My fourth installment in the series of interviews that let’s domestic workers in Qatar tell their stories. I imagined the emotions, aspirations, and motivations of these women in my novel The Dohmestics. But in this case, real life beats fiction.
The more I hear about these women and their willingness to sacrifice years of their lives for their children, extended family and friends, the more humbled I am.
We both qualify in the category of expats. And yet their lives are so different from the considerations of mine.
It took nearly two months but someone finally trusted me enough to share her story. I’m amazed how many women are scared of repercussions from their employers. Not by the ‘bad’ ones who don’t pay well or are aggressive in their assignment of tasks, but also of the ‘good’ ones who work in fields like education, where one would expect (rightly or wrongly) more kindness to domestic staff.
Hear what this working mother has to say about why she went overseas to work as a nanny/housemaid.
I love supporting fellow creatives. This week I’m delighted to host the Vashti project which is the collaboration of musician David Homan and choreographer Ariel Grossman/Ariel Rivka Dance. Not only are they young twenty-somethings-turning-thirty, David grew up in my hometown of Gainesville, Fl and is now producing performances in the Big Apple. Can’t get much more legit than that!
Here’s a video clip from the rehearsal of their upcoming production of Vashti,the story of a woman of courage, asked to dance for a king. If you’re in the New York City area, you can get tickets at the link below. If you love dance and want to support independent artists, you can donate to their Indiegogo campaign to help fund the show.
Rebellion and Rebirth–Ariel Rivka Dance and Riedel Dance Theatre Present an evening of dance with live music.
“Vashti” a collaboration between composer David Homan and choreographer Ariel Grossman/Ariel Rivka Dance interprets the Biblical story of Purim through the lens of feminism and women’s empowerment. Set in Persia, before the rise of Queen Esther who helped save the Jews from the wrath of Haman, Vashti reigned as Queen of Shushan. Who was she? How did she come to have such power? Was it only because of her beauty?
A myriad of interpretations exist–Vashti as a complex, strong and brave woman, or a vain, wicked and disobedient wife. Requested to dance naked for the King and his drunk friends, Vashti must make a choice; to lose everything, possibly her life or to shed her dignity. Exploring her origins and the women surrounding her, “Vashti” shows us all how to best preserve our sense of self when presented with the ultimate choice. With modern choreography that springs from a strong balletic core this work involves five dancers and live music featuring violin, cello, guitar and piano.
