on the other hand there are plenty of women and baby groups who will welcome newcomers...the heat is easy to cope with because of ACs everywhere...often in the summer I feel cold in malls...but things do tend to slow down for western expats in the summer as many people leave for a few months vacation. If you send me your e-mail address via a private message I'll send you an e-mail magazine especially for mommies and young children which is packed with playgroup contacts, tips on what to do here, etc. Then you can subscribe and receive it every month. Qatar is a great place to be. It's very laid back and relaxed and not as restrictive as you may have been led to believe. Remember you're moving to a different country and culture. Get to know some locals and start to learn the language. That will open up a whole new world for you. Most expats don't bother to do this and just want to live within their own culture here. That's so boring!!! Wecome to Qatar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!