primularossa

sorry the message did not start!!

I said: there is some reclycing - in Katara beach you will find the bins - also in Qatar foundation, at the airport and in some compounds

for avoiding producing plastic bottles, you can buy 5 gallons water tanks at any supermarket and a 20 ryals manual pump. There are also companies that deliver at home the tans. We do it and we are happy not to produce plastic bottles waste.

JENMANC

Great news regarding recycling! 😊 I will look into the water bottle & pump dispenser for sure, can't stand all this waste just going to landfill somewhere 😳

With regards to my rental I'm paying 2000 for a small A group car.. can anyone do better? I don't need anything big or fancy just to get me around 😊

primularossa

I am an environmental scientist and I am looking at the waste management here with a professional eye! there are many opportunities...it takes time...

co durham boy

The only thing they recycle here is people especially low paid labour . In fact they're world rerenowned

JENMANC

Hey just to let you know the W hotel have recycle bins...think I am going to take all my recycling and drop it off there! lol

worldtrekker

Hi Jenmac,

I'm not sure how long you're intending to be there but have you considered buying a car, with a view to selling it when you leave? When I was there, a friend bought a second-hand Mazda that he used for three years, and then sold for the same price! Another friend bought a really swanky almost-brand new car, which had been bought for a sheikha who--after just a couple of trips out in it--decided she didn't like it. He got it at a bargain price, used it for two years and like it so much that he took it with him when he left. You might need some help finding one but it could prove a cheaper and more reliable option overall. Get someone local to help you, if at all possible.

Sorry to hear, though, that you're having such a tough time settling there. Truthfully, I'm not sure anyone ever really "settles" in Doha; it can be so culturally unfamiliar and to some extent, no matter how long people are there, they always remain 'guest workers'. My own approach, in any new place, is just to let go of any expectations that it will be or should be anything like your home country and anything you already know; be unfailingly respectful, polite and patient with others; and try to embrace the diversity of the experience! :-) That tends to bring out the best in people you encounter. It's an approach that helped me enjoy several years in Qatar, the UAE, Poland, Africa and the US.

Now that I'm back in the UK again, it's been important to keep that in mind too, in those moments of "why-is-everything-here-so-difficult" exasperation. Alongside the more wonderful things about living in the UK, it can be ferociously expensive, with regular instances of rude or inept service, nonsensical bureaucracy, officious officialdom, over-crowded and inefficient public transport, etc.

So hang in there, get lots of sleep and drink lots of water! Eventually it can become the stuff of unique memories. I still miss hearing the lilting echo of the call to prayer and the little glasses of sweet tea with Carnation, wandering the glittering soukhs in the evening and swimming in a crystal-clean warm sea, let alone having someone to clean my kitchen floor!

Hopefully, you'll find--as I definitely did--that, beyond the smaller day-to-day frustrations, there's loads to enjoy about Qatar. So grasp it while you can!

JENMANC

Hi Worldtrekker,

Thanks for your reply. At the minute I am unable to commit to buying a car, I really am not sure if this is the place for me, so renting will have to do for now. Your approach is very good and I shall take your points on board. I'm not unfamiliar to the ME and do like certain aspects of the place, your points about the UK have just made me giggle, I have experienced all those issues here so it's not just the UK!

I guess i'll just take each day as it comes and put it down to a life experience...see what happens next.

co durham boy

Stick it out and plough on . The place does'nt get better but life will get easier

britexpat76

This is spot on. The 1st year is spent sorting shit out and it get easier as time goes on. Find good friends, make the most of the weekends and don't dwell on the shite for too long.

JENMANC

Hey Guys! (apologies it sounds like the goodies!ha) I'm gonna ask this question as naive as it sounds but I was kinda hoping this place might have at least something which I can be positive about so here goes...

It seems I have some new furry 4 legged friends who live in my building carpark, they are so cute I just couldn't ignore them & wanted to do my good deed so I've started buying some cheap cat biscuits for them (it's only a small thing but at least they can survive another day at least) well these lovely little things are so intelligent they know exactly when I am coming out of my building to my car. I don't mind feeding them but one of them in particular just wants some love... I won't stroke him/her as the poor things probably got all sorts so that brings me onto my question. Do they have British vets here who would do a call out to give these poor little things the once over and a few jabs/flee stuff/a wash if I paid?

I'd love to adopt them although there is about 5 & I don't really want to be known as the cat lady of Al Saad! Ha plus as I can't commit to the place so it just wouldn't be right.

I seem to be making a habit of being the Middle East cat rescue lady but in Saudi I managed to find a home for the kitten I rescued from my building roof! Just hoping there might be some animal welfare in Doha or I am really thinking too highly of the place?! 😳

britexpat76

Are you on Facebook? Loads of kitty pages on there. You can take them to the government vet on old Airport road and its free, they will spay/neuter them for free also.

OleJanx

I too made a habit of being a middle east cat rescuer. The difference being that once they became my cats, I took them with me. The amount I forked out on quantine was shocking, and in hindsight, I could have bought a Ferrari with what I spent, but I perfer the purr of a cat to a car, and would not even contemplate leaving one of my cats behind.

As to vets, ask about, and without too much difficulty you should be able to get acess to the royal vet - it's not entirely open to everyone, but being Doha, there are ways and means....

JENMANC

Thanks guys I shall investigate 👍🏻 😊