I read your post and understand the questions you have. Rightly so. I will try to answer as I am a European, now muslim but became Muslim out of my own conviction and has lived in this country for 17 years so I understand a lot about both sides of the coin.
You must understand that when you met your bf, he was in Poland and tried to adapt to your way of life. When he comes back to Doha and you are married to him, you will have to adapt to his way of live. Here in Qatar there will be 2 issues that will play a big role. The first one is the cultural difference and the second which intermingles is religion. Both are so interconnected that they are often confused as one or the other.
The culture is in a way much more backward and closed than life in Europe. You could more compare it with life in Europe before the world wars.Families are very important and tight knitted.They are very conservative, conservative in thinking, acting, and living. Women are not in the foreground, they usually stay at home and take care of the kids. Women do not go to many places on their own, so a family member usually goes with them. Women here are also covered. Their beauty is for their husbands only. This would mean that the woman should have her hair and body covered. i.e. long skirt and long sleeves. However here it would mean abaya which is the local custom. I am sure that your husband will not insist that you wear abaya, but might ask you to cover.He might also ask you not to go out alone, which should not be a problem as you do not know your way yet. Muslims do not go to bars, clubs etc because alcohol is forbidden in islam. We do go to restaurants and coffeeshops, but again not alone.Basically you would show your husband respect and this is a way of doing that. At home, live is much more open. But again this depends on the family. Usually men gather together and when your husband receives his friends, it is male only. The same goes for you, when you receive your female friends, he stays away. For this reason the houses usually have a womans receptionroom and a male receptionroom and then the family area where the whole family mixes.
Again, it is not so difficult. Only if you are a person who likes to go out, meet friends (male) and party I would say this is not your kind of live. If you are sure you want him and think you can live this way, do it.
The religious part id also very important but I suggest you start reading about islam and you will understand what that is all about.
I can only tell you that for me having become a muslim was the best choice I have made in my life and to be a muslim is easy if you believe in God.
If you want to discuss more and have question, feel free to PM me.
Aisha-Taweela
I read your post and understand the questions you have. Rightly so. I will try to answer as I am a European, now muslim but became Muslim out of my own conviction and has lived in this country for 17 years so I understand a lot about both sides of the coin.
You must understand that when you met your bf, he was in Poland and tried to adapt to your way of life. When he comes back to Doha and you are married to him, you will have to adapt to his way of live. Here in Qatar there will be 2 issues that will play a big role. The first one is the cultural difference and the second which intermingles is religion. Both are so interconnected that they are often confused as one or the other.
The culture is in a way much more backward and closed than life in Europe. You could more compare it with life in Europe before the world wars.Families are very important and tight knitted.They are very conservative, conservative in thinking, acting, and living. Women are not in the foreground, they usually stay at home and take care of the kids. Women do not go to many places on their own, so a family member usually goes with them. Women here are also covered. Their beauty is for their husbands only. This would mean that the woman should have her hair and body covered. i.e. long skirt and long sleeves. However here it would mean abaya which is the local custom. I am sure that your husband will not insist that you wear abaya, but might ask you to cover.He might also ask you not to go out alone, which should not be a problem as you do not know your way yet. Muslims do not go to bars, clubs etc because alcohol is forbidden in islam. We do go to restaurants and coffeeshops, but again not alone.Basically you would show your husband respect and this is a way of doing that. At home, live is much more open. But again this depends on the family. Usually men gather together and when your husband receives his friends, it is male only. The same goes for you, when you receive your female friends, he stays away. For this reason the houses usually have a womans receptionroom and a male receptionroom and then the family area where the whole family mixes.
Again, it is not so difficult. Only if you are a person who likes to go out, meet friends (male) and party I would say this is not your kind of live. If you are sure you want him and think you can live this way, do it.
The religious part id also very important but I suggest you start reading about islam and you will understand what that is all about.
I can only tell you that for me having become a muslim was the best choice I have made in my life and to be a muslim is easy if you believe in God.
If you want to discuss more and have question, feel free to PM me.
Aisha-Taweela