traditions and opportunities Qatar had to offer and made a few very good friends along the way. My colleagues and roomies were a fantastic, young and energetic team of adventure seekers which proved to make the work days worthwhile. We explored the beaches, pools, spas, gyms and bars in every inch of the city thriving for any expat amusements we could find. We also created memorable friendships with local Qatari and Saudi gentlemen (its a lot harder to be able to converse with the women). Our dear friend Khalid introduced us to all the local treats like Lebanese breakfast at the souk, a traditional Saudi meal that we ate off a large silver platter while sitting on the floor with our bare hands, beautiful goats, camels and horses and most memorably falcon hunting!
1. Doha and Dubai on the map 2. Lebanese breakfast with my dear Saudi friend Khalid 3. wheelbarrow's in the souk
Posing at the Corniche in Doha (downtown skyline & Persian gulf in the distance)
Laura and the "Sport of Kings" - Falcon Hunting in Qatar
Me exploring Katara Village during Ramadan in Qatar
As I was so far away from my Canadian home and so close to Europe I decided that I needed to take some opportunities to travel. In November I flew to London and Barcelona for a little getaway. I met up with my parents (after there Mediterranean cruise) and a very good former colleague of mine from Edmonton Leticia (who now lives in Alicante Spain) for a much needed break and refresher, not to mention some greenery! Unfortunately I have somehow managed to misplace my photos from the fab trip… here is hoping that I can find the SD card somewhere in my 8 suitcases!
Barcelona Spain October 2011 1. New friends from around the world 2. Leticia and myself in Antonio Gaudi's creation Park Guell
This past summer in Doha I also met pure and genuine Jack. He managed to capture my heart when and where I least expected it on the other side of the world in the middle east.
Jack and I in 2011
After a lot of thought and a need for change I decided to move on from Kasian. If I was going to be in the Middle East I was going to do it with a well known and established company with plenty of experience in the region. I was hired by GAJ (Godwin Austen Johnson Architects) in Dubai as a Senior Interior Designer to work on prestigious commercial, hospitality and residential projects throughout Europe and the Middle East. The move came about from my good friendship with Elie Choucair who had been my mentor and friend back at Andres Escobar & Associates in Montreal when I was an intern and fresh graduate. Coincidentally the week I was offered a position Elie won Middle East Interior Designer of the Year 2011 and GAJ won Interior Design Firm of the year 2011. What a perfect motivation to join the team and see what we could both do for each other. I am excited to see my career blossom with this move.
Elie Choucair Middle East Interior Designer of the Year 2011
After leaving Kasian and Doha I went back to Canada for 2 weeks (late November) to visit family and friends in Calgary and Montreal. I am glad I took the time to see everyone I love and take a break from my Middle Eastern lifestyle. It was a good refresher for me to start my new adventure on solid (albeit sandy) ground. While in Calgary I visited with some of my girls from Design school and friends who I have missed so much. In Montreal my friend Vlad introduced me to a fantastic fashion photographer and blooming bespoke lighting designer Maciek Wilkos who managed to find some time to do a shoot for my blog in the streets of Old Montreal.
A little photo shoot of me in beautiful Old Montreal this November. Photographer: the very talented Maciek Wilkos.
Montreal November 2011 1. me (Laura Bielecki) and the beautiful designer/blogger Genevieve Ghaleb 2. Me (Laura Bielecki) and my very sweet and bubbly cousin Emilia 3. Visiting my grandparents still ever so in love
Reunion with friends 1. MRU classmates Carolina, Me (Laura Bielecki), Lindsey and Emily 2. My ever sweet friends Jarrod, Me (Laura Bielecki) and Ian
I moved to Dubai on December 3rd and started work on the 5th. So far all has been going well. I still have yet to get my passport, work visa, bank account or an apartment but in the next week or so I should be ready to roll in my new life and new year.
I am eagerly looking forward to sharing with all of you my experiences from both Doha and Dubai. I want you to know what it is like to be a Designer in the Emirates. Qatari and Emirati culture can be quite foreign to westerners and it is best if you get acquainted with the basics before coming out. This especially comes in handy when planning your wardrobe for your move. Good news is it is not as conservatively dressed of a place as I was brutally warned about. Work wear is about the same as back home minus the longjohns and snowsuits and there is no restrictions on the time of year you can wear white pants!
When it comes to design in the Emirates and Qatar amongst most other Arabic cultures, religion and tradition play a large role. All hotels have an arrow on the ceiling pointing to Mecca. Most banks, airports, Mosques have separate entries/lines for men and women. Many restaurants in Doha and the metro and buses in Dubai have a section at the front for women and children. Note to avoid designing a bathroom with the toilet facing Mecca and if possible point hospital beds towards Mecca. Also, avoid fabrics/wallcoverings that depict animals or people. I will add to this list as I learn more.
Somehow I managed to nix a few things off my bucketlist this year (and add a few things to it that I never conceived I would do):
- Italy! biking through vineyards in Tuscany, sitting on the roof of the Duomo, Climb the leaning tower of Pisa, stay in a monastery in Florence, the Spanish steps, throw a coin into the Trevi fountain, visit the Vatican and spend time looking up at the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, View the last supper, gaze at the statue of David, drink coffee at a cafe in Milan, East John Travolta’s favorite Florentine dish, tour the Colosseum, kiss a bust….
- move overseas, Doha! Falcon training, clubbing in the middle east, trying shisha, trying sheep brain, experiencing 50+ degree heat! Ramadan, swimming in the gulf, fishing in the gulf
- design (well sort of) a palace
- Visit then move to Dubai! going to the top of the Burj Khalifa, afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab
- Visit London (for a day): Tate modern, double decker bus tour of London, ride in a London cab, shopping on Oxford Street
- Visit Barcelona: Pilgrimage to the Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona pavilion and Antonia Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and park Guell, enjoying sangria, tapas and pork along Las Ramblas and Architecture party crashing
Its now New Years Day and I am sitting in a friends apartment sipping my tea reflecting on how wonderful of a year I have had. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my readers. I wish you all a successful and positive 2012. Dream it, achieve it and thank yourself.
Ney Years Eve 2012 Fireworks over the Burj Al Arab in Dubai - Photo taken from the Palm Island
Yours,
Laura of Arabia!
