little devils of doha

marycatherine--I totally agree. I would not consider working in Qatar or any country unless I had a multiple exist visa. Otherwise I would see it as a kind of prison, as you point out.

Frenchieman - for professional expats who have a multiple exit visa it is not a prison. If you can't enter and exit the country without your employer's written permission - it is not unlike a prison. Most of us don't have problems with this, but for those who do, it is a hindrance at best a ball and chain at worst.

Qatar is an adherent to human rights (recently there's been a public campaign concerning human trafficking) - you might argue if you control entry and exit to the country via an exit permit - that is a form of control and in extreme cases, trafficking.

again agreed :)

u always talk in such a manner that u make me agree... better you become a lawyer.. :)

agreed.

It's definitely like a prison for the poor laborers living in the camps in near industrial city--passports seized, living in prison-like cells, forced to work in wretched conditions, etc. But for professional expats it is not a prison.

i dnt thnk its a prison too just need to adjust ur life style and thts it

I would like to differ that Qatar is a prison for singles.....didn't feel any till date. Its just that the things are done or life is lived in a bit different way.

kumbayayaye, it's safe here in qatar and qatar is good for a family person..but to singles, it's like a big prison were everything has restrictions..

hi,my personal opinion,we (expats) as the majority group in Qatar,we should team up and beat the crap out of these kind of fcukers.That is the only way to teach them.

so someone please tell me,is it safe to bring my family to qatar?is this the mentality of the majority of Qatari's?

tanq tanq

sam, lol, good one!

MTA is missing the action...lols

Call them dirty bedouins, hand reared by creole speaking savages!

sam what is MTA?

dey r nt MIA dey MTA

Sam MIA means missing in action.

I am closing the gates once they're inside and releasing a surprise...

why not just inform the police.

now wts tht???

Oh dear! You think they are MIA?????

yes yes dey take all the updates 4m here

u see SS is missing and nw its xena turn....lols

They read QL! lol!

well done xena bt be careful they will return

firecrackers! Lol!

To have hands on experience hopped around three malls today... City centre, Villagio & Landmark... hell, everyone was behaving nice. Don't know was it because I was around or just like that...:)

To be quite honest I really couldn't give a flying feck what local boys do as long as it doesn't affect my family.....I used to scoff when I saw the littering from locals...now its a case of if they don't respect their own country its not for me to worry about. Same with these feral children....as long as its not on my doorstep let them do what the hell they like!!

xena,wish we can have the same courage as you..hats off to you..

same thing happen to them when they go out,

tit for tat...

and i am worried how much they gonna suffer if in case 2022 Soccer cup was here.. cox when those ppl will come, they will be here just for that few days.. and will not care or think of these one piece of cloth wearing ppl..

now SS. you have alot ov examples.. so our first wish is that nothing happen to you or any other expat girl, but if in case happen, better they take some strong action.

Xena, yeah, but you are a warrior princess...not everybody is ;)

a group of about 10 local boys (with a well known Qatari family name) came onto our farm and caused havoc in our main dog cabin... so much so that I physically threw one out and chased them off the farm...

I have had 1 run in with a local sheikh, which I won - His family realised what he was doing and made him withdraw the case against me...

You can win the battle... I think people realise that if you go to the extreme of confronting the person at fault, that something had to have been going on - otherwise why would you bother?

no need to get frustrated as its gonna screw ur health.. if tensions and frustrations can solve or take away ur probs den pls go ahead wth it .

what happen just dnt thnk abt it as it already happen just thank God that nothin worse happend

sam, this is the only way we can vent our frustrations and hatred (if there's any)..don't worry this grumble will pass and will vanish to thin air..lol

control....lols

nomerci, i just wish that this country will wake up from a deep slumber of idiocity and arrogance..given that they will host the fifa 2022..if this things will continue to happen, then fifa goers will think twice in going here..

yes we do suffer more bt i dnt thnk the blame to b given to dem even we hav to share the blame by our slf

uhmmm

SS, I think it's pretty much the same. I know, that on an individual basis you guys suffer more, no question...but when it comes to speaking up, the outcome is pretty much the same i think.

What one should note though is, that speaking up seems to work better for men, which is no surprise.

nomerci, if this happens to you after you speak up..how much more for an asian like me?it's not i'm belittling my nationality, but i'm just realistic here..

Tinker, SS, trust me, I have spoken up before and was met with scorn and laughter....and I am as Western and white as they come!

if such thing as physical abuse is done (like a burn on the face or anywhere else because of such firecrackers, then it's an overwhelming evidence and if that happens to me or to anyone of my love one, I don't mind going home but they need to be reprimanded.

No harm, no foul. Same thing as on the road, unless you are hit (or bump) directly, "ALMOST" is nothing to THEM. But of course you can vent your ire but keep the window of the car close (and you can shout at the top of your voice, to release the anger).

tb, i presume that they have victimize other mall goers prior they hitted us..to tell you, their parents are within earshots and those kids are so proud and arrogant to provoke my angry colleague..i was so furious but i'd prefer to walk away whilst giving them scorn look..i wish i strangle those effin kid's neck..

its not realistic abt asians the way we r treated. its been done by humans so its nt realistic.

real is we r humans and we need to treated equally

sam, i just realistic..that's all..of course i'm proud of who i am and where i came from..

dnt say all this being an asian. always b proud of wht u r as GOD has created us and his creation can never b wrong

tinker, thanks for encouragement..i just hope that i will not be in a hot water when it's time for me to do it..maybe it's high time for us, asians to speak and fight for our rights..it takes alot of courage to do it..and i'm proud of you tinker for that..

indeed tinker, they will act if a western man or woman will complain..brave enough like frenchiemen did..but me?will not risk my life..never today..not even tomorrow..

i just hope that this issue will alarm the management of villagio..so that it will not happen again to other mall goers..

well this is never ending prob and u hav to fite against this the best thing is to avoid dem and just to concentrate on ur activities and to move further

Why doesn't someone take pictures of the hooligans and send copies and a complaint to both mall management and the police? YOu don't have to confront them, report them - tell the mall owner/management they are losing customers as a result- if they feel the pinch in their profits, they will take steps.

If you file a complaint with the police, they have to take some action(even if it's just to investigate) or patrol - I know they probably won't catch the monsters but at least the complainant has tried.

happygolucky, i think it makes people feel a little better if they can vent, and are given a little sympathy.

That's why things like this are posted on QL.

Strawberry shisha - You did the best advisable thing under the circumstances. If you had to get into a spat with them, then it would be a lot of additional things that you would have got yourself involved with which would have affected you, your work and your time and then you might even end up being the guilty party

i'm a brave woman, if you only knew me personally..but during this times that i must use my head and control my emotions even i'm very tempted to give them my a power punch to knock them off..staying away from trouble is my personal choice which i thought for the betterment of me..i just put in mind that i came here for work..earn and save more money and once i'm filthy rich, i'll pack my bags and go home..

i just pray that my God will shield me under His mantle of protection from this kind of abuse and maltreatment..

Do you really think they care? Do you think you win the case in court if you slap one of those kids and he presses charges? Why do you think these arrogant little ******* were not stopped by anybody? Because they are brought up to think 'this is their country and they can do what they want and get away with it' - exactly as it happens every day. They hate us because many want to be just like we are. They copy us, import their things from our countries they so hate and attack. Keep this in mind, it will help to make your time in the Middle East a LOT easier :)

welcome.. be confident, thats your only weapon.. you can use it in a better way.. its upon you.. we can just talk.. can give advice.. but you have to take the action...

and insha Allah insha Allah.. nothing will happen. good wishes are with you and every girl here in Qatar :)

who said you are powerless.. first time i read ur comments.. i felt this is a brave woman.. lol..

now totally change personality...

i would suggest.. don't lose, don't worry, be confident, insha Allah nothing will happen to you in future..

but in case in case any thing happen do something.. calling police should be your last option..

one question regarding police... if we do a mistake, they don't fine us?.. they give any relaxation? so why now when something happen to us, they will not help?

Qatar at current stage is not capable of controversies.. any such thing will highlight them to Human rights, if not you not me, may be someone else will take some strong action.. how long ppl will keep quiet, they will blast.. but when, don't know

thanks..i'll do so..(with lots of courage ☻) i just hope that i'll be spare from this situation or any thing of this kind..just can't imagine what will i do if i'm the one who's been hitted in the face..like what happened to my colleague..it's very painful..ouch!

just try once in future SS..

call the police and inform them about the situation..

if nothing happen then i will also give up.

and will find another way, if some thing happened to me...

leaving doha while taking his broken teethes in my wallet will be the best option for me

ingeniero,i just hope that it will not happen again..to me or to any powerless victim..

just try once in future SS..

call the police and inform them about the situation..

totally wrong.. i will pray nothing happen to you next time..

but if in case happen.. then i wish you slap him on the face and spit.. that this is what i can do.. DO YOU NEED MORE?? U ......!!!

and Post here the story.. that will be my fav. post on QL.. ;)

If the total discussion finally boils down to keeping mum and mind my own business or just stay away from such situations because I came here for work and that should be my primary concern and because of the nationality I belong to I have no voice, except a few like frenchimen.. dont understand why this thread is then posted. Even if it is for awareness then guess still it does not help because it can happen anywhere, not specifically at the places mentioned and I or anyone would in any case somehow avoid being hurt without being told.

the same guys.. whom we don't say anything.. they become more confident. then they tease or do some thing more when they meet us again or with others.

so just to avoid the situation we all have to do this...

cabbage,my colleague approached them to ask why they're doin it but a kid who seems like the leader of that group just provoke my colleague by saying "you want to hit me?c'mon hit me if you can." they know that have power over us..if it only happens in my country i'll stranggle their neck..lol

ya sure.. why they can't do such things with their locals also..?? cox they are afraid..

they something bad will happen to them.. as they directly do complains..

so if you do the same.. they will think next time..

see expats are always doing same thing.. always keep silent. saying nothing.. so now check the results. and this will become worse. if some one didn't take action.

do you think there parents will say its ok if you did some thing wrong with a expat woman??

definitely NO!!!

once take the step.. if they do some thing to you take a bold action.. next time you will be more confident if they misbehave you. and soon you will become like F.M. no one will dare to do some thing to you.. or some one belong to you.. ;)

ingeniero, given if i complain you think i'll earn justice?

Horrible behaviour by a few kids who think it is funny - can happen anywhere in the world.

The only difference is - anywhere else in the world we could have phoned the police and something may have been done. As they were 'local kids' nothing could or would be done.

I would have said something to them though - calmly I would have told them that what they were doing was dangerous and would they have liked it if somebody had done that to a member of their family?

Probably mean nothing to them but I would have felt a little empowered.

life is not only in qatar.. that if u went from qatar.. what will u do? what you will eat??

Qatar is not the God, who giving us all this..

trust ur Creator, trust your self, trust your abilities..

its better to live with dignity rather then suffering being afraid every time.

and again i totally agree with frenchiman ;)

frenchiemen,yesterday a bunch of kids are throwing firecrackers again near in tgi fridays and mind you it's inside the mall..somewhere near in gondolania..maybe their parents are with them because it's family day right?we have plans to bring my neice for a ride but we decide not to..so if you're in my position, will you bother to approach the kid's parents or just decide to ignore it?

same with nomerci,it's my personal choice to keep mum and just stay away from this sticky situations..my safety is more important to me..i came here for work and that's matters to me..

Come on guys, these are kids throwing firecrackers at people as they enter the mall. Who in their right mind would defend them? Locals aren't moronic monsters. Sure, like any nationality some are jerks, but if you see this sort of thing and are bothered by it, do something.

No merci--fair enough. It's an individual choice. The only people with a real obligation here are the parents of these kids.

Whilst I am admire and agree with what frenchieman said and his principles. Its easier said than done, personally if i came into a dispute with a Qatari, I would not feel confident in winning. I cannot believe the police/govt would take my side over a local. Regardless if I was in the right, had witness etc.

Laws saying protection of expats, harassments, etc. its only a good as the person you are having a dispute with. I worked in Saudi before and we had the same stuff about non-tolerance to abuse, HR channels you can take, employment tribuals etc. Its aint worth the paper its written on! I witness ppl getting abused, they complained to HR...then they were the ones that ended up getting booted out.

flor, don;t avoid villagio..but stay from this lil devils..

I am, too, nomerci, but I primarily see myself as a father and husband over as a member of my profession, and I am uncomfortable with my children seeing other kids behave like this.

And, yes to a degree it is racial. Because my children are white and will have the advantages of wealth, education and citizenship in three rich countries, I feel especially obliged to teach them the importance of respect regardless of race or nationality and not to lord their advantages over others. I routinely point to such kids of examples of what happens if they fail.

jokky,yeah indeed..i don;t know what will i do if i've been in their situation..i saw an incident in hamad hospital that a kadama was rescued from her employer,she had bloodshot eyes, swelling body and she's crying in pain..i'm so sad that she's a filipina..

frenchie, I understand. I use it as a lesson for my kids to see with their own eyes what NOT to do.

To tell you the truth, my goals are more important to me than what other people do or do not do.

stay away from Villagio! Lol!

you have your point..maybe you're fully aware that there's discrimination in this country..if "white people" like you will complain to them, it will be dealt accordingly but if you're in our position,asians who are mostly the victims of this kind of maltreatment and abuse, then you'll understand why we won;t risk our life to do so..i know that by doing so this will just embolden them like oracle said..but i prefer to keep mum and just stay aware from trouble as much as possible..

Well Shisha you should be grateful that you only had a fleeting experience with them. Just imagine the life of the poor kadamas being with this guys 24/7

Well, I'm here to earn money. I won't let anybody put that in jeopardy for me. As simple as that.

I agree with Oracle. Doing nothing just encourages them. Qatar is not "their" country. It belongs to their Qatari rulers, and they have established laws that protect the dignity and safety of expats. We all have a responsibility to see that such laws are enforced. I see no reason why I or anyone else should endanger themselves for the amusement of these kids. I reside in Qatar at the pleasure of its rulers; if they see fit to ask me to leave because of this, this is not a country in which I want to be.

hey thnks

sam, no worries, thought so.;)

i agree 2 nomerci and i agree wth u also

i was just joking

wtever she said is exactly rite

nomerci sorry 4 being funny with ur real comments

sam i beg to disagree about your perception about kadamas..i agree to nomerci that kadamas are too frightened and incapable to correct them..just imagine how mesirable the life of this kadamas if the kids they're takin care of are like this kids..if you're in their shoes then you'll know what they're facin everyday..

sam, the title of this thread says otherwise...lols.

all kids r angels and the khadamas devil...lols

as im one of the driver in a locals house so i knw the attitude of all the khadamas. bt i dnt undstand hw r u so sure abt wt r saying r u a ....lols

sam, do you mean to say that they were angels before the kadamas came into their lives????

Oracle, i am defo here to leave what i have contributed. I have been paid to do it, and then I leave. Life of an expat. I am not an immigrant.

sam, no, the kadamas are just too frightened or incapable to correct them.

dey r born and brot up bi khaddamas and these kind of activities r been tot by dem ..

personally, i will not endanger my life by doing a drastic move..and we can't do something about this..i myself see before my very eyes how this brats behave even infront of their parents..how they slapped each other..kick each other that leads to hurting the other or both of them..even their parents let them do their thing..thinking that they're kids..having fun and enjoying their youth..i pity those kids for becoming a "monster"..i pity them for growing up in a wrong way..

We are not here to leave after what we have contributed to the growth of this desert. Maybe one of us must catch a troublemaker and beat the crap out of him. This might highlight the issue to the authorities and expose the problem.

Oracle, that may be the case. but why would be endanger our position to respond to them? We came here for a reason, and that reason is NOT to change the Qatari citizens. Of course it is unfortunate that we may put ourselves in danger if we respond in kind to mistreatment of any kind. But that seems to come with the territory. All we can really do it try to avoid it or leave.

yeah maybe u're right there..i hope a strict rule will be impose with regards to this but i doubt it if locals are the ones involve on this..

SS - Staying away or not responding emboldens them.

oracleofoasis, if we can only do something to this but given that we are strangers in this country that we are trying our best not to get into trouble..we'd prefer to stay away from it because we'll not know what will happen if we complain..mall guards might lose their jobs if they side on us..

thanks no merci, that's what we did yesterday when me and my sister went to villagio with my lil neice..

The OP reminds me of many such comments and experiences I have read and heard in this country. The local teenagers learn to be taught a lesson or two. They have to be taught to respect others and also that misbehaving is not 'having fun'. I guess it's all their mothers fault.

SS, just stay away from them. although I am caucasian, I do, just for peace of mind.

akoahong,indeed you're right there..refer to my previous comments, i know that this matter will be not dealt accordingly if we complain..maybe the situation will turn the other way around..and as i look back, the previous victims of those kids were asians who went to shop since they can't enter during the weekend..

Personally I think your nationality/skin color is a factor in this. I am not trying to make this a debate on race or implying that the locals are racist. IMHO and experiences, I feel that if you Caucasian, you get shown a little more respect than non-caucasian. This probably stems from their upbringing where the domestic workers, maids and labourers tend to be people who are non-caucasian and from poorer countries.

I know a lot of QL members may not agree with me, but if a non-caucasian person did what Frenchieman did. Then the outcome may have not been so favourable.

akoahong,maybe they're the same bunch of lil devils who keep on throwing some firecrackers..i hope they will stop this..i'm just wondering how many innocent victims who decided to keep mum instead of complaining to get away with (for sure) trouble if they'll complain..

I was at the villagio earlier and heard some loud bangs near the entrances and then a group of young boys laughing. I did not know what was going on, I thought they were just playing with each other. It a difficult situation to answer. If you hit them then you can also get into serious trouble, and the security wont do nothing. Their parents is the best bet, but finding them is another thing.

Feral attitudes from stupid kids should be dealt with a tomahawk!!!

thanks dohaknight, yesterday i've heard again similar noise comin from a firecracker thing, so i immediately pull my neice aside and me and my sister decided to change route..because i don't want that both of them will experience what i've experience..

If it's some kind of fire-cracker causing pain and burning sensation, i guess it may be dangerous as could strike anyone's eyes and permanently disable him.

Calling the security and making sure the spoilt brats are dispersed off to their parents is just what was required.

recalling the incident, the parents was within earshot.. if this only happens in my country i'll kick the a** of that ill-mannered child..but to be realistic, we decided not to complain at all..even we'll complain to the mall guards, i know he'll not dare his life to scold those bunch of lil devils and tell their parents to teach their kids to behave..it's so sad that i'm included in the nationalities here in this country who suffered from this kind of maltreatment and abused..if i'm in the position of their kadamas in their home, i can't stand the everyday hell..

this time i appreciate what you did.. Hates OFF...

SS.. i would suggest the same..they will repeat the same. if you ignore they can do it again... so do same what frenchiman did...

Have dragged the kid or complained to the parent (it was in my neighbourhood and I knew where he lived). In one instance, I asked an older boy (I knew his father, the boy was about 14 years old) to ask the mother of the bothersome child (about 11 or 12) to ask her to tell the boy to stop what he was doing - harrassing me. The 14 year old was most attentive and polite and said he would assist me in this. I turned my back and walked back to my villa - heard a quick "thwack" - the older boy had cuffed the younger about the ears. No problems after that. Both boys were locals. The older boy's father was retired from the police (I had met him before) - and the policeman's family was very much better educated than the younger one's.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

Villagio has a guard at all enterances. Should have complained to them. Prevent other people from experiencing the same.

Some of the locals are very nice. sometimes they interviene and put the kids in their place.

Good that Doha does not sell fire crackers that you get in other parts of the world.

Best to stay away. It is humiliating to have to do that, But hey, we chose to be here.

I know, people will come in now and say" don't let them do it " etc. stand your ground.

Sure, you can do that. and what good will that do? What will it change? Nothing, IMHO.

I am fairly sure though, if the parents of those kids would know what they did, they would get a good beating. Well, at least i would hope so.

All is explained in the sentence 'local kids' - most are rude, ignorant and their education left to scared housemaids who have to put up with anything to keep their jobs.

Next time shout "Blasphemer" at them and then spray them with mace.

By allowing this kids to behave this way you are doing them no favors.

I witnessed a similar situation, and, to be honest, if I was in a hurry I would have ignored it, but my young son was with me, and I did not want him to leave the scene with the wrong idea. So I grabbed one by the collar and dragged him to a security guard. The guard did little, but the other kids ran when they saw what I did. And the kid I had began apologizing profusely.

If their parents complain, tell them not to allow their children to behave in such a manner. They're just kids. It is really the parents' fault.

I guess ure rite then , don't forget to carry a frying pan in ure purse in case such an incident happens again :)

Aha!! the spawn of the noveau riche..........

laywanay, i should have beaten them instead..i just can't imagine how did this kids treat their kadamas in their homes if they can do such things in public..

Lolx they were obviously the kind of kids brought up by khadamaas looking for a mothers love lol u shud have taken the bunch of kids and treated them to ice cream from baskin robins :p