Doha, Qatar Report of what it's like to live there - 05/04/17
Personal Experiences from Doha, Qatar
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington, D.C. 12.5 hour direct flight on Qatar Airways.
3. How long have you lived here?
Two years.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
U.S. government.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is very nice in general. The rapid growth of the city means that there's a lot of construction, however, and that has encroached on some employees' housing, resulting in noise disturbances at all hours. The housing committee does their very best to make sure that employees are placed in homes that are least effected by this, but it's a difficult nuisance to avoid.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Slightly more expensive, but not terribly so.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Nothing. You can get everything here, except alcohol-based products (like vanilla extract).
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Everything. Pizza, burgers, Mexican, Indian, Thai, you name it, you can get it here. The only exception is good greasy-spoon Chinese. Why, oh why, has that still eluded Qatar?!
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Super fast and reliable APO at post. Amazon packages show up in about a week. Very happy with the mail facilities here.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
All types of household help are available and affordable. Many homes employ live-in nannies and housekeepers. If you don't need a live-in, a rent-a-maid will clean your house for four hours for about $35 USD.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Housing compounds all have gyms that are adequate and free to use for residents. Hotels have nicer gyms, but those are costly. There's also a CrossFit gym and several yoga studios here, but those are costly.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Yes, yes, yes. I use credit cards for everything here. There are a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants that will only take cash, but that's extremely rare. ATMs are safe to use.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
I've heard that there are some churches somewhere, in an area designated by the Qatari government as a place that expats can worship, but I haven't sought it out. This is an Islamic country, so all you'll see in your daily life are mosques--and their services are in Arabic.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
0.00% Arabic needed. English is the common language here.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
There are really no sidewalks, so no one is walking anywhere, no matter their ability. Malls are equipped for people with disabilities, so if you have the appropriate vehicle/a driver, you should be fine.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Yes, all safe and approved for use. I use Uber all the time.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Whatever you want. SUVs rule the road here, but that's just because they're huge and it makes the drivers feel powerful, not because the roads are bad. There are plenty of sedans and sports cars zooming around too.
No problems with burglary and carjackings. (In fact, crime is so rare in Qatar that you often see unlocked running cars sitting idle in parking lots because the owner would like to keep the car cabin cool while they run into a store or restaurant. I've never seen anything like it.)
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Fiber is more and more available in Doha. My internet has been just as fast here as it was in the States, for about $100/month. Totally suitable for streaming video, etc. The ubiquitous local company, Ooredoo, was quick to set it up and we haven't had any issues during our two years, except for VPN/DNS woes, but that's not Ooredoo's fault.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Again, Ooredoo rules the market here. A plan with 7GB of data costs (and enough minutes and texts to keep you covered) costs about $60/month.
Qataris love their smartphones and everyone's got the latest. Bring an unlocked smartphone and Ooredoo will have you set up and ready to go immediately.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
Yes, there are some really great vets here--in particular Qatar Vet Center and the Canadian Veterinary Clinic. Both are good. I take my cat to QVC and have been very happy with the experience.
Animals do not need to be quarantined when they arrive.
Bringing an animal to Qatar, even in the summer, was much easier than I expected. Because you can't bring animals in cabin on Qatar Airways (except for service animals and falcons), all animals must be checked into cargo. Traveling here in the summer, I was worried that a summer heat embargo would apply, but Qatar Airways keeps their animals in air conditioned holding rooms on the U.S. and Qatar side, so they don't impose any summertime restrictions. U.S. airlines could take note of their good service on this front.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Most US Embassy spouses work at the US Embassy, but some have jobs on the local market as professors or financial specialists. Salaries are generally similar to the U.S. from what I understand.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Dress is conservative, but not uncomfortably so. For ladies, as long as your knees, shoulders, and cleavage is covered, and your outfit is not skin-tight, that's usually good enough. Best to err on the side of more coverage if you have any doubts. For men, you can dress as you would in the States. (Unless your normal style of dress includes cutoff shorts and mesh tops.)
Formal dress will be required at some point. Qatari women go ALL OUT at weddings, and any events labeled "formal." For men, a nice suit will suffice.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Always best to be alert, vary your routes, etc., but I feel very safe here. Burglaries, muggings, and violent crimes are basically nonexistent.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Dust and 2.5 PMI air pollution. People here have respiratory issues here pretty frequently.
Medical care is okay to good, but depends on the doctor that you get. Most people choose to medically evacuate for big issues, like surgeries, delivering babies, or having dental work done.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Moderate to bad because of the dust and air pollution mentioned above.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
You can avoid nuts/dairy/meat/gluten if you need to. People here are understanding of dietary restrictions.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
Doha has so many modern comforts--like food delivery of all kinds, paved roads, potable water, fast internet--but this can be an isolating place, and I've seen it take a toll on many expats psychologically. Qatari culture is not easy to break in to, and Qataris by and large are very private people. They are mostly polite in person, but will not likely welcome you into their homes. Not to mention the fact that they make up only 10% of the population. Moving here is not going to be a culturally immersive experience where you really get to bite in to the Middle East in the "Lawrence of Arabia"-type way. Instead what you'll find is a huge and diverse expat community and a ton of malls. Nice malls, but if you've seen one mall...
As a result the expat social scene is extremely alcohol-centric. Many people here develop drinking problems, because hanging out and drinking is one of the only things to do on the weekends. You could go to the museum or dune bashing or paddleboarding... if you haven't already done those things a million times. Or you could hang out with your friends and drink. Most times people choose the latter.
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The most beautiful weather you've ever experienced from November-March... and then the heat comes. It's bearable April-May and October-November, but June-August is hot as Hades and humid as all get out. You'll be inside all summer.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Plentiful international schools and many good quality ones are available. The American School of Doha is excellent, and has the waiting list to prove it.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Huge. Expats make up 90% of the population here, though most of those are the South Asian labor force. The Western expat scene is still huge, and if you pop in to any weekend brunch at one of the upscale hotels (an expat favorite pastime here), you will see nothing but Westerners.
Morale can vary greatly. The lack of things to do and the sometimes-stifling nature of Qatar can grind on people.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
The aforementioned Friday brunches are hugely popular. I avoided them for a long time because they're so expensive (~$120 for all you can eat and drink), but eventually gave in and chalked it up to the price of socializing. Overall, I'm happier for it.
There are groups and clubs for expats, but you have to be proactive here about making friends. These groups are easily found online.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
If you are single and want to mingle... you will find plenty of opportunities. Tinder is huge here, but, as with any dating scene, you have to kiss a lot of frogs.
For couples, it's fine. Again, not a ton to do, but at least you have an evening Netflix buddy.
For families, this post is great. There are tons of families here, so their opportunities to socialize around kid-based activities are plentiful.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
On the surface, no, for obvious reasons. But there is a gay scene in Doha that is discreet but very active.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes. The divisions between the "classes" are very apparent. You will see laborers being shuttled back and forth from their camps on huge buses, looking like they just had a very hard day's work. On their one day off a week, some of the malls and markets have declared those "family days," which means that single guys--i.e. the laborers--cannot enter. It's a pretty callous practice. Still, Qatar is making strides to improve conditions for and treatment of laborers in the country, due in no small part to the fact that they have a spotlight on them at the moment.
As far as gender equality goes, women are just as educated--often times more so--here than men are, and there are many women in high-powered positions. On a day to day basis, there is very little street harassment here.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Qatar is home to Qatar Airways (duh), which has been the biggest perk of all. I travel like crazy, on average once every month, and have visited about 20 countries during my two years here--and only one of those required a layover.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
There are a few things worth doing once: Zubarah Fort, Zikreet, East-West West-East (Richard Serra desert art installment), Sealine beach, dune bashing, desert camping, camel racing at Shahaniyah, the mangroves, Sheikh Faisal Museum, and Banana Island. Once you do all of those things, it's back to Netflix, malls, and hotel brunches. Or head over to Dubai for the weekend. That's always a fun time, too.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Nothing here that you couldn't find elsewhere in the countries where they're actually produced. For instance, at Souq Waqif, there's a guy that makes beautiful punched brass lamps. (He's from Egypt and this is a common handicraft there.)
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Safety! And the physical comforts that you can enjoy here. Also Qatar Airways.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
How little there is to discover.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
If I had never lived here before, yes. It's comfortable and pleasant enough. Having already lived here, no. There's not enough to occupy your free time for one month, let alone several years.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Cutoff shorts and mesh tank tops. Expectations of weight maintenance/loss.
4. But don't forget your:
Love of burgers.
