Hidden squallor
I'm sat here looking out of my 4th floor apartment in Bin Mahmoud and looking at a rather odd sight down below. I see what look like shanty dwellings which are hidden behind high walls. In fact, at ground level, you'd never guess whats behind the seemingly innocuous and neat perimeter. I see what look like ramshackle tin roofs, rubbish strewn everywhere, disused furniture, spent tires.. it looks like a dump. I also see a washing line with clothes hanging - and the satellite dishes. People live here! The contrast between this and either the apartment I'm in (its a neat 2 bedroom affair.. not the Shangrila, but it'll do) or the place I work in west bay centre, is depressingly stark. Who are these people and how can they be allowed to live as they do in a country so awash with money?? Everyday when I drive back from work I witness those orange buses reminiscent of American school transport, and I wonder if the passengers are some of my downstairs neighbors. Those buses don't look comfortable and I wonder if they have aircons cos they're usually jam packed full of human beings. Is there any authority that cares for the welfare of these people from whose labours we're watching towers rise from the desert floor? These something obscene about this.. but then again I'm new here with much to learn. Any comments?
thats reality, there are far more than that,.. there could go as low as 500 or even 400QAR/month and mind you no day - offs. Not everyone were given a chance to earn as high as almost everybody does here(w/c am not included as well),.. It's because of...
Their Nationality/Race: country of origin speaks for your price.
Their oppurtunity: lets face it,the market price of a graduate of harvard would be higher than those in public colleges/university in a third world country (that is, if they would get the oppurtunity to go to school). As they /(we) come in a poor country, thus our resources are limited, which makes us grab to an offer that we thought was good enough.
But as E46 says we find ways to make our ends meet,...
How on earth do they survive on that?? Its less that GBP10 for crying out loud! That;s put things in perspective alright. How bad must things be where these poor souls are coming from, for work here on those meagre wages to be a better option?! God bless them all.
Is just the same as yours Tendai. I get to see them every day and the gettho that they have to call home is no better than a rubish dump. I have been here for almost two years now and still haven't got used to the sight. You never do.
As Mulie says, Welcome to Qatar.
Welcome to Qatar, country of more money then sense and little to no respect for human life. Those men are the Indian, Pakistani,Nepalese, etc. labours, they are paid (if they are lucky) 600QR a month, most of which is sent back to their families, whom they are here supporting. This country is being built off the blood, sweat and in many occasions dead bodies of these men.