Tomayto, Tomahto

Life is full of big questions. Today we answered a question that has been plaguing me for quite some time. I haven't lost sleep over it or anything but I have often wondered if I am offending people, appearing unintelligent, or a combination of the two.  This giant question is: how exactly do you pronounce "Qatar"?

For the past year when I have told people where we're going on this trip, I have said one of the following things:

1. "We're going to Dubai, Jordan, and a few other Middle East countries."

2. "We're going to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar (or Qatar? I'm not sure how you say it)," etc. 

3. "We're going to Dubai, Abu Dhabiqataroman, Jordan," etc. 

In short, I have not known what to do. 

Today, though...today we asked.

And the answer is....ALL THE WAYS!! 

In Arabic, the pronunciation is like "cutter". For example, "do you think you're taking your own life in your hands when you use the paper cutter?" The name has also been anglicized to be pronounced like "kuh-tar," as in, rhymes with "guitar."

This has been a real weight off my shoulders, guys. Of my three options above, I'll now stick with number two but instead of questioning my pronunciation, I will imply that I am a genius and like to provide both pronunciations. 

As in, "Ah yes, I just summered in Qatar (or Qatar as you may have heard it is alternatively pronounced)." I will then flip a scarf across my neck and inexplicably take a drag from my mimed-cigarette on one of those long holders. 

I am so cosmopolitan now.