Mum of 2 kids, aged 3yrs and 4yrs.
Husband working in Construction
In Doha since Nov 2010
 
Life in Doha
 
Kids: Doha is a very family friendly place, full of playgrounds and indoor play areas. Every event that you go has made provision for a the kids with bouncy castles, face painting, arts and crafts, etc.
The kids are well catered for here. Also, swimming is very popular here especially during the hotter months and most people have access to a swimmimg pool. The locals love kids and are fascinated with our western skin colouring.
 
Work:
The working hours can be long in Doha. My husband works 6 days per week from 7.30am-6pm. You are lucky if your husband only works a 5 day week here. Some ex-pat wives work also but tend to be paid a lot less. A lot of them work in the nurseries or schools as it fits in well with their kids routine and they get the summers off to go home. 
 
Schools:
The good schools can be hard to get into. You may not get your first choice of school, but you should be able to get a place somewhere. Schools can be expensive too, and the price doesn't necessarily relate to how good/bad the school is. It's a huge help if your husband's company contribute towards the school fees. Some of the recommended schools here are DESS, Doha College, Park House, British Montessorie, Compass, Sherbourne, and some of these favour a british passport. The schools start very early in Doha too, usually 7-7.30am.

Traffic:
Doha is full of roundabouts and traffic lights, and traffic can be very heavy. The locals tend to drive like maniacs so it's important to be on guard at all times. It's a good idea to drive a jeep rather than a car also as it would be much safer if you were to have a collision. Minor accidents happen quite frequently here. Try to have a short distance between nursery, school, work and home as it can be a headache if they're far apart.
 
Social:
The social scene here is what you make it. There are some very lively bars located within the hotels, including an irish bar, if you want to let your hair down. Or you can go to one of the posh bars or restaurants , such as those within the W hotel, if you want a more upmarket night. A lot of ex-pats get together here and have barbeques at their villas which is also fun, and you're pretty much guaranteed good weather. There is a website called 'Doha Mums' which is great for meeting other mums. They have events and coffee mornings planned for nearly every day of the week and for every age of child. The mums with young babies are very well catered for too.
 
Travel:
There are so many countries near-by that you can visit while you're here, UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Thailand, Maldives etc. So you can have some great holidays.
 
Culture:
The muslim culture was a bit difficult to get used to, but after a while you should stop noticing it so much. I thought my kids would get upset when they first saw a lady in a berka, but they didn't bat an eyelid. You get used to the men chanting prayers outside throughout the day and night, even at 4am, or you just sleep through it. All I can say is don't live beside a mosque! As for as ex-pats covering up, I wear tops with my shoulders exposed all the time and have never had any trouble. I just wouldn't go around in a mini-skirt with my cleavage popping out.
 
Religion:
There is one catholic church here so if you want to go to mass, it's possible too.
 
Shopping:
It's quite expensive here to go shopping. Everyone complains about the price of groceries, but having lived in Dublin for the last 15 years it has come as no shock to me, apart from the odd item. The clothing stores are pricey too, so stock up on stuff from Penny's and Dunnes before you come. Also, bring your own neurofen and arnaca cream as you can't get them here. You can get calpol.
 
 
Overall, Doha is a nice enough place to live once you have settled in and made some friends. I'll admit that it's not Ireland, but it's a good experience for a young family to have and you will always have memories (and great photos) to take home with you when you return!   
 

Contact the author at info@irishinqatar.com