Sofia & Maria – Time Moves On

It’s been quite a while, more than two years in fact, since MB updated followers about young Lebanese girls Sofia & Maria and their Qatar-based Middle East (ME) lives.

MB bumped into S&F’s mom RBF a few days back and she reminded MB of his many promises over the last year or two to make some new posts. So having received a good kick up the rump from RBF, MB has finally sat down to do so. MB is actually composing this post in the Silver Lounge at Doha Airport on his way back to his Irish homeland, so needs to keep his eye on the Departures screen lest he get carried away with this post and miss the trip! And then commit GBH on RBF!!!

MB’s previous S&F posts can be accessed on the following links:

Sofia & Maria – They’re Growing up fast
Baptism
1st Birthday
Feast of St Barbara
Sofia is 2!
Sofia’s got a sister – Welcome Baby Maria
Sofia & Maria – Birthday Time.
Tooth Fairy

S&F reached little mini-milestones on life’s journey in recent weeks, with Maria ‘graduating’ from kindergarten and Sofia ‘graduating’ from Nursery. Time is certainly moving on. The whole American ‘graduation’ thingy is very much embraced in the Gulf Middle East (ME) states, and MB is unsure if his homeland has also embraced such cultural practices as it’s many years since MB’s kids were of that age.

Mom & Dad R&E continue to work in Qatar and were involved in the Qatar FIFA World Cup projects in recent years. Their efforts and those of thousands of others helped get multiple stadium, tourism, and infrastructure projects over the line on time from the World Cup which took place in November and December last (2022). Life continues in post-World Cup Qatar and the construction industry continues apace, albeit less frantically than in the lead-up to the football tournament.

A few years back R&E bought a land plot back home in Lebanon to build a family home in their home Koura region. That particular project is now in its latter stages and in future visits back home S&M will be able to stay in their own home, which is close to both sets of grandparents. A win-win for all.

Unfortunately, Lebanon is unlikely to ever provide an economically safe working environment for R&E. Corruption over many decades finally took its tool in recent years and the Lebanese currency has collapsed, with the local notes now worth as much as toilet paper, more or less. One needs a very large suitcase to carry enough currency to pay for normal day-to-day stuff if one is to pay in cash. So, inevitably, the economy has switched to the US Dollar, with all goods and services priced (and paid for) in the US currency. Who in their right mind would accept payment in Lebanese pounds today if tomorrow the money received will be worth substantially less?!

So, c’est la vie for Lebanon for the moment. The IMF and others have tried to assist, but corrupt politicians, who have milked the economy over the last 50 years or so and have bulging bank accounts in Geneva and Lichenstien and other locations of financial secrecy, prefer to obstruct any solutions lest it shines a light on all their murky past dealings.

Hopefully, by the time S&M come of age things will be better for them and their generation.

Incidentally, artistic mom RBF hand-sketched the drawing below with the digital pen of her new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ toy, which she proudly showed off to MB. The sketch is called ‘Sofimar’!

The girls:

Sofia:

Maria:

Both: