Emily's Qatar Photos

And now for Emily's perspective on the twin's trip to Qatar. Here are photos she took while exploring Doha last week, as well as Amsterdam on Sunday morning while waiting for their flight back to Portland.  She and Jake came home tired but with great stories and many new friends. 

Jake's Qatar Photos

The twins have returned from Qatar with heads and cameras full of great memories. Here are photos Jake took during their week in Doha, as well as a few shots from their Sunday morning walk-about through Amsterdam.  More coming soon. 

More from Doha

Jake has been practicing his calligraphy with good results above. The QFI exchange program in which he and Emily are participating has an arts theme. 

They've made lots of great friends, visited many museums and thoroughly explored the city. The photos below were taken from Qatar's Museum of Islamic Art, with the Doha skyline in the background. Click here to link to the #Aber2015 hashtag on Instagram where you'll find many more photos. 

Yesterday they got to shop at the Souq Waqif. All purchases were made using their freshly honed Arabic languages skills. We can't wait to see what comes home in their suitcases. 

Doha Days

We're following the Qatar Foundation International on Twitter and Instagram to get a glimpse of the great week Jake and Emily are having in Doha. The photos here are from QFI.  

Click here to see a photo collage from Emily's trip to the Qatari girls' school, Al Bayan School, pictured above. A portion of Jake's experience visiting a boys' school, Ahmed bin Hanbal School, can be seen below, along with a couple of group photos take at Education City*. The final photo is from Day One of their trip - an ice breaker game the twins should have excelled at after all their years of DI!

*Kudos to our good friend Diane's brother, Dennis, who oversaw the building of the student union in Education City; also to Destination Imagination, which they have in Qatar, too, for giving the twins plenty of useful experience building newspaper towers!

Qatar Exchange

Jake, Emily and a few of their fellow Arabic students are off to Qatar for a 10-day cultural exchange program sponsored by the Qatar Foundation International.  You can follow their adventures on Facebook by liking QFI.  

Congrats to the Epic Rubber Ducks with Flaming Santa Hats

Click here for photos of the 3rd grade Destination Imagination team the twins have been managing at today's regional tournament. The Epic Rubber Ducks with Flaming Santa Hats took 2nd place in the Creature Feature technical challenge and will be advancing to the State DI tournament in April. Great job Emma, Kira, Patrick, Ravi, Theo B, Theo K, Emily and Jake!   

March 4 Anniversary Show

Emily and her fellow stilt-walkers performed with Joy Now tonight as part of the March Fourth Marching Band's annual anniversary show at the Crystal Ballroom.  Click here for photos.