how living in doha has changed you
Ok so how much has living out here in Doha changed you as a person and your habits? The reason im wondering this is in the past few weeks I have had comments said to me such as “ I wouldn’t / couldn’t go back to doing my own housework / cooking / gardening” and “ I would never do bar work, waitressing and cleaning as its below me”. Im not saying I agree with these two points but its making me realize how much I have changed since I have been out here! I mean you can tell the people ( westerns in this sense) who have lived out here too long, by there attitude and the way they carry themselves I have had people say to me “ well there a lower class than me “ its shocking and to me its wrong, but how has living out here changed you? I for one have become a lot more open to new things, views and experiences, I talk different now ( had to lose my almost cockney accent), but I also think that the class system out here has rubbed off on me in a negative way.
and what I love about the country....?
Well, I miss my car, which was my independance.... Having to try and catch cabs that are almost non existant is really frustrating.... With the result, I don't go out much after hours as just finding one home after work is enough to make even a nun swear... :-)....
I miss my huge house that I shared with my friends... it had a big garden 3 000sq metres, with a pool, and room for my GSD to run..... Speaking of which, I miss my boy.... I have decided to rehome him with friends back in S A as it would not have been fair on him to come here to the apartment that I live in and only be walked 3 times during the day, and be alone all day while I am at work.... I really, really miss him :-(
Coming from Johannesburg... I miss not having about 400 malls and shopping complexes to choose from when I go shopping.... City Center is wonderful... but you can only walk around from shop to shop so many times....
I come from a culture of having domestic workers in our homes from the time we are small, so that is not an issue for me... Here I have a cleaner once a week.... one thing I have noticed is that they are not as efficient as the staff back home, but he does save me using my one day off, dusting, sweeping and mopping....
Service.... oh to go to a restuarant and get my drink before my food.... or to actually have the table cleared when i am finished with my meal, without sitting there for the rest of my stay, pushing plates around and out of the way.... This is seriously lacking in this part of the world....
What I love about Qatar.... The friendliness of everyone... (sometimes over friendly, but hey, can deal with it).... being able to walk in the streets at night and feel totally safe.... leaving my apartment open when I pop next door to visit a friend and knowing that I will come back to all my belongings.... Meeting new friends.... (from QL and other places).... The desert.... The sea...... Seeing Hummers on a daily basis (lol....)
How has it changed me? Well, give me a few more months... and I will probably be able to answer that one in more detail....
X
I have been living here for two years now, and only spoken to one local (Qatari) person. I don't think this can happen in any other country outside of middle east. I have had conversations with way more British people during my only 4 day visit to England. You can't really know a country unless you know the people, and I would love to make some Qatari freinds but don't know how.
Is anybody else having similar experience?
Living in Doha has got me used to having a cleaner, something I had never had before. I really like not having to mop the floors!
Otherwise I don't think Doha has changed me much. In fact living in Doha has made me appreciate some things from the West, like traffic and quality of driving.
I do believe there's more crimes out there somewhere than here in Doha, So why not appreciate how peaceful we are now??? Life is harder and difficult the more you notice every single things that makes you unhappy, try to think positive and you'll soon find out how lucky we are to have a job that we received generous offers like here in Middle East!!!
Do unto others, what you want to do unto you!!!
These fairy is a symbol of light!!!
I now have time to actually sit at night and look at the stars or
laugh at my daughter stories. It has made me less stressed out because I am not around stressed out people all day long.
It has also spoiled me as far as practicing Islam. In America I have to be more cognizant of the prayer times and my locations. In Doha there is a Mosque on every corner the same way there is a Church on every corner in America. I find myself saying a lot, I have five minutes and usually go to prayer late.
For the most part locations are just locations you are the same. It just in Doha you have less noise so its harder to hide from yourself. The good and bad parts :-)
Act your age not your shoe size
of what is back in London on our return. I miss my 2 bed mid terrace ex council house with it 12 x 12 garden (with shed). I miss not having as many assumptions in relationship to a person's race.
What I have gained is an understanding of a different religion and the strength to stand up for what I believe in. If anyone has a problem with that there, then it is simply that, their problem.
I am glad I have been here, I always see the bright side of things. But when I go back it will be a one way trip.
I have lived here for 20 years now, and Doha hasn't ruined me. I came here with my parents, but I now live on my own. I don't have a housemaid, or a gardener or anything like that. I wouldn't mind one but just don't seem to have got round to sorting one out.
I do have a nice car, but why not. I still get the train/bus/taxis when I go back to uk (which isn't all that often).
I definately don't have any kind of class/status issues with anyone.
Have you been in Saudi???
What you experience here is nothing in comparison on how the people who lives in Saudi behaves towards the other people, but still people has to put up with them, It's not exactly the Saudi but their fanatic people who works with them and claim that they are Saudi brothers when "obviously" they are not!!!
At least here in Qatar we don't feel that way, I don't seems to notice they allow that to happen here!!!
If people cannot put up wherever they are, do something you think that will satisfy you and go to wherever you think you're better of, otherwise be contented so life feels lighter and easier!!!
This is what we do that's why we left Saudi and now we're here!!!
Do unto others, what you want to do unto you!!!
These fairy is a symbol of light!!!
I will admit I do like not cleaning the bathrooms or doing ironing but I don't think I can live here for long just to have that. Living here made me appreciate my home country more than ever before. I crave the normalcy of going for a walk without being stared at or being almost runed over at a crosswalk. I appreciate going to a doctor without being asked why I am not pregnant. Doha made me see how enourmous welth can spoil a nation, how you could have all latest technology and 18th century mindset.
But I have also seen pioneers who are battling century old customes to get an education, a carrer and thinking of being something more than a sex slave and child producing machine.
Catch you later....
I have only been here for 14 months and I just couldn't take it any more.
I am a professional person and that was a problem to me since most companies dosn't know what being a professional means!!!
I see Doha as a supermarket with Greedy people (Real Estate), your sponsor controling your life!!! Sorry to say but sometimes I think that I need my sponsor's permission to fArt!!! excuse my french
It's not that I hate it but I just can't live here!! I can't go back being an unprofessional guy (which is what Doha is trying to do o me)
I hope you have a better chance/luck and god bless all
At least here in Doha most of everyone are mobile!!!
Anywhere else, you can't afford to buy two cars at the same time especially if you just arrive and new in town!!!
People are into fashion show of Four wheel drive and luxury cars.
Competition on who lives in an elegant compound!!!
Don't you think it's a good changes as it happens this way???
Anywhere else, you can't get to be spoiled like the way Middle Eastern do to their employees!!!
Do unto others, what you want to do unto you!!!
These fairy is a symbol of light!!!
Overweight,lazy,and enjoying doing absolutely nothing.....get bored and not realise it....a state of trance after work hours...
Seriously speaking it's done quite a bit of damage to people who have stayed here for a number of years...complains such as - i will never catch a bus or a local train back home cuz i drive a great car here and i am used to such luxury....hate to walk on the streets back home cuz i am never used to in Doha....Silly but the list goes on....
One thing for sure is that this plc has made a lot of old timers land up having a huge bank balance or in some cases huge bank loans.....
Cheers....