What do you think??

33 days and counting, till I'm outta purgatory for 5 weeks and it's time to spend some of that hard earned money.

Drew, don't even think for a second that Doha and Perth have a similar nightlife. The only place I would compare Doha to reasonably in terms of entertainment is Saudi Arabia.

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"Then you just feel like you're here for the money and counting the days until your next vacation"

Yes we are in that stage now ... counting the day till the next vacation.

"If you have a job and a life style that you enjoy back home, and you are close to your friends and family, why do you want to come here?

Culturally Qatar hasn´t that much to offer. In terms of enterteinment, it sucks. You will be living as a bachelor and that can get very lonely. Unless there is a considerable finantial gain involved and great career development, I wouldn´t do it."

It will be culturally interesting for about the first 3 months as you're settling into your job, setting up a bank account, going crazy trying to find a decent place to live, learning to drive on the "right" side of the road and the crazy driving, and doing the rounds of the crappy entertainment on offer.

Then you just feel like you're here for the money and counting the days until your next vacation.

in Qatar, or any other country for that matter, is what you make it.

If you want to be miserable you will be. You have to make the effort. Once you have made the effort, it gets easier.

Similar????

whatever decision you take, good luck. And Serendipity is right, you regret most the things that you don´t do and the chances that you didn´t take. So, I hope things turn up to work out well for you.

Thank you all so much for adding your opinions and advice to my query. It sounds as though Doha would be quite similar to Perth (which is where I'm from)in the way of nightlife and entertainment.

I'll keep in touch as to what's happening and log any other questions or queries I might have.

If anybody's interested in coming to Australia, please feel free to ask me any questions you like.

All the best

I haven't arrived in Doha yet. I'm still waiting for my work visa.

BTW, that's something you should be aware of. If you do get offered a job in Qatar, you will probably be told that your visa will take a couple of weeks to process and your initial instinct will be to resign from your current job. Don't. There is a difference between what you're likely to be told about how long the visa processing takes, and the reality of Qatari bureaucracy. The conventional wisdom is to wait until you get your visa and *then* resign.

But back on topic:

I can't vouch for the lifestyle in Doha, because I'm not there, I'm in limbo. I've taken the step that you're contemplating and am waiting to find out how it turns out. Other people here can tell you how it might turn out, the pros and cons, the good and bad. (And I always like to know the potential cons and bads as well, so that I don't approach a situation with rose tinted glasses and get a terrible shock if/when something goes wrong.)

I guess what motivated me into applying for a job and accepting the offer is a little different to yours in that I'm not giving resigning from a fabulous job that I love. Yes, I'm moving away from some friends, but I have other friends all around the globe, so that's not that much of an issue for me.

The thing that clinched it for me is that I tend to make my life changing decisions on the basis that if I have any regrets at all, I don't want them to be the kind of regrets I have over not taking a chance, not making the most of an opportunity.

If you make a change and it doesn't work out, you learn from that and you move on. Yes, there may be a twinge of regret if things don't turn out as you envisage. But when you're embarking on a journey, there's always the possibility, yes, that things might not work out, but also the possibility that things will work out far better than you ever anticipated, you have some amazing experiences, meet some wonderful people and make new friends.

I'd rather regret trying something and it doesn't work out than regret not doing something at all. Regretting that you didn't do something is worse in my experience, because you always have the niggling 'What if...' and 'If only...' feelings.

Hell no, If I had a good job in my town, I wouldn't think remotely of coming over here. Sometimes money is not what is all about in life, unfortunately for a lot of us It is due to our obligations and debt.

If you are free from family obligations then come here, it will be easier for you.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our minds..

A little over a year ago I was where you are now (only in my 40s instead) and I made the leap. No regrets...none! My life has expanded and grown in ways I never thought possible. Doha is a city, but relatively small and manageable. Quite westernized although you still know you're in the Middle East. Yes, takes some adjusting at first...but anywhere in the world would be the same!

Well I'm a student, and I'm in Qatar, and sometimes I wonder why the hell did I come here when I could've been elsewhere, and to be honest in the beginning it will be a shock to u and u'll wonder why the hell ur here but after sometime when u have ur group of friends and u know ur way around it's not so bad. U'll be busy with work on weekdays and u'll be out with friends on weekends. It's true entertainment isn't that amazing but it's not horrible either. Qatar is what u make of it. And looking back now, would I have come knowing how things would be? Yes! So hop on mate!

i have nothing to do am feeling sleepy so i am goin to sleep again :D

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we are only here for the money ... qatar is not the best place to live in the world, but we been living in the worse place. And after 6 yrs here ... i am dreading when the time come we have to move on to another place.

drew ... you will have to try it for yourself and decide for yourself. You will get a pro and cons responds from this forum. But once you are here ... you are most than welcome to come in QL social gathering :-)

you have a job and a life style that you enjoy back home, and you are close to your friends and family, why do you want to come here?

Culturally Qatar hasn´t that much to offer. In terms of enterteinment, it sucks. You will be living as a bachelor and that can get very lonely. Unless there is a considerable finantial gain involved and great career development, I wouldn´t do it.

Thank you Mila, that's very kind. I'm not in Doha yet but may be in negotiations to move there very soon. Thank you for your advice and I will keep in touch with what happens etc.

drew, there are many things you can do here in doha. you just have to know the people first. but before you decide to take the job make sure they offer you nice benefit, such car/villa or apartment and such and such. this two are important. if you already in doha give me a shout i will introduce you to my fellow australian.

Hala Salam shlonak

just tell me why will you only say a VIRGIN STORE you could have said alot of shopping malls too to entertain you. :D

yea man you are 30 now start a new life/chapter as u said and enjoyment is always around u just need to figure them.

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Thanks for your reply/comment Mila.

So there is plenty to do and see?? I won't be sitting in my apartment thinking "what have I done"??

If you don't do it now, you probably won't. It just goes downhill after 30 ;)

Doha is booming at the moment - there has never been a better time to be here. We even have a Virgin Megastore!

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Friends always invite friends to join Qatar Living.

Nothing wrong challenge yourself in diffirent situation rather then your comfort zone. Beside you still young. Come up here mate... I know some people said is like a hell but as soon as you have meet some friends to enjoy your day is not bad at all living in Doha.