I lived in Doha in the early 90's (89-95)and will be returning for another lengthy stint latter this month. Is the place better of worse? after 12 odd years? Love to hear opinion from crusty old expats, locals and new arrivals.
Just to comment on Renne's information about accidents in Qatar, it is NOT 120 die per month, in 2006 as per the records, it is 270 in all 2006, so it would be 14.5/month.
Other point, if anyone does not like a place...why to stay...thanks,
But you were sort of shouting the odds and I wondered why, so I clicked on your name and hit the 'track' link et voila! You've never really been happy with QL peeps or Qatar.
My apologies for using the word 'bitter' it must have been how it came across to me when I read whatever it was you said in that Ramadan thread a year ago.
QL is a very public forum.
I have never been a 'clicky' person and never will be.
i been in sweden.germany.danmark.kuwiat.uae.cyprus.swizerland.and now am in qatar and before in lebanon but in fact am injoying here more than other land .
i admit its bored country but still better than other atleast u can find peaceful her their people are so kind still pure.
so dont lose than chance to be here again .
[img_assist|nid=30553|title=Twin|desc=happeness comes only once dont miss it|link=none|align=left|width=440|height=368]
Why bother to still be involved with QL if you no longer have any interest in Qatar ...
This is your business, why??
I like annoying people like you and it's obviously worked :D:D
Your so bored that you actually fished out my previous posts. I feel privileged Jauntie. Thank you :)
Don't mess with the little *click* of QL, right??
Nice to know that if you DONT agree with QL members, everyone treats u like dirt because u have had different *experience* in Doha. Just because u don't like a place, doesn't make you bitter Jauntie. Clearly you just like causing trouble.
Funny how all you members love Qatar so much....all the ppl I met there (90%) hated it, and the Arabs all over the region hate the gulf...something fishy is going on in this site....!!
Now go on everyone, attack me some more, as I don't agree with u, and don't forget to stick up for Jauntie...tsk tsk
jeez, you all seem passionate about the place, either for or against, looking forward to driving, shopping, working and living amonst the same type of strange f*****'s that were herein the 90's.
I've no idea what Doha was like over 10 years ago, probably very exciting. Your comments about making your own entertainment reminded me of when I lived in Jeddah and Iraq many years ago - the fun was that you HAD to make your own entertainment.
Having said that, I arrived in Doha in April of this year and honestly felt like I'd come home. I was speaking to a young Qatari earlier today about what I was doing and where I was going and who I was meeting and he actually said 'are you sure we are living in the same Doha?' He was, of course, joking but it really amused me. Where you are is what you make of it.
I love it here and what is so exciting is that it IS 'work in progress' and I'm delighted to be a part of it. I'm one of those oddballs who enjoyed scouring the souq in Basrah just trying to find something to buy (that hadn't already been scooped up by the Quarter Masters for the troops)that was at least in an edible condition! and feeling a HUGE sense of achievement when I DID! :D Having a supermarket on ones doorstep takes the 'explorer' feel out of it lol
We are going to take a short holiday to Oman at the end of October and, rather like your question about how Qatar has changed, I worry my husband will be disappointed when we get there because (although he is up to date with events and changes etc) he hasn't been back there since he left in about 1974!
should change the country on her profile to Syria or wherever she now lives. I saw bitterness in her feelings toward Qatar in a thread about Ramadan last October, when she was within 2 months of leaving. Why bother to still be involved with QL if you no longer have any interest in Qatar ...
The main thing not to forget here is Qatar is a young and growing nation, they have done very well trying to put rules, regulations and policies into place.
In the two and a half years I have been here I have seen major changes put inot place even in the case of road accident protocols.
1)Hamad Hospital itself is undergoing and has undergone major
improvements that is not to everyones liking or satisfaction but it
is for the best.
2)The police has also undergone many vast changes.
3)The medical care situation is slowly but surely being rectified.
4)The traffic situation is also undergoing major changes that have yet
to be implemented.
5)Hopefully the labour situation and salaries will also change.
Your quality of life is what you make for yourself and even the poorest people make their lives comfortable to sustain their own quality.
If you come to Qatar with and attitude then you will never be satisfied with the life here
Qatar has a soul, it is a welcoming and friendly place. OK, it is quirky, but that adds to its charm. I will once again repeat my mum's favourite phrase "bored people are boring people" Alexa is so right, and how lucky we are to live in a place where you can make life what you want it to be. Viva Qatar!
Qatar has done very good for me so far and I am very impressed. Yes they have snags but every country has their own. Where is the perfect world (Nowhere)
Do I still live here? HELL NO....you all feel the need to tell ppl how great DOha is. Thats is fine! I had a complete different experience, so why cant i say what i think of the place? because i dont agree with the little *click* of Qatar living.
Qatar has NO soul and the more ppl who know about it the better. just ask the *slave workers* how it is???
I don't understand, how people can say negative things about Qatar when they are still living here! If they think it's not worth it, why put up with it? and to try to convince other people that Qatar has no soul! what the hell is he talking about! this country is lively! Only cure to those people's problem who moan all the time is to open their eyes and learn to be more appreciative and optimistic!
Are you still here in Qatar? if so, you are ungrateful and pessimistic! Qataris do all their best to make progress to their country to encourage foreigners to appreciate their country. They are very civilized, nice, friendly and generous people! how can you not see all of this?
If you are criticizing for the sake of criticism, then it would be fine. You need to scan all the areas and prepare a snag list.
Honestly, I did not get what you want and what you mean.
What do you mean y saying Qatar is a country without soul? is it a dead place?
Taking Carrefour as an example of services. Sorry, this is not a service. It is a private company and you need to file a complain to the headoffice in France about Carrefour bad service or visit the French embassy here to express your opinion to the economic attache.
Qatar is not living a transition period with massive construction. Ups and downs are expected insuch case anywhere in the world, but the country has to develop and expand. Otherwise you or someone like you would come and say that the country is still living the stone age.
Your statistics about monthly death total is completely wrong. The official figure is 270 per year. Unless you have your own sources which I guess it is based on a gossip.
"Constructing near the desert" is an indicator that you see only the negative side - if that is considered negative. You did not say for example that the construction near the sea.
Beauty my dear is something relative. What you might find not beautiful, others would fansy and admire. Many people Fansy going camping in the desert watching the moon or the shooting stars, enjoying the charm and silence and purity of the desert.
You might consider yourself beautiful. Some would consider you gorgious, others would consider you ugly or very ugly.
SO. To conclude, would recommend that you comment or criticize in a scientific and constructive way. Not through throwing words and comments not related to each other or irrelevant or wrong. Wish you can see with both eyes. Not with one eye closd and the other half opened.
at the risk of sounding heartless might i say that currently i have little sympathy for people who roll their land cruisers over, people who dont wear seatbelts, people who speed and knock pedestrians over....my personal view is that there ought to be a higher age limit for people to drive suv:s .(like 21 for eg.) giving a powerful 4500 cc engine to an 18 year old just ought to have fun is really not a good idea.
on the other hand my heart oozes for the poor pedestrians who are hit, victims of hit an run, industrial accidents etc
PM i just read renee s post and i disagree with it except for one point. the accident rate is just terrible. i know cos i am at the receiving side of it.every on call day keeps me busy in surgery till midnight (like yest. for eg).but otherwise this country has a lot to offer....but you have to look for it.
I heard before there's lots of camel in the street, nowadays you won't see anymore camels racing around they put lots of radar, so camels are not allowed to go on the road anymore only cars!
Qatar is the best place so far, I have been, when it comes to comparing Middle East! People are nice and friendly! I love Qatar!
That's a terrible way to speak of Qatar. Perfect we are not but like most countries we are open to constructive criticism and want to improve. If you think it's rubble in the middle of newhere why on earth are you still here. We certainly don't need people like you living here.
HI PM NO SLEEP? QATAR SURE IS COSMOPOLITIAN IN THE SENSE EVEN AFTER 4 YEARS HERE IM JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN THE NAMES OF MY COLLEAGUES.COS THERE ARE SO MAYNY OF THEM AND GROWING TOO.....
Are you serious? Have u been to Carrefour lately?? seen the misery of the the people who *provide these service* ? some of u have been in qatar for far too long
If your happy to live in a country without a soul, Qatar is the place for you. All the *achievements* and change-- is from 95% (approx) of the work force being FOREIGNERS.
I wouldn't say that Qatar has a *cosmopolitan* feel about it-- that is very misleading for readers of this site. It's more like rubble covered by shopping malls in the middle of nowhere and with NO nice scenery whatsoever besides the desert= tha's if u like the desert.
The accidents on the road are terrible with around 120 ppl dying EACH month. Is very high considering the small population of this place.
Just some facts to consider if you are thinking of returning.
Since 1995 Doha has changed enormously. Big shoppping malls now with all your shopping needs under one roof. LOTS more people, lots more traffic and traffic jams...the city has a much more cosmopolitan feel to it. New restaurants springing up all over, new hotels...some say Doha is one big construction site right now.
As with all change and progress, it's good and bad. Most expats I know say it's what you make of it and they seem happy enough with city life as it is now.
dude..the place is gettin worse day by day ..you will see huge changes when u arrive here ...you had already been here for so many years...so i hope you will manage...
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Just to comment on Renne's information about accidents in Qatar, it is NOT 120 die per month, in 2006 as per the records, it is 270 in all 2006, so it would be 14.5/month.
Other point, if anyone does not like a place...why to stay...thanks,
But you were sort of shouting the odds and I wondered why, so I clicked on your name and hit the 'track' link et voila! You've never really been happy with QL peeps or Qatar.
My apologies for using the word 'bitter' it must have been how it came across to me when I read whatever it was you said in that Ramadan thread a year ago.
QL is a very public forum.
I have never been a 'clicky' person and never will be.
i been in sweden.germany.danmark.kuwiat.uae.cyprus.swizerland.and now am in qatar and before in lebanon but in fact am injoying here more than other land .
i admit its bored country but still better than other atleast u can find peaceful her their people are so kind still pure.
so dont lose than chance to be here again .
[img_assist|nid=30553|title=Twin|desc=happeness comes only once dont miss it|link=none|align=left|width=440|height=368]
I can feel here another Mrs, AirSupply and PortAlfred.
Feel grateful for entertaining us and eliminating QL boredom every now and then
Renee, would you be kind enough to give us a clue about ur new nickname or shall we keep guessing?
Why bother to still be involved with QL if you no longer have any interest in Qatar ...
This is your business, why??
I like annoying people like you and it's obviously worked :D:D
Your so bored that you actually fished out my previous posts. I feel privileged Jauntie. Thank you :)
Don't mess with the little *click* of QL, right??
Nice to know that if you DONT agree with QL members, everyone treats u like dirt because u have had different *experience* in Doha. Just because u don't like a place, doesn't make you bitter Jauntie. Clearly you just like causing trouble.
Funny how all you members love Qatar so much....all the ppl I met there (90%) hated it, and the Arabs all over the region hate the gulf...something fishy is going on in this site....!!
Now go on everyone, attack me some more, as I don't agree with u, and don't forget to stick up for Jauntie...tsk tsk
how somethings don't seem to change aint it ste?
jeez, you all seem passionate about the place, either for or against, looking forward to driving, shopping, working and living amonst the same type of strange f*****'s that were herein the 90's.
long live doha
In 1987 I got paid QR 1000 and in 2007 I get paid xxxxx:)
I have even printed it out! What a wee star you are, to be sure :D
I know that you would be disappointed with the fact that it gets worse when it comes to the living costs.
I'm living here since 1981 and a quick review and comparison between Doha 1987 and Doha 2007 will enlighten you a little:
Doha 1987:
1- Getting paid 3000 - 4000 and living like a king.
2- 1000 Q.R you rent a 3 bedrooms flat and 2500 Q.R you rent a villa.
3- Electricity, Telephone and Water bills will not jump over 200 - 300 in summer 100 - 150 in winter.
4- 100 Q.R, you got from any complex the grocery for a month.
5- Cars prices, it was a standard ... you pay 16,000 cash and you go home with the car [saloon], 25,000 for the [station].
6- All roads were empty by 10:00PM in the night, you will not find anyone out there and the traffic was not an issue at all.
Doha 2007:
1- Getting paid 8000 - 12,000 and you can do nothing with that.
2- 2000 for a room in a flat and 6000 for the 2 bedrooms flat [if you were lucky]
3- 500+ is the least that you will got every month so be prepared.
4- 100 Q.r, you got some juice, brad and cheese and 2 kilos of tomatoes, cucumber and milk for 2 or 3 days.
5- 25,000 will be almost enough for the first down payment before you had the car and the rest goes on 3-5 years until you paid the rest.
6- All roads are busy even at 2:00AM, the traffic now is a big challenge. You can't survive without shortcuts [if there is still any].
Just a simple comparison and the rest might come later, hope that helped :)
Best Regards
I've no idea what Doha was like over 10 years ago, probably very exciting. Your comments about making your own entertainment reminded me of when I lived in Jeddah and Iraq many years ago - the fun was that you HAD to make your own entertainment.
Having said that, I arrived in Doha in April of this year and honestly felt like I'd come home. I was speaking to a young Qatari earlier today about what I was doing and where I was going and who I was meeting and he actually said 'are you sure we are living in the same Doha?' He was, of course, joking but it really amused me. Where you are is what you make of it.
I love it here and what is so exciting is that it IS 'work in progress' and I'm delighted to be a part of it. I'm one of those oddballs who enjoyed scouring the souq in Basrah just trying to find something to buy (that hadn't already been scooped up by the Quarter Masters for the troops)that was at least in an edible condition! and feeling a HUGE sense of achievement when I DID! :D Having a supermarket on ones doorstep takes the 'explorer' feel out of it lol
We are going to take a short holiday to Oman at the end of October and, rather like your question about how Qatar has changed, I worry my husband will be disappointed when we get there because (although he is up to date with events and changes etc) he hasn't been back there since he left in about 1974!
Where on the Earth you get paid to post in QL while working (pretending). Only in Qatar. So don't get caught.
should change the country on her profile to Syria or wherever she now lives. I saw bitterness in her feelings toward Qatar in a thread about Ramadan last October, when she was within 2 months of leaving. Why bother to still be involved with QL if you no longer have any interest in Qatar ...
The main thing not to forget here is Qatar is a young and growing nation, they have done very well trying to put rules, regulations and policies into place.
In the two and a half years I have been here I have seen major changes put inot place even in the case of road accident protocols.
1)Hamad Hospital itself is undergoing and has undergone major
improvements that is not to everyones liking or satisfaction but it
is for the best.
2)The police has also undergone many vast changes.
3)The medical care situation is slowly but surely being rectified.
4)The traffic situation is also undergoing major changes that have yet
to be implemented.
5)Hopefully the labour situation and salaries will also change.
Your quality of life is what you make for yourself and even the poorest people make their lives comfortable to sustain their own quality.
If you come to Qatar with and attitude then you will never be satisfied with the life here
Qatar has a soul, it is a welcoming and friendly place. OK, it is quirky, but that adds to its charm. I will once again repeat my mum's favourite phrase "bored people are boring people" Alexa is so right, and how lucky we are to live in a place where you can make life what you want it to be. Viva Qatar!
Sorry! but you sounds one of those who got their ass kicked for not doing their job properly!
Qatar is still the best place for me! whatever you say it doesn't change my opinion!
Qatar has done very good for me so far and I am very impressed. Yes they have snags but every country has their own. Where is the perfect world (Nowhere)
Do I still live here? HELL NO....you all feel the need to tell ppl how great DOha is. Thats is fine! I had a complete different experience, so why cant i say what i think of the place? because i dont agree with the little *click* of Qatar living.
Qatar has NO soul and the more ppl who know about it the better. just ask the *slave workers* how it is???
Thanks!
I don't understand, how people can say negative things about Qatar when they are still living here! If they think it's not worth it, why put up with it? and to try to convince other people that Qatar has no soul! what the hell is he talking about! this country is lively! Only cure to those people's problem who moan all the time is to open their eyes and learn to be more appreciative and optimistic!
I'm with Mystica, PM, and Kelly's opinions all the way.
__________________________
Are you still here in Qatar? if so, you are ungrateful and pessimistic! Qataris do all their best to make progress to their country to encourage foreigners to appreciate their country. They are very civilized, nice, friendly and generous people! how can you not see all of this?
If you are criticizing for the sake of criticism, then it would be fine. You need to scan all the areas and prepare a snag list.
Honestly, I did not get what you want and what you mean.
What do you mean y saying Qatar is a country without soul? is it a dead place?
Taking Carrefour as an example of services. Sorry, this is not a service. It is a private company and you need to file a complain to the headoffice in France about Carrefour bad service or visit the French embassy here to express your opinion to the economic attache.
Qatar is not living a transition period with massive construction. Ups and downs are expected insuch case anywhere in the world, but the country has to develop and expand. Otherwise you or someone like you would come and say that the country is still living the stone age.
Your statistics about monthly death total is completely wrong. The official figure is 270 per year. Unless you have your own sources which I guess it is based on a gossip.
"Constructing near the desert" is an indicator that you see only the negative side - if that is considered negative. You did not say for example that the construction near the sea.
Beauty my dear is something relative. What you might find not beautiful, others would fansy and admire. Many people Fansy going camping in the desert watching the moon or the shooting stars, enjoying the charm and silence and purity of the desert.
You might consider yourself beautiful. Some would consider you gorgious, others would consider you ugly or very ugly.
SO. To conclude, would recommend that you comment or criticize in a scientific and constructive way. Not through throwing words and comments not related to each other or irrelevant or wrong. Wish you can see with both eyes. Not with one eye closd and the other half opened.
at the risk of sounding heartless might i say that currently i have little sympathy for people who roll their land cruisers over, people who dont wear seatbelts, people who speed and knock pedestrians over....my personal view is that there ought to be a higher age limit for people to drive suv:s .(like 21 for eg.) giving a powerful 4500 cc engine to an 18 year old just ought to have fun is really not a good idea.
on the other hand my heart oozes for the poor pedestrians who are hit, victims of hit an run, industrial accidents etc
Excuse me! Of all places, I've learned to drive here in Qatar! people had an accident because they are not aware and careful enough!
Thanks! "God" I have been here in Qatar for a year and as a new driver my husband says I am pretty aware where all the awkward peoples are!
PM i just read renee s post and i disagree with it except for one point. the accident rate is just terrible. i know cos i am at the receiving side of it.every on call day keeps me busy in surgery till midnight (like yest. for eg).but otherwise this country has a lot to offer....but you have to look for it.
I heard before there's lots of camel in the street, nowadays you won't see anymore camels racing around they put lots of radar, so camels are not allowed to go on the road anymore only cars!
Qatar is the best place so far, I have been, when it comes to comparing Middle East! People are nice and friendly! I love Qatar!
That's a terrible way to speak of Qatar. Perfect we are not but like most countries we are open to constructive criticism and want to improve. If you think it's rubble in the middle of newhere why on earth are you still here. We certainly don't need people like you living here.
______________________________________________________________________
Love is the answer...
HI PM NO SLEEP? QATAR SURE IS COSMOPOLITIAN IN THE SENSE EVEN AFTER 4 YEARS HERE IM JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN THE NAMES OF MY COLLEAGUES.COS THERE ARE SO MAYNY OF THEM AND GROWING TOO.....
Are you serious? Have u been to Carrefour lately?? seen the misery of the the people who *provide these service* ? some of u have been in qatar for far too long
If your happy to live in a country without a soul, Qatar is the place for you. All the *achievements* and change-- is from 95% (approx) of the work force being FOREIGNERS.
I wouldn't say that Qatar has a *cosmopolitan* feel about it-- that is very misleading for readers of this site. It's more like rubble covered by shopping malls in the middle of nowhere and with NO nice scenery whatsoever besides the desert= tha's if u like the desert.
The accidents on the road are terrible with around 120 ppl dying EACH month. Is very high considering the small population of this place.
Just some facts to consider if you are thinking of returning.
I find it funny how people say that it gets worse day by day....
I see alot of improvements. The country is more open and there is a great amount of changes.
The only negative change is the rise of accommodation charges. Other than that, I personally think everything has started to become much better.
It's undoubtedly becoming better day by day.
__________________________
Since 1995 Doha has changed enormously. Big shoppping malls now with all your shopping needs under one roof. LOTS more people, lots more traffic and traffic jams...the city has a much more cosmopolitan feel to it. New restaurants springing up all over, new hotels...some say Doha is one big construction site right now.
As with all change and progress, it's good and bad. Most expats I know say it's what you make of it and they seem happy enough with city life as it is now.
Good luck to you!
______________________________________________________________________
Love is the answer...
Welcome back to Doha
This place is a metropolis, and not some dusty town with tumbleweed rolling in the streets anymore.
Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING
Office just off crazy roundabout I seem to recollect. Our son did some work for them in the mid 80's on the Doha Lost Water project.
dude..the place is gettin worse day by day ..you will see huge changes when u arrive here ...you had already been here for so many years...so i hope you will manage...
HI,
Thats a pity, I used to love the 'bar in every living room' crawls we would go on thursday nights.
I was working with mouchel and laterly the old MOIPW / MMA
my own experience it seems to have gone somewhat downhill on the social side with the vast majority appearing to meet in bars.
Who were you with from 89 to 95?
We were there the first time from 82 to 97.