I always find an article or two in the English language newspapers here (there are 3 main papers) that just have wording that makes me chuckle.
Today there was an article on two guys who were running a scam and stealing money.
This was the sentence that made me smile... maybe it's the translation from Arabic to English that makes it so charming...
"The court said it was convinced that the behaviour of the accused involved bad intention to possess the money of others."
You can read the full article here.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Maids in Qatar - when something goes wrong
One of the "perks" of living in Qatar is that most of the houses come with maid's quarters. Many if not most of the higher paid expats have maids as do most if not all Qataris. The houses are big (our has six bathrooms) and the floors are stone. There is lots of sand that constantly blows into your homes, so it is very helpful to have someone to keep your home clean. Many of the maids also cook for the family and help take care of the children.
Someone in your home
As a westerner, not from a Paris Hilton kind of wealth family, I had never had a maid before. I had had occasional cleaning help for a couple of hours a week, but never someone live in my home. I wasn't sure what it would be like, whether I would want to have a stranger milling around.
Living conditions
Also, while there are maid's quarters - these rooms are often not much bigger than a storage cupboard, just room enough to squeeze in a bed (single, of course), a small chest of drawers and a small wardrobe. No room for an additional chair or sofa. Initially I couldn't imagine having someone live in such a small space, but over time you are continually told that this small clean space with their own private bathroom en-suite, is better than the conditions they would live in at home- possible one room shared with multiple family members with no running water.
Salaries
The salaries and working hours are also very different to what you would pay in the west. And what I find most amazing is that the salary paid is not according to the job / hours worked but according to race. Philippinas tend to earn the most, their embassy has set a salary that they are to be paid, but there is no regulation so some pay less, some pay more, but they definitely earn more than women from India. Sri Lankans are normally paid less than Indians and women from Africa may even be paid less. I just find it astounding.
The justification as far as I can determine has nothing to do with the cost of living here, but the relative value of their earnings in their home country. Live in maids are provided with accommodation, food, and normally some clothes. They work six days a week with only Fridays off (and many don't even get Fridays off) so they really don't go anywhere or spend money on much of anything. Most of them send almost their entire salary home so the wages scales (non-official) are based on what cost of living is in their home country.
Difficulty in obtaining part time help
One of the reasons that most people end up with full time live in maids instead of having part time help and occasional babysitters is that there are very few people available to hire locally to do this kind of work. You have to remember that Qatar is a country of about 1.5 million people, of which only 250K are citizens. The rest are "imported" labour with no right to permanent residency or citizenship. You are brought in for a job, you do your job, then you go home. The vast majority of the imports are men (there is a 3-1 male to female ratio here) so there just aren't many women around looking to earn some extra money by cleaning homes / babysitting. There certainly aren't any Qatari women who work in this role. So if you want someone, you have to sponsor them, bring them in yourself and this is what people do.
Evening social life / demands
As a result of all these people having live in maids, most people with children go out much more often than they would in their home country. Also as for a large part of the year it is so hot, you really do go out in the evening as you just can't do too much during the day (but the kids still start school at 7am so there aren't any teenagers able to babysit either!) So if you don't have live in help and you have kids it is much more difficult have any social life here.
The big decision
So we finally decided to get a live in maid when friends of ours suggested a maid that they knew and would recommend. She was from India and was related to these friends' maid. We spoke with her on the phone, filled out all the necessary paperwork and had it filed with the appropriate government body. The government body does it in two stages, first they deem whether we are eligible to hire a maid (they said yes we were), then whether we could bring in this particular maid (they decided that we couldn't). Not that there was anything wrong with this woman but they (arbitrarily as far as we could see) decided that we were to hire either a Philippino or an Indonesian maid - we could not bring in a maid from India. We appealed and they still said no - Philippino or Indonesian only.
We decided to not bother for a while as we didn't want to get any one who hadn't been recommended to us and we just didn't know anyone and we didn't really want a stranger in our home.
After a few months another friend said that she had found her maid through the Philippine Embassy. So many women are mistreated by their employers here that the embassy runs a women's shelter for run away maids. Most of them are deported (repatriated) and the employers are never prosecuted (the topic of another post at some time). This friend advised that some of the maids just need a second chance with a "nice" family so we contacted the embassy. They told us that they had a woman available who had run away from her employer because they made her work 20 hours a day with no day off and they yelled at her and withheld money from her salary if she did anything wrong. We interviewed her twice and decided to hire her.
She came and was very nice and helpful around the home. She seemed so happy to be with us and while she didn't talk much everything seemed fine. Our concerns of having someone else in our home melted away as she was very inobtrusive. If we were upstairs, she would work downstairs and vice versa. She never came upstairs until she knew we were up and dressed - so there were no awkward moments. Over time we found out that she did a few things that weren't right but we talked to her about them and there would always be some improvement.
She always seemed very trustworthy and we never felt the need to lock things away. On her day off, she went to church and had church friends to hang out with, which we grateful for as there is not a lot to do in Doha - especially if you don't have much money to spend. We also gave her part of another day off when she asked if she could take a computer course offered by the Philippine Embassy's overseas workers association. All seemed to be going well..... until one Saturday night.
When things go wrong
Over the course of a couple of days / nights she seemed to be losing her mind. At first I wasn't sure, things just seemed a bit odd, but one night when I ended up locking myself and my children in my bedroom because of her behaviour (my husband was out of town on business), I knew she had to go.
It was a very stressful few days and she received some treatment, but I will not have her back in my home.
Losing your job in Qatar
It is hard as this is not your average employee / employer situation. In a normal situation where someone works for you but lives in their own home and is a resident of that country - if they steal from you, or endanger you, you can fire them and they get hopefully get support from their family etc.. and go and find a new job when they are better.
Here - they are in your home, on your sponsorship - so if you fire them they lose their job, their home and have to leave the country. They go home to poverty, to children who are relying on their financial support.
I am saddened by this experience. I have to put the safety of my family first. It was a very stressful few days - operating in an environment where you aren't sure what is the right path to take - how to best care for yourself and how to care for her.
I am grateful for the Philippine embassy women's shelter - unfortunately they appear to have a lot of experience in dealing with this situation - though often it is induced by the abuse of the employer.
We still don't know what triggered this mental breakdown and probably will never fully know and comprehend all that this woman has lived through. We don't know anymore what is the truth and what are lies that she has told us.
So will we hire another live in maid?
I really don't know. This has scared me, but when I think through it logically, you know it is an aberration. There are thousands of other maids who live here peacefully and many become an integral part of the family. But still... you never know what can happen and now I need some time to reflect - when I am not cleaning six bathrooms and mopping the floors!
Someone in your home
As a westerner, not from a Paris Hilton kind of wealth family, I had never had a maid before. I had had occasional cleaning help for a couple of hours a week, but never someone live in my home. I wasn't sure what it would be like, whether I would want to have a stranger milling around.
Living conditions
Also, while there are maid's quarters - these rooms are often not much bigger than a storage cupboard, just room enough to squeeze in a bed (single, of course), a small chest of drawers and a small wardrobe. No room for an additional chair or sofa. Initially I couldn't imagine having someone live in such a small space, but over time you are continually told that this small clean space with their own private bathroom en-suite, is better than the conditions they would live in at home- possible one room shared with multiple family members with no running water.
Salaries
The salaries and working hours are also very different to what you would pay in the west. And what I find most amazing is that the salary paid is not according to the job / hours worked but according to race. Philippinas tend to earn the most, their embassy has set a salary that they are to be paid, but there is no regulation so some pay less, some pay more, but they definitely earn more than women from India. Sri Lankans are normally paid less than Indians and women from Africa may even be paid less. I just find it astounding.
The justification as far as I can determine has nothing to do with the cost of living here, but the relative value of their earnings in their home country. Live in maids are provided with accommodation, food, and normally some clothes. They work six days a week with only Fridays off (and many don't even get Fridays off) so they really don't go anywhere or spend money on much of anything. Most of them send almost their entire salary home so the wages scales (non-official) are based on what cost of living is in their home country.
Difficulty in obtaining part time help
One of the reasons that most people end up with full time live in maids instead of having part time help and occasional babysitters is that there are very few people available to hire locally to do this kind of work. You have to remember that Qatar is a country of about 1.5 million people, of which only 250K are citizens. The rest are "imported" labour with no right to permanent residency or citizenship. You are brought in for a job, you do your job, then you go home. The vast majority of the imports are men (there is a 3-1 male to female ratio here) so there just aren't many women around looking to earn some extra money by cleaning homes / babysitting. There certainly aren't any Qatari women who work in this role. So if you want someone, you have to sponsor them, bring them in yourself and this is what people do.
Evening social life / demands
As a result of all these people having live in maids, most people with children go out much more often than they would in their home country. Also as for a large part of the year it is so hot, you really do go out in the evening as you just can't do too much during the day (but the kids still start school at 7am so there aren't any teenagers able to babysit either!) So if you don't have live in help and you have kids it is much more difficult have any social life here.
The big decision
So we finally decided to get a live in maid when friends of ours suggested a maid that they knew and would recommend. She was from India and was related to these friends' maid. We spoke with her on the phone, filled out all the necessary paperwork and had it filed with the appropriate government body. The government body does it in two stages, first they deem whether we are eligible to hire a maid (they said yes we were), then whether we could bring in this particular maid (they decided that we couldn't). Not that there was anything wrong with this woman but they (arbitrarily as far as we could see) decided that we were to hire either a Philippino or an Indonesian maid - we could not bring in a maid from India. We appealed and they still said no - Philippino or Indonesian only.
We decided to not bother for a while as we didn't want to get any one who hadn't been recommended to us and we just didn't know anyone and we didn't really want a stranger in our home.
After a few months another friend said that she had found her maid through the Philippine Embassy. So many women are mistreated by their employers here that the embassy runs a women's shelter for run away maids. Most of them are deported (repatriated) and the employers are never prosecuted (the topic of another post at some time). This friend advised that some of the maids just need a second chance with a "nice" family so we contacted the embassy. They told us that they had a woman available who had run away from her employer because they made her work 20 hours a day with no day off and they yelled at her and withheld money from her salary if she did anything wrong. We interviewed her twice and decided to hire her.
She came and was very nice and helpful around the home. She seemed so happy to be with us and while she didn't talk much everything seemed fine. Our concerns of having someone else in our home melted away as she was very inobtrusive. If we were upstairs, she would work downstairs and vice versa. She never came upstairs until she knew we were up and dressed - so there were no awkward moments. Over time we found out that she did a few things that weren't right but we talked to her about them and there would always be some improvement.
She always seemed very trustworthy and we never felt the need to lock things away. On her day off, she went to church and had church friends to hang out with, which we grateful for as there is not a lot to do in Doha - especially if you don't have much money to spend. We also gave her part of another day off when she asked if she could take a computer course offered by the Philippine Embassy's overseas workers association. All seemed to be going well..... until one Saturday night.
When things go wrong
Over the course of a couple of days / nights she seemed to be losing her mind. At first I wasn't sure, things just seemed a bit odd, but one night when I ended up locking myself and my children in my bedroom because of her behaviour (my husband was out of town on business), I knew she had to go.
It was a very stressful few days and she received some treatment, but I will not have her back in my home.
Losing your job in Qatar
It is hard as this is not your average employee / employer situation. In a normal situation where someone works for you but lives in their own home and is a resident of that country - if they steal from you, or endanger you, you can fire them and they get hopefully get support from their family etc.. and go and find a new job when they are better.
Here - they are in your home, on your sponsorship - so if you fire them they lose their job, their home and have to leave the country. They go home to poverty, to children who are relying on their financial support.
I am saddened by this experience. I have to put the safety of my family first. It was a very stressful few days - operating in an environment where you aren't sure what is the right path to take - how to best care for yourself and how to care for her.
I am grateful for the Philippine embassy women's shelter - unfortunately they appear to have a lot of experience in dealing with this situation - though often it is induced by the abuse of the employer.
We still don't know what triggered this mental breakdown and probably will never fully know and comprehend all that this woman has lived through. We don't know anymore what is the truth and what are lies that she has told us.
So will we hire another live in maid?
I really don't know. This has scared me, but when I think through it logically, you know it is an aberration. There are thousands of other maids who live here peacefully and many become an integral part of the family. But still... you never know what can happen and now I need some time to reflect - when I am not cleaning six bathrooms and mopping the floors!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Major news headline.... petrol stations????
In yesterday's paper, I was surprised to see a large article with the tag line
8 new petrol stations in 2009
It was a reminder that I live in a country that is rapidly developing and even what would be considered basic services in other countries are still defining themselves here.
I grew up near an intersection where there was one on each corner - always competing on price and service (one has closed down and is now a McDonald's - but the other three battle on - 30 years + and going!!!)
I was surprised when I moved here at how few petrol stations there were. So I guess I can almost see how this is a major news story here... but it did make me laugh! And I loved the photo of the opening ceremony - cutting a garland of flowers!
See full article text here
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Qatar National Day madness
I have celebrated many different country's national days, and most involve their citizens putting up flags, banners, having parades, BBQ's, music etc.. There might be a few events in the morning but most are in the afternoon and stretch into the evening.
So imagine my surprise when coming back from Doha airport at 12:30 (midnight) on the morning of Doha's national day, and finding that 1/2 hour into the national day starting - there was a traffic jam on the Corniche. Men riding on top of their cars, music blaring, some wearing balaclavas in their cars (didn't understand that one, and it scared me a bit too), and generally just blocking the traffic completely.
The formal parades and music weren't scheduled to begin until 5 or so that evening - so I was surprised to see hordes of people starting their celebrations before 1am!
That day and the days following, there have never been so many Qatar flags. And cars completely covered in huge ones - making driving even riskier as who knows what the drivers could see out of their cars with their rear window covered by a flag. And most of the drivers and passengers appeared to no longer be wearing their seat belts as the flags were tied onto the seat belts through the windows.
But the maddest (craziest) thing I saw that night (at around 9pm) was a guy riding on a motorcycle with at least a 17inch LCD computer screen playing a DVD. It was mounted on his handlebars and he was watching it while driving/riding around Doha. I was at least glad to see that he had a full helmet on - but really it was bizarre to see a full size computer screen playing a movie on a motorcyle. Don't know how that was celebrating National Day...
So imagine my surprise when coming back from Doha airport at 12:30 (midnight) on the morning of Doha's national day, and finding that 1/2 hour into the national day starting - there was a traffic jam on the Corniche. Men riding on top of their cars, music blaring, some wearing balaclavas in their cars (didn't understand that one, and it scared me a bit too), and generally just blocking the traffic completely.
The formal parades and music weren't scheduled to begin until 5 or so that evening - so I was surprised to see hordes of people starting their celebrations before 1am!
That day and the days following, there have never been so many Qatar flags. And cars completely covered in huge ones - making driving even riskier as who knows what the drivers could see out of their cars with their rear window covered by a flag. And most of the drivers and passengers appeared to no longer be wearing their seat belts as the flags were tied onto the seat belts through the windows.
But the maddest (craziest) thing I saw that night (at around 9pm) was a guy riding on a motorcycle with at least a 17inch LCD computer screen playing a DVD. It was mounted on his handlebars and he was watching it while driving/riding around Doha. I was at least glad to see that he had a full helmet on - but really it was bizarre to see a full size computer screen playing a movie on a motorcyle. Don't know how that was celebrating National Day...
Airport madness at Eid
We went away on holiday just before Eid - which, of course, meant going to the Doha airport where you normally just walk in the front door, queue for a very short while to go through security before you can go to the check in desks.
There had been warnings in the media that most of the flights were fully booked that weekend and to arrive earlier as more people would be at the airport - but I was not at all prepared for what it was like.
It was just madness! No control, very little respect, and a lot of very, very pushy people.
When we arrived the queue just to reach the front door was all the way back to the premium terminal - so a couple hundred metres! We calmly walked to the back of the queue as we had allowed extra time and slowly inched our way forwards toward the door. The frustrating thing was the number of people who opted not to join the queue. I did not see a single person / family in traditional dress (white thobe / black robe) in the queue but saw them push in at the front of the queue and go right on through. And no one stopped them!
Other people of other nationalities / races also just ignored the queue and if you challenged them, which after a while I decided to do as I was that annoyed, they would either make some lame excuse, or just ignore you. After waiting in line patiently for 45 minutes and being now only 10 people from the door (of course with countless people still pushing in at the front), my protests got louder and louder and security decided to push me to the front of the queue - partly to get me to be quiet I think, but also because I was traveling with small children. I was ushered inside, but was then upset with myself as I felt that I just succumbed to the whole "VIP", I don't have to wait in the queue business that I had been protesting. I wish I had stayed put to make my point!
Had everyone taken their proper place in the queue the line would have moved much faster and the vast majority of us would have felt better having respect for each other. I understand pushing to the front of the queue if you plane is close to departure time, but some of these people pushing through had flights leaving 3 hours later! What an uncivilized mess!
There had been warnings in the media that most of the flights were fully booked that weekend and to arrive earlier as more people would be at the airport - but I was not at all prepared for what it was like.
It was just madness! No control, very little respect, and a lot of very, very pushy people.
When we arrived the queue just to reach the front door was all the way back to the premium terminal - so a couple hundred metres! We calmly walked to the back of the queue as we had allowed extra time and slowly inched our way forwards toward the door. The frustrating thing was the number of people who opted not to join the queue. I did not see a single person / family in traditional dress (white thobe / black robe) in the queue but saw them push in at the front of the queue and go right on through. And no one stopped them!
Other people of other nationalities / races also just ignored the queue and if you challenged them, which after a while I decided to do as I was that annoyed, they would either make some lame excuse, or just ignore you. After waiting in line patiently for 45 minutes and being now only 10 people from the door (of course with countless people still pushing in at the front), my protests got louder and louder and security decided to push me to the front of the queue - partly to get me to be quiet I think, but also because I was traveling with small children. I was ushered inside, but was then upset with myself as I felt that I just succumbed to the whole "VIP", I don't have to wait in the queue business that I had been protesting. I wish I had stayed put to make my point!
Had everyone taken their proper place in the queue the line would have moved much faster and the vast majority of us would have felt better having respect for each other. I understand pushing to the front of the queue if you plane is close to departure time, but some of these people pushing through had flights leaving 3 hours later! What an uncivilized mess!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Discrimination Gulf Style
The Qatar Tribune reports that the UAE has decided to ban "menial" workers from driving.
Those workers who live in Sharjah, where large groups of foreign workers live, who are in one of 86 occupations, including watchmen, typists, cooks, carpenters, housemaids and gardeners, won't be able to apply for a driving licence in the UAE.
Apparently the aim is to cut congestion - but ignores the fact that there is inadequate public transportation - and also ignores the fact that it is classist.
A similar thing was apparently considered here in Qatar - with so many people moving here the roads are now very congested. The proposed solution.... don't issue driving licenses to non-working expat wives. It ignored the fact that most of these expat wives are responsible for getting their children to and from school, have to do the grocery shopping etc... With practically non-existent public transportation it was just incredibly impractical. The only solution was going to be that either every one was going to hire a driver (therefore not reducing congestion) or the wives would all get some sort of part time job so that they could get a driving license. Fortunately this proposal went nowhere.
But unfortunately, the "menial" workers in the UAE don't have much clout, so will probably be stuck with this extremely discriminatory ruling.
http://qatar-tribune.com/data/20081202/content.asp?section=gulf2_6
Those workers who live in Sharjah, where large groups of foreign workers live, who are in one of 86 occupations, including watchmen, typists, cooks, carpenters, housemaids and gardeners, won't be able to apply for a driving licence in the UAE.
Apparently the aim is to cut congestion - but ignores the fact that there is inadequate public transportation - and also ignores the fact that it is classist.
A similar thing was apparently considered here in Qatar - with so many people moving here the roads are now very congested. The proposed solution.... don't issue driving licenses to non-working expat wives. It ignored the fact that most of these expat wives are responsible for getting their children to and from school, have to do the grocery shopping etc... With practically non-existent public transportation it was just incredibly impractical. The only solution was going to be that either every one was going to hire a driver (therefore not reducing congestion) or the wives would all get some sort of part time job so that they could get a driving license. Fortunately this proposal went nowhere.
But unfortunately, the "menial" workers in the UAE don't have much clout, so will probably be stuck with this extremely discriminatory ruling.
http://qatar-tribune.com/data/20081202/content.asp?section=gulf2_6
Monday, November 3, 2008
Why oh why at the souq
I have been away for a while and on my second weekend back in Doha I went to dinner at the souq (Souq Waqif).
I had been so pleased at the progress at the souq - with them tearing down the old 1970's concrete buildings and putting in a restaurant row. It was so lively and looking so "traditional". It really had become a great place to take visitors and show them a touch of "arab" life - not just glitzy shopping malls with US dominated food courts!
There were Moroccan, Iraqi and Iranian and Qatari restaurants with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. It just seemed like a great atmosphere when I was last there. And I was looking forward to seeing the new art centre.
I did find the new art centre and thought it was great (though very overpriced). It was clean and new but still looked traditional while housing a lot of modern art. So imagine my disappointment to find that futher down restaurant row there is now Haagen Dazs, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Second Cup Coffee, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and more junk / western food to come...
At least Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf with its muted brown colours didn't stand out too badly - but the others, with their fluorescent lights and bright colours just distracted from the new / old feel of the souq.
I am sure that these shops will make lots of money but I would have preferred this one part of town be kept looking (and tasting and smelling) more old world!!! These shops just ruin the atmosphere...
I had been so pleased at the progress at the souq - with them tearing down the old 1970's concrete buildings and putting in a restaurant row. It was so lively and looking so "traditional". It really had become a great place to take visitors and show them a touch of "arab" life - not just glitzy shopping malls with US dominated food courts!
There were Moroccan, Iraqi and Iranian and Qatari restaurants with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. It just seemed like a great atmosphere when I was last there. And I was looking forward to seeing the new art centre.
I did find the new art centre and thought it was great (though very overpriced). It was clean and new but still looked traditional while housing a lot of modern art. So imagine my disappointment to find that futher down restaurant row there is now Haagen Dazs, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Second Cup Coffee, Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and more junk / western food to come...
At least Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf with its muted brown colours didn't stand out too badly - but the others, with their fluorescent lights and bright colours just distracted from the new / old feel of the souq.
I am sure that these shops will make lots of money but I would have preferred this one part of town be kept looking (and tasting and smelling) more old world!!! These shops just ruin the atmosphere...
Monday, September 8, 2008
Give me my screwdriver and gloves
I just had to laugh at the last line of this article which appeared in today's Gulf Times.
Robber sent to jail
A Vietnamese worker was sent to jail for three years after being found guilty of breaking into two shops and attempting to steal money.
The 23-year-old will be deported after serving his sentence.
According to the charge sheet, the man - armed with a screwdriver and wearing gloves - forced his way into the stores near the Arab Bank roundabout on May 6.
The robber was caught red-handed by a passing police patrol which happened to be in the area at 3.20am.
The man was found with QR1,739, which the shops' owners said belonged to them.
The court ordered the return of the stolen money, and also (emphasis added) confiscated the robber's screwdriver and gloves.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Qatar, playing all sides, is a nonstop mediator
Interesting article from the New York Times, one worth reading....
NYT article on Qatar
What would you do if you were Qatar?
NYT article on Qatar
What would you do if you were Qatar?
Discrimination - Doha Style
Doha has an unbalanced population. Only about 1/4 of its residents are citizens and maybe more than 2/3rds of its population is male. The vast majority of these men are expatriates, working in lower paid positions 6 days a week and are single or unaccompanied.
Friday is their one day off (Friday / Saturday is the weekend here), and most of them don't have a lot of money to spend, but they do want to spend it somewhere pleasant (and cool). They remind me of American teenagers spending their time after school hanging out at the mall.
But now, these men are being banned from all the major shopping malls in Doha on Friday. Friday has been turned into "Family Day" - no single men allowed.
I hear the arguments
- these are commercial establishments not government sponsored entertainment facilities, so they can choose who to let in
- how is it different from a bouncer at a nightclub not letting certain people in
- families feel more comfortable if there are not a lot of single men milling around
- these men don't spend any money anyway
but to me they just aren't sufficient arguments to restrict such a large segment of society here on their one day off.
Surely if an individual or group of individuals are causing problems, they should be dealt with. Store / restaurant managers can get someone to move along if they are outstaying their welcome and obstructing actual clients. But to essentially brand someone as "undesirable" because they are single, poor and male just doesn't bode well with my sense of fairness.
Most of these guys toil away in extreme heat building things for the rest of us to use and enjoy, do we really need to restrict the small comforts of spending one afternoon a week in a nice, clean, air-conditioned environment!
This is getting some press - but not enough to change anything - click on photo to read article.
Friday is their one day off (Friday / Saturday is the weekend here), and most of them don't have a lot of money to spend, but they do want to spend it somewhere pleasant (and cool). They remind me of American teenagers spending their time after school hanging out at the mall.
But now, these men are being banned from all the major shopping malls in Doha on Friday. Friday has been turned into "Family Day" - no single men allowed.
I hear the arguments
- these are commercial establishments not government sponsored entertainment facilities, so they can choose who to let in
- how is it different from a bouncer at a nightclub not letting certain people in
- families feel more comfortable if there are not a lot of single men milling around
- these men don't spend any money anyway
but to me they just aren't sufficient arguments to restrict such a large segment of society here on their one day off.
Surely if an individual or group of individuals are causing problems, they should be dealt with. Store / restaurant managers can get someone to move along if they are outstaying their welcome and obstructing actual clients. But to essentially brand someone as "undesirable" because they are single, poor and male just doesn't bode well with my sense of fairness.
Most of these guys toil away in extreme heat building things for the rest of us to use and enjoy, do we really need to restrict the small comforts of spending one afternoon a week in a nice, clean, air-conditioned environment!
This is getting some press - but not enough to change anything - click on photo to read article.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Rush for Smart Id Cards
Another funny newspaper headline -
Qatari's rush for new Smart ID cards.
The article goes on to say that the booth open in one of the shopping malls is open daily from 3pm-8pm and that on average 13 people a day sign up.
At 2.6 people per hour - I would hardly call that a rush!
Qatari's rush for new Smart ID cards.
The article goes on to say that the booth open in one of the shopping malls is open daily from 3pm-8pm and that on average 13 people a day sign up.
At 2.6 people per hour - I would hardly call that a rush!
Doha from the air
The original city of Doha is on the left. It is mainly low rise buildings densely packed together. The old souq (market) area is being rebuilt to look "old" and is becoming a very charming area to visit - especially for tourists. But there are a lot of great restaurants there now too!
One of the focus points of Doha is this bay, bounded by The Corniche - an 8km boardwalk that is next to the bay. There are palm trees all along the route and some grassy areas. It is a very popular place to take a walk / hang out (when the weather isn't too hot). You can also take a traditional Dhow (boat) ride out to some of the islands.
At the northern end of the Corniche is where the new "downtown" area is being built. It is like a mini-Manhattan with lots of tall buildings and fancy hotels. It is mainly offices but there are several apartment buildings too and of course the large City Centre shopping mall.
One of the focus points of Doha is this bay, bounded by The Corniche - an 8km boardwalk that is next to the bay. There are palm trees all along the route and some grassy areas. It is a very popular place to take a walk / hang out (when the weather isn't too hot). You can also take a traditional Dhow (boat) ride out to some of the islands.
At the northern end of the Corniche is where the new "downtown" area is being built. It is like a mini-Manhattan with lots of tall buildings and fancy hotels. It is mainly offices but there are several apartment buildings too and of course the large City Centre shopping mall.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Define a throng
Picture in today's Qatar Tribune, front page.
See subtext - Shareholders throng the Doha Securities Market...
My definition of throng is a large, densely packed crowd.
Anyway - made me laugh!
See subtext - Shareholders throng the Doha Securities Market...
My definition of throng is a large, densely packed crowd.
Anyway - made me laugh!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Your ID please....
Something I realised the other day I have become used to here in Doha... but is not "normal" in other places I have lived, is the need to hand over your ID when you go to visit friends.
Not everyone here lives in a compound, but a large majority of wester expats do, and many in quite secure ones. You drive up to a gate (sometimes after driving a zig zag course through large concrete blocks) and hand over your ID to get in.
Then you wait.
You wait for either the boom gate to go up, the gate to open, or the crash barrier to go down, or any combination of the three before you can go in !
Occasionally you don't have to hand over your id if your host has provided a printed list of everyone who is visiting (eg for a party).
Handing over your ID doesn't just apply at compounds, but at some public venues too. We like to go to the Doha Debates at Education City and you always have to hand over your ID and get a pass to get inside. You actually get in pretty quickly, but leaving can be a different matter. You all leave an event at once and everybody has to queue up to get their ID back on the way out.
Not everyone here lives in a compound, but a large majority of wester expats do, and many in quite secure ones. You drive up to a gate (sometimes after driving a zig zag course through large concrete blocks) and hand over your ID to get in.
Then you wait.
You wait for either the boom gate to go up, the gate to open, or the crash barrier to go down, or any combination of the three before you can go in !
Occasionally you don't have to hand over your id if your host has provided a printed list of everyone who is visiting (eg for a party).
Handing over your ID doesn't just apply at compounds, but at some public venues too. We like to go to the Doha Debates at Education City and you always have to hand over your ID and get a pass to get inside. You actually get in pretty quickly, but leaving can be a different matter. You all leave an event at once and everybody has to queue up to get their ID back on the way out.
"Freak" accidents
Following are a few photos from the Peninsula newspaper here in Doha.
Normally these are listed as freak accidents - but they are really due to reckless driving! It just seems people prefer to think that it was due to a freak of nature rather than something they caused.
This first one is on a road I travel on several times a day!
Normally these are listed as freak accidents - but they are really due to reckless driving! It just seems people prefer to think that it was due to a freak of nature rather than something they caused.
This first one is on a road I travel on several times a day!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The sea of blue
The other thing that was new to me here in Qatar, is really understanding and seeing the meaning of blue-collar workers.
The vast majority of work men here (and they are all men) are dressed in blue overalls. The construction workers, gardners, maintenance men, petrol station attendants are all in long sleeve all in one blue overalls. If they are out in the sun, add to that a t-shirt or scarf on their head (as many don't seem to be provided with hats) as wells as scarves wrapped over their face and sunglasses applied over the top. You can see as much of them as the women in their abayas and niqabs.
Because of the huge amount of construction going on here, there is a large percentage of imported labour and the result is a male to female ratio of almost 3 to 1...
The vast majority of work men here (and they are all men) are dressed in blue overalls. The construction workers, gardners, maintenance men, petrol station attendants are all in long sleeve all in one blue overalls. If they are out in the sun, add to that a t-shirt or scarf on their head (as many don't seem to be provided with hats) as wells as scarves wrapped over their face and sunglasses applied over the top. You can see as much of them as the women in their abayas and niqabs.
Because of the huge amount of construction going on here, there is a large percentage of imported labour and the result is a male to female ratio of almost 3 to 1...
The heat.... burns your legs...
I don't think I have mentioned the heat recently. After a cold winter (about 8 weeks of sweater weather with several days of rain, and a freezing house as floors all tiles and no central heating) the weather warmed up gradually.
But now it is HOT! 40 degrees Celcius + everyday. Today is 48.
Everything is air-conditioned so you aren't really feeling it too much, but when it is school pickup time the heat hits hard. The worst I find is when the children are getting into the car and you are making sure everyone is buckled up. I am left standing on the street and the heat from the sun combined with the heat radiating from the road is just unbelievable. There are times when it actually feels like my legs are burning.
But I shouldn't complain. I have it easy compared to so many of the workers here who have to work out in the heat all day long. There has been a few articles in the paper highlighting a gov't policy that says during this heat manual laborers are supposed to be rested between 12:30 and 4:30 pm - but showed pictures of people still out working in the full sun. It is true to say that the heat and conditions are extreme!
But now it is HOT! 40 degrees Celcius + everyday. Today is 48.
Everything is air-conditioned so you aren't really feeling it too much, but when it is school pickup time the heat hits hard. The worst I find is when the children are getting into the car and you are making sure everyone is buckled up. I am left standing on the street and the heat from the sun combined with the heat radiating from the road is just unbelievable. There are times when it actually feels like my legs are burning.
But I shouldn't complain. I have it easy compared to so many of the workers here who have to work out in the heat all day long. There has been a few articles in the paper highlighting a gov't policy that says during this heat manual laborers are supposed to be rested between 12:30 and 4:30 pm - but showed pictures of people still out working in the full sun. It is true to say that the heat and conditions are extreme!
Friday, June 20, 2008
So many things wrong
For all my gripes about the driving here, I have always been grateful that alcohol is not part of the mix. The drivers are crazy enough without adding alcohol.
There is a zero tolerance here - no alcohol allowed in the system at all. If you are an expat and you are caught driving and your blood shows alcohol in it - you are deported.
Fortunately taxis are cheap here, so most people if they are going out and know they are going to be drinking just catch a cab home.
But read below what happens if you are a local.... with a track record of drunk driving ... and you kill 3 people.... Also note at the end how the women are worth 1/2 that of men in compensation...
********
I wish the article would have laid out what the new maximum penalties are. They mention new traffic laws - but don't lay out what impact that would have had on his conviction.
There is a zero tolerance here - no alcohol allowed in the system at all. If you are an expat and you are caught driving and your blood shows alcohol in it - you are deported.
Fortunately taxis are cheap here, so most people if they are going out and know they are going to be drinking just catch a cab home.
But read below what happens if you are a local.... with a track record of drunk driving ... and you kill 3 people.... Also note at the end how the women are worth 1/2 that of men in compensation...
Death crash driver jailed for 9 months in absentia
Published: Thursday, 19 June, 2008, 02:08 AM Doha Time
By Nour Abuzant
A DRINK-DRIVER who killed three people after jumping a red light has been sentenced to nine months in jail.
A court heard the victims were two local women – one of whom was six months pregnant – and their Indian driver.
The killer driver – named Shafi Ali – did not appear in court to hear the verdict.
Sentencing him in absentia, the judge ordered Ali serve three months in prison for the traffic violation and six months for drinking. He was fined QR6,000 for driving under the influence of alcohol and had his licence suspended for six months.
He was also ordered to pay blood money totalling QR300,000 plus an extra QR15,000 for the death of the embryo.
As the fatal crash took place before the new traffic law came into force the judge had imposed the maximum penalty at his disposal.
He revealed that Ali, a Qatari national in his 20s, had 13 previous convictions, including six alcohol-related incidents, bounced cheques and an escape from legal detention.
The judge noted that he had been lashed and jailed for the previous offences – none of which had served as any future deterrent.
The fatal accident occurred on May 4 last year after Ali drove from his home in Manaseer to a car wash in Waab. He admitted to police that he had been drinking beer at home before he left, and as he approached a set of traffic lights close to the Hyatt Plaza, they changed to red and he kept on driving – causing an on-coming vehicle to swerve into the car carrying the three victims. Medical tests proved he was drunk.
Ali suffered only slight injuries in the accident. A 26-year-old pregnant woman, her 35-year-old friend and their 23-year-old driver all died.
Delivering its verdict, the court ordered both Ali and an insurance company to share the blood money payment of QR75,000 to each of the families of the two women and QR150,000 to the driver’s relatives.
The court described Ali as “a negligent youth who allowed himself to drive under the influence of alcohol therefore endangering the lives of innocent people”. It added that his rich criminal record reiterated his carelessness.
Gulf Times Newspaper, 2008 ©
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=225303&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56
********
I wish the article would have laid out what the new maximum penalties are. They mention new traffic laws - but don't lay out what impact that would have had on his conviction.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Fascinating, thought provoking talk
One of the amazing things about living here, is who passes through town and how easy it is to get into events.
Tonight I went to a talk sponsored by the Centre for Regional and International Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar - and we heard John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt talk on their book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.
They spoke for an hour and then they took questions for an hour. It was just amazing. I had seen an ad for the talk in the paper and called to see if I could attend. That same day there was a Christian Science Monitor editorial on these guys and their book.
The talk was really thought provoking - if you haven't heard / read about them, I would suggest you do!
Tonight I went to a talk sponsored by the Centre for Regional and International Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar - and we heard John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt talk on their book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.
They spoke for an hour and then they took questions for an hour. It was just amazing. I had seen an ad for the talk in the paper and called to see if I could attend. That same day there was a Christian Science Monitor editorial on these guys and their book.
The talk was really thought provoking - if you haven't heard / read about them, I would suggest you do!
Dangerous driving
Further to my previous note on driving with a cell phone, we had visitors from the UK. And in the five days that they were here, they saw a major accident on the road everyday.
It is amazing how commonplace it is here. I have seen two today! Both with fairly significant car damage.
When I took my kids over Easter holidays to visit the UK, my 6 year old son commented on how calm the traffic was and how he didn't see any wrecked cars...
In the paper the other day it mentioned a case of a 20 year old local driver who drove up behind a car at 140kph in an 80 zone, flashing his lights for the other car to move, but there was no where for him to move. When he finally did move to the right (between two trucks) the local driver followed, ramming into the other car, which smashed it into the truck in front killing the passenger immediately and seriously injuring the driver, who had to be airlifted to hospital.
The local driver has pleaded not guilty. From the article it appeared the the driver probably wouldn't be sentenced, but would be required to pay "blood money".
While the road campaigns to improve driving here has helped, there are still to many drivers, in big Land Cruisers, who just ignore the traffic situation they are in. I am not a slow driver, but I adjust to the conditions around me. These drivers don't.
It is amazing how commonplace it is here. I have seen two today! Both with fairly significant car damage.
When I took my kids over Easter holidays to visit the UK, my 6 year old son commented on how calm the traffic was and how he didn't see any wrecked cars...
In the paper the other day it mentioned a case of a 20 year old local driver who drove up behind a car at 140kph in an 80 zone, flashing his lights for the other car to move, but there was no where for him to move. When he finally did move to the right (between two trucks) the local driver followed, ramming into the other car, which smashed it into the truck in front killing the passenger immediately and seriously injuring the driver, who had to be airlifted to hospital.
The local driver has pleaded not guilty. From the article it appeared the the driver probably wouldn't be sentenced, but would be required to pay "blood money".
While the road campaigns to improve driving here has helped, there are still to many drivers, in big Land Cruisers, who just ignore the traffic situation they are in. I am not a slow driver, but I adjust to the conditions around me. These drivers don't.
Why can't you bluetooth
One of the things that annoys me here is how so many drivers drive holding a cell phone. If you are wealthy enough to be driving a maserati, certainly you can afford to buy a headset, or even better, a bluetooth speaker system for your car!
I had a wired system in my car (in the pre-bluetooth days) and now have bluetooth and it is just so much safer. You just press one button and everything else can pretty much be done by voice commands.
So instead of either roaring up the road at 140kph in an 80 zone, or doing 60kph in an 80 zone with only one hand on the wheel and your attention not on those around you... PLEASE get bluetooth - or at least some sort of hands free kit.
I had a wired system in my car (in the pre-bluetooth days) and now have bluetooth and it is just so much safer. You just press one button and everything else can pretty much be done by voice commands.
So instead of either roaring up the road at 140kph in an 80 zone, or doing 60kph in an 80 zone with only one hand on the wheel and your attention not on those around you... PLEASE get bluetooth - or at least some sort of hands free kit.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tambourine Man
When I hear the word tambourine, I automatically think of Josie and the Pussycats and someone simply shaking the instrument or banging it on their hip. So imagine my surprise to see a tambourine accompany an orchestra and play a principal role in most pieces!
This gentleman, part of a group from Egypt, was at the National Theatre here in Doha and was a joy to watch. He was so energetic and happy. I have never seen someone play a tambourine like that before - never knew there was so much you could do with a tambourine.
You can see a bit of his playing in the video below.
This gentleman, part of a group from Egypt, was at the National Theatre here in Doha and was a joy to watch. He was so energetic and happy. I have never seen someone play a tambourine like that before - never knew there was so much you could do with a tambourine.
You can see a bit of his playing in the video below.
Tambourine Man part 2
Then he got the crowd clapping and joining in during his solo performance. Hope you can see it and enjoy too!
Too much to do
Sometimes it is easy to over commit in Doha. It certainly has felt that way recently. I repeatedly say that when there are things on in Doha you almost feel obligated to go.
So in the past six weeks in Doha we have seen ....
the Qatar Masters Golf Open and followed Adam Scott (who won) and Sergio Garcia.
a football (soccer) skills demonstration
an Arabic concert at the National Theatre with an visiting orchestra from Egypt
women's tennis ATP tour - we saw Maria Sharapova play (she went on to win) and also Venus Williams
Placido Domingo in concert
kids (and adults) cycling, skating, enjoying the Wheels on Heels day down at the Corniche, with stunt bicycle demonstrations
men's and women's gymnastics - an international competition at Aspire Academy
the Doha Players production of The King and I.....
Oh and did I mention that except for Placido Domingo and The King and I, everything else was free entry! And we had close to front row seats at every event! To get so close to so many great athletes / musicians is just fabulous.
There are other things we missed - but where would we have found the time!
So in the past six weeks in Doha we have seen ....
the Qatar Masters Golf Open and followed Adam Scott (who won) and Sergio Garcia.
a football (soccer) skills demonstration
an Arabic concert at the National Theatre with an visiting orchestra from Egypt
women's tennis ATP tour - we saw Maria Sharapova play (she went on to win) and also Venus Williams
Placido Domingo in concert
kids (and adults) cycling, skating, enjoying the Wheels on Heels day down at the Corniche, with stunt bicycle demonstrations
men's and women's gymnastics - an international competition at Aspire Academy
the Doha Players production of The King and I.....
Oh and did I mention that except for Placido Domingo and The King and I, everything else was free entry! And we had close to front row seats at every event! To get so close to so many great athletes / musicians is just fabulous.
There are other things we missed - but where would we have found the time!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Driving.... me nuts!
I'm one of your more laid back Doha drivers. I didn't feel the need to buy a big 4WD to be intimidating on the road. I feel more comfortable in a smaller, sportier car to handle the roundabouts.
Normally, I am quite relaxed amongst all the chaotic drivers here. I feel like I am part of an un-choreographed dance - some drivers are ballerinas, some slamming punk rockers, and some slow toddlers! I normally watch all the drivers around me and as gently as possible maneuver amongst them all while getting where I need to go as quickly and safely as possible.
So I was quite disturbed today by a punk rocker type, who tried to slam me! There are three lanes going round the roundabout. I am in the middle as I am not taking the first exit, but the second. Next thing I know, the car on my right is pushing into my lane so I gently honk to remind him of my presence. But instead of correcting course, he accelerates, gets in front of me and slams on his brakes! I slam on mine too - while wildly honking my horn to express my displeasure. I am carrying three small children in the rear of the car and this kind of behaviour by another driver is just completely uncalled for!
Fortunately none of this was at speed, so no whiplash for the little ones in the back and no contact between cars. Thank goodness for good brakes! But my hand hurt afterward from all my honking and my internal temperature took a while to return to normal!
I was mentally cursing local drivers, then had to calm down and remind myself that it is not fair to damn an entire nationality because of the arrogance and stupidity of one. But I do wish there were fewer disrespectful drivers here.
Normally, I am quite relaxed amongst all the chaotic drivers here. I feel like I am part of an un-choreographed dance - some drivers are ballerinas, some slamming punk rockers, and some slow toddlers! I normally watch all the drivers around me and as gently as possible maneuver amongst them all while getting where I need to go as quickly and safely as possible.
So I was quite disturbed today by a punk rocker type, who tried to slam me! There are three lanes going round the roundabout. I am in the middle as I am not taking the first exit, but the second. Next thing I know, the car on my right is pushing into my lane so I gently honk to remind him of my presence. But instead of correcting course, he accelerates, gets in front of me and slams on his brakes! I slam on mine too - while wildly honking my horn to express my displeasure. I am carrying three small children in the rear of the car and this kind of behaviour by another driver is just completely uncalled for!
Fortunately none of this was at speed, so no whiplash for the little ones in the back and no contact between cars. Thank goodness for good brakes! But my hand hurt afterward from all my honking and my internal temperature took a while to return to normal!
I was mentally cursing local drivers, then had to calm down and remind myself that it is not fair to damn an entire nationality because of the arrogance and stupidity of one. But I do wish there were fewer disrespectful drivers here.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Not quite Venice
The gondolas are now running at Villagio. For 15 Rials you can take a round trip spin on the canal in an electric gondola. I thinks it's a bit cheesy, but the kids all seem to love it - and it does make for an interesting feature in a shopping mall!
Not the New York Rangers...
Sometimes you can't believe that you're in the middle east.
What do you do on a Friday morning (first day of the weekend) after seeing some little league baseball?
Go to a shopping mall to see an ice hockey game!
And while watching the ice hockey, you nibble on some french pastries and raisin and hazelnut baguettes a l'ancien!
What do you do on a Friday morning (first day of the weekend) after seeing some little league baseball?
Go to a shopping mall to see an ice hockey game!
And while watching the ice hockey, you nibble on some french pastries and raisin and hazelnut baguettes a l'ancien!
How much fast food do you need....
One of the most striking elements of Doha is the amount of North American and European fast food chains. One intersection is actually called cholesterol corner because of the preponderance of fast food restaurants.
Some of the chains you will find here are...
McDonald's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, KFC, Hardee's, Arby's, Chilli's, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Starbucks, TCBY, Baskin Robbins, Haagen Daaz, Nando's, Applebees, Bennigans, Sbarro, Macaroni Grill, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee.
So as if we don't have enough fattening food here... here comes Krispy Kreme Doughnuts! Their advertising is everywhere. They are opening in Villagio mall of Feb 1 at 5pm and the first 25 customers get free doughnuts for a year! I can't believe that would be good for your waistline!
I must admit, I am a Krispy Kreme fan. I was introduced to them in the US by a cousin over ten years ago and they are a special treat. But I must admit, I wasn't expecting them here in Doha. What's next - a fried mars bar joint?
Some of the chains you will find here are...
McDonald's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, KFC, Hardee's, Arby's, Chilli's, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Starbucks, TCBY, Baskin Robbins, Haagen Daaz, Nando's, Applebees, Bennigans, Sbarro, Macaroni Grill, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee.
So as if we don't have enough fattening food here... here comes Krispy Kreme Doughnuts! Their advertising is everywhere. They are opening in Villagio mall of Feb 1 at 5pm and the first 25 customers get free doughnuts for a year! I can't believe that would be good for your waistline!
I must admit, I am a Krispy Kreme fan. I was introduced to them in the US by a cousin over ten years ago and they are a special treat. But I must admit, I wasn't expecting them here in Doha. What's next - a fried mars bar joint?
After the rain came the dirt!
So the sun came out again but there was now muddy roads everywhere. And not just muddy roads, there was sand and dirt spread all over the buildings too.
The W hotel in west bay which is opening in May this year gives you a glimpse of how dirty it got. The window cleaners have been busy taking layers and layers of dirt off the building and they still have a fair way to go!
I got my car washed at City Centre parking lot, and after driving less than a kilometer, the car looked just as dirty as so much mud was being thrown up on my car from the roads and other cars!
The W hotel in west bay which is opening in May this year gives you a glimpse of how dirty it got. The window cleaners have been busy taking layers and layers of dirt off the building and they still have a fair way to go!
I got my car washed at City Centre parking lot, and after driving less than a kilometer, the car looked just as dirty as so much mud was being thrown up on my car from the roads and other cars!
So it does rain here!
Came back after holiday to weather that was definitely cooler, but still very pleasant. Enjoyed the evening outdoor at the tennis open, and even went sailing a couple of times - just wearing a bathing suit with shorts and a fleece under my life jacket.
But then suddenly it turned COLD! Not 3 feet of snow, blizzard cold, but still cold. It rained for four days straight and I must admit, we just didn't feel like going out.
The rain was funny, it was more of a drizzle most of the time, a rain hat would keep you dry if you were just running from one place to another. But inside homes are where it really turned cold. All of a sudden tile floors and multiple air conditioners weren't really that helpful! I put on my sheep skin boots, watched tv with a blanket on my lap, and put extra blankets on our bed. My hands and feet are still cold though!
The sun has come out again but the chill is still inside. We have one space heater, and it doesn't make that much of a dint in the cold.
But then suddenly it turned COLD! Not 3 feet of snow, blizzard cold, but still cold. It rained for four days straight and I must admit, we just didn't feel like going out.
The rain was funny, it was more of a drizzle most of the time, a rain hat would keep you dry if you were just running from one place to another. But inside homes are where it really turned cold. All of a sudden tile floors and multiple air conditioners weren't really that helpful! I put on my sheep skin boots, watched tv with a blanket on my lap, and put extra blankets on our bed. My hands and feet are still cold though!
The sun has come out again but the chill is still inside. We have one space heater, and it doesn't make that much of a dint in the cold.
Tennis so easy
I haven't posted for a while as I was away on holiday - so I wasn't observing Doha. But I couldn't believe what happened the day I got back.
I got home from the airport at 2am and didn't get up until late. Went out for a drive and ran into a friend who had tickets for the final of the Qatar Tennis open, that evening. He said that he only got them that morning, and that they were free! So, of course, I had to go.
I am a tennis fan you see - I have previously been to matches at the Australian and US open and Wimbledon - but never could get finals tickets. So to be able to go to a fairly high calibre tennis final, for free... what a treat!
I saw a number of people I know at the final. The crowd was a good mix of ethnicities, but not many Qataris. The few that were there were in the VIP seats down one end, but that was the section with the most empty seats. What a shame.
Also got something else free that night. The Doha Olympic bid folks were handing out free t-shirts and baseball caps. So all in all a pretty good night!
I got home from the airport at 2am and didn't get up until late. Went out for a drive and ran into a friend who had tickets for the final of the Qatar Tennis open, that evening. He said that he only got them that morning, and that they were free! So, of course, I had to go.
I am a tennis fan you see - I have previously been to matches at the Australian and US open and Wimbledon - but never could get finals tickets. So to be able to go to a fairly high calibre tennis final, for free... what a treat!
I saw a number of people I know at the final. The crowd was a good mix of ethnicities, but not many Qataris. The few that were there were in the VIP seats down one end, but that was the section with the most empty seats. What a shame.
Also got something else free that night. The Doha Olympic bid folks were handing out free t-shirts and baseball caps. So all in all a pretty good night!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Points for money
So the newspaper headline says,
POINTS SYSTEM PUTS CAR RENTAL FIRMS IN A FIX
(click to read full article which will open in new window)
and then goes on to explain how the new traffic rules in Doha are impacting rental car companies. Driving offences now carry fines and penalty points on your license. Rental car companies are able to pass on the fine to their customers, but not the points. Most renters are foreign yet somehow, the Traffic Dept requires that points be assigned otherwise the car in question cannot have its road permit renewed.
So here is the ..... I can't believe it ..... solution!!!!
The car rental company finds local drivers who are willing, for a fee, to take the points (the blame) on their license!
Given the small number of people in Qatar, and the growing number of visitors, here's hoping a proper solution gets worked out before these not guilty local drivers rack up too many points!
ps. I wonder how much they get paid!
POINTS SYSTEM PUTS CAR RENTAL FIRMS IN A FIX
(click to read full article which will open in new window)
and then goes on to explain how the new traffic rules in Doha are impacting rental car companies. Driving offences now carry fines and penalty points on your license. Rental car companies are able to pass on the fine to their customers, but not the points. Most renters are foreign yet somehow, the Traffic Dept requires that points be assigned otherwise the car in question cannot have its road permit renewed.
So here is the ..... I can't believe it ..... solution!!!!
The car rental company finds local drivers who are willing, for a fee, to take the points (the blame) on their license!
Given the small number of people in Qatar, and the growing number of visitors, here's hoping a proper solution gets worked out before these not guilty local drivers rack up too many points!
ps. I wonder how much they get paid!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving... or Christmas!
Shopping this morning for last minute things for our Thanksgiving turkey dinner and lo and behold there is Christmas music playing over the loudspeaker! So even in Doha Christmas comes early.
I have actually been quite surprised at the amount of Christmas decorations around everywhere, candy canes, Santa claus's and even fake Christmas trees. Can't say that I find any nativity scenes available - just all the commercial, non-religious Christmas stuff everywhere!
I have actually been quite surprised at the amount of Christmas decorations around everywhere, candy canes, Santa claus's and even fake Christmas trees. Can't say that I find any nativity scenes available - just all the commercial, non-religious Christmas stuff everywhere!
Monday, November 19, 2007
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...
We had the privilege to see the UK Red Arrows fly over the Corniche today. They put on quite an aerial display for about a 1/2 hour. As you can see, they buzzed right past the Sheraton and inserted a bit of colour into the sky.
Yesterday, we saw the Formula 1 racing boats.
And last week we saw the French stunt planes. So othere has been a lot of very fast things making a lot of noise all around the Corniche! I wonder what next week will bring?!
Yesterday, we saw the Formula 1 racing boats.
And last week we saw the French stunt planes. So othere has been a lot of very fast things making a lot of noise all around the Corniche! I wonder what next week will bring?!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Strange headlines
This was the headline of an article in a local (English language) Qatar paper...
EXPATS ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS AT WORKSHOP ON HUMAN RIGHTS
(click to read full article which will open in new window)
I was curious (and scared) to think that it was newsworthy for expats to be allowed to ask questions!
The article itself is about a "two-day workshop ....on ‘Promoting Human Rights Culture in Qatari Society'." and has little to do with expats being allowed to ask questions! I have seen this before where headline and story don't exactly match. I'll try and find some more!
EXPATS ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS AT WORKSHOP ON HUMAN RIGHTS
(click to read full article which will open in new window)
I was curious (and scared) to think that it was newsworthy for expats to be allowed to ask questions!
The article itself is about a "two-day workshop ....on ‘Promoting Human Rights Culture in Qatari Society'." and has little to do with expats being allowed to ask questions! I have seen this before where headline and story don't exactly match. I'll try and find some more!
Where did everything go?
I woke up this morning to a world that had disappeared. At 6:45am there was fog everywhere, and I couldn't see a thing out my window. I live in west bay and normally I can see the ritz carlton, but now I couldn't see across the street.
Surprisingly, some of the tall buildings near city centre were sticking up above the fog, so it looks like there were about 20 stories worth of fog covering part of Doha.
Surprisingly, some of the tall buildings near city centre were sticking up above the fog, so it looks like there were about 20 stories worth of fog covering part of Doha.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Not quite full serve / almost full circle
As a kid growing up in California, I remember full service gas stations. A nice man (it was always a man) would fill your car up with gas and clean your front and rear windows. Sometimes they would even check your oil. By the time I was a teenager, it was definitely a pump your own world. Gas was still cheap - around $1 a gallon.
Then I moved to Australia, learned to call it petrol, still pumped my own but paid AUD $0.80 a litre. Then I moved to UK, still pumped my own and paid GBP £0.80 a litre! (that is roughly US$ 6.50 a gallon)
Now in Qatar, there is again a nice man who fills my car up with gas but doesn't do windows or check the oil and I pay 0.80 Qatari Rials a litre (about US$ 0.85 a gallon).
Then I moved to Australia, learned to call it petrol, still pumped my own but paid AUD $0.80 a litre. Then I moved to UK, still pumped my own and paid GBP £0.80 a litre! (that is roughly US$ 6.50 a gallon)
Now in Qatar, there is again a nice man who fills my car up with gas but doesn't do windows or check the oil and I pay 0.80 Qatari Rials a litre (about US$ 0.85 a gallon).
Drive thru banking...
As I have mentioned, Doha is hot. Even now that is almost November it is still 31°C (88°F). So you don't want to get out of your air conditioned car if you don't have to. Hence the multitude of drive through ATM's. These are scattered all over town and the screens are angled to make it easier for drivers. I have yet to master the approach and usually have to open my door and lean out quite a ways to reach the buttons but give me a few more years and I am sure I'll be an expert!
Where did all the cold water go!
In summer, cold water comes at a premium in Doha!
The only way to get it at this time of year is to refrigerate it.
The "cold" water for your home comes from a tank that sits outside with direct sun shining on it all day long.
So as a result the water that comes out is even warmer than luke warm. For a kids bath, you don't need to put any hot in and sometimes you even need to let it cool a bit for the youngest ones!
It does take some getting used to. The biggest adjustments for me are brushing your teeth with hot water, and getting a warm backside from the toilet! In public places, where there is higher "bathroom" usage, you can actually feel the cistern behind you is very hot! Quite strange. Fortunately at home the water normally has a chance to cool down a bit between flushes!
The swimming pools are funny too. You can tell how "up market" your pool is if they actually go to the expense of refrigerating the water before pumping it in. No need for pools to be heated here, you have to use electricity to cool them down!
The only way to get it at this time of year is to refrigerate it.
The "cold" water for your home comes from a tank that sits outside with direct sun shining on it all day long.
So as a result the water that comes out is even warmer than luke warm. For a kids bath, you don't need to put any hot in and sometimes you even need to let it cool a bit for the youngest ones!
It does take some getting used to. The biggest adjustments for me are brushing your teeth with hot water, and getting a warm backside from the toilet! In public places, where there is higher "bathroom" usage, you can actually feel the cistern behind you is very hot! Quite strange. Fortunately at home the water normally has a chance to cool down a bit between flushes!
The swimming pools are funny too. You can tell how "up market" your pool is if they actually go to the expense of refrigerating the water before pumping it in. No need for pools to be heated here, you have to use electricity to cool them down!
Recycling... or lack thereof
In London we were very good at recycling. Before we had door stop recycling, we would walk down to the local bins and put in our paper, plastic, cans etc... Then it got even easier and we could leave all our recycling in a special bag outside our door and it would be picked up by the council and recycled. And while we lived in an apartment and couldn't compost, we used a waste disposal unit and felt good that our organic waste wasn't wrapped up in plastic bags in a dump somewhere. Now we can't seem to recycle anything!
I am told that our new home country is just too small population wise to warrant building facilities here and it is too costly to ship recyclables to a facility. So after training the kids what to throw in the bin and what to recycle, it now all goes into one bag and off to the landfill it goes.
If any one has any tips, suggestions... this is one area where I feel like some sort of progress should be made
I am told that our new home country is just too small population wise to warrant building facilities here and it is too costly to ship recyclables to a facility. So after training the kids what to throw in the bin and what to recycle, it now all goes into one bag and off to the landfill it goes.
If any one has any tips, suggestions... this is one area where I feel like some sort of progress should be made
Energy use and air conditioning
We arrived during the Qatari summer. With temperatures up to 50 degrees celcius (122° Farenheit), you are grateful that pretty much everything is air conditioned. However, with all the talk about global warming, the needing to conserve energy etc.. I often feel guilty about leaving the air con on 24/7 but it get so hot so quickly you normally do.
So when we went away on holiday for four weeks, I figured there was no point in keeping all the air con units on (we have six) so I turned of a couple of them and turned the temperature up on the rest. I figured leaving all the internal doors open would allow enough airflow moving around.
Much to my chagrin I found out why people in this part of the world keep their air con on all the time - even when they are away on holiday!
Mould! Two of the rooms where I turned the air con off had lots of things covered in the stuff. From shoes, to empty back packs, luggage, children's car seats, and lots and lots of clothes. What a mess. So the energy saver in me has had to concede that saving on air conditioning just isn't the way to go. (I still turn off the lights when I leave a room though!) :-)
So when we went away on holiday for four weeks, I figured there was no point in keeping all the air con units on (we have six) so I turned of a couple of them and turned the temperature up on the rest. I figured leaving all the internal doors open would allow enough airflow moving around.
Much to my chagrin I found out why people in this part of the world keep their air con on all the time - even when they are away on holiday!
Mould! Two of the rooms where I turned the air con off had lots of things covered in the stuff. From shoes, to empty back packs, luggage, children's car seats, and lots and lots of clothes. What a mess. So the energy saver in me has had to concede that saving on air conditioning just isn't the way to go. (I still turn off the lights when I leave a room though!) :-)
Monday, October 29, 2007
Starting over
After 9 years of living in London, our family (me, husband, two kids) moved from the centre of a very busy city, with lots of trees, parks and public transport.... to Doha.
I am not qualified to comment on all the details of what is truly going on in Doha as my life here is primarily restricted to living in what I call an expat bubble. But I do want to share with you my observations on life here.
Previously I have lived and worked in the UK, US and Australia and have travelled to a great many countries. When asked where I consider home, I always reply that it is where I am living at the moment as in my heart I have many places to call home. I do not know where I will eventually end up "settling down". For the moment, my family and I are enjoying our continuing adventure and I hope to share a bit of it with you.
I am not qualified to comment on all the details of what is truly going on in Doha as my life here is primarily restricted to living in what I call an expat bubble. But I do want to share with you my observations on life here.
Previously I have lived and worked in the UK, US and Australia and have travelled to a great many countries. When asked where I consider home, I always reply that it is where I am living at the moment as in my heart I have many places to call home. I do not know where I will eventually end up "settling down". For the moment, my family and I are enjoying our continuing adventure and I hope to share a bit of it with you.
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