(L) Les Whitehead shows his juggling prowess. (R) Posing after the show with the S.W. Asia coordinator for Armed Forces Entertainment, Daniel Cook.

March 17, 15:22

Happy St. Patricks Day from Qatar! Tonight we perform at “Oasis,” the local hang out here at Camp Al Sailiya, and it promises to be a full house and a fun show. Last night at Al Udeid we packed the tent (jokingly called the “Wonder-bra Dome” pictured below at sunset). Daniel Cook estimated the crowd to be around 2,500, our largest yet!

The show was an absolute blast. As has been our custom, we remained on stage long after the performance to meet people, sign posters, and talk about what is happening here and back home. That is by far my favorite time, and I look forward to it every show. We spent about an hour there just chatting with people, hearing about their jobs, their families and their interests, and exchanging thanks for each others efforts

One of my favorite sayings is “you never know who is in your audience.” I know in my heart that we are making connections here in the Middle East that may drift apart but will always remain meaningful and will resurface when least expected.

Internet time is tight here on base, so I will make today’s message a brief one. We have enjoyed a big lunch (still finding great food- lots of it, all the time!), so I’ll grab a work out before tonight’s show.

Click image to enlarge.