Slipping from one world into another is a nice punctuation to have as the cool begins to slide into the air in Ireland and week by week you’re putting summer clothes away and edging towards the darker side of the closet. Leaving home is always hard but thoughts of our cushy winter in Qatar, in…
By the time it comes to the last week of school term, a morning without an argument about how many spoons of Rice Krispies qualifies as a breakfast, seems like heaven. The kids are tired, the monotony of school lunches is like Chinese torture, for you making them, and for the kids having to eat…
There’s a common misconception out there about women in Qatar and that we are poorly treated. Many think we are not allowed leave the house or work here alone without a man, drive, socialise in bars with friends, in fact we are allowed to do all that, and aren’t we grateful for it, see that’s…
For fear that the incessant rain isn’t enough to dampen summer frolics one just has to turn on the news to completely eradicate the illusion that Ireland is not quite the ideal Island for holidaying. Somewhere along the line, the news has transformed from just being a platform, where those with a morbid fascination for…
It’s indisputable, the temperatures in Doha are a sun worshippers dream. Living in a world where outdoor swimming pools and air conditioning are the norm it’s easy to fall into believing, (especially when you come from damp ole Eire) that we here in Doha can have no weather problems, apart from intense heat for 5…
It’s the most natural cycle in the world, you meet each other, fall in love, decide to move in together, agree to emigrate to the Middle East to turn a quick buck while you’re both still young, get all the documentation ready and realise that you must get married (to each other) to satisfy…
It’s only natural that as we’re all here working and occasionally socialising together that the question arises, ‘where are you working?’, ‘who are you working for?’, ‘What company do you work for?’, ‘who does your husband work for?’, whatever way it spills out into conversation the intention is not only to make polite conversation but…
When I compare, Qatar today with Qatar of five years ago, there is a notable change in the landscape. Infrastructure, Ikea, more Malls, sure, but the most welcome difference is the increased number of Irish families now living in Qatar. Not only is it always nice to meet someone from home but it is somewhat reassuring…
For the trailing spouse (usually wife) getting set up in Qatar is not as easy as rocking up with a pair of fitflops and a maxi. Unless you want to do visa runs to Bahrain every 59 days, you need to obtain an RP (residents permit). Every non-Qatari person living in Qatar needs to have…
Since arriving to Doha the first month has passed in a haze, so frantic and frenzied is the search for a house, school, car and the container that left Indonesia months ago, that I have been consumed with setting up home. Finding the right school is the lynchpin to it all. Second time around we…
thereluctantemigrant 