LIVING IN DOHA
Moving to QATAR: Dos and Don’ts for a Successful
Transition by Emma Morrell
Y
ou stare out of the plane window at the country you will now call home. On the approach to landing, you flew over aqua waters so bright you would be forgiven for thinking they had been photoshopped, and you took in the semi-circles of high-rise apartments that make up The Pearl-Qatar. On the ground, though, the landscape is completely flat, your surroundings are mostly beige, and the horizon is blurry from the dust in the air. As the plane taxis towards the terminal, you can make out the shadowy skyline of West Bay in Doha. Mixed with the excitement of moving are other feelings: anxiety, fear, and nerves. 18
Over the plane’s PA system, the pilot welcomes you to Qatar. What they don’t know—but most expats do—is that you are wondering what on earth you have done. Cold feet just before, during, or right after relocating to start a new life is completely normal—especially if it’s halfway across the world. In fact, it is probably less typical to not have second thoughts. It is easy, however, to get lost in that feeling for weeks and months—the perfect way to guarantee you will have a bad experience. To avoid that, here are our top tips for managing a smooth transition to life in Qatar.
