Today we’re going to finish up our A – Z exploration of Qatar, having broken this detailed examination of expatriate life in the Middle Eastern emirate down into 3 bite sized pieces for anyone contemplating a new life in Qatar.
If you’re interested in finding an affluent place to live and work in 2011, you want to know more about the location chosen for the 2022 football World Cup, or you’re specifically interested in expat issues in Qatar, this series of guides has been written for you.
We have been looking at everything from access to alcohol in Qatar to ID cards, from opening a bank account as an expat, to getting decent medical care in the state. Today we will scroll from getting a nanny as a working parent all the way down to how you tip, get a visa and have an x-ray in Qatar!
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As previously stated in part 1 of our A – Z of expat life in Qatar, many expatriates have cleaners and other household staff as they are considered par for the course and an inexpensive luxury for life in the emirate.
This extends to the point at which some working families have a nanny. You can find one via an agency, newspaper ads or word of mouth and you can expect them to work for 6 days a week and almost always live in with you.
Nannies may need to have their sponsorship transferred to your visa, and you will need to negotiate working responsibilities clearly before they begin employment.
To gain free/subsidised state healthcare you need the National Health Card in Qatar – all those who are officially resident can apply, although note that state healthcare is not offered at all hospitals and clinics. Many expats have this card and private medical insurance in addition.
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Opening hours in most of Qatar for most shops and services tend to be from 9 or 10 in the morning until lunch, with most closing for the afternoon and re-opening from 4. However, the way of the world means some, such as the larger supermarkets and the shops in the malls, are now not closing for the afternoon to cash in on demand.
Do double check opening hours with a given shop or supplier if you need to guarantee their availability for example.
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If you need any prescription medicines or over the counter remedies then the pharmacies in Qatar are generally excellent. You can get all sorts of drugs, often without a prescription!
However, if the pharmacist does suggest something to you or you’re prescribed a new drug, look it up on the Internet before taking it as some drugs prescribed in Qatar are seen as unsafe in the UK according to the different medical guidelines in each location.
When it comes to photography you need to bear in mind that it’s not quite as free to photograph in Qatar as it may be in the UK. For example, don’t point your camera at women in traditional local dress, do not photograph government buildings – and in general, if you do want to photograph any specific people, ensure you have their permission first.
You will be frowned upon if you try and take pictures in shops too, so be careful and considerate. Ironically however, you will need lots of pictures of yourself for all the red tape you will have to endure as you become officially resident in Qatar, you get a driving license and medical card etc!
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Q is for Qatar – and for our introduction to the state see ‘An Introduction to Living and Working in Qatar.’
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The one national holiday that all expats need to learn about and be respectful of is Ramadan - this is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar and the dates for it depend on the new moon and its location. Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset during the month, and feast in the evenings – with the end of Ramadan celebrated in fantastic style.
For expats it is literally illegal to be seen eating, drinking or even chewing in public during Ramadan. All restaurants close during the day, and whilst hotel offerings remain available, it is disrespectful to be seen eating and drinking before a Muslim during Ramadan. Literally eat and drink behind closed doors.
If you enjoy eating out then the fact that there are so many restaurants in Qatar will be music to your taste buds! You can get everything from excellent fresh fish to (of course) exquisite Middle Eastern food – and you can even visit Starbucks, McDonalds or KFC if you want something fast and boring!
There are a lot of roundabouts in Doha and there is no real way to prepare you for them until you begin driving in Qatar! Sometimes cars park on the roundabouts, dedicated lanes for dedicated turns often mean nothing, (always watch the driver in front carefully), and be prepared to go round a roundabout a few times when looking for a given road!
Roads aren’t always marked, and sometimes if they are marked the name changes half way along, which is why directions are often given based on landmarks and roundabouts! Don’t worry, you do get used to it!
You may want to know whether it ever rains in Qatar the answer is yes – but usually only in January and February, and the average annual rainfall is 3.2 inches. Coming from a country where 3.2 inches of rain can fall in an hour (well, almost), that’s quite some statistic to get your head around!
If you follow any religion other than Islam you will struggle, relatively speaking, to find places of worship. There are plenty of mosques, but Catholics, Christians and Protestants do meet and are free to worship their own religion in Qatar.
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In terms of security and crime in Qatar, you’re relatively safe, particularly if you live in a gated compound where visitors have to report to security and give details of where they’re visiting etc. As a woman you need to observe traditions and dress appropriately to ensure you’re not at risk of being stared at, insulted, branded a prostitute or even attacked.
If you like shopping then Qatar is a paradise for you – ok, so the malls aren’t on a par with Dubai’s (yet), but the souqs are great fun, and the malls that Doha has are excellent. Supermarkets are generally very good, although supply and demand don’t always tally – so if you see something you like, buy more than one!
You can probably find anything you want in Qatar if you look hard enough – and in the souqs be prepared to haggle and have fun. They get incredibly crowded however, and parking nearby is a nightmare.
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Toilets (as in public facilities) are usually quite easy to find when you’re out and about and most are relatively clean if a little smelly (that’s the nature of living in a hot climate unfortunately, it’s not a hygiene issue.)
It is not common for toilet paper to be available (hoses or bidets are sometimes used instead), so take your own. And if there is an attendant in place tipping is not usually expected. It would be at your discretion.
Men note, what you think are urinals are actually stations for washing feet ahead of prayer – you need to go into a cubical if you need to go to the toilet! Get it wrong at your absolute peril!
In terms of things to do in Qatar – from sailing to sledging on sand dunes, from attending a book club to playing team sports, from social networking to dining out with friends and family, you can do anything in Qatar – particularly if you live and work and have friends in Doha. Qatar is a fun and fantastic place.
For us Brits, tipping is something we always worry about getting wrong – the ‘rule’ (not that there is a rule) in Qatar is to leave about 10% at a restaurant (other than the likes of KFC or McDonalds!) and the same at a hairdressers for example. Anywhere else and for anyone else, tipping is at your discretion.
If you want to get around Qatar but don’t want to drive then you can take a taxi - but to be honest, they don’t feel very safe and you really wonder about your driver’s qualifications almost every time you set foot in a taxi!
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Other than umbrellas (which you won’t need!) the only U we can think of is for utilities and utility bills - when you rent a property privately you may be responsible for transferring the account into your name, and you can do this and manage your account, pay bills etc., online at the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation’s website.
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Health-wise, Qatar is relatively risk free – although any vaccinations you may be recommended to have prior to travel should be discussed with your GP. You may be told to have Hep A, Typhoid, Hep B and Rabies – and to ensure you’re up to date with MMR and Tetanus-diphtheria for example.
You will need a visa to enter Qatar, and once you’re in the emirate you will need to apply for your residency visa. You are not allowed to leave whilst the process of issuing your visa is underway, and you will be required to have a medical and supply everything from your passport to your marriage certificate to get the visa processed.
If you’re coming to work in Qatar, your employer will generally assist with all of this…but ensure you read up about the process and have a whole ruck of passport photos available to see you through the process!
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If you can’t face doing your own washing once you move to Qatar and your maid/nanny/cleaner won’t do it either, fear not, many of the compounds have a washing service, and there are launderettes/dry cleaners all over town who will also do regular washing as well as dry cleaning.
Washing brings us neatly to water - you can allegedly drink the tap water but expats don’t! They tend to buy a big water dispenser which will dispense ice cold water, or hot water! You buy big 5 litre bottles to go on top and many companies will deliver to your home as well as your office. You pay a deposit for the bottles and have coupons to exchange for new bottles each week.
You get an abundance of hot water in the summer thanks to solar heating, but you will also have a water heater for the winter. As Qatar is in the Middle East and because rainfall is so little and so infrequent, please use water carefully and be considerate for the sake of the planet!
The weather in Qatar is generally hot and dry! The only rain falls in Jan and Feb when the temperatures drop a little and things become much more pleasant. Most expats save up and take as much vacation time as they can in the summer, when they head back to Europe or America where it is much cooler in comparison. Respect the sun in Qatar, because it is intense.
In terms of the weekend - it’s on Friday and Saturday, with the working week starting on Sunday and ending on Thursday!
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As promised throughout this series of three guides about living and working Qatar, X is for x-rays! Unless you break a bone in the UK you’re unlikely to need an x-ray – but in Qatar you have to have one as part of your residency visa application. Ladies, wear a white t shirt on the day of your x-ray!
And that’s it – that’s our A – Z of expat life in Qatar. We hope it’s answered some of your open questions, introduced you to the ways of the state, and whetted your appetite to find out more.
In terms of learning more about Qatar, hop on the forums or just arrange a visit visa and come and have a look for yourself. Life is good in Qatar, and the opportunities still abound unlike in Dubai or the UK for example! Do yourself and your finances a favour, consider a job in Qatar and a new lifestyle for 2011. Good luck!
See also http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/more/a-z-of-expatriate-life-in-qatar-part-1-10941 and http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/living/more/a-z-expatriate-life-qatar-2-10942