Do people really hate it here in Qatar?

how come the richest country in the world is so boring, SOOOOO booring that my pc connection is slow. sooo boring that the road is not nice, sooo boring that the drivers in the road not afraid to die. ssooo boring that there is no porn site. QaTTTTARRRRRR ISSSS BBBOOORING.

I want to go back in my hometown Japan. I thought qatar is nice because it's THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, but how can I go Home? please tell me let me out of this place

Yup it sure is a great to live a happy normal life. My father came here in 1952 and ALHAMDULLILAH his blessed hand is still on my head :) Most of my family members are born here. I am what I am today all thanks to Qatar.

And I know Orkhan.. :) A great guy.. ;)

Warm Regards,

DJ

It's a great place if you know right people

Any country in the world could be great. It's the people who make it or brake it. For me i've seen greatness and harshness in this land, there are lots of things about this place i don't like or don't agree with ,and there are some i find really cool. I think it has a long way to go, but there are worse places in the world i could be. Qatar is not that bad, it's just not as westerner/expat friendly as they advertise which was a bummer for me, they talk the place up alot, but i guess most palces would do the same. I could write a list of things i hate about this place, but that would just be pointless negativity. I think this place is fine if you have friends, a good job, a good palce to live and you get out and do the things you love. But take away one of those things and this place can be cold and unforgiving.

Monique I agree with you, I had fisrt hand experience. I have lived in NZ and the US.I,ve also lived in Pakistan.

I am not a Qatari , but personally for me "Qatar Is The Best"

it was 2004 when I first heard the country Qatar, moving from Singapore to here. We have to google it from the map. Anyway, your questions will generate different answers if directed to different expats here- professionals,laborers, domestic helpers or otherwise, just tourist. As you go along with lots of various replies coming from almost all sorts of nationalities, maybe you, being a Qatari could realize now how these people living (or say surviving) Qatar one day at a time. I applaud your intentions to make your home country a better place to live not just for expats but for your own selves as citizens and there could be no greater power to change your own nation into a wonderful place country but your own citizens. So good luck and hope to see you a better leader one day for this promising country of yours and your effort for change will not be a loss. As what our own hero said: "The children are the hope of the nation-Jose P. Rizal".

"I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right, but all the great change in history was done by optimists" -Thomas Friedman

On the british gov travel site it says something like 5 to 6 x the people die on roads in Qatar compared to Uk. It needs some serious work to improve road behaviour.

MoeJoe,

As many on QL know, I like to debate, and take the unpopular opinion (even when I disagree with it)...

I'm full-Qatari, so I'm stuck here, you said you're half-Qatari, so I'll tell you : "if you dont like it then leave" :) .... ah, OK, I'll try my best:

Family Day: I actually think it's a good things, see my other posts.

NOC/Sponsorship Laws: useful for the business, not very useful for the employee, better regulation should fix the problems. Remember we had real slavery 50 years ago, my grandfather had slaves and he freed them in the 1950s.

Driving: Everybody here drives bad, some people like to imply it's just the locals.

Infrastructure, Quality of workmanship, Freedom of Press: I agree 100%.

I can't argue with ummjake.

We have a lot of things that are not as good as we want them to be, and there's only one way to do that. Hard work.

I'm not debating!!! I hate it when I agree with everybody.

I have been in Qatar for more than 3 years now. I work in Ras Laffan.

I have not been able to get into much social action as my working hours are gruesome. I would have liked to meet more locals.

But as a whole, Qatar is a place I am happy to work in.

My wife likes it here too. the basics are here.

We do our best and try and take it all in. I like the effort shown to update the country.

Burnout.

Beware! :)

we are on the same boat, but I heard it's only a rumor. it's still 1 year...

Moejoe, when finally you'll be given the voice here in Qatar, I hope you will be the true representative of expats like us.

"simple yet complicated"

"makamal a anak"

Welcome MoeJoe. Thanks, ur thread has really brightened up the QL forum and added some real value. Its a welcome change from the interracial, interreligious brawls that I have gotten used to reading here.

I won't repeat what most have already said and with which I agree. But I do feel there is one important issue relating to my field of work that has been missed on this thread. It is the built environment.

The malls and the villa compounds that have been lobed on this thread are an artificial means of creating an attractive urban environment and enhancing the quality of life. But truly attractive cities are planned based on such concepts as a whole and not in exclusive enclaves. And I can see how some have compared Doha to american cities because they do follow the same trend set by Frank Lloyd Wright and others in the middle of the last century.

Copying such trends does not neccessarily make Qatar more attractive. It carries the potential danger of repeating the mistakes made by others and losing the local heritage and colorful culture that Qataris should really be proud of. One example is Souq Waqif which is basically the celebration of the local culture and building traditions as opposed to the Pearl project which is really just a cheap copy of western architecture taken totally out of context.

Neither the compounds nor the malls will make cities like Doha more attractive. Even the new high rise buildings in the Dafna don't serve to enhance the quality of this city, it could be anywhere. I know this might not be in your line of work MoeJoe nor under your scope of influence, but if you could convey this message to more of the local people, Qatar might be able to really make something out of the oppurtunities that have opened up and make it a true hub of attraction both financially and culturally within the region and worldwide. Just take Yemen as a prime example of what I am talking about and add some modern technology to its infrastructure and planning system and you have it.

Sorry folks for the academic lecture, but this is really the basis of what defines the quality of life in our built environment.

Cheers.

My current company wants to take sponsorship of me. And previous sponsor company doesn't have problem to transfer my visa, but according to our admin dept, now they have increased the period up to 2 years to be able to change your sponsor. Do you think is it fair to tie someone for 2 years even you convince your previous sponsor to let you transfer your visa? It was 1 year before if our admin dept is correct, than it's a new and strange law.

"What doesn't kill me; makes me stronger..."

the result of the hard-work and vision from Sh. Hamad and Sha. Moza. Tamim came onto the scene a little late, I think...not that he hasn't done wonderful things, but I think the lion's share of the credit goes to the Emir and Sheikha Moza, not the Heir Apparent.

When Sh. Hamad took over from Sh. Khalifa in spring of 95, Tamim was only 15 years old...and nobody at that time probably knew he would become heir apparent (Jassim was first pick, and held the job for almost 7 years before Tamim took over in 2003).

I think that the Emir, Sheik Tamam, and all of the Heads of the Royal Family are doing a wonderful job in both building the country here and building a model image to the rest of the world

They say that since Sheik Tamim came into Public life he has changed every thing and the real change here is because of him and the his way of thinking?

What do you guys think.. how much credit goes to Sheik Tamim?

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HE WHO DARES WINS

Climate conditions to get a little rough here, but I guess its practically the same anywhere else in the GCC..although we have some beatiful sunny days here in Doha

You guys are absolutly right..if we go back 10 years ago, no one could have imagined that this is the way it would be today. During the last 10 years, Qatar has proven in many ways that it can grow. The beaches here do have a lot of potential and I would love the rest of the world to be able to come and enhoy the sandy beaches of Doha once these beaches are well maintained. Ten years ago a large porion of the world hadn't ever heard of us here in Qatar. But that is not the case today.

I didn't expect Qatar to grow that fast. 10 years back it was not even half what it is striving to be now.

I'm just hoping it's not all about construction and importing seeds to plant green.

Education, Qatarization and authentic Qatari traditions and identity are pillars I'd like to see thriving and maintained.

Human rights needs revisiting, otherwise safety is in jeopardy.

Salam

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

i personally think qatar is in for something BIG...

seriously..

who would expect qatar to become like this 30 years ago??

The worst thing here is climate conditions. The best part of year is winter. Even spring is very windy which makes it very dusty as well. And it will be like this till the end of June. And the weather reaches to unbearable hot points at that time.

Rest of things can be changed (there are many things shall be improved, Dubai is a good sample for Qatar I think) The labor law and sponsor ship rules are much more helpful for workers in Dubai.

For social life, if Qatar government wants Qatar an attractive place for others, sure they must make improvements.

In the end I was planning to leave for good but because of economical crisis its not a good time. :) So i delayed my leave for a while.

Peace

"What doesn't kill me; makes me stronger..."

We had a perfect day at al Wakra beach last week! Perfect weather, shallow seas and pools for junior...aaahhh...lovely something that Darlington, County Durham couldn't offer us on a cold March day......

its the people here that i hate... Well, not all of them

but most of them..

overall.. being here is probably the best place in the world right now.. because of financial crisis..

"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."

I like Qatar n I love your avatar too moejoe..lol,

Out of all the comments one stood out by someone called Monique from Afghanistan who assumed that Qatar is a heaven compared to India which is obviously incorrect.

Lets try to answer the relevant question- the IT way. What makes a country worthwhile? Software - Accountability, rule of law, equality of race,oppurtunity and gender. Developing and productive civil society with "voice". Education.Scientific fervour. Arts and culture scene.

Whats equally important for a good quality of life is Hardware - quality infrastructre and services, vibrant economy with deep pockets,Long term revenue model.

Qatar has the resources now, to acquire the hardware. It has also shown its ability to move towards better application of software. All its attempts at new initiatives on education, sports,reasearch and arts are indicative of the right understanding.How it translates that into a "model" country with effective use of software will depend on how and where it chooses to go from here.

Though most outsiders are here for a simple reason- money. Neither they expect anything more nor are trusted with any greater responsibility than that. Most are willing to ignore the "software errors" because of that.

Quiet lurker. Poor Contributer

MoeJoe,

Out of curiosity, may I ask which European nationality are you and one of your parents?

sknox40- Im really glad to hear that you are enjoying it here in Qatar. You are absolutley right when it comes to the all the different venues they've got around town, such as the Qatar open, Moto GP, etc as you mentioned above. That is one thing that I truely love about Doha (among quite a few other things). I have met people from all over the world here and it has been fascinating to learn about all the different backgrounds and cultures you have here in Qatar. Keep on enjoyin' life. ;)

Roadtester- That is a very intersting question about archeology. My little experience with that may be able to help. I went to University in the States, and I happened to run across a few locals from Qatar that were sent by one of the ministries here to study archeology. I dont think that there is a big number of them here, but I know they're around.

Jhort, dont worry i cringe too at every mcdonalds, starbucks, cinabon etc I would rather support a Qatari business. Not every westerner want to see this! We are seeing now that this is bad in that in wrecks local culture. I saw article about bahrain where they were losing traditional coffee places/shisha houses to the big brands. I hate it that most capital cities are becoming so similar due to the globalisation of brands.

Are there an problems due to funding for archealogy in Qatar, how strong are the universities? I have heard comments that in the GCC there is not an appetite for anything that might be controversial, i.e contradict religious texts reporting of history? is this true or rubbish.

I absolutely embrace Qatar. It's such a great experience to meet people from so many different walks of life with so many stories to tell. I'm not sure why there are hate mongers out there. Why stay if you hate it? I know, I know, some have to fulfill their contracts, but only to "reup" again? I would venture to guess that they are here simply for the money. I'm here for it all. You never know what adventure the day might bring. It's a funny world out there, and I find it quite refreshing. I've just been here a little under two years, but feel like my tolerance and understanding of other people has increased tenfold. I hope I continue to stay in my little bubble on this side of the world. :)

Hi Xena

I feel the same about animals here. There are so many cats here in such bad condition. I have already tamed about 4 or 5 and know I shouldn't but how can a decent human being stand by and watch animals suffer. The animals are tamed but not housebound and don't live indoors, so they are still 'street smart' so that they can still survive on their own.

If I had a house here I would definitely help with strays but I would eventually be known as the eccentric ex-pat :)

Doha is beautiful and unique on it's own. Please do not try to be like the west. I just cringe evry time I see a Mc Donalds.

MoeJoe,

I've lived and visited countries all over the world. And lived in some of the most famous cities like New York (Manhattan) and London. I'm American and really don't find Qatar to be bad at all. Yes the traffic is bad and I would say that that is my biggest issue. Urban planning. In New York we have the subway that everyone complains about. The rules and regulations are also a pain, but how do you make adjustments for everyone? Certain people can do certain things, but other's can not? A free labor market where people can go from one job to another is not the answer at this point. What the higher ups are probably most concerned about is 50 million construction workers trying to find jobs or somehow not being looked after. It's not highley skilled labor type expats who may in fact be more helpful to the country in a different role or working for a different company. How do you make it available to certain people but not others without discriminating?

The entertainment is not that bad really. I would compare it to any medium sized city in the US minus the bars of course, but I don't find that to be a big loss. In fact I like that Qatar is a wholesome place with less of what countries like the US or UK are offering. In western countries it's just gone over board and it's important to keep a lid on the sex, drugs and violence that our youth sees everyday. There is a lot going on out there in Qatar, a push for marketing for these events would be great. Most people are lazy and don't want to go through the effort of researching. Where else can I go to see tennis, golf, moto GP SBK etc etc for a fraction of what it costs back home? There's plenty to do we just need to be informed.

Doha is a very beautiful city and the desert is amazing as well. People who ask for more trees and more green are just more happy with their own country, but that doesn't mean that Qatar has to be the same as every other place. It's really very good when I think about it. Stay unique, please do not become like the rest of the world.

Thanks for asking

Well, I am an ex-pat as well. I have been here for 4 months now & I find a lot of legality that can be very traumatising for those of us who are not used to being treated like that. However, the company I work for has been excellent in helping me through the 'trauma'. I have settled quickly and have not been homesick yet. There are some VERY frustrating things about this country and the lack of respect shown by people here but, for me personally, the fact that I come from a country where crime and disease is so high that the feeling of well-being here outweighs just about anything else for me. When you life is threatened on a daily basis and you have about 10 locks on every door in your house, electrical fencing, vehicle immobilisers, etc - this is like an 'oasis'. I have also decided to 'go with the flow' even though it is very hard for me at times but it makes my life easier. I think what also helps is to make life as simple as possible for myself so that I can enjoy quality and not quantity.

This has been a very interesting experience for me and one that has helped strengthen me as a person and definitely added positively to my growth as a human being.

Nothing remains the same, and everything will change at some point.

heero_yuy2- Farms, trees, and cultural preservation have been on the list of things to do here in Qatar, and surprisingly, it was done by a lot of the energy companies here. For example, in Mesaieed, Dukhan, and Ras Laffan, the greenery and preservation is on a high rise. On the island of Halul, cultural preservation is big there and so is animal life preservation. I had the oppurtunity to go visit the island one day on a business event, and I was quite surprised at all the different animal preservations they had. I know that this is something that we need to work on more in Doha, but I think they'll get there one day. It has proven quite successful in the above mentioned locations, and so I believe it can be done in Doha as well.

taliesin- Thanks!!

I am glad that you are all enjoying this thread. It is really interesting to hear everyones perceptions, and even more interesting to find out that all of our ideas here are quite linked together. :)

u are right dude,

If you guys had the oppurtunity to change things about Doha, whether it was more restaurants, clubs, bars, whatever it may be, what would you change?

More farms and trees. More cultural and historical preservation. More self-dependence from all citizens (expatriates, locals, and residents).

And enough of this master-slave mentality.

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

Great thread MoeJoe, and love the revolutionary icon!

***********

"There's this thing called being so open-minded your brains drop out". - Richard Dawkins

im an expat and until recently been telling all my friends who are working abroad things that im loving here in qatar.

its relatively safe, shopping is tax free and there is a commission on human rights.

i do understand what you are saying. However, for beaches to be made here, they would have to reclaim land.

Is that good for the enviroment?

My thoughts are my own, but I doubt my Mum would agree with some of them.

life is too short to live the same day twice:)

Grasp the moment, enrich urself with what's great here, anything u think is homy and probably entertaining 2 u!

qatari-princess- You are absolutely right, I actually love being here in Doha. But there are times, minutes if i may say, where I think I wish I was able to change something for the better. I know that anyone may say this about any other country in the world, but as my home, I want it to be a perfect place (even though the word perfect is very vague) and only because I care about it.

No Qatar is not that bad once u get used to being here..

welcome!!

:)

& besides..this country just keeps gettin better!!

enjoy;)

I think that a lot of the last posts about being deported is simply people being immature trying to abuse there "power" without actually knowing how to use the "power" that they have. It is true what genisis said about deportation laws. I have heard so many people here turn around and say "i will deport you" when the final choice lies in the hands of ministries. When it comes to people being fired, I mos def do believe that this happens, which also abuse of power.

There are things that frustrate me like everybody else. I am a bacon butty girl so I do miss that. The number of cars on the road and the driving standards of some is not great.

I feel very lucky to be here.

My villa is way bigger than our house back home (and nicer).

I drive a great car. I doubt if I could even afford a car back home.

My kids go to a great school where they mix with kids from all over the world and generally none are feral brutes in hoodies ready to pinch from them nor stab them.

We spend an awful lot of quality time together as a family as we don't have to spend our weekends, cleaning, tip runs, DIY etc.

I see my partner an awful lot more as he does not have to drive 2 hours there to work and ditto back.

We swim most days, we walk our dogs, we BBQ, we just have such a lovely nice life. I doubt it would be the same back home.

What I find odd about ex-pat life is how very easy some people find it to criticise the host country.

I know this is how debates start re; they need us and all that. However, we are still guests here and just as much as I hate somebody coming to my country and trying to change the very bedrock of what we are, I feel we have no right to try and change people into our standard.

This is an Arabic culture with a religion very few really know and it has its' traditions.

I say, it is nobody elses business.

I agree there are things that SHOULD be changed but that is up to the people of this land not us to change.

One day we may get what 'we want'. I suspect it will happen but I hope in making these changes Qatar does not lose its' sense of identity. I know England has and it is none the better for it.

My thoughts are my own, but I doubt my Mum would agree with some of them.

I am currently working with my third company,,,though not in a not so very pleasant circumstances....Have to suffer first before being released...4 months of not having salary made me a new man...

Nice to know that someone with Qatari blood share such kind of sentiments...kudos moejoe

"simple yet complicated"

"makamal a anak"

This guy, went as far as phoning my friends sponsor, who is apparently his uncle, and told him he wants her gone.... this after telling her, "do you know who my father is" To which her smart reply was, "I don't give a rats a$$"....

It was only when another Qatari friend intervened, and told him that he cannot go around threatening people with deportation, that he backed off, and phoned her sponsor to say "sorry to have involved you"

It wasn't his first stint... 1 week before that, he got another lady fired from her position in her company, when she 'reprimanded' him.... (First hand knowledge)

So please, I find it hard to believe that if you put your mind to something, you won't achieve it....

"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME

visit www.qaws.org

lot of answer here but i hate on thing in Qatar

that what we called in Arabic almoatan and mokeeem , mean :Citizen and resident , what i want to say that always the citizen is right and the resident is wrong that is truth its to Racial otherwise Qatar can be called paradise

I gave up a professional job (HR Specialist, Charted MCIPD with 13 yrs of experience within one of the major Oil&Gas companies elsewhere)to join my husband here with intentions to settle down here for a long time.... Shortly after arrival I received an excellent offer (position "Head of Recruitment and Training" to drive "Qatarization" policy in the company - due to my previous experience in the field)with one of the leading Qatari companies, signed a contract and in 6 weeks after that I faced a CID rejection because of "Qatarization" policy! I cant work in Qatar as HR jobs should be done by Qataris only! So, MoeJoe, you can imagine how i feel about being here when I thought i had so much to offer to the company, to this country (even with qatarization policy). Unfortunately my self esteem is on 0 level at the moment as it looks like there so many Qataris around who can do that kind of job! Apologies if i come out a bit sarcastic about it this is how I feel at the moment - a useless person who is here in the wrong place and in the wrong time.

Nothing remains the same, and everything will change at some point.

I don't know who started the rumor that you can be deported if you disagree with a local!This is untrue.Each deportation case must be signed by the minister of interior with the Emir approval. In an interesting article in today's Arabic daily alraya, a study conduct by Qatar university indicates that most Qatar citizens (specially women) don't know what is their legal rights.

better and improved tomorrow....ALL THE BEST!

I am loving this, you guys are saying pretty interesting stuff here! Im glad that all of you are taking the time to tell me about your likes/dislikes!

blue nails- haha, why thank you!

The road rules here seem to basically be, if the car is bigger than yours, get the [removed by mod] out the way. I sugest getting a hummer.

Well, I don't really hate Qatar. I am here because I love this place. The best thing I find unlike in my country is that everything is in a few kilometers/minutes reach. Many facilities that I need in day to day life are easy to get in short time as compared to my country. I however like long drives but no places here to go. making it easy to travel to nearby cities would be a welcome thing...

Moejoe, YOU ROCK!!

Moe Joe

Most of what we don't like is simply dislikes, and I know they have been already expressed here.

But there are things we hate such as the threat of deportation if we disagree with a local for anything e.g. road behaviour, work behaviour.

The farce that is called family day at the mall. We all know that is covert racism. By the way racism is practiced by some of the white/western expats at the non- whites here as well (for your information I’m English English). My wife doesn’t appreciate being asked if she is English qualified in law by a couple of stuffed white shirts when her resume is on the firms (British) website (she very highly qualified and their best in her area of expertise).

There could be massive improvement here in Qatar and it should start with attitude. Thinking with an open mind. Not to be dismissive of someone because of their gender/race/ religion. I’m not too impressed with the attitude of some of the locals of the youngest generation. I have to ask myself was the former generation like this? Or has all the oil and gas money gone to their head.

I don’t think Qatar is much safer than other places since I have already heard about crimes being committed but not reported in the press.

Education I consider to be the spearhead of change and education that is not watered down to please someone’s targets. Perhaps every adult/teenage student should spend a minimum of 6 months abroad in education in order to understand the world outside Qatar (even better if it was outside the Middle East).

My wife comes from a generation of Malaysians that were sent abroad for education and it shows in the way they conduct themselves, proud, confident and open minded, as compared to the next generation who were kept at home who can be quite narrow minded.

I myself have lived in several countries and come from a mixed American/European family so for each new home I have managed to acquire a different perspective of life. I am hoping to do the same here in Qatar. My only frustration is not being able to mix with Qataris/Arabs as much as I wish; after all I really need to practice my Arabic.

It’s obvious from the way you conduct yourself that being abroad has benefitted you, so perhaps people like yourself will be the change that we want to see. It will take time, perhaps a generation.

We don’t hate Qatar; we just simply hate/dislike some of the unjustifiable behaviour.

Please continue with your quest for change and improvement in the quality of life here in Qatar as we all will benefit directly or indirectly. Also please keep us updated here in QL about the issues being examined.

Regards

Well, from the sounds of things you are trying to be heard with regards to things you see here.... and get threatened too.... lol.... had a friend threatened with deportation a few weeks ago....

My consideration is the animal laws in the country - we have a rescue shelter that is still, after 5 years of being operational, waiting for charity status.... we get pushed pillar to post, see this person, see that person... many people come down to the shelter and promise to help... but nada, nothing... and its frustrating...

We get held up and praised in meetings with international visitors as "our (qatar) animal shelter" by the bigwigs, but when we go to them for assistance, no one seems to be able to help....

The wheels of government turn slowly, we know, but 5 years slowly?

In a more personal capacity, I love it here... yes I b*tch about the driving and other things, but its nothing more than I wouldn't do in my own country... When I leave Doha, I cannot wait to come back.... this is my home now, for as long as they let me stay...

"if you don't like the heat... get out of the kitchen... but stop trying to fan the flames before you leave... it will burn you on the a** as you go through the doorway...." ME

visit www.qaws.org

nice thread you started here moejoe... perhaps the fact that you are half qatari makes your point of view all the more interesting..

my perspective is i see the glass half full...

you see the good things and the bad things... but ive learned to love the place. I even enjoy the differences it has from my home country, especially the culture, weather, people and the idiosyncracies...

thanks for starting this thread moejoe.. be well.

I totally agree...

I would immediately arrest drivers and confiscate cars for some offences...some things are so heinous and dangerous that they are either indicative of utter complete stupidity and or arrogance...

get these people off the road.

Driving here should be based on respect for the law and then the traffic chaos would be eliminated.

(yep i am having a bad driving week!)

and Qatar boring??? depends on your social skills....

I've been here 3 years and I love Qatar. I don't find it boring at all, infact I thinks there's loads of stuff going on, just take a look at the skyline every once in awhile. It's amazing to have a part in the growth of this nation.

Moejoe your insights somehow gives hope for Qatar to move forward. Yes it does take some force to make it happen but its nice to know that locals have similar perspective to us. Cheers to you and to your comrades. Wishing u all the best!

There is a HUGE time to make a change!

I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.  ~Charles Schulz

Thanks Alexa I appreciate your help. Honestly, Im glad I joined QL. Seems like a fun and interesting place to meet people and discuss things. I've read about this QL "Addiction" in threads around here before, u never know, I might end up joining ya'll soon. :)

dondi823- haha president? Then il REALLY end up in jail. lol. Trust me there are a lot of people that wish they can make some changes, but politics here make it very difficult to do that. Something else which I already mentioned is that a lot locals here, and I know this because I have heard it from a lot of them, wish there can be changes here as well, but never try to do anything about it for whatever reasons they have. I think it has to do with the freedom to express how you feel. Everyone seems to be scared of expressing how they really feel. But if all of us put out hands together, then we should have nothing to fear in the end!

moe joe for president!!!

thanks moejoe for this thread, i guess and i think you are not alone in trying to change things here in qatar that no longer applies in our shrinking (it's a small world after all) world.

as one philo said, "the only thing constant in this world is change" change will difinitely come to qatar and i hope and pray that majority are for the betterment of the humanity all over.

i love it here.coz i love life...

Alexa are your suggesteing that we western uneducated expat should learn Arabic so we can drive properly?...lol

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

i don't like everything here, but overall i am happy.

but, i have a good job and i am canadian, so i would say that i am treated better than many here.

having said this, i like living here because i meet many nice people, and most of them are not qatari.

i hate the bureaucracy here too, but coming from egypt i am used to it. what i really hate is the lack of "rule of law" when it comes to Qataris. a girl in my office was rear ended by a drunk Qatari who was in the armed forces - of course the police determined that it was her fault. another friend had a work colleague who was hit by a Qatari in a round about and was told that she could accept responsibility or be deported.

i also wonder what Qatar will be like in 10-20 years. i hear by some it has gotten much better in the last 10 years, but when i see how the next generation of Qataris are being raised, it really makes me wonder. if these spoiled kids are the future, i think things will get worse, which would be a shame.

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"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day." Withnail & I

MoeJoe - I don't think a lot of the issues will ever be able to be resolved until the underlying culture of how Qatar works is changed - i.e. how it's all about who you know, and not upsetting people, etc etc.

Moe joe, id really reccomend reading about the chinese Hai gui or 'sea turtles' they are people like your self who have had experiences outside there country and have then returned and are fighting to try to modernise their strict government

http://tyglobalist.org/index.php/20061215115/Focus/Sea-Turtles-Swim-Home.html

http://www.sis.zju.edu.cn/wyxyzy/conference/researchgroup/stu_works/Jin%20Xudong_haigui.doc

http://www.asianperspective.org/articles/v30n2-a.pdf

Alexa- Thanks!

The driving here is ridiculous, I agree. I know that the traffic department is currently trying to take some steps towards fixing it, but it doesnt seem to be going in the direction that we all would like it to take.

Genisis- I really do agree with you on everything you just pointed out. It seems like "wasta" is the way to go, not how hard you worked to get to where you are, or where you wana be. I think the high school drop outs who become managers is a big issue, because Im currently having to deal with that right now. Honestly, it makes the working environment hell.

Anything in this company involving any sort of paperwork is a complete nightmare. I've never had a good experience, whether it's at a garage, a hospital, a government department or anywhere else.

Genesis,

I congratulate you for your sincerity and honesty!

As a Qatari, I really hate the bureaucracy of government offices(the Sudanese & the Egyptians-and yes I’m generalizing), the lack of coordination between government offices , the poorly experienced higher management and their so-called advisors, Under the table corruption in state projects, racial profiling among Qataris (Arab tribe, Bedouins, Arab of Persia & the Persian) & high school drop outs who become managers.

David if your are 89 as your ID suggestes.. then I am not far behind i am 56 years old..lol

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HE WHO DARES WINS

Hopefully the day will come sooner than later for change. The way things are going, the expats who can leave will and then there will be few people left to work in the private sector or build the buildings that are so needed. Then the Qataris will see that they should have acted sooner and treated people humanely.

I beleive my stay here could be alot more interesting if i had friends, but i'm doubting that will ever happen, as i haven't really met anyone my age.

You guys are making really good points, ones that I couldnt have figured out on my own,and again I appreciate all your input. I know that a lot of locals who would read this would say, "if you dont like it then leave" but to be quite honest with you, I know a lot of locals who feel exactly the same way. The freedom to acknowledge what is right and wrong about Qatar is something that we should all have. As a Qatari, I have met a lot of other locals who would argue with a lot of what we are saying here, but deep inside, theyre actually thinking about all these changes too. Some of the people here have actually mentioned that they really dislike it here and are only here for a temporary cash fix, which I respect, and wish that I could change. But again as a lot of us have said, this is something you will find in any nation that you live in, especially when we all have different perceptions about life. But just to let all you guys know, as a local, many of us feel the same you do, and wish that it was different here. Hopefuly one day it will be. We are currently trying to raise awareness about our committee, and hopefuly one day that will help us move forward. Just as long as I stay out of jail in the process. ;)

cynbob,

You are right!

Until that day, my conscience would never allow me to pretend that in Qatar the essence of personal growth is not castrated. Even if I am offered here a tax free salary!!!!

How can a society progress when the ugly and the bad is not publicly acknowledge and debated?????????

I am impressed by the high-level of all of these responses and some serious thought being given to the question. It seems MoJoe, we can be nice when asked.

We all love to bitch and moan, but despite the sponsorship laws and exit permits, we are here because we want to be. Whether it's the life style or the opportunities for income, we all made the decision to come and to stay.

Certainly there are frustrations with the infrastructure (roads, poor quality buildings, etc.), the poor driving habits, some of the bureaucracy, being unable to find things or services (and thank you QL for providing a forum to be able to find things here), some of the laws (exit permits, NOCs, points on your license for parking violations, QR 6000 for going through a red light) and a host of other things. We have coined the explanation: “It’s Doha” for many of these and, for the most part, we just live with them.

For the most part I like the life style here. There are things to do, but you just have to look for them. There are friends to be made, from around the world. I like relaxing on my terrace and watching the sunset. I really enjoy the weather here from October to April (and yeah, no one likes the summers here, including the Qataris).

So we vote with our feet and that means we Love Qatar!

I am only here because my husband came out here to work and i see it as a temporary quick cash fix so we can go back to the UK after a couple of years debt free and in a health financial position. Just because you choose to live somewhere doesn't mean you have to like it. Compared to the UK Qatar is sooo boring not to mention the dust heat and ridiculous inflation which means my weekly shop is almost 3 times the cost that it was in the UK. I tolerate it but would much rather be in the UK with my family and friends and be able to live my life without all the constraints placed on you by the way of life out here.

Keep Smiling :-) you never know who is looking

Qatar is a good place to live, even better than a lot of countries. But then again, it still needs a lot of improvement for it to be greater.

As mentioned in several threads, most of us are somewhere in between loving and hating this place. Those people who absolutely hate this place would probably be in another place right now (haven't bothered to join/visit QL) moaning and complaining about the country/place that they are currently in. It just explains that those who complain will always complain regardless of where they are.

Exactly.

One major step, I think, in helping Doha come into the 21st century is giving jounalists the freedom to write about the good, the bad and the ugly without fear of being incarcerated,fired, or deported.

This has been discussed before several times on QL. There must be freedom of the press in order for everyone to have freedom of growth. Facts that go unreported are stifling the reader from making informed decisions about their lives here, in Doha.

Keeping people ignorant is not in the best interest of a growing society. Knowledge is power and ignorance is NOT bliss.

Their Eyes Wide Shut mentality is alive and well and for that reason people are purposely kept in the dark.

It takes a lot of confidence and maturity to be able to open oneself up for criticism. Baby steps.

amnesia, hate's probably too strong a word to have been used in this thread, but you regularly acknowledge yourself that there are many issues in Qatar that are frustrating, annoying, etc, all of which give people reason to dislike the country.

There are just people that have a lot of hate in their hearts. Simple as that I guess.

__________________________

Mr. Q's Blog - A Qatari's view on Qatar.

MoeJoe,

It’s more than a problem; it’s the cancer of Qatar, undermining its sustainable progress.

Even though it has become more and more exposed to the world, the local authorities keep ignoring the damaging effects.

The hope relies on you guys. For the sake of a better Qatar, don’t give up!

i hate the sponsorship system because it is human slavery. sometimes, i hate to be a woman here because the men (of all nationalities) act like animals sometimes. but i like the fact that the culture-food, language, lifestyle- is different from where i come from. because it means that i can learn a thing or two from my stay here.

http://www.buhayqatar.com

mo lang!

UkEngQatar...you are absolutly right..but I just wish people wouldnt have to be forced to stay. Funny as hat may sound, a lot of people end up willing to give all of this for various reasons, which is totally up to them. I just dont think that they should have tp be forced to conintue if they wished to go back home, just as Mikaylasmom was saying. But I definatly agree with you. The benefits do out weight a lot of the dislikes.

Not much i like about the place, alot i hate about the place, but i guess i could be living somewhere worse. I view my stay here as a momentary lapse on the road to nowhere.

lusitano- "I just hope that your political system wont block you from doing good to your country - it sure and urgently does need you guys!"

That is why I actually mentioned my little incident. It really is a problem here.

lusitano- "I just hope that your political system wont block you from doing good to your country - it sure and urgently does need you guys!"

That is why I actually mentioned my little incident. It really is a problem here.

MoeJoe..

Where in the world would I get paid for 40 hours a week tax free , in an airconditioned office. Get Accomodation paid by the company, get my Car paid by the company, My annual tickets back to the Uk paid by the company, the Education of my Children paid by the company. Get Generous paid leave and over 10 days of national holidays and so on. Free Health Care paid by the company. Meet so many different people of different nationalities

Never have to worry about the Council Tax, Income Tax, VAT tax, etc.

So with all the bad feelings that people may have here the benefits out weigh the some of the dislikes..

People Love Qatar it is just that the fail to admit it. Ask the poeple who moan why are they here if they dislike it so much...lol

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HE WHO DARES WINS

I have been here a year and a half and am still having difficulties adjusting. I have a 3 year old and it is hard to get out and do things when you have a 3 year old having temper tantrums all the time. I can say this about being here, I love that when I go to the malls I don't have to look at t*ts and a** and gang members whose pants are down to their butt cheeks. I love that I don't have to worry about being gunned down by some idiot kid. I love that fast food places deliver to me here. So I guess I have found some good in being here. This may seem trivial or even comical to some of you, but for me it's a huge step. Some people say if you don't like it here then leave, well that is easier said than done. My husband signed a contract here so we will be here for the next 1.5 to 3 years. I will try to adjust to being here, but I do miss my home country.

I do love it here ...dont get me wrong there is time Im frustrated about something or someone here but hey ...that's life nothing perfect in life ......not even ourselves.....so I guess personally, Im enjoy what we got here and there is so much that Doha can offer more than just mall ...I'm into learning and digging the culture together with couple women who interest in learning stuff about qatar ....Im actually looking for someone who can teach us Rababa in english ...I found an old qatari man who can teach me and my kids about Rababa..but he didnt speak any english what so ever and his arabic way too hard for me to understand ...so Im stlll hoping and praying I could learn it before our times is up .....

MoeJoe,

Unfortunately your story of the undercover police validated my fears:

"I just hope that your political system wont block you from doing good to your country - it sure and urgently does need you guys!"

Cynbob,

As I said:

If Doha offers enough to the individual to "grow" within his own needs, then he/she tend to remain, otherwise he/she will feel discomfort until their departure.

Probably you (I know I am) fall in the second category. I don't think Qatar is able to mature quick enough to offer the growth platform, you may have previously experienced.

ukengQatar- lol true that

Its love and hate "thing" bet. me and QAT

*If we killed everybody who hates you, it wouldn't be murder…it would be an apocalypse!

I am Loving it.. a bit like the Macdonald Advert..lol

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HE WHO DARES WINS

Thank you Umm Adam, I appreciate your support :)

Thanks MoeJoe for this thread. It is a great first post! Keep on posting. I won't add anymore because what I feel has already been said by others but as a young Qatari, I hope you can play a role in change for this country. You bring a good prospective to the table and I wish you the best of luck!

cynbob- I mos def agree with you when it comes to "growing." This is a problem that you find in a lot of the younger locals here, and it is quite sad. For example, Qatar has a "Qatarization" committee which wants to have 50% of Qataris working in companies here in Doha. A lot of people think that this "growth" happens once you join a company or a position. That is not true, because that does not change your human characteristics which you are raised with. Hense the fact that the local who has been given this position ends up sitting around, while everyone else does all the work.

Thank you all for your support! A funny story that I will share with you all: One of the meetings that I had dealing with exit permit laws ended with two guys escorting me outside (who turned out to be undercover cops) and asked me why I am mendling in stuff that isn't my business. Even as a local here, it is very difficult for me to change things. The committee I am in consists of Qataris who feel the same way as I do, who all have also been raised abroad and have grown up in another way. But again, the fight goes on. If you guys have anything else to add, just keep telling me because I appreciate all the insight that I am getting from you guys. Helps me see things from your point of view which I can then try to explain "Qatari style" haha.

You're right. I am a rational human being, but I find it difficult to grow, learn and develop under certain constraints that are in place here.

My situation, and I won't call it 'my problem', is that my eyes are wide open and what I see has much to be desired.

Hopefully, MoeJoe can help with the problems here so that people who want to "grow" can do so with all that Doha will be able to offer, hopefully, in the future. As for now, the 'growing' experience is stifling.

Good luck with this endeavor, Moe Joe.

So nice of you MoeJoe! you are going in the right direction. The issues you are currently focussing are the most important ones. just keep your good work going.

I love it but i do find the driving very stressful....

MoeJoe what a refreshing perspective you have on your country...

One thing i would suggest with all the investment in education :

A tip top dynamic website to help people learn some Arabic... a team needs to look at the best of the ESL websites and make one to make Arabic more accessible. :)

...if it sucked THAT badly, we'd all be leaving. But especially when you consider the current economy, living in Qatar is definitely do-able, no matter how much we complain...

The things we all winge and moan about are annoyances -- and as tallg and others have said, it's more irritating when you look around and see how much money there is and the kinds of resources this place has. Then there's really no reason why some things should be managed as ineptly as they still are in this day and age. Coming from the west, a lot of us see the potential this place has, how great it really could become, and we get frustrated at the missed opportunities.

My personal pet peeves: traffic/poor infrastructure; rude drivers; Q-Tel; the hubris (and poor work ethic) of most of the younger generation of Qataris; lack of customer service in most companies/industries (brought on, no doubt, by limited competition and govt. monopolies on many things); ridiculous rise in cost of living here; rude children/parents who don't properly supervise their kids; mid-day breaks when shops/business close so you can get nothing done; lack of a good Mexican restaurant; City Center's lack of parking (lack of parking everywhere really); no theater/arts/clubs for live music -- no real cultural life beyond shopping; no library/decent bookstores; no pork; censored internet/movies/news reporting...

(Again, as tallg said, it's easier to think of the negatives, unfortunately...)

But things I really like about this place: great sunny weather most of the year, decent shopping, safe place to raise a family, international population/getting to meet and know people from all over the globe, the truly generous nature of the locals, camping in the desert, how people genuinely love kids here, so many opportunities I would never get back home just because Qatar is relatively small (seeing big name athletes play, etc.), Doha is a great starting point to travel to many regions of the world, petrol is dirt cheap, I can have someone clean my house for me (something I could never afford back home), just being able to provide a better standard of living for my family here...

I've been here longer than most (16 years now), so I've seen this place blossom from the flat, undeveloped "armpit of the Gulf" (as it was fondly referred to by some) that it was into what it is today. Though I miss the days when I was able to get anywhere in the city in 15 minutes, I still like living here.

MoeJoe,

Excellent, I do believe that people like you will be the solution to render Qatar more sustainable and genuinely more respected by the world.

I just hope that your political system wont block you from doing good to your country - it sure and urgently does need you guys!

It is very interesting to hear what you all have to say, because again even though I am Qatari, I still view my self as an expat in a lot of ways, and that is because Im not really used to a lot of things here. I am currently on a committee that was put together by other Qatari's who have been living abroad for a while, who are mostly working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One of the things we are currently trying to tackle right now is the idea of exit permits, and labor standards. It is really difficult to get the rule makers to listen to us though, because they themselves have no idea what it feels like to have to go through this process, which makes it quite difficult to win them over. But still, the battle goes on!! The question Im always asked is "You are a Qatari, why do you care if it doesnt effect you?" I care because at the end of the day this is my home, and I only want to make it a better place, which I know it really needs.

Cynbob,

Humans as rational individuals need to grow, learn, develop, create, share and progress. The degree of this process depends on its self awareness as well as its extent on each individual.

If Doha offers enough to the individual to "grow" within his own needs, then he/she tend to remain, otherwise he/she will feel discomfort until their departure.

As they say:

"Once you have opened your eyes, you can no longer close them".

Once you've lived in New York (as an example), you can no longer pretend that you have the right to express you self, be respected and have rights as a citizen, create, critical review the world you live in, etc, etc, etc......

Its okay here!

I, too, have been reading and observing for the last 6 months.

What I find fascinating is how expats will come to Doha's defense when someone complains about being here. The "if you don't like it, then leave" attitude,is the initial reaction. THEN, after talking for a little while, people will express their true feelings about this state: I don't really like it, but....

I think that in order to survive here, mentally, one has to believe that life is good here. I, like others, will not be here long enough to conform to the everday trials here in Doha.

Conforming to survive is not my plan. I applaud people that have been here for years and years. I truly do not know how you do it.

here in Qatar...but we came here by choice, so most of the times, it's just the attitude of "BEAR IT and GRIN".

'been here for 4 years, 26 days...and like lamborjeepney...am still counting too. :-P

The answers to your question are of personal nature. No one can answer for all.

The fact is Qatar, and in this case Doha, offers very limited cultural and social activities and it lacks of solid substance in these and many other areas. The lack of freedom of expression and some how a medieval policing system (secret and uncovered police may be watching you; press is controlled; people cant express their views regarding their own country, etc…!!!) does turn Doha as a non attractive destination to settle down or even to visit for many.

Most of the pleasant things Qatar has to offer to foreigners are very shallow and not more than facades. The number of real tourists that come to Qatar does prove this point.

Take the example of The Pearls - sold as a Venetian ambiance spot. Can you ever replicate Venice's atmosphere (freedom, history, culture, etc...) in the Doha of today? Why in the promotion pictures, people are showing having cocktails after work, at the bars near by the canals, when we all know that this is impossible in Qatar? Over the years, the misleading propaganda has been spotted by people. False propaganda only lasts until people see the reality and this does happens too often here in Qatar!

If one has been exposed to life in most of the European capitals or New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, Tokyo, etc, etc, etc... He/she will definitely find Doha sterile and uninteresting at many levels. Moreover when those people come here and adventure in the roads, they certainly gain the impression that the average of uncivilized people here is quite high, comparing to the facade Qatar wants to sell to the world!!

Obviously there are also good things about Qatar: Qatari people can be extremely nice and pleasant. The essence of their culture is amazing (too bad that they had to spoil it with the fast track development, to survive or stay in the map). The desert is also an impressive experience (to bad too many people leave their polluted traces behind). The color of the sea is another spectacular natural wonder and the weather from September to April is quite pleasant (minus the dust blown from the desert), too bad the Qatari culture is not a beach culture.

And finally all that money from the oil and gas that nature offers the Qataris and the Qataris share with some does make it an attractive place for some of us, for at least some time!

Compared to Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, Oz, NZ, USA, China, Japan, EU, etc...it sucks here

Compared to India, Pakistan, Bangaldesh, Nepal,,,,it is heaven on earth here

been here over 5 years and counting:-)

katas ng qatar

No, we don't exactly hate Qatar but dislike certain laws and facilities.

I enjoy and appreciate in QATAR

1. Safety (Internal and External security)

2. Maintain Healthy lifestyle

3. Good money (manage Good standard of living)

4. Travelling to other parts of the world are easy

5. Fuel is cheap (how long?)

6. Good malls for shopping (recently) but need many more to accomodate growing population.

I dislike and would feel an opportunity for improvement

1. Sponsorship and Exit permit laws (Slavery and discriminatory laws to be abolished)

2. Weather (Not within Govt control) but could make some effort to plant more trees and have Green Parks.

3. Conditions of the Roads and sarcastically Great drivers (proper road may improve the quality of driving, I hope)

4. High rents and poor maintenance (recently under control due to recession and increased supply of housing)

5. Health services (a major concern), need proficient health services at reasonable cost unlike American and Al Ahli hospitals)

6. Public transport, currently good for nothing.

7. Private Schools (Need education mininstry's intervention to control and check over Fees, syllabus and other facilities).

I could rate Qatar as 4/10; it means there are too much room for improvements.

ALL THE BEST

We all like a moan and this doesn't neccesarily mean we hate something. Often we bring up things which we feel could be changed because they have been seen to have been a good decision in terms of the improvemtn in countries we have come from. I'd love it if the Uk was as safe as here and other arab states where you dont have to keep one eye looking over your shoulder when u walk home sometimes. But like the things tallg mentioned many could be solved for little input, and there is no excuse for them not to be solved in a modern country.

Moejoe thanks for expressing your thoughts as a Qatari. Hope you will serve as a catalyst along with other locals to regulate these laws. As they say Qatar has a long way to go.

I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.  ~Charles Schulz

I do find that to be something quite pathetic really. I work in HR my self, and everytime I have to explain to someone how he cant change his sponsorship, or he needs an exit permit, I feel really stupid saying it. Even though I am a Qatari, I was raised abroad and so this is the reason why it makes me feel stupid saying such a thing to someone. What is weird though, is that I have spoken to a lot of other locals who feel the same way. The problem is that a lot of the people who actually make these rules do not experience it first hand and so they don't know what it's like, hense they don't end up feeling silly saying it to an expat. I do agree with you all though, that these basic foundations really need to be changed.

what about the quality standarts.still there is not a system who covers it strickly.you may wake up tomorrow morning and coz of the cheap commercial sanitary staff you may find flood.in another day cable problem,and goes all.definetly it has to be improved or re-build systematicly and stop this danger life style.short of the story; standarts!most of the companies do not know even whats the meaning of BS or ISO.terrific.

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Attitudes are more important than facts...

Things to change? AMEN to all Tallg has enumerated!

I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.  ~Charles Schulz

I hear you Tallg ...

Qatar is not bad, although there are some laws or regulations that seem not to be favorable...but so does any other country is this world...

I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.  ~Charles Schulz

Things I love:-

1. Safe place to live

2. Can maintain good lifestyle

2. Good money, tax free

3. Travelling to other parts of the world are easy

4. Fuel is cheap

5. Good malls for shopping

6. Nice people

Things I hate

1. Weather

2. Traffic (better than many other places)

3. Sponsorship and Exit permit laws

4. High rent

Overall I rate 7 out of 10.. not as bad as some people say.

Exactly. But you could write lists for any country you're in. The severity of the issues and the issues themselves might change of course. Perhaps people seem more p!ssed with Qatar because some of the issues are so controversial.

and the list go on ...

There are far bigger problems than that which need changing! Sponsorship system, human trafficking, racism, infrastructure, freedom of press, quality of workmanship, driving, ..., ...

No NOC MoeJoe ... that one is sucks. You cant move to a better job if your presents company not giving you a release. Basically once you landed in Qatar your fate is sealed with one particular company.

If you guys had the oppurtunity to change things about Doha, whether it was more restaurants, clubs, bars, whatever it may be, what would you change?

I agree with ya'll...wherever you go I guess you'l find the same situation.

Exactly tallg, wherever you go you will always find something to moan about the place.

myself a Doha lover.the thing is as all you know,there are bad n good sides of anything as the countries do.what im thinking to like or dislike a city or country is different than all the other camparable staff n its very strongly depends the person's soul.yeah its a soul matter.and my soul feels tranquility.

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Attitudes are more important than facts...

Honestly, there's not a lot I really LIKE about the place, although there are things I like about living here. Mostly the opp'ty to travel to other places.

And growing up here has been great for my kids.

Most of the people I know like the money and the lifestyle, but not so much Qatar itself.

Some people will hate wherever they live in the world. And remember people are far more likely to post about their negative experiences and views. If you notice it's the same 3 or 4 issues that Qatar has which provoke the threads of 'hate'.

there are certain things that are difficult over here and can make things unenjoyable however there are alot of opportunities aswell. I think the thing I have personally found being a new member here is trying to find friends especially in my age group. I am certainly making contact with people but working full time also makes it hard

I mos def agree britexpat.."hate" actually is a strong word to use...

Im definatly somewhere in between too. There's a lot about Doha that I wish I could change, especially the fact that there isnt much here to do, except walk around in malls, which lets face it, is quite boring. I've been out a couple of times and checked out Doha's nightlife, which I guess is quite laid back if not the "party animal" type (which luckily im not). I just always got the impression that a lot of people really hated being here...?

So far, I'm loving it.. I "dislike" some things, but HATE is too strong a word..

NFH got that right..... :)

Some hate it. Some love it. Most of us are probably somewhere in between.

of course not.. well, maybe some do.. but in every place, there's always the good side and the bad side so i guess it's the same here...