yeah I hear you on the huge mortgage unfortunately we dont quite cover it with rent so constantly having to top up the bank account. budget at least 12 months until you start to feel 'benefits' of being in the gulf. maybe even 24 months. dont beat yourself up that after 6 months you're not saving loads. it's a common misconception from back home that you'll be super rich 5 minutes after you land. actually the few brits I do know have a common issue of attitudes of some people when they go home that they think they're rolling in it and should be paying for everyone's meals etc. I've heard the same from other eu countries. guess it's one way to work out your real friends.
as said, qatar is like 90% expat so we are treated ok, most people are away from home. passports/race is a bigger deal here. It's one of the hardest things for Europeans to learn to accept, there is a class system that doesnt exist back home. admittedly we are near the top of the tree. for example a lot of people here are banned from bringing their family or having a driving license because they dont earn enough or have a good enough job title. brits are (for now) one of the few countries that can directly swap their driving license to a Qatari one without any tests.
if you go to an unfurnished place I can recommend najma furniture market on a thursday evening for cheap furniture sets. make sure you haggle. you will find a driver/carpenter easily there (theyll come to you). they'll break it down, load up, deliver and rebuild.
yeah I hear you on the huge mortgage unfortunately we dont quite cover it with rent so constantly having to top up the bank account. budget at least 12 months until you start to feel 'benefits' of being in the gulf. maybe even 24 months. dont beat yourself up that after 6 months you're not saving loads. it's a common misconception from back home that you'll be super rich 5 minutes after you land. actually the few brits I do know have a common issue of attitudes of some people when they go home that they think they're rolling in it and should be paying for everyone's meals etc. I've heard the same from other eu countries. guess it's one way to work out your real friends.
as said, qatar is like 90% expat so we are treated ok, most people are away from home. passports/race is a bigger deal here. It's one of the hardest things for Europeans to learn to accept, there is a class system that doesnt exist back home. admittedly we are near the top of the tree. for example a lot of people here are banned from bringing their family or having a driving license because they dont earn enough or have a good enough job title. brits are (for now) one of the few countries that can directly swap their driving license to a Qatari one without any tests.
if you go to an unfurnished place I can recommend najma furniture market on a thursday evening for cheap furniture sets. make sure you haggle. you will find a driver/carpenter easily there (theyll come to you). they'll break it down, load up, deliver and rebuild.